There is a contemporary colloquial phrase that expresses the desire of many people who are fed up with the politically correct falseness of this current age. That phrase, so eloquently stated, is “keeping it real” or “keeping it 100.” The intent of this saying is to presumably create an environment where you will get the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Unfortunately, the truth seems to be in short supply these days either deliberately or inadvertently. Either way, the result is the same. That is, the truth has been diluted, altered, rearranged or deleted and replaced by things that range from similarity to or diametric opposition with the original intent of the truth.
And so it is with us. Many times we hear phrases and instructions which are attributed to the Word of God, but in reality, they are not. So many times we will hear scriptures quoted, but the intent of the Giver, our Father which art in heaven, has been changed. I’ve heard examples myself, such as quoting “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” as justification for exacting retribution in retaliation for offenses, either perceived or real. But in His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Himself said, “Ye have heard that it hath been said an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth: But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5: 38-39) Continuing His teaching, Jesus said, “Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5: 43-48)
This is a stark reminder that we must be sure that the information we receive is the information we were intended to receive and not filtered through institutional explanations, public translations, private interpretations or lustful expectations. Whenever presented with someone’s personal view of God’s Word, don’t just automatically believe everything you hear, but stay on your knees in prayer, study your Bible regularly and be like those dear ones Brother Paul of Tarsus preached to in Berea, who “…received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” (Acts 17: 11) The fact of the matter is that we all know what we’ve heard, but what we really need to know is this: What does Jesus say?
The early church experienced a similar crisis during Christ’s time which is depicted in the Gospel According to Mark, chapter 7, verses 1 through 23. In this passage, Mark tells how the Pharisees and scribes were upset because some of Jesus’ disciples had eaten bread without washing their hands. Sounds like they were afflicted with the “cleanliness is next to godliness” syndrome which is another misstated biblical phrase not found in the bible. Jesus Himself refutes this as well by explaining to the Pharisees and scribes, “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.” (Matthew 15: 11, 19 & 20)
Please don’t misinterpret what I’m saying here. I’m not advocating the consumption of food with dirty hands or from filthy containers. Indeed, the judicious application of practices related to good hygiene and disease prevention dictate that we be concerned about germs, bacteria, infections, etc., particularly in this day and age of the deadly Coronavirus. But the point I’m making is spiritual, not physical. These individuals became so concerned with the outward manifestation of purity and righteousness that they completely forgot about the necessary cleansing of the inward parts. And to make matters worse, they began teaching these misapplied principles as the doctrine of God. As Jesus very astutely stated, “Well hath Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, this people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Mark 7: 6-7) He went on to say, “Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.” (Mark 7: 9)
That is a justly scathing condemnation which totally illuminates a filthy mindset and corrupt heart that attempts to appear as if doing God’s will but in reality is seeking its own comfort, desire and pleasure. Any change whatsoever to God’s Word is a perverse distortion of the truth and we are forbidden from doing it. “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” (Deuteronomy 4: 2)
Those Pharisees and scribes replaced the commandments of God with their own traditions and were rightly reprimanded because by doing so the commandments became useless. And it wasn’t that the commandments lacked effectiveness, only that they were not being obeyed in their pure form. What essentially happened is they "...changed the truth of God into a lie..." (Romans 1: 25) They had convinced themselves of their own righteousness and strutted around attempting to display their ill-conceived holiness. They were so stuck on themselves they just did not want to hear that if something violates God’s Word, it’s wrong. Period. You don't change the Word, you stop committing the sin. They chose the former and as a result "...worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, Who is blessed for ever. Amen." (Romans 1: 25)
We don’t want to be hypocrites and phonies as Jesus called these scribes and Pharisees when He said, “ Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” (Matthew 23: 25-28)
We must continually cleanse the inside of our temples by constant humility, submission, repentance and obedience to God. We must be very careful when we are commenting on or teaching about His Word and strive to verify that what we are saying is just and true. And we certainly don’t want to handle God’s Word loosely, adding to or subtracting anything from the holy scriptures. “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” (Revelation 22: 18-19)
In Mark 7, verses 10-13, Jesus told the Pharisees and scribes about instructions God had given to Moses and how they changed it by replacing the instructions with their own beliefs and interpretations. “For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”
They failed to honor the fact that it was God Himself who instructed Moses and he faithfully delivered it to the people exactly as he received it. The intent was that these instructions would be handed down accurately over the generations so that the will of God could be accomplished by all mankind. Unfortunately that has not always occurred but, glory to God, we have the chance and the privilege to do it right. We have the opportunity and the honor to be a part of that succession of saints who have diligently sought to preserve the purity of the gospel. We can be in that long line of willing participants who the Apostle Paul referred to when speaking to Timothy saying, “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.” (2 Timothy 2: 2)
We are at a critical and dangerous time in the history of humankind. Similar to the days of the Judges where “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21: 25) In like manner everyone today seems to have their own version of “the truth.” But God’s Word tells us what He thinks about those who establish their own righteous standards:
“Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”
(Proverbs 3: 7)
“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.” (Proverbs 12: 15)
“All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.”
(Proverbs 16: 2)
“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.”
(Proverbs 21: 2)
“There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.” (Proverbs 30: 12)
“Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!”
(Isaiah 5: 21)
In an amazing conversation with His disciple Thomas, Jesus told him the "truth" about the "truth" when He said, “… I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” (John 14: 6) Indeed Jesus is speaking to us all when He says, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed”. (John 8: 32 & 36) “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation (atoning sacrifice) for our sins. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” (1 John 4: 9, 10 & 14)
Make no mistake, it is by the Holy Ghost that understanding, inspiration and revelation comes. "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (2 Peter 1: 20-21) We must allow Him to show us the way while resisting the urge to place our own “spin” on what is already perfect. The way we "keep it real” or "keep it 100” is to “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." (Proverbs 3: 5-6) And it is always appropriate to ask the question, “But what does Jesus say?”
And so beloved ones, remember that the devil's greatest weapon is deception so beware of the fakes, the frauds, the phonies and the counterfeits. "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." (2 Corinthians 11: 13-15)
Accept no substitutes, no imitations, no alternatives, no stand-ins and no proxies.
Settle for nothing less than the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth.
And that Truth is JESUS!
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