Everything has guidelines to follow if the proper results are to be achieved. I’m the world’s worst about skimming the instructions on something, and then getting to a point where it’s not coming together the way it is supposed to. I’m sure I’m not the only one who fails to read every instruction before I start a project. We have a mind that likes to assume things are a certain way, and we think we have everything all figured out. We tend to let our minds dictate according to our feelings, rather than what is real. Unfortunately, Christians tend to do this in their walk with Christ, also, and that is a dangerous thing to do. Our guidelines are spelled out in scripture for everything we do, either by direct command or biblical principles.
God made us emotional creatures, and that is a good thing. We can express ourselves through our emotions, which gives our words greater meaning. When your spouse or children tell you they love you, it helps you to feel their love if there is passion in their voice. If someone is angry with you, their emotion gives you a clue as to how mad they are or how deeply it is affecting them. When the Holy Spirit is moving in my heart, I am brought to tears, so my expression is evident to all those around me. However, my emotions cannot be the driving factor in my beliefs. If my emotions differ from what scripture teaches, they are not of God. Neither our experiences nor our feelings are the determining factors for truth. Remember, it was the following of Eve’s feelings, not what God said, that caused each of us to have a sinful nature!
As a Christian, the Bible should always be my guide on what is of God and what is of the world. It should be my guideline for determining what is true or false. Through scripture, God reveals himself to us. While our experiences may make His goodness personal, it has already been revealed in His word. Think about all the times He protected and led His people in the Bible. While in the wilderness after fleeing Egypt, God fed them daily with manna and quail from above. In Exodus 16:31, we are told the manna tasted like wafers made with honey. God fed them daily, fresh food every morning, and they ate until they were full. He didn’t just provide enough to sustain them; it was enough to fill them, it was fresh daily, and it tasted awesome!
Exodus 16:31 “And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.”
While God’s word is our guideline, we must study it and make application to our lives by gleaning truths from it within its context. For instance, I John 4:16 teaches us that God is love, and He is, but that is not His only attribute. Many people say that because God is love, He would not send anyone to Hell. If you believe that is God’s only attribute, then your logic would be correct, but He is also Holy; therefore, those who have not had their sins covered by the blood of Jesus will spend eternity in Hell. His love is only a fraction of who He is, yet multitudes pull that one phrase out of context and use it to convince themselves that they will go to Heaven regardless of their spiritual condition. They forget that God is holy above everything else. He cannot even look upon sin, and that is why He turned His back on Jesus while He was on the cross.
I John 4:16 “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”
When God’s word is the guideline for our lives, we will study all that God has said, not just the verses that make us feel good or support a belief that we think we should live by. In II Timothy 3:16, we are taught that all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and it is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. In this context, Paul is writing to Timothy as a man of God, as noted in verse 17. Some would say this applies only to preachers, but that does not let us off the hook, because all scripture is inspired by God and is meant to help us live a successful Christian life.
II Timothy 3:16-17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
In II Timothy 2:15, we are to study to show ourselves approved unto God. Why, so we will know how to understand and apply what God is teaching us. Sometimes we can read the verses that follow or precede to get the meaning. At other times, we need to read the entire chapter or the whole book to understand what God is trying to communicate to us. This is so important in living a successful, balanced Christian life. If we take scripture out of context, we are often stripping it of its God-given meaning and assigning a meaning that may be wrong.
II Timothy 2:15 “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
So, what are you using as a guideline for your beliefs and your Christian walk? Do your feelings override what God’s word in context says? Think about it and make up your mind that God’s word will be your guideline for your life. If you have an experience, find out what God’s word says in reference to it and make sure that the scripture in context supports it.
