Link Open What is Truth? (updated
Page With Plus See. Then Best
Commentary About Eve Then
Adam Sinning. Most People Have Not Heard It Told this way.
See The First (Open) Implied Lie.
Plus See It Is About
not to exceed what is written.
1 Cor 4:6---Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively
applied to myself and Apollos for
your sakes, so that
in us you
may learn not
to exceed what is written, so that no one
of you
will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other.
Also Open Sbts Commentary
Notes for full article.
The First (Open) Implied Lie-
How the First Lie
is what started all Mankind’s Problems and
One Third of
the Angel[4] to do bad.
And the serpent said to the woman, You shall not surely die:
(Open) G/3-4. Adam and Eve did not ask forgiveness
and they both
Blamed God for
what they did—
That is
in Gen-3-12-13-ParallelCommentaries.htm
Says This About EVE Let us remember that this was the first
falsehood the woman ever heard. Her mind was also infantile as yet,
so far as
experience was concerned.The opening mind
is naturally inclined to believe the
truth of every assertion, until it has learned by experience the
falsehood of some.
There was also in this falsehood what
gives the power to deceive, a great deal of
truth combined with the element of untruth. The tree was not
physically fatal to life,
and the eating of it really issued in some knowledge of good
and evil. Nevertheless,
the partaking of what was forbidden issued in the legal and
actual privation of life.
And it did not make them know good and
evil altogether, as God knows it, but in an
experimental sense, as the devil knows it. In point of knowledge, they
became like
God; in point of morality, like the tempter. Barnes'
Notes on the Bible
3,4 and
5 —Biblos-CommenGen/3-4.
Did the Nicene Creed Makers
know more
about Jesus then He did of Himself?
[Testimony Of Himself] VS-Pro Nicene--Creed-Say Yes
Nicene
Council Original Writtings What
Did They Say.htm
If YOU believe a
lie wittingly or unwittingly then teach that lie that
Makes YOU a liar. Satan
wants YOU to lie and die eternally
Open Lies.
And Study Revelation 21:8 Commentaries - Bible Hub
Satan’s Next Biggest Lie—Is Implying
that Jesus is something
more then what He Himself said about Himself is
comparable to Satan’s first Implied Lie. Jesus’
[Testimony Of Himself] Plus see the many false words,
word phases, or word expressions Open Lies.
Truth 2001
Translation-Linked
Scriptural Commentaries
Excellent on
many subjects
What is Truth? Open Each Link That Interest
You.
Return To https://simplebibletruths.net/ Index Page Or
Read Each Star Here.
At John 18:37, 38 we find this interchange of words between Jesus
and Pontius Pilate (which started when Jesus was on trial):
(Pilate) 'You aren't a king, are you?'
(Jesus) 'You're the one who's saying that I'm a king. The reason why I was born
and why I came into the world is to testify to the truth, and everyone
who's on the side of the truth listens to my voice.'
(Pilate) 'What is truth?'
Pilate's cynical and sullen question certainly seems appropriate
in the world that we're living in today, because truth – real, absolute truth –
is very difficult to find. And what people usually accept as truth is often
shaded by propaganda, news sources, what they were taught in school, what they
were taught in church, or the word of 'authorities.' And though only the most
ignorant will accept everything they are told unflinchingly and without
question, this is what most religions expect of us.
The fact is: if we're really searching for the truth, we must be
willing to question everything that we've been taught, and then change our
thinking to wherever that leads us. For a wise person once said, 'Our minds
don't control our beliefs; our beliefs control our minds.'
Notice that Jesus was someone who believed in the importance of
truth, for he told us that the reason why he came to the earth was to 'testify
to the truth.' And this is why Christians should place a highest priority on
both telling and searching for the truth when it comes to truth from the Bible.
However, many (like Pilate) have simply become too cynical in their disgust for
religion and have concluded that knowing the truth really doesn't
matter, so they've given up in their search. Please don't do that, because
it can be found if you keep on seeking, knocking, and asking.
Unfortunately, religions are the main obstacles to finding and
teaching the truth. For almost all have leaders who have set themselves up (or
have been held up by others) as unquestionable (infallible) sources of truth.
You can easily identify such ones by the way they teach. For rather than humbly
indicating that the things they teach could be true, they
usually insist that you believe all their teachings, predictions, creeds,
doctrines, and opinions (every religion has theirs). And the foremost obstacles
to really finding truth thereafter are these barriers that such people create.
Creeds (beliefs)
are lists of fundamental 'Church' doctrines that are written to be memorized by
its members, which religions claim should never be questioned by the
'faithful.' And although these creeds may have been created by the
misunderstanding of people who lived even hundreds of years ago, and often just
to control the masses through fear and superstition, the religions that teach
them are virtually locked into them, for these are their basic 'truths' that
define who they are.
Doctrines are
the individual basic teachings that are never to be questioned or researched.
But realize that when religious debate is no longer allowed and people stop
searching for truth, that's where spirituality ends; for they stop thinking and
learning. The song, Old Time Religion (for example) encourages
this, by urging people to unthinkingly adopt the beliefs of earlier
generations.
Rules are
the endless collections of laws that are created by religious hypocrites (like
the Pharisees), which also define a religion. These are usually no more than
the personal preferences of some person in power who has twisted things to make
it look like the rules came from God by taking selected so-called 'Bible
principles' (just the ones they choose, not all of them) and turning them into
'laws,' which are not otherwise clearly spelled out as such in the Bible. These
laws often specify what types of clothing we may wear, how we groom ourselves,
what we eat or drink, what types of entertainment we choose, matters of sexual
conduct that aren't specifically spelled out in the Bible, the things we may
choose to observe or celebrate, and many other things. And while propriety and
good sense should always be important in a Christian's life, no religion should
do what Paul said they shouldn't be doing, when he wrote at 1 Corinthians 4:6):
'Don't go beyond the things that are written!'
Over the centuries since Jesus and his Apostles first formed what
we have come to know as 'Christianity,' innumerable creeds and doctrines have
been formed that have since gone unquestioned by people who were usually
(through threats or the unavailability of the Bible) denied any opportunity to
check the truth of what they were being taught… this is why there are now more
that a thousand different religions that call themselves 'Christian.' Such
diversity proves that religion has become the primary obstacle to truth, for
they all state: 'To become one of us, you must believe this…' or even, 'To be
baptized as one of us, you must say that you believe this… ' As the result,
people start believing things blindly without doing the necessary Bible
research to find out if what they are being taught really is the truth.
Is this truly the Christian way? No, for remember what was said of
those at the synagogue at Berea (at Acts 17:11): 'Now, these people were more
noble-minded than those in ThesSalonica, because they
eagerly welcomed the Word and studied the Scriptures each day to make
sure that the things [they were being told] were true' (gr. anakrinontes tas graphas ei echoi
touta hautos or, examining
the writings if were these/things so).
The fact is: Truth can stand up to examination! Yet, religions
tell us that there's no need for us to examine or question the meaning of
scriptures, because they've already determined 'the truth' for us… and this
should never be questioned! So this is why most people no longer care to 'study
the Scriptures each day,' because they're not allowed to ask questions. Rather,
members are encouraged to read just the things that the religion writes or the
things they teach from their pulpits… which is mind control!
Too often we find that Christians are encouraged just to 'follow
along' in their Bibles and not to 'waste time' looking for scriptures that may
disagree. And in so doing, people are subtly discouraged from doing any
personal deep Bible research… for they're told that this will only confuse them
and mislead them into 'apostasy' or 'heresy' (finding out that what they are
being taught is wrong).
However, true Christianity still invites
questions, research, and the right to come to different conclusions. In fact,
it encourages a deep study of the Bible, because this is where real truth is
found. But whenever a religion says such a thing as, 'We ARE the truth,' it's
best to run! For what they are really saying is: 'You may not disagree with us
even when we are WRONG!'
So, where can we find truth? It can only be found through a
never-ending study of God's Word… not just the 'New Testament,' but the whole
Bible! For if you don't believe the beginning, there is no reason to believe
the rest. And remember that when we stop searching, knocking, and asking, this
proves that we have already drawn our own conclusions without considering all
the evidence. So we have (like all religions) stopped learning, for we have
created our own creeds and doctrines.
You say that you don't have time for such study and research? If
you have time to read a book of someone else's teachings or to listen to them
teach, you have time to actually read the Bible. And
which is more important if you are truly seeking, knocking, and asking (not
trusting someone else to give you the answers)? And remember that there are
more than a thousand 'Christian' religions that all teach something different…
much of which isn't THE TRUTH.
Jesus placed a high priority on the need for his followers to find
the truth. Notice what he said about this:
Notice that Jesus wasn't telling us to 'Worship at the church or synagogue
of your choice.' Rather, he was telling us to seek the truth. And can we really
say that 'we've found the truth' if we can only believe what someone else (not
the Bible) tells us?
So, where can we find the truth? Jesus told us (at
John
Then, what did Jesus mean when he said (at John
Are there people today who also think that they are free while
they're really in slavery to something? Absolutely! We are all slaves to sin
and death, many of us are in slavery to fear of what will happen to us at
death, and most are slaves to some sort of religious or atheist dogma and
tradition… but with truth comes freedom! And if we're afraid to keep searching
for the truth, we aren't – nor will we ever be – free.
However, with all the importance that Jesus and the Bible writers
put on truth; is truth the thing that will save us? Well, from our Bible
research to this point, we can prove that no religion is teaching 100%
unvarnished truth (just ask us)… so if truth is required for salvation, no one
will be saved! Therefore, true Christians cannot afford to become satisfied and
settled in their beliefs. For when we stop searching for the truth with an open
and clear mind, we lose our spirituality and our relationship with God.
For example: Do you think that you can explain to others right
from wrong (good from evil)? If you could forget everything that you have been
taught and then go back to the Bible to see what it actually teaches, you would
likely have quite a different opinion from what you have now. For if you would
actually look at the lives of people (like AbraHam
and David) whom God loves and compare their lives to your current opinions, you
would start to see how far your ideas are from those of God. Do you quote the
Old Law when giving an answer? Then you probably don't understand the meaning
of the New Covenant. Study the Bible with a free and open mind!
One of the other freedoms that come with learning the truth is the
freedom from hatred of those who disagree with us and in developing a new-found
sorrow for those who insist that they are always right. For first of all;
you'll realize that you too still have much to learn and that the mark of a
true Christian isn't proving that we are right, but that we love other
Christians even when they don't fully understand the truth yet. Who are we to
condemn those who claim to be the servants of God? As Paul
wrote at Romans 14:4: 'Who are you to judge the house servant of another?
He only stands or falls before his own master… and he can stand, because the
Lord can make him stand!'
The 'Dark Ages' of
However, with the Protestant Reformation (which began in the early
1500s) came a time of change, as Bibles were for the first time being translated
into the common languages, then printed and distributed, and people were
learning to read (bringing an end to the Dark Ages). But because many people
started to learn from their Bible reading that they weren't being taught the
truth, some of the early Bible translators (such as Huss
and Tyndale) were literally slowly-roasted over fires
for their efforts… for this growing knowledge of what the Bible truly says
infuriated the dominant religion. Yes, the people were learning THE TRUTH!
Notice that the thing that made this period so unique in history,
is that people were willing to be flayed or buried alive (and thousands
were) just to read the Bible! The result of this was the
institution of some wonderful new religions with some amazingly better
understandings of what the Bible really teaches… more truth! But
oh, how time has changed all of that! For today, most Bibles sit on shelves
dust-covered and unread, and hardly anyone is interested in (or would be
willing to die for) reading them! Since today, most people prefer to listen to
whatever they want to hear at some church… which they consider righteousness.
Back in those days, many of those new religions were horribly
persecuted and some were literally stamped out… while those that survived
became lethargic, formed political and national alliances, and settled
comfortably into their own false doctrines and creeds. So with time, and as the
Bible became commonly available, most Bible reading and searching for the truth
ended for the people in these religions, and their minds once again became
blinded to truth by creeds and doctrines, which discouraged Bible reading and
asking questions. Yes, we've gone from the time when people couldn't read the
Bible, to the time when they were willing to die for reading it, to a time when
nobody wants to read it, because it already comes prepackaged by some religion.
Another period of spiritual awakening happened close to the end of
the Nineteenth Century. At that time, once again, the availability of new Bible
translations caused people to examine the things they were being taught in
their churches. Also, people started to recognize from Bible prophecies that
world events seemed to indicate that the time Jesus foretold (at Matthew 24,
Mark 13, and Luke 21) had arrived. So Bible reading and research peaked as
people once again started searching for the truth.
The several different religions that started to form then were
referred to as 'Adventists,' although most didn't adopt Adventist as part of
their name. They were called this, because they were looking for the advent
(or coming) of Jesus. Many of these Adventist groups were unique in
that they rejected the old doctrines and creeds of established religions and
once again started searching the Bible to find truth. And
some did find more truth. How? Not by accepting the views of
'authorities,' but by sitting down together and discussing all the scriptures
on a subject, then trying to find the harmonious truth that proves all the
Scriptures to be 'inspired of God' and true.
Notice that the Adventists aren't true Protestants, because they
weren't protesting the teachings of the Catholic Church as did those of the
Sixteenth Century; they were just looking for something new and better (the truth).
What the Protestant Reformation and the later forming of the
Adventist groups accomplished, was to create periods of spiritual awakening and
renewed independent research of the Bible. However, this always riled the
hatred of established religions, which viewed the new groups as upstarts and
dangerous competitors. Why, if you search the Internet today, you'll still find
hundreds of pages that rail against different Adventist groups, although it has
been more than a hundred years since most of them were formed.
However, the interesting thing about the Protestant Reformation
and the establishment of Adventist groups is that despite all the arguments
against them and their teachings, they have definitely affected the beliefs of
almost all religions since then. For such doctrines as
Purgatory, Hell Fire,
and the Trinity are
no longer as widely accepted – at least, not in the same forms as they were in
the past.
The sad thing about the Adventist groups is that although they had
so much right (as did the early Protestant Churches),
they too have allowed time, disillusionment, and/or the growth of religious
authority to jade them. So all have stopped progressing as
they've grown into large religions. For as they grew and became more
respectable, they too:
* Established doctrines
* Gained an exalted view of their own authority
* Started threatening and oppressing any who would question or disagree.
So, what we really have in most religions today could be referred
to as a pseudo/christ/ocracy, a
rule by the false anointed and the worship of men who call
themselves the
We realize that many Bibles translate the word pseudochristoi as false Christs… giving the impression that people would come
claiming to be Jesus. But what it really says is that false anointed and
false prophets would arise in the last days. For the Greek word christoi just means Anointed (or Chosen).
Remember what Jesus said about this as recorded at Matthew
23:8-12: 'But not you! Don't [have people] call you rabbi, for you have
but one teacher, while you are all just brothers. Nor should you address
anyone on earth as Father, because there's just One
who's your Father, the Heavenly One. Don't even be called leaders,
because you have but one Leader, the Anointed One. Rather, the greatest one
among you must be your servant. For whoever promotes himself will be humbled
and whoever humbles himself will be promoted.' Yes, the demagogues hate
this scripture.
Do you remember what Jesus said as written at Matthew 7:7,
8?
'Keep asking and it will be given.
Keep searching and you will find.
Keep knocking and it will be opened.
For all will receive, who keep asking;
All who keep searching, will find;
And [the door] will be opened to all those who knock.'
But, won't independent deep Bible research lead you in the wrong
direction (as most religions warn)? For when you doubt, doesn't that eventually
lead to 'apostasy' or 'heresy?' Definitely not! Notice
what Jesus went on to say thereafter (at Matthew 7:9-11): 'For,
of which man isn't this true: When his son asks him for bread, he won't hand
him a stone, and if he asks for a fish, he won't hand him a snake! So
if you in your wicked condition give good gifts to your children; how much more
so will your Father in heaven give good things to those who keep asking?'
As you can see; Jesus taught us that asking, searching, and
knocking doesn't lead us astray, it leads us to God and the truth! However,
when we adopt a church creed or doctrine, we stop obeying that command.
For more information, see the linked Note, 'Apostasy and Apostates.'
Doesn't the fact that the Bible has already been researched and
commented on through hundreds of years mean that there's nothing left to learn
through study? Definitely not! For although the Bible has remained the same,
our research has proven that there is still much hidden truth to be found on
even the most fundamental of teachings. Why, the fact that there are so many
opposing religious doctrines proves that we need to keep an open mind; for each
religion can quote their favorite scriptures to prove that they are right.
However, there is only one truth, which can usually be found somewhere between
the extremes!
Yes, it's a fact that all religions claim that they encourage
Bible reading… but that really isn't true of any of them! For they only
encourage such reading when it's found in their publications or when it is read
from their pulpits. This is 'directed' Bible reading, so that you aren't 'led
astray.' And such discouragement of independent Bible research is what is
directly responsible for the lack of interest in Bible reading today. Yes,
religion is the barrier that prevents people from finding the truth!
What has happened to most people who call themselves 'Christians,'
is that they've become used to looking for quick answers… they're not
searching, asking, or knocking. Rather, they're trying to find packaged or
franchised 'truth' in the research, doctrines, and creeds of others. So, most
people are familiar with just a few favorite scriptures in the Bible, which
they use to try to prove the doctrines that their religion has taught them. And
they only read new Bibles (such as this), to see if it provides them proof of
what they've been taught.
As the result, despite the fact that the Bible is the most
published and translated book in the world, it has become one of the
world's least read publications. It's considered by most as no
longer interesting, since religious people have already been taught
what to believe; therefore, reading it will only confuse them. So, not many
today would be willing to be tortured and die, as were those in the early
Protestant Reformation, just to read and research the Bible. And what others
once literally died to read, just sits there on shelves gathering dust… and
this is true in all religions… yes, even yours.
Today, all religions claim that their teachings are the truth.
Why, some of them even dare to refer to themselves as 'the Truth.' But the
question that we should all ask is: Do they still offer their members the
opportunity to sit down together and discuss all the scriptures that bear on a
subject, and then try to search for the harmony even if that leads to
discarding old doctrines? Or rather, have they appointed 'authorities,' which
claim some special choosing or anointing by God to do all the heavy Bible
research, while calling all who disagree or question their teachings
'apostates' or 'heretics?'
Oh yes; it's a fact that if anyone has really found the truth, he
or she should all be following in that way unwaveringly… but never without the
ability to question whether such teachings or doctrines are true… because, this
is how 'the truth' is found!
The interesting thing about the truth is that it has
nothing to fear and it can withstand all challenges and questions. So, no
one who has the truth should ever be afraid of those who ask questions, or do
research, or who doubt. Only false teachers have something to fear from
independent Bible research and the questions and doubts that will be raised;
for it is the raising of these questions and doubts that lead to finding the
truth.
So as you can see, religion is the great quandary. We need it to
remain (or to become) spiritual people and to enjoy the association of other
spiritual people. However, while most religions claim that they teach us to
love each other, they actually promote hatred for
anyone who disagrees with their doctrines. So if you have found a group of
spiritual people among whom you can freely express differing opinions and
ideas, you've truly found a gem. However, never forsake regular Bible
reading (keep on reading the whole Bible)! For reading religious books or
magazines, or for listening to sermons is where you just learn doctrines! The
Bible is the only real source of truth… all else is just the ideas of men!
The inevitable outcome of those who think that they have the truth
and that God is on their side, can be seen in the
documented histories of the Catholic Church. For, whenever religious leaders
are considered the only source of truth from God, their rule then becomes
absolute, their flocks think these leaders can do no wrong, and they can no
longer be questioned when it comes to matters of faith. This becomes clearly
visible whenever people start quoting the decisions a prelate, a religious
body, a book, or a magazine to prove scriptural points to each other, rather
than quoting the Bible. And we see such actions everywhere… especially when it
comes to the more zealous religions!
Recognize that once the rule makers (think Pharisees)
take over and start creating their laws and doctrines, all who disagree will
feel their wrath.
The next step, of course, is the inquisition and repression of any
who would question or contradict… which is the same thing that started in the
Church of the Sixteenth Century (the Inquisition). And
although laws keep religions from torturing and murdering anyone today, many
still have their means… they can shun, excommunicate, and disfellowship.
And although such actions may sound quite mild, the effect is often the same as
killing a person spiritually. For this action often results in the loss of
their friends, their jobs, and their families, since in the eyes of their
congregation or church, they have been killed and are now considered as dead
with no hope of salvation.
Was this the way in the First-Century Christian Congregation? No!
For more information, see the linked document, 'Removing the
Wicked from the Congregation.'
Have you ever wondered why Jesus, when he was speaking of his return,
asked the question (found at Luke 18:8): 'However, when the Son of Man
arrives, will he really find the faith on the earth?'
He obviously had a good reason to ask that, for he must have known
that people in the last days would be following 'the broad road' by adopting
the religious ideas and doctrines of others, rather than doing their own Bible
research… they would be following the teachings of the 'false anointed' and
'false prophets' who claim full knowledge and inspiration by God.
If you're happy with that, what can we say? But we hope that the
faith will be found on the earth… in you. However, for that to be
true, you will have to search for the truth! You will not find
complete truth through the written teachings of men as they dispense it through
their magazines or books, just in the Bible. As Paul wrote at
Romans 3:4: 'Let God be proven true even if that makes every man a liar.'
Our purpose in publishing this Bible and its commentaries isn't to
create new doctrines or a new religion. There are too many doctrines and
religions already. We don't recognize ourselves as infallible authorities, nor
do we claim to understand the full truth. We will just continue to do our own
research of the Bible. Rather, it is our hope to awaken all those who love God
to the need for a renewed effort to personally search for Him by studying His
Word as found in the Bible, and to put aside the baggage of doctrines,
opinions, and creeds. That's why we have spent so many years in developing this
Bible translation… and it's why it reads so differently.
A common question that we receive from our readers is, 'So, what
are you saying?' or, 'What's the bottom line?' For what they would like us to
do is give them answers (or doctrines) to believe in, because that's the
shortcut. And that's the problem with religions now; they provide the
shortcuts… but there are no shortcuts to truth. So you'll notice that most of
our commentaries don't reach any definite conclusions… we're still studying and
learning.
Therefore, we don't offer the Commentaries and Notes that you will
find here as truth. They are just the observations of the translators and
records of our discussions. Everything is open for correction, as we learn more
about the meanings of Bible words. In fact, in several places you'll find
differing opinions, because we (unlike the hypocrites) don't claim to know all
the answers. Rather, we are still searching, knocking, and asking, and we urge
you to do the same. But this can only be accomplished by your reading the whole
Bible… perhaps five Chapters per day? Remember that people once died horribly
just to have this privilege… does it mean life or death to you? We hope so!
Your friends and brothers, the 2001
Translating Group.
To E-MAIL US, send a letter to our editor.
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