Power To Become

There is an intriguing verse in 2Timothy 3:2. It reads, "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." To be clear, the reference is made concerning weak women who were being taken advantage of by false teachers. Paul notes that these women were "always learning" but were "never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth." This verse can be applied to people today who are always seeking the newest, latest, most appealing to the ear spiritual teaching they can find. This is sometimes referred to as a person who is "so open-minded that their brains have fallen out." At some point, a person needs to recognize truth and accept it, rather than constantly bouncing from one church to another, one opinion to another, one belief to another. The verse specifically states they were "unable to come to the knowledge of the truth." It does not say these women were unable to come to the truth but unable to come to THE KNOWLEDGE of the truth. This is important. Why? Because for the Christian there are many truths: God exists, Jesus walked the earth, there are 10 commandments, there is a heaven, etc. But what is so fascinating is that Timothy is specifically pointing to a knowledge of the truth that even though people are ever learning are unable to come to it. Why is that? Let me ask this. Is any one person's salvation secure if they believe God exists? Is any one person's salvation secure because they believe there was once a man named Jesus? Is any one person's salvation locked in because they believe heaven is real? Believing these statements, even though they are biblically true, will not secure a place for you in heaven. Even Satan believes these things to be true but he has no place in heaven! How do I know? Because Satan can and has quoted scripture--Matthew 4:6 as an example. How can Satan possibly quote scripture if he has never read it? He knows very well God exists, Jesus reigns, and that there is a heaven because he and his angels were kicked out of that realm! He also knows hell awaits him.

1 Timothy 2:4 uses the same term "the knowledge of the truth" and equates it to being saved. Interesting, no? What, therefore, is 'the knowledge of the truth?' Let's look further.
It is a fact that people are often changing from one church, one religion, one belief, one teacher or pastor and are ever learning, ever looking, ever searching for a convenient truth but without ever coming to an understanding of God's saving truth in Jesus Christ. Searching for truth isn't wrong but unfortunately, people often seek out numerous pastors that support teachings that appeal to their human senses but are, in fact, false doctrine. They may sound good, like the name it-claim it- you can have it religions; sermons that do not condemn abortion or homosexuality but instead candy coat God's message, or other messages that conflate labeling sin as being judgmental or those that actually won't admit certain behaviors are sins. These messages of preachers and pastors have a "form of godliness" but deny the power thereof says 2 Timothy 3:5. What? Did that say they deny the POWER thereof? Power? What power? These pastors and their messages look good and sound good on the outside, but they are far from godly truth. There is knowledge and there is a godliness given to those who obey the things of God, a divine revelation, a roadmap and guide to becoming sons of God. John1:12-KJV reads, "But as many, as received Him [Jesus], to them He gave the power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in His name." Other versions say "the right to become sons of God." What you should be looking at is, God gives a believing Christian the power to become sons of God. Let that sink in! The definition of the word "become" is: the beginning to be! Think of that. True believers are given the power and right to begin to be the sons of God. It is a process, a journey, a beginning! Do I have your attention?


Just because you believe there is a God, does that automatically make you a son of God? If you believe there was once a man named Jesus, does that make you a son of God? If you go to church on Sundays and like what your pastor preaches, does that make you a son of God? If you wear a cross around your neck, help the poor, tithe 10% of your income, continually pray and even see miracles through your hands in the name of Jesus, does that qualify you as a son of God? Jesus said no! He said, "Many will say to me in that day saying, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?' And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me you that work iniquity" (Matthew 7:22-23). Now, wait a minute! According to this verse, these people did great things, wonderful things, even to the point of having the power to prophesy and cast out demons! Every believer knows the only way to cast out a demon is by the Holy Spirit within them. So if the Holy Spirit was living in these that followed Christ, how in the world could Jesus say He never knew them? His answer is in the second part of that sentence... "depart from me you that work iniquity." What is iniquity? It is sin, wickedness, evil, vices, etc. So then, even though these so-called followers " had Jesus" were given the gift of the Holy Spirit, were given the power to prophesy, were even given the power to cast out demons (and I'm sure all that being true, the power to heal through the name of Jesus as well) there was one "power" one "knowledge of truth" they did not bother to hear, heed, or do that disqualified them. Can you guess what it was? OBEDIENCE! They did not turn from their iniquities according to Jesus statement. They WORKED iniquity. They made an effort, they labored to keep their old ways. They purposely chose to continue committing sin. Today there are those within the body of The Church of believers that call themselves Christians but do the same thing! They will tell you it is impossible to give up certain vices or apply their definition of "impossible" as an occasion to continually and purposely sin (1 Peter 2:16). Why do they do this? Because they believe they are "saved" regardless of their continued actions and for them, disobeying the Word of God isn't an issue. Their mantra is "once saved, always saved." Jesus proved that to be wrong in Matthew 7:22-23. Does anyone really believe you can be a Christian, believe you're going to heaven, yet not turn from your adultery, drunkenness, homosexuality, continual lying, and your perversions? The verses go on to teach that whosoever hears and does what Jesus says is likened unto a wise man, but whoever does not obey what Jesus teaches will be likened unto a foolish man who built his house upon the sand. He explains why in verse 27, "and the rains descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and bear upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."

Let me open your eyes. A Christian who listens to and goes along with any other instructions besides Jesus' words (found in the Bible), if they gravitate toward candy-coated, flesh appealing sermons, if they read every how-to-be prosperous book and never search the Bible that contains real riches, if they let themselves get carried away by every wind of doctrine that makes them feel all warm and fuzzy, those rain storms of false doctrine will be like a torrential rain that erodes the sand away upon which they have built their foundation of faith! Great will be their fall. Only Jesus is the sure foundation, our solid Rock. "They drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ" (1 Corinthians 10:4). If you turn from the knowledge of the truth, you will be so laden with doctrines of men you will follow anything that sounds better than the truth of God and you will slide back into sin. False doctrine corrupts the mind and encourages the flesh. As long as people follow men, religion, traditions, or cults, deemed as 'cleverness or supposed spirituality' --which in turn makes them feel clever and spiritual too -- they will be flawed from the beginning of their understanding because it will be based on human intellect and knowledge and not in God or His knowledge. It is God's knowledge of the truth, that same power, that changes and transforms you and it won't matter how diligently you attend church or do good things if you do not turn away from your sin. Yes Jesus forgives sins, yes Jesus washes you clean, but if you are truly walking in the Spirit you will not purposely REMAIN in or return to the sin He set you free from. Because of the power of the Holy Spirit, there is no excuse that you cannot turn, stop, repent, renew. Remember, every believer is given the power TO BECOME SONS OF GOD! Until next time ...
***Recommended reading: "POWER TO BECOME" by David A. Bednar
-Pat-