Heb. 13:9

9 Be [periphero] not [me] carried about [periphero] with divers [poikilos] and [kai] strange [xenos] doctrines [didache]. For [gar] it is a good thing [kalos] that the heart [kardia] be established [bebaioo] with grace [charis]; not [ou] with meats [broma], which have [opheleo] not [ou] profited [opheleo] them that have been occupied [peripateo] therein [en] [hos]. KJV-Interlinear

9 Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were thus occupied were not benefited. NASB

Jesus Christ is God. Jesus Christ is perfect humanity. Jesus Christ is both God and man in one person, the unique person of the universe. Jesus Christ is the living word. The Bible is the written word, which is also Christ.

Believing in Christ (salvation) solves the union with Christ problem, and confession solves the communion or fellowship problem with Him.

Christ was never born, but as God, has lived forever. Christ has always existed. There was never a time when He did not exist. The humanity of Jesus was of course born to Mary, but a human life named Jesus was not created by Mary. She merely carried the biological fetus which was to become Jesus. We as human beings cannot create human life. We can only perpetuate biological life.

Christ already existed when the baby was conceived. The two did not become one until the baby was born and breathed its first breath. That is when the two became one. Neshamah is the Hebrew word for the spark of life, the exhale of Gods breath and the inhale of mans life. This is true about you when you were born and it was true about the humanity of Jesus when He was born to Mary.

The big difference between Christ and you and I, is that we did not exist in eternity past as Christ existed, but we did exist as a component of future history from the stand point of the Divine Decrees. We were but an entry in the history books to be. Our birth is the reality of that entry.

The Bible teaches us all of the truths about God, about life, about ourselves, and about our future. God invented truth. Truth is the exact matching up of facts with reality. Anything else is a lie and nothing more.

So when God invented truth, or the facts of history, then who else was on hand in eternity past to invent an alternate reality, or an alternate truth? No one.

Where did the ideas of Islam come from. They did not exist until the early 600 s A.D. How can a religion be true if it comes into history so late in history?

The same concept is true about every other religion. All of them were invented by man. Since man was not on hand in eternity past, how can man invent something apart from Gods plan and call it truth?

Strange means something that is unknown, something that one is unfamiliar with, different, abnormal, from another place, distant, foreign. This is exactly what all beliefs that depart from the Word of God are strange. And they are more than strange, they are lies, invented beliefs, things that have no foundation in fact.

There are a lot of folks out there who will jump at the chance to believe in anything that comes along which departs from the normal.

If I saw a shadow on a rock out in the field and sent a notice to the news media, that I had seen the shadow of Christ on that rock, people all over the world would flock to see the rock, bow down to the rock, worship the rock. People would be in tears at the sight of the rock. Their emotions would flow to out of control over the presence of the rock.

And yet, the whole story would be a lie. It would have no basis in fact. It would even defy logic, but people would not care for the truth. All they want is something to distract them away from their problems, insecurities, loneliness, something to focus on for their hope. Their hope of a solution for whatever their deepest desires might be.

Of course they lack Bible doctrine in their soul because they have not committed to a legitimate daily study of the Word of God, or their studies, if they had them, focused more on the emotional aspects of their wants and desires rather than on true doctrine and true knowledge of the facts of life.

If they did have doctrine and some spiritual growth, then they would know instantly that the story was a hoax. Christ reveals Himself in the Word, not in shadows or stains.

Of course this was a silly illustration, but then there are two-thirds of the worlds population who have embraced beliefs that are just as false, yet in their minds they deeply believe in their faiths.

Bible doctrine is the only true light. Light is what you need in order to see. In order to see anything. Without light, then you cannot see anything.

So place yourself in total darkness. Floating outside the galaxy, free floating away from everything would be a good example. There you would have no frame of reference, no standard with which to compare your situation to anything. You would not know if you were moving or standing still, you would not know if you were right side up or upside down. With no gauges, no equipment, with nothing to guide you, then you have to define your own existence. And that definition could only be defined in accordance with what you liked or disliked.

If there are others around you, then you will inevitably like some and dislike others. Prejudice begins. If someone has more, then others will get jealous. And human history has its beginnings in lies. Prejudice, witch hunting, standards that favor the majority and so forth take root, and the society quickly deteriorates.

When truth is left out, then the lies run rampant and take on all sorts of strange characteristics.

Without truth, the beliefs will always come to the wrong conclusions. Without light, in total darkness, then no one will ever know the errors of their thoughts.

Light has to become available in order for one to see truth. Bible doctrine is the only source of light in this world. Without it people will pursue lies and they will cling to them fanatically.

This is why you see terrorists firmly entrenched in their beliefs. This is why you will see a modern news media firmly entrenched in promoting tainted news stories. The former pursues their lusts for criminal power and advantage. The latter pursues their lusts for self righteous power, influence, and advantage.

How do you know the truth? By learning Bible doctrine.

God the Holy Spirit teaches truth. That is one of His jobs. When you have truth, when you are advancing in your spiritual life, then the Holy Spirit will make the truth of things in this world, real and discernable to you. We do not review all of the daily news stories in this study. You can go to any one of several sources for your news.

We might touch on a story from time to time, just to illustrate a doctrine, but that is about it. It is your responsibility to know the truth and as it states in our passage, do not get carried away, with strange beliefs. Do not be carried along, by strange beliefs.

The world without doctrine, follows the pattern of lies which was initiated by Satan. Lies hate the success of truth. Lies hate the success of anything related to truth.

Another example of this. A business is competitive, offers good prices and services, and it is successful. The world will hate it. Many of the big successful companies of the world are hated by politicians, by the media, by activists. The companies follow the divine establishment principle of free enterprise. They are hated because they are related to, or rather operating in the sphere, of truth (free enterprise).

The war in Iraq has produced fewer casualties than any prior war. It has freed millions of people from tyranny. It is trying to establish freedom and democracy in a region of the world which has not had any freedom for a very long time. It is trying to stop the acts of criminals who would kill and destroy out of pure hate. It is the classic good fighting evil, and how is it depicted in politics, in the news? Are you fooled by the fog of the rhetoric?

Some in power try to promote lower taxes. Lower taxes promotes prosperity. The Bible teaches a pattern of ten percent as being reasonable for a total tax rate, but I doubt that there is a country on the planet with a combined national rate that low. What do the opponents scream? You are favoring the rich. We won t have enough to get things done. A lower rate will destroy the economy. And the masses believe the false arguments. What do you suppose the tax rate will be in the Millennium (a time of unparalleled prosperity) when Christ rules?

Do not be fooled by false teachings. Do not be fooled by false communications. Do not be fooled by anything which is anti-truth. Do not be fooled by the false teachers entertainers, politicians, activists. They have a selfish agenda which is in opposition of truth and the promotion of their own approbation.

They are all doomed to eventual failure. We do know that the world in general will eventually pursue the lies to the maximum. That time will be immediately before and during the Tribulation. We should all know the outcome of that.

There is only profit in truth. There is only blessing in pursuing truth. There is only freedom and prosperity by defending truth.

Too often people operate on their knee jerk emotions and do not attempt to sort out the facts of a matter. When an entire population does this then they are easily swayed, they are fickle, and they are destined for big trouble.

1 Cor. 3:11

11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. NASB

Gal. 1:6

6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; NASB

Rom. 14:17

17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. NASB

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