The Narrow Path And The Broad Way

Posted on May 1, 2025 by heatonkent

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

The Narrow Path And The Broad Way

Jesus did not mince words. His sermon on the mountain was a radical change from the teachings of the Jewish leaders who soft-pedaled God’s word, imposing their own rules of righteousness. The Lord was speaking to a Jewish crowd, telling them truths that were not new but needed to be reminded in the hearts of the people who had grown callous to preaching that would convict. Jesus did not offer any path to salvation other than the one in which the Father always revealed through His word. The world is made up of those who are seeking eternal life and those who are seeking worldly pleasures. What made the teaching of Jesus extreme in the crowd’s minds was how He concluded that most people would never see eternal life.

The world does not accept the idea that most will not be saved. There is a feeling that all who die rest in peace (RIP) and are in Heaven. The greater part of the world rejects the concept of Hell as too harsh and cruel, and a loving God would never consider such a thing. With Hell out of the way, everyone will enjoy an afterlife in one form or another. It does not matter how a person lives. Having a belief in God helps but is not necessary. If a person is a good person, they receive special treatment from the Lord. Religious people are guaranteed a place in eternity with God. Those who are left behind view their loved ones as angels in Heaven waiting for other family members to join them for a grand eternal family reunion.

Jesus said there was a narrow path and a broad way. Entering the narrow path requires a narrow gate. The way of the narrow path is difficult. It is not an easy life. The way is hard which leads to eternal life. There is no easy course to follow if one is seeking eternal life. It is not given to everyone. Jesus says that because the narrow path is difficult, which leads to life, few people will find it. If few find eternal life, most find eternal destruction. The reason that most people will be lost is because the way is wide and broad. It is the easy path of life filled with pleasures. There is no accountability because those on the broad path live according to their rules. The broad way is the path of least resistance.

When the Father sent His Son to save mankind, He instructed how men should be saved. What Jesus taught in the mountain sermon was what the Father had told the Son. God will not save everyone. In fact, God will not save most of the world because they refuse to acknowledge Him as Sovereign Lord and Almighty God. False religions permeate the world. Worldliness with carnality is the joy of the masses. The world aims to satisfy self. Most people do not believe in an afterlife, and those who do – believe that everyone goes to Heaven. Nothing is further from the truth. Satan has done a masterful job of convincing people not to fear God. Ironically, Satan is not against anyone believing in God. The devil allows many to accept there is a God, but he persuades them that they are okay and God would never punish anyone. Jesus said Satan is the father of lies. Satan is true to his word to be the father of lies.

There is sadness in Jesus’ message. If one takes a moment to survey the world around them, the startling truth emerges that most people are lost. What that means in reality is that most people will go to Hell. That is the greatest tragedy of the human story. God gives everything man needs to save himself, and most of the world is not interested. Jesus taught that there is a narrow way and a broad way. Everyone is on one of these paths. The gospel of two eliminates other options. You are on a path. The narrow way leads to life. Taking the broad way leads to destruction. Jesus said that. Believe it. It’s real.

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When Men Serve Themselves

Posted on April 30, 2025 by heatonkent

Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the Lord! I have performed the commandment of the Lord.” (1 Samuel 15:13)

When Men Serve Themselves

The Amalekites needed to be destroyed, and King Saul was tasked with the mission from God. Samuel told Saul Amalek would be punished for what the nation did to the children of Israel after they came out of Egypt. The instructions given to Saul were direct, specific, and encompassing. God told the king of Israel to attack Amalek and utterly destroy all that they had and to spare no one. There was no need for an explanation, but God gave Saul one anyway. He had told him to utterly destroy Amalek, and that meant killing both man and woman, infant and nursing child, oxen, sheep, camel, and donkeys. Nothing was to remain of Amalek. The instructions were clear.

Saul took 200,000 foot soldiers along with 10,000 men of Judah to fight against the city of Amalek. Israel attacked the city with a great slaughter, utterly destroying the people with the edge of the sword. Agag, king of the Amalekites, was captured but not killed. Saul instructed his army to spare the best of the sheep, oxen, fatlings, lambs, and all that was good. Anything worthless was destroyed. The Amalekites were subdued that day, and Saul felt triumphant after his great defeat of the city of Amalek. He surveyed the destruction of the city and its inhabitants with pride, knowing how pleased the Lord would be. Seeing the flocks of animals captured in the attack, Saul felt assured a great feast and sacrifice would bring praise and honor to the name of God. The reason he spared Agag is unknown. It could have been the king who begged for his life, and Saul saw potential in keeping the king hostage. At the end of the day, Saul was proud of how he kept the commandment of the Lord.

When Samuel arrived at Saul’s camp, the king was anxious to share with the prophet the bounty of his success, giving praise to God and the glory of Israel. What King Saul did not know was that for all his pride in how he carried out the commandments of the Lord, he had been rejected because Saul had done the bidding of his own desire. Saul had spared Agag and all the flocks because the king thought serving himself was more important than worshiping the Lord with truth. He was told to utterly destroy everything of the Amalekites, and the commandment was clear. There was to be nothing left. Agag was supposed to die. The animals were to be destroyed. God had no need for the best of the Amalekites. His commandment was precise, and Saul ignored the word of the Lord.

Samuel confronted Saul with what he had done, and Saul immediately blamed the people. He gave a good reason for keeping the flocks and herds as a sacrifice to the Lord God. Saul failed to appreciate that God cared nothing for the wisdom of men. He told Saul to kill everything, and Saul chose to serve himself. There were no good reasons to keep the flocks and herds. God rejected Saul and refused to accept his repentance, which was insincere. Even in his attempt to restore himself to the Lord, he blames the people. Saul’s heart believed he did a good thing, and God would understand because he believed he could determine right and wrong.

Saul’s folly is how men look at religion today. The world is filled with many different churches that proclaim they follow the will of the Lord, failing to realize they are nothing close to truth. Why are there so many churches? Men think they know more than God. They have taken the New Testament church and formed it into their own philosophies with what the people want to see and hear. How is it possible to defend a church that is not found in the scriptures? Saul had good intentions. Denominations have good intentions. Saul thought he knew more than God. Churches of men believe they know more than God. What then is the bleating of the sheep and the lowing of the oxen? It is false churches that seek to justify themselves before a God who denies them.

Samuel reminded Saul there is one truth, one way, and only one life. The prophet told the king that it is better to obey than sacrifice. Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. There is one church that Jesus died for, which He purchased with His blood and redeemed. Like Saul, all other churches that deny the word of the Lord will be rejected.

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The Lord Is Our Helper

Posted on April 29, 2025 by heatonkent

Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:5-6)

The Lord Is Our Helper

James Black describes a trip he took through the tulip fields of Holland. He says that the beautiful beds of flowers were divided by canals, which were crossed by foot-wide planks. As Dr. Black and his party visited the various beds of brilliant flowers, they had to cross these little canals on the narrow planks. When they came to a canal that was twelve feet wide, they hesitated. The plank seemed so narrow. Would the owner of the field make a wider bridge for them across the canal? No. He blew a whistle, and a man came and handed them a thin pole which made it easy to cross the canal on the narrow plank. Dr. Black says that he then made a marvelous discovery. “How easy you can cross the narrowest plank if only you have something to hold on to.” You can go through life with all its tensions, uncertainties, and changes if you have something to hold on to.

It is difficult to imagine how hard it is for people to go through life without God. Sadly, the majority of the world tries to navigate the uncertain paths of life on their own, trusting in their own wisdom and seeking their own counsel. God created man so He knows what man needs and desires and how to bring happiness to the human heart. The Bible is not just a book of rules and regulations but instructions on how to traverse the challenging landscape of life. There are many canals that must be crossed. How much easier when the heart leans on the word of God to secure their footsteps and guide their paths?

Everyone needs something and someone to hang on to. When God created man, He said it was not good for man to be alone and made him a helpmeet. God knew His creation could not live by himself and needed companionship. Marriage is the union of a man and woman, two individuals who depend upon one another. In the divine pattern, the husband and wife bless each other with the support to help the other find fulfillment. This can only be done when the marriage is stabilized by the One who created the marriage bond: God. Parenting is fraught with danger. The home must be undergirded by the support of the word of God that puts God at the center of the home.

Nothing in life can truly be accomplished without God. Men will achieve great things, but what value is there if God is not at the center? Everyone needs to depend on the Lord for their strength, hope, and faith. To be godless is to be alone. The power of Christ is the blessing of a loving Father who wants to help His children find the joys of life. God is our Helper. He promises to never leave us and helps us in every facet of life. God is the rock. Lean on Him.

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God Does Not Hear My Prayers

Posted on April 25, 2025 by heatonkent

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart. (Luke 18:1)

God Does Not Hear My Prayers

An unknown author wrote, “Prayer is the effort of man to reach God, to commune with an invisible being, the author and the creator of all things, supreme wisdom, truth, beauty, and strength, Father and Redeemer of every man.” The great challenge of prayer is the vehicle of faith that is required to allow a man to petition an invisible being, allowing the prayer to be received and acted upon without a visible reaction. This makes prayer problematic in the minds of many who believe in the power of prayer and seek the blessings of God through prayer and yet feel as if God does not hear the petitions of a heartfelt plea. One of the most common complaints of prayer is the inability to visibly recognize an answer, which leads to a fear of not being heard.

The scriptures bear out that God hears the prayers of His children – all of them. No prayers are offered in the sacrificial manner of faith the Lord does not listen and acknowledge. The feeling of disparity of unanswered prayer comes from a misunderstanding of the design of prayer. It must be clearly seen that God never sleeps, He never slumbers, and He is never too busy to acknowledge the prayers of the faithful. Jesus taught the power of prayer by His life. In His teaching, the Christ tells the disciples there must be an urgency about prayer. Men should always pray and never lose heart.

It is the second part of the admonition that Jesus reminds the disciples that one should never lose heart in prayer because God is always listening. God is always faithful, unlike the nature of man. It is not uncharacteristic for a man to not hear a request, ignore a need, or become so busy he cannot help his fellow man. Men fail one another constantly. This is not the character of God. There is never a time when He cannot hear and answer prayer. Men should be constant in prayer because the Lord God is a constant presence who will never leave or forsake His children.

Prayer is pleading the promises of God with the expectation that God always hears and answers prayer. Every prayer that comes before the throne of God is received by a merciful God who knows better what His children need than His children. God is not a vending machine where demands can be given. The first rule of prayer is acknowledging the inability of the petitioner to come before the Creator and Maker of the universe. Humility is the posture of prayer. The greatness of God is found in His allowing His creation to speak to Him in prayer. Whatever manner or time God answers prayer is to the glory of how the Lord God decides to respond.

Faith is believing that God always hears the prayer of the faithful. Jesus does not want His disciples to lose heart because there is no reason to lose heart. If a man feels God has not heard his prayer, the answer is probably something he was not expecting. Faith allows the heart to accept the answer of God as the best outcome. The principle of prayer is that God always answers with “Yes” because whatever the answer (yes, no, wait), the conclusion is a “Yes” with God. He knows best. His wisdom far outweighs the thoughts of men. When God answers prayer, it is incredible. Do not lose heart. Pray without ceasing. Above all things, pray.

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Who Is Building Your House?

Posted on April 24, 2025 by heatonkent

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon. Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. (Psalm 127:1)

Who Is Building Your House?

In the art world, paintings are known by the personality and character of the creator. Experts can easily detect a painting by Claude Monet in contrast to the style of Picasso. Music has a defined style that can distinguish arrangements by Mozart from Beethoven and vice versa. The world of literature is determined by the style of writers such as Shakespeare and Mark Twain. Each has a distinctive style, setting them apart from others. Architects like Frank Lloyd Wright created such a defined building style that it was easy to identify the buildings he designed. The buildings he designed showed the handiwork of a master’s touch.

There is another building that is created far above the world of human wisdom. The eternal spirit of man was created by the hand of God to give glory and honor to his maker. Man was created from the dust of the ground, and the woman was formed from man’s rib. God united these two creatures together as man and woman to be husband and wife. Everything the man and woman needed for happiness was provided in abundance. Because of the deceitfulness of the devil, Adam and Eve lost paradise because they listened to the lies of the deceiver rather than the word of God. Man disobeyed the word of the Lord, but God did not leave man without His witness. From the moment Adam and Eve stepped out of the garden, the Lord instructed man on how to find happiness.

Life took a dramatic change for Adam and Eve, but they trusted in God. The Lord revealed His will to the world; many obeyed, but many did not. In the days of Noah, only eight people would be saved from destruction. They followed the plan given to them by God to be saved. Generations later, the children of Abraham became the nation of Israel. The Lord told the Hebrews if they obeyed Him, He would bless them abundantly. If they refused to obey the word of the Lord, the wrath of God would come upon them. Israel did not listen, and the Lord destroyed His Beloved. Jesus Christ came to bring all men to the Father. The world rejected Jesus and killed Him. Through the death of Jesus, God established His plan to redeem men through the church. God has provided the answer to the plight of humanity in these last days.

Solomon was the wisest man of his day, but the truth he gleaned was not new. The son of David writes that unless the Lord establishes the character of a man’s heart, there is nothing to live for. A building must have a designer and builder. The heart of man is the building that will never die. Unless the Lord establishes man’s heart, he lives a foolish and unprofitable life. God made man in the beginning, providing everything he needed to fulfill his purpose. Jesus Christ came to bring the abundant life to those who follow Him. When a man establishes his life without God, he is a fool. There is no value to live a lifetime without God because it will not end well. The temptation that Satan allures the world with is to deny God and live for self. That is a fool’s errand. If a man will not form his life around the word of God, he is wasting his life and endangering his eternal soul. God created man and knows everything he needs and how to bring him the greatest measure of happiness. Human wisdom has never brought man fulfillment.

Solomon reminds the soul of man that failure awaits unless the Lord guards the heart. A poorly designed building will not last. Buildings fail because of the failure of its builder. Lives fail because of the failure of those who live for themselves, seeking the pleasures of life and not God. There is an absolute about the word of God that must be read and understood. If God is not the center of your life, you are a fool and wasting your life. You are building something in vain. There is nothing you can do to guard your life from perdition if you don’t have God. The Lord created us to rely on Him and seek His blessings. Build your house on the Lord Jesus Christ, and the blessings will come down. Examine your life. Who is building your life? The Gospel of Two declares there are only two builders: God and Satan. Which one is building your house (life)?

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Evil For Evil

Posted on April 23, 2025 by heatonkent

See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. (1 Thessalonians 5:15)

Evil For Evil

Retaliation and retribution are two characteristics that should not be part of the Christian’s life. God has always wanted His people to stand above the world in their conduct and attitude toward others – including enemies and evil persons. It is easy to be good to those who show love for others. Everyone wants to show kindness to those who show kindness to them. When an evil person treats others with contempt, the reaction is often to return kind with kind. If someone does something wrong against a neighbor, the offended one will return the evil with evil. Road rage has become a social phenomenon that often ends in someone killing another.

Jesus warned against the spirit of vengeance. He taught in the mountain sermon how His disciples must learn to walk the second mile and never seek retaliation against others. The early church taught the disciples not to render evil for evil to anyone. There were challenges in the First Century church with the blending of Jew and Gentile. Paul repeatedly emphasized that there was no difference between Jew and Gentile and that all were one in Christ Jesus. This removes the stigma of revenge against others. A Christian will not do anything against another that is evil because to do so is sinful and condemned by God. The world teaches the philosophy of “getting even.” This is never found in the heart of the child of God.

Jesus Christ wants His people to seek all things that are good. Following things that are good is how the Christian frames his life. In a world filled with hatred, the Christian aims to bring the light of goodness into a dark world. Revenge is never the tool of the child of God. Getting back at others should never be known among the people of God. Even when the world treats the Christian badly, there is no recourse to return the favor. Jesus is the eternal example of never rendering evil against others. He always pursued what was good for Himself, others, and, first of all, His Father. Jesus forgave those who killed Him. He never reviled when they reviled Him. There was never a curse that came from his lips as those standing before Him cursed Him. Jesus wants His people to seek all things that are good because He gave that example in His life.

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His Coming Is Like A Thief

Posted on April 22, 2025 by heatonkent

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (2 Peter 3:10)

His Coming Is Like A Thief

The Holy Spirit is very descriptive in the language He uses to declare the word of God. Since the fall of man in Eden, the Lord has told man of an impending day of judgment. This message has taken on many forms through the centuries as God warns the world of His wrath against those who reject His word. Noah was told to build an ark for the saving of his household but was not told when the global flood would come. The day came when the Lord told Noah to gather the animals and his family to enter the ark. Then the waters burst forth, and the world was destroyed. There was no warning, no timeline declared, and no mercy given to those unprepared. When God told Noah to enter the ark, it was too late for the world to repent.

Jesus would use the story of Noah to describe the world on the last day. When God told Noah to enter the ark, the world was frolicking in its pleasures, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, and living life without a care in the world. Men were in the field working, women tended to the needs of the family, and children played in the fields, unaware of the impending doom. Like a thief in the night, the judgment of the Lord came upon the world. When a thief plans to enter a victim’s home, he does not give a warning or notice. His purpose is to strike unaware and without warning. If someone knew a thief would break in and steal, he would prepare for the moment. God has told the world a day of judgment is coming, and there will be no warning.

The world has survived more than two thousand years after the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. One of the central themes of the gospel is what a man must do to be saved. The reason this is so important is because salvation is necessary to understand the peril of eternal damnation that awaits all who disregard the word of the Lord. A day of judgment for all men is coming. This day is as certain as death. God has never hidden the fact that all men will face His judgment. Jesus described the judgment as separating sheep from goats. Those on the right hand enjoy eternal life, and those on the left face Hell. No warnings will be given to let men know the final day has arrived. Like a thief in the night, the world will pass away with a great noise, and the universe will melt with fervent heat. Everything man knows will be burned up.

The Son of God has said that no man knows the day His Father will bring final judgment upon the world. There are many people who declare they know when the Lord is coming. They are liars of the highest caliber. What purpose would be served if God told men when He was coming? There will be no warning. The world can end before the reading of this paragraph ends. What happens most often is the world does not end, and the heart of man settles into complacency and apathy. Know this and know this well. A day is coming. There is no warning. God will not give a hint of His wrath. You will be doing what you always do. In a moment, in the twinkling of the eye – the world ends, and you face the wrath of God. If you are not a child of God, you will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone and eternal darkness from the face of God. It is then you will understand the language of the thief and the coming of the Lord. But it will be too late. Today is the day of salvation. Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins. Be faithful unto death. Live for Jesus. Be watchful. He’s coming like a thief.

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God Alone Is Wise

Posted on April 21, 2025 by heatonkent

To God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.  (Romans 16:27)

God Alone Is Wise

Wisdom is the foundation of the human story as men seek to understand the world they live in. Knowledge comes through investigation, experience, and trial and error. Ancient cultures evidence a high level of wisdom in building the pyramids, constructing roads, writing literature, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and a host of things that still amaze the modern world. In the high-tech world of artificial intelligence, man’s incredible level of wisdom is displayed to create amazing machines. Many of these creations have improved the needs of humanity in science, medicine, and daily life. There is much to boast in the wisdom of man.

When it comes to the wisdom of man, the heart of man can boast of its accomplishments, but at the highest level of intelligence possessed by man, nothing compares to the wisdom of God. Paul noted in his letter to Rome that God alone is wise (Romans 16:27). God alone has wisdom because He is the Creator, and man is the creation. There can never be a time when creation is wiser than its Creator, much like anything man creates can never be of greater wisdom than its creator. A computer can do incredibly amazing feats of mathematics and calculations, but it remains only as good as what man puts into it. At the end of the day, a computer is the product of what it is made to do.

Man is similar to the technology he creates. It is not possible for machines to become more powerful than the inventors. Hollywood has used the fantasy of machines ruling over the world, but such a thing can never happen as the creator always has power over the creation. The point is that as wise as man has become, he will never surpass the wisdom of God. Is it possible for man to count the stars? Can man create life? Will there come a day when the wisdom of man finds a way to eliminate death? The answer to all of these questions is an emphatic “No!” Why? Because God alone is wise, and glory can only be found in Jesus Christ.

The failure of the human story is the pride of man thinking he can outdo his Creator. In the early days of the earth, men decided to build a tower into the heavens. They wanted to make a name for themselves. God allowed them to make a name for themselves when He stopped the work and confused their language. The wisdom of man is now called “Babel.” This is how man can never have greater wisdom than his Creator. If man was so wise, why did he not find a way to defeat God? He cannot.

God has prepared a book filled with His wisdom.

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The Woes Of Israel

Posted on April 18, 2025 by heatonkent

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own sight! Woe to men mighty at drinking wine, woe to men valiant for mixing intoxicating drink, who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away justice from the righteous man! (Isaiah 5:20-23)

The Woes Of Israel

A woe is an interjection and a denunciation. God uses the language of woes to tell the people of Israel of sins they have done to provoke Him to wrath. The woes are specific and dangerous, and the consequences are eternal. Israel is failing, and the prophet Isaiah preaches against the apathy and pride destroying the people of God. His mission is to turn the people’s hearts back to God, but they are not listening. The appeal of sin has entrenched itself so fully into their hearts that they have changed the moral compass of God to their own desires. They no longer see sin as the depraved nature declared by God. The heart of the wicked change what God has said is evil into something that is good. What the Lord says are the works of darkness are not accepted as the fruit of light. The bitter taste of evil has been turned into the sweet nectar of delight.

God’s word has been cast aside for the wisdom of men who seek their own counsel to say what is right and wrong. The world accepts the norm: there are no absolutes, and everything is allowable for the heart of man to please himself. Everything in the world has become the pursuit of passion and self-desire. Injustice abounds in the world, righteousness is ridiculed, and those who believe in God are mocked as fools. Morality is served by the desires of the flesh through sexual immorality, drunkenness, deceit, murder, stealing, and cursing God.

Marriage is no longer described by one man and one woman. The world of Israel is unsure of what a woman is. Homosexuality and transgenderism abound as the normal acceptance of one’s sexuality. Men are with men, and women with women, and children are taught the acceptance of perverted sexuality. It is not uncommon for someone to kill a rival. The government is corrupt, society is immoral, and families have so many last names no one knows who the fathers are. Goodness is now the evil. Marital unfaithfulness is expected. Couples live together and have children together, and there is no shame.

Israel takes what God has said is good and calls it evil. There is no longer a view that sin is the darkness of hell but the enlightenment of a new world. The consequence of sin and its bitter taste has become the accepted flavor of a perverted world. Men are wise in their own eyes, rejecting the word of God as outdated, outmoded, and out of touch. Life is filled with frivolity, drunken feasts, and corruption. Isaiah preaches against the evils of a doomed nation. There is little hope as the nation falls further into the pit of damnation and despair.

Israel was destroyed 2600 years ago when the Babylonians burned Jerusalem and the Temple to the ground. This became the fulfillment of a nation that changed evil to good and good to evil. God warned the people of the consequences of sin and the coming judgment, but they would not listen. The greatest failure of humanity is the inability to learn from its past. When history lessons are not viewed as a template for today, the world tends to repeat itself. What is found in the world today is not a new form of sin or a new philosophy. It is Israel repeating itself.

The world now views the goodness of God as evil and accepts wickedness as goodness. What man does not realize is that while they say the darkness is light and light is darkness; what God has called darkness is still darkness, and what God has called light remains light. The philosophies of men can be likened to someone who calls the Moon the Sun and the Sun the Moon. No philosophy of man will change the nature of what they are. The Moon is a dead rock, and the Sun is a fiery, brilliant star. Light is light. Darkness is darkness. Sin is Sin. Righteousness is righteousness. God is.

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Stealing The Word Of God

Posted on April 16, 2025 by heatonkent

“Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who steal My words every one from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’ Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the Lord, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 23:30-32)

Stealing The Word Of God

Truth is older than error, and false teachers have existed since the beginning of time. Satan is the father of lies and the greatest thief of God’s word. The world in the days of Noah was destroyed because the hearts of men believed the lie more than the Creator. Israel was warned not to trifle with the word of God to add or take away from its holy commandments. They were destroyed when they began to be like the nations around them. Rejecting the word of God, the Jews followed after false gods promoted by false prophets. As Israel sank further into the mire of apostasy, men like Jeremiah warned of the consequences of neglecting the commandments of the Lord.

Jeremiah spoke the word of the Lord in truth, but many prophets tickled the ears of the people. Through deception and deceit, the prophets stole the pure word of God from the hearts of the people, leading them to believe in themselves. Apostasy comes from denying the word of God. The prophets stole messages from others, claiming they had divine revelation. Jeremiah calls them smooth-tongued prophets, falsely claiming what they said was from the Lord. Their flagrant lies led the people of God into sin and destruction. As a result of false prophets, Israel was destroyed. God would not tolerate a people who turned away from His words to heed the doctrines of men.

Jesus came to establish the kingdom of God on earth which was accomplished on the Day of Pentecost in the city of Jerusalem. The twelve apostles preached a sermon of repentance to a crowd of devout Jews who were convicted that Jesus of Nazareth was the Christ, the Son of God. In response, three thousand people were baptized and had their sins washed away in the blood of Jesus. Luke writes that the Lord added those who were saved to the church. The church of Christ began to grow and prosper under the teachings of the apostles, who were led by the Holy Spirit. Congregations of New Testament saints began establishing themselves throughout the Roman Empire until Paul wrote to the church at Colosse the church that the gospel was preached to every creature under heaven.

The Holy Spirit began to warn the early disciples of a coming apostasy. Men began to have itching ears to heed the doctrines of men rather than the teachings of God. In the past two thousand years, doctrines differing from the word of God have turned souls away from the truth and seen the creation of many churches that are not found in the New Testament. False preachers and teachers have stolen the word of God away from the hearts of the people, leading them into the path of apostasy. Many believe in false doctrines because of the glitter and entertainment of men and women preaching a foreign gospel that God never approved.

Like in the days of Jeremiah, the Lord is against those who preach a perverted gospel, who steal the words of God for their personal gain. Many smooth-tongued preachers convince the people they are preaching from the Bible. God is against them as they lie to the people and lead people into perdition. As in the days of Jeremiah, the challenge is to test whether the spirits are from God. Everyone can read and understand the Bible. God did not give the world a message they could not understand. If there is religious division, it is not a creation of God but man. There is only one book of divine knowledge, one church, one Savior, one Lord, one faith, one path to eternal life, and one hope found in Jesus Christ. Read the Bible. Learn the one truth from the one and only Lord God Almighty. Do not allow men to steal your soul from truth and the hope of eternal life.

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