Learn to Discern

Don't Bring Along Baggage

a common impediment to biblical discernment
is bringing (bad) 'baggage' into the reading of the Bible

this is a superimposing onto the Scriptures of:
- preconceived notions (about what the Bible says)
- connotations and nuances (where there are none)
- wrong definitions to Bible words
- erroneous quotes from (so-called) Bible teachers
- etc.

~

(expanded)

instead, we should be saying:
where does the Bible actually say or teach that?
those aren't the actual words written in the Bible, look closely
those are a man's words, not the words in Scripture

how is the Bible using the actual words written there?

what are the actual biblical definitions of the words?

an example of a common superimposing of man's words onto Scripture:

'Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is to reject Jesus.'

Yet... Mark 3:29-30 tells us what blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is

Jesus said... 'but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit
never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin'
because [note this word... it explains why Jesus was teaching what He was]
they were saying, 'He [Jesus] has an unclean spirit.'

they were attributing the works of the Holy Spirit (Who is holy)
to an unclean spirit (an unholy spirit / demon / Satan)
(saying Jesus cast out demons by the [power of] the ruler of demons - vs 22
rather than by the power of the Holy Spirit)
and that blasphemes God's Holy Spirit
(simple definition of blasphemy: irreverent and offensive speech against God)

look closely:
the text does not say blasphemy against the Holy Spirit
was the people's rejection of Jesus
it says it was something said against the Holy Spirit


(condensed from Learn to Discern ã by John and Kim Namestnik 2004 - revised 2013)