Simple Faith

“But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, so your thoughts will be corrupted and led astray from the simple faith toward Christ.”

Eve was so childlike that she had no thoughts about the tree of which she was forbidden to eat. She had not even seen it. Only when the serpent began to talk about the tree were her thoughts corrupted and led astray from the simple faith.

“I warn every one who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if any one adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if any one takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19.

It is written about the Antichrist, “[He] who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.” 2 Thessalonians 2:4. He does the opposite of what Jesus did (Philippians 2:5-9) and deceives people by explaining away Jesus’ humiliation.

We read that Jesus, when He was in the form of God, emptied Himself and took the form of a servant. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself. Those who are simple in their faith believe this just as it is written. The spirit of Antichrist, on the other hand, explains that all this took place on the cross when Jesus died for our sins.

If, for example, we read that according to the flesh Jesus came of the seed of David, the spirit of Antichrist begins to explain that Jesus did not have sin in the flesh like David had. Those who are simple in their faith, believe just what is written in Romans 1:3. And if we red that God condemned sin in the flesh, the spirit of Antichrist explains that sin was not in Jesus’ flesh, but only in the flesh of man. Thus many who began by believing what is written have had their thoughts led astray from that simple faith.

If we read to them Hebrews 2:14-18, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature,” they begin to explain that this was not the kind of flesh we have, but the kind that Adam had before the fall. “No, He was not tempted like we are; He was not so ‘low’! He was tempted like Adam before the fall,” they say. Read Hebrews 4:14-16. We could go on reading about Jesus’ humiliation. But the Serpent explains it all away, and many people’s thoughts are led astray from reading the Bible just as it is written. At Bible schools they are in the Serpent’s service. They have many different interpretations of God’s Word in order to find the easiest way, so that they can gather many people. 2 Corinthians 2:17.

They take away from God’s Word and they add to it, and people end up with another Jesus and another gospel; and they submit to it readily enough! 2 Corinthians 11:4. John writes that we can discern the spirit of the Antichrist because it does not confess that Jesus has come in the flesh. 1 John 4:1-3; 2 John 7-8.

When you are reading God’s Word in all simplicity and without thinking that it might have some other meaning, and someone starts interpreting and explaining it, then it is the Serpent that has come to you as he came to Eve. “Beware!” the Serpent is especially active at bible schools. This is a very serious mater. Read 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 and 2 Peter 1:20-21 in particular.

Jesus says, “Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17.

Religious people are in agreement with that, and they say, “Jesus did this in our stead.” But they all agree that there are two commandments that Jesus did not fulfill in our stead. The one is to give a tithe. They feel we must still tithe. They even write whole books on the subject. They quote verses such as Matthew 23:23, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law, justice and mercy and faith; these you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.”

“Without neglecting the others,” it says. In other words, these religious people believe we must continue to tithe. In response to this claim, we would have to say in accordance with what is written, “. . . that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles.” Ephesians 4:14. The fact is, Jesus was speaking to people who were under the law. Matthew 23:2-3.

Jesus fulfilled the law—not in our stead, but in order that we might follow Him in His steps. What are His steps? Just this: that we give ourselves as a sacrifice. Jesus didn’t just give a tenth; He gave everything. This was also what He preached when He called His disciples: “So therefore, whoever of you does not renounce all that he has cannot be y disciple.” Luke 14:33. Paul puts it this way: “I do it all for the sake of the gospel.” 1 Corinthians 9:23.

If church leaders were to preach this, and give freedom to their congregations in money matters, they know from experience that not much money would come in. So they make tithing a matter of conscience. We would have to call this “craftiness in deceitful wiles.”

The other commandment concerns the Sabbath. Religious leaders make use of many Old Testament scriptures. In those days the people were very exact about keeping the Sabbath. This was the one day of the week when they were not supposed to do their own work. They were to call the Sabbath a delight, “not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly.” Isaiah 58:13.

They had this commandment under the law, and it was difficult to keep. It was not Jesus’ intention to abolish this commandment, but to fulfill it. The same thing applies here as with the commandment concerning tithing. Jesus came to make every day holy. He never did His own will; He never spoke idly. “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.” John 6:38. He fulfilled the law not only on one day of the week but every day—and at all times of the day and night!

And so it will be for us who are His disciples.