Cheryl Schatz

Cindy K,

Excellent reasoning!

That which was/is/always will be God-breathed does not need additional inspiration or extra breath, does it?

Absolutely not!  God said it.  He said what we needed and we are to take what he did say and pull out that sense instead of adding in our own faulty human reasoning.  The odd thing is that those who typically accuse Eve of sinning by adding to God’s word, are doing the same thing they accuse Eve of, by adding to what God has said.  They add in an accusation outside of what God did say and by doing so they twist the Word.

I also do feel for those who are deceived.  I believe that Paul was especially concerned about false deceived teachers in 1 Timothy chapter 1 and he related to them because he too had been deceived at one time.

Where I don’t have as much compassion is when a teacher has been corrected and he knows that his addition is not in the text but he keeps his interpretation because it suits him and he teaches it influencing others in his error.  One time I heard a preacher say that he had been told by several people that he was misusing a text.  He said that he was still using it that way because he “liked it that way”.  A person like this goes beyond being deceived into purposely deceiving others.

The first seminary prof that I had discussions about Eve with had his eyes opened right away.  He was amazed because he said that he had never before considered that Eve wasn’t adding to God’s words.  He looked at the text with me and he had to agree with me because he could see that it fit the text while the other options about why Eve would add to God’s words didn’t fit.  He then accepted Eve’s testimony because he had no reason not to accept her words.  He did not have a doctrine to protect.  Those who must protect their own doctrine, their own interpretation, will resist “seeing” the truth.  Sometimes it is like trying to pull a security blanket away from a baby.  But I have great respect for those who “love the truth” and are willing to test all things by God’s word.  Those who truly love the truth will not be easy to deceive if they hold onto and respect God’s word and read it in context.

The hardest thing is when one has built an organization on hierarchy and then the truth starts to shine through the cracks of that organization.  What does one do?  If one admits to the light of truth shining through, the foundation of the organization will crack.  How can one admit you are wrong when it isn’t just your own self anymore.  It is about staff and books written and lectures given and many churches who trust you for giving them the facts.  This is the hardest test for lovers of truth.  One who would turn their back on their own ego, their own pride and their own standing in their church and amongst their fellow male ministers may receive persecution for a time from their own people, but they will be help up and honored in the body of Christ for their stand for truth.

I also want to share pinklight’s delight with your “coulda, shoulda, woulda”.  Very profound!  😉