Teeth Will Be Provided

Teeth will be provided! Did the title spark your curiosity, and grab your attention? I have been reviewing some of my earlier posts, and came across this writing which was never posted, and only kept as a draft because I did not finish writing it at the time, however I do think it is something worthy to post, even if only for the comical value, though there is truth in that humor. 

What I am going to share here in this post is not a new understanding to me, it is something that I have known for many years, but at the same time I am aware that it is not common knowledge among most Christians. The reason I can say that with the assurance of the truth is because if it was understood by those whose claim it is to believe the WHOLE Bible, then they would of necessity have to change their WHOLE theology about God.

The reason I can say that is simply because, it is not uncommon for many Christians to read the bible with an already pre conceived idea of interpretation of what a verse means before they even begin reading. The reason I can say that, is because I counted myself among those many Christians. Not when I was one of them of course, but in retrospect. As you can imagine, this presents a big problem regarding Biblical Hermenutics. The word Hermeneutics means "the art or science of the interpretation of literature."

Now it is one thing when someone is found to be wrong with their interpretation of the meaning of a verse of Scripture, but it is another thing to be willfully ignorant!  It could be that because you have been told what to believe and never researched it yourself, you just accepted it as fact and moved on. But, it is when someone who is confronted with facts contrary to what they have believed, and yet they would rather stay in their ignorance rather than search for the truth at any cost.  There is an adage that says: "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still." And if that is the case against clear evidence to the contrary, then they become a great danger to others!

You might think it is an over statement to suggest that a willfully ignorant person is a great danger to others, but consider the fact that they will not cease to teach and preach and share their ignorance, thus spreading their errors like a plague, infecting everyone they touch!

Consider this humorous story as an example:

A preacher of the old school was describing the events of Judgement Day and, of course, he used Biblical phraseology whenever he could.

"Oh, my friends," he intoned, "imagine the suffering of the sinners as they find themselves cast into the outer darkness, removed from the presence of the Lord and given to eternal flames. My friends, at such a time there will be weeping, wailing and a great gnashing of teeth!"

At this point, one of the elders of the congregation interrupted to say, "But Reverend, what if one of those hopeless sinners has no teeth?"

The preacher crashed his fist on the pulpit, "My friends, the Lord is not put out by details. Rest assured... teeth will be provided!"

How is it any different than any other lie gossip or rumor that is spread about every day? Suppose you found out someone was twisting facts around about you, that made you seem to be guilty of something you never did. Everyone that person talked to told someone else what they had been told, until it was believed by everyone who heard it as the truth. Now, you come along and try to set the facts straight, but it is now just your word against all those others who would rather believe what they heard to be true more than the truth itself.

Keep in mind this indisputable truth: A person who is honestly mistaken, when confronted with the truth, ceases to be either mistaken or honest.

I say all these things, not to put anyone under any sort of condemnation, because I was ignorant to the truth for the same reason for many years. It is only by the grace of God that He opened my eyes to see some truths not commonly revealed to others. And I am aware when I say that, that anyone promoting any kind of nutty, weird, or insane thing could say their eyes have been open to the truth as well! So, all I can say is that it is alright to not believe me, and as a matter of fact, I encourage you not to believe me (isn't that what got us all in trouble to begin with?) just because I say it doesn't make it right, and you must find out from God for yourself whether these things be true. Some times, He just witnesses to your Spirit. And when that happens then you can be free! Jesus did not say the truth will set you free. What He did say in John 8:31,32 "So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” It is in KNOWING the truth that sets you free!

And so you might ask, who can you trust? My answer is to trust those you consider trustworthy until they prove they are not. And perhaps they just do not know either, and so our final authority for truth Jesus tells us in John 16:13 "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come."

It is also important to grow and learn and mature in the faith and in your knowledge of God. Paul sets that standard in 1 Cor.13:11 "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

You will do well to put away childish beliefs about God, otherwise you too might find yourself in a position to defend your childish beliefs with childish statements, and you will know that is the case if you ever hear yourself say: "Teeth Will Be Provided"