EXPOSING UNGODLY SPIRITUAL SPECTACLES? What Filters Are You Viewing Truth Through?

Luke 8:18  Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have. KJV

I’ve had the privilege of speaking in over 35 nations and to even a greater number of people groups and nationalities in my course of 33 years of speaking ministry. It is my greatest joy, and significantly, my most pained heartache. One of the reasons I say that, and related to why I have been so hesitant to write a blog, is this.  There are a lot of factors that affect how people see, hear, interpret and understand biblical concepts of truth. It is downright scary to think how people interpret what I write and say. I know I don’t have much control over that, but it is always a serious concern. One word wrongly interpreted can mess up someone’s life for a long time. So when I write, I really try to consider how others will understand what I'm attempting to convey. Furthermore, the more that I travel and encounter different cultures, the more complicated the managing of this aspect of communication becomes. Nevertheless, I will attempt to be integritous to myself, what God has shown me, and most of all, considerate of my readers. I do care about what happens to you because of what I’ve written.

Let me explain how important this is. I’ve worn prescription eyeglasses ever since I was a little girl. It has always been a frustration to me because I really can’t see much of anything without them. Moreover, throughout my life, especially the last few years, my prescription has changed radically. Then about two years ago I was having serious difficulties seeing. The immense amount of reading and research I’d been doing had strained my eyes and I found myself struggling to read, watch TV or see to drive. It had become very disturbing because I found myself misreading words, and consequently, misunderstanding what I read. Thankfully, it wasn’t anything critical or dangerous, but nonetheless, it was discouraging. I eventually went to an optometrist who informed me that my prescription was incorrect. That was the reason my eyes had been so irritated. Happily I left his office with a new set of glasses and contacts unaware of what I was about to experience. To my shock, I started weeping as I was driving home. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me? Actually, nothing was wrong. It was just that for the first time in a long time I realized I could see everything clearly around me. I'd been experiencing a mild form of the "blues" commonly experienced by people in their 50’s, and upwards, whose eyesight has changed and they don’t realize it. Once the sight is corrected the blues lift. This experience made me wonder if one of the reasons why so many Christians are struggling with spiritual “blues” is because that they're incapable of getting the biblical revelation they desire because they’re looking through the wrong spiritual spectacles. They don’t have God’s prescription for seeing well. The issue is valid and more significant than you may realize. Unhindered eyesight and hearing are fundamental to healthy life. When studying the Scriptures the comparison between natural senses and spiritual eyesight, and hearing, is irrefutable. In the natural, a misdiagnosed prescription, for glasses or a hearing aid, can distort view and sounds causing frustrating problems and misinterpretation of what is actually being seen and heard. This same type of spiritual condition is an all too common problem innocently affecting a great majority of Christians who don’t realize that they’re seeing and hearing through manmade, demonically-inspired filters preventing them from accurately interpreting the Bible for what it is saying. So the question is: What filters are you unknowingly looking through that affect how you interpret what you hear and read for the sake of truth?  Any believer who genuinely wants to benefit in their pursuit of truth seriously needs to ask this question. A study of many of the most important subjects relating to Christian faith and maturity are often skewed because those studying look at the topics with preconceived ideas and malformed definitions. Their filters virtually prevent them from getting a clear vision of what God would intend. Consequently, they miss out on significant truths and innocently may even learn error!

2Tim. 2:15   Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Accurate study requires rightly dividing what you read in the Scriptures. Paul, challenged the younger minister Timothy to rightly divide the word of truth. This concept comes from the Greek word “orthotomeo” that means to make a straight cut or to dissect something correctly. The student of truth needs to be instructed in how to “tear apart” or properly divide and handle the meaning of Scripture. In order to do so the manmade, philosophical, interpretive filters and glasses must come off. I would cause you a great injustice if I taught you how to ask questions, what questions to ask and give you keys to understand without first helping you expose the wrong filters that could affect your ability to grow in truth. In many ways, how you interpret what you study is corrupted by little pollutions and mixed seeds previously sown into your heart and thinking process. This principle is mentioned in Deuteronomy 22:9 and Leviticus 19:19 that states if you sow a mixture of seeds together, they will cross breed and produce polluted and often unusable fruit.

MIXED SEED PRODUCES POLLUTED FRUIT

An Old Testament agricultural directive reveals a golden key for unlocking the means of how to produce a healthy and fruitful pursuit of truth by studying the Bible, learning God’s character, knowing Jesus, and flowing with the Spirit etc.  This key is mentioned in both Deuteronomy 22:9 and Leviticus 19:19 that cite a warning applicable to nearly every area of life even though the verses seem to be only related to farming. These verses state that when sowing seeds in a vineyard or field one must be careful to not mix or cross-breed seeds because the resulting fruit will inevitably be defiled or corrupt. As odd as it may sound, this principle smacks of a fundamental truth necessary to discerning truth rightly. Your life is like a vineyard and field. You must constantly be aware of the condition of its soil, the nature and origin of the seeds sown in it, and most of all what type of fruit will result from the seeds you’ve sown.

Deuteronomy 22:9 Thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds: lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown, and the fruit of thy vineyard, be defiled. KJV

Lev 19:19 Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee. KJV

My mother faithfully grew a large vegetable garden every year when I was young. Even thought it was hard work I still remember what she taught us through her example. Without fail, she meticulously organized the garden plot, choosing where she'd plant the different kinds of vegetable seeds in order to prevent unprofitable cross-pollination. On rare occasions, however, the elements and wind would work against her, and a strange mix of cucumber, melon and squash would pop up all because the pollen from the various flowering plants would intermingle. The fruit was unusable, odd tasting, and generally, very strange looking. So it is when we don’t deal with our filters, preconceived ideologies and viewpoints hidden in our consciousness, before we study.

Sometimes it’s difficult to determine where we have problematic areas. I’ve learned, generally speaking, that a lot of our troublesome issues don’t surface until we’re in the fray of the study-wrestling match. Nonetheless, there are some basic issues that we can be aware of, in advance, that will help us as we plod forward.

Christians are often oblivious to the numerous factors that affect and influence how they pursue truth and interpret God’s word. Ignorantly they unintentionally, but recklessly, mix biblical truth with experience based ideologies, philosophies of men, traditions and more, unaware that the mixture will cause them great confusion and sometimes serious deception. Accurate study can’t begin until the proper criteria for biblical truth are cemented into place acting as godly grids sifting out any unhealthy mix. This is absolutely necessary when studying anything noteworthy.

Exposing and dismantling the difficult filters that affect how you interpret Scripture, who God is and how He operates, isn’t necessarily difficult, although at times, it may be awkward, frustrating and painful. Doing so also requires a decision that will be constantly challenged. You must decide to choose to love the Truth. Truth must be clearly differentiated from facts, philosophies, personal experiences, “pet doctrines”, cultural influences, assumed revelation and previous knowledge. This will take time and may result in kicking down the “golden calves of previous understanding.” Regrettably, many believers assume they love the truth, when in fact; they actually are in love with their philosophy, their personal so-called revelation, their favorite translation of the Bible, or previously accumulated knowledge, because they don’t take into consideration the four standards required for accurate biblical interpretation. Many a believer analyzes Scripture through preconceived interpretations of the Bible passages reading their Bible in an automatic response mode. To be a good student you have to shut off the automatic reaction. This automatic response messes with the pursuit of truth and creates an attitude through which a believer assumes what he or she already believes is truth, when in fact, it may not be biblically accurate or consistent with God’s character at all. Inevitably, the “so-called” truth you choose to love, will inevitably be the truth you fight to defend. Sadly, many Christians prefer to love what they want to be truth, reluctant to clear away their familiar and comfortable filters, and never arrive at the genuine truth capable of setting them free. Which “truth” will you choose to love and defend?

There are as many possible filters for interpreting biblical truths as there are people in the earth. One must therefore become aware of the most common filters, and then, decisively submit them to God, nailing them to the cross and burying them never to be relied on again.

These filters can be generally identified in five separate groupings. See the accompanying chart and the potential tug of war affected by these issues.

One of the primary ways to identify spiritual filters or “mixed seeds” is by watching and listening for what I‘ve come to call “automatic responses” or trigger concepts. If you listen carefully, observing how you respond to what you read or investigate, you may notice repetitive patterns of reactions expressed because of sometimes-faulty pre-conceived ideas of interpretation and doctrine. These predetermined beliefs affect how we judge God, His character, His ways, His work in history, His servants and His word, and most significantly, the experiences of our lives. Unintentionally we tend to read the Bible through our individualized filters that make the verses say things they either don’t say or don’t mean. Therefore, when an individual’s rigid views are challenged with truth, violent reactions may erupt. We need our automatic responses and pet answers confronted and corrected. But alas, not everyone is so willing to deal with these because it’s often painful!

I hope you are a seeker of truth and will press into who God is so He can show you the spiritual spectacles you are looking through. Jesus is the truth, the way and the life. He desires to reveal truth to by His Spirit. I'm certain if you're willing He is waiting and ready.