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Writer's pictureBible Brian

ALL things are up for debate


Normally, I'm against joining large Facebook groups because they tend to be full of bad theology. Now, I retract that idea. These groups are actually full of good theology in bad packages. The loons serve as good examples of how not to think, or speak, or act. Take, for example, this gem I found in an eschatology group I once joined. "The corona virus is the 5th seal of God not up for debate". Now, ignoring the terrible grammar, and the fact that no one really knows what God is doing with the coronavirus, why would this person say it's not up for debate?


Biblically speaking, everything is up for debate. Paul tells us to test all things, and hold fast to that which is good. Keep in mind, when this same Apostle brought the Gospel to the Jews in Berea, these Jews actually tested Paul. They "searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." (Acts 17:11). We see no rebuke here from Paul, neither do we see it from the divinely inspired (2 Timothy 3:16-17) Luke. Far from it, Luke calls them fair minded.


Now, if the Jews at Berea were considered fair minded for testing the very Gospel by which we are saved, how could anything not be up for debate? If a true Apostle, sent out by God Himself, submits himself to honest scrutiny, then when that same Apostle says "test all things", he must mean that we can test even true things. It's just that, when we find them true, we must then hold to them.


So what can we say about this person's claim that the coronavirus is the 5th seal of God? Simple: Test it. If it's good, we'll hold to it. If not? Then woe to you for clinging to it. But one more thing we can take from all of this is that to resist the test of Scripture is an automatic failure. Scripture tells us test all things, you tell us do not test your thing, congratulations, you failed the test of Scripture. Indeed, those who refuse the test of Scripture usually do so because they know they could never pass it. This is why many heretical organisations likewise try to claim their authority is beyond dispute. "You may not judge us by the Bible, because the Bible belongs to us as an organisation." Ok, then the next question I'm going to ask is what are you trying to hide from me? What's in that Bible that you don't want me to know?


As Christians, we should be the most sceptical of people. We know that there is a very powerful deceiver living in our world. Indeed, the Bible calls him the "god of this age", stating that he has the power to blind people even to the very Gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4). And we know that he is capable of twisting even the very Scriptures themselves, as He did in a foolish attempt to tempt our Lord in the wilderness. Knowing that such a dangerous adversary exists ought to compel us to run to our Rock and our Fortress, the Lord, who shall protect us from the deceptions of the father of lies. If we do not test all things, they will instead test us, and divide us from the God who bought us. Therefore, obey Paul's warning: Test all things, even claims about the coronavirus.

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