Have You Ever Wondered?

Have you ever wondered if there is more to this life of being a Christian?
Have you ever compared your life as a Christian to the lives of the people in the scriptures and wondered why their lives look so different?
Have you ever wondered why you don't see the things in the Bible happening in your own life?
Have you ever wondered if the church gathering you attend is healthy?

Here are some things to ponder...

Where does it say in scripture to sit in a church building every week for a few hours a day, then go out and live your life however you want?

Why does Jesus say in Matthew 5:48 to be perfect, like your Heavenly Father is perfect, but Christians and maybe even your pastor say they are never going to be perfect?

Have you ever wondered why people celebrate Christmas when it is based on a lie, and one of God's commandments is DO NOT LIE?

Have you ever wondered why Christians call Passover Easter and why there are Easter bunnies and Easter eggs when Jesus is the Passover lamb, not the Easter lamb?

Have you ever been taught the elementary teachings according to Hebrews 6:1-2?

Have you ever wondered what abominations are?

Do you know what the new covenant promises are?

There are so many more questions because there are so many different versions of church teachings on earth today. Our job as disciples of Jesus is to test what we are hearing against scripture to see if we are listening to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons that tickle our ears. Scripture tells us to be aware of this.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 NASB

But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons,
1 Timothy 4:1 NASB

If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.
1 Timothy 6:3-5 NASB

So the question is, how do we know if we are listening to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons?

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it is already in the world. You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
1 John 4:1-6 NASB

Strong’s Lexicon: The word “confesses” is the Greek word homologeō 3670; it means tTo confess, to acknowledge, to agree'; o speak the same language, to agree, confess, and acknowledge.
HELPS Word-studies: 3670 homologéō (from 3674 /homoú, "together" and 3004 /légō, "speak to a conclusion") – properly, to voice the same conclusion, i.e. agree ("confess"); to profess (confess) because in full agreement; to align with (endorse). homologéō ("confess") means to speak the same thing, i.e. "assent, agree with, confess, declare, admit"

If you are part of a church that does not look like the disciples in scripture, I encourage you to examine the scripture to see if the language of the scripture is the same language that is spoken by the people you listen to. We must do this as disciples of Jesus so that we ensure salvation for ourselves and the ones who listen to us. Paul tells Timothy to do this, and we need to do the same.

Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.
1 Timothy 4:16 NASB

If you have a desire to know God but you find yourself in other teachings and you are not sure if you know Him, Jesus says this.

Jesus says, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’”
John 7:37b-38 NASB

I encourage you to read the scriptures and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you. Beware; you must read them with no other desire except to know God. Scripture says eternal life is to know Him and the power of His resurrection.

This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.
John 17:3 NASB

References:

Strong’s Lexicon: Biblehub.com

1 Heart 1 MindApril 22, 2025