Read Genesis ch. 2 and ch. 3 to refresh your mind on these two trees. God told them to eat from any tree including the Tree of Life. But they cannot eat from the Tree of Knowledge or else they will die. Such was the reality of paradise. Adam and Eve had a choice. Should they live in peace with each other, and with God, and pursue LIFE or should they disobey God and pursue KNOWLEDGE of good and evil?
The craving for secret worldly/earthly knowledge (conspiracy theory) rather than for life is the original sin. The tempter, satan, knows it appeals to our pride (Ex: "I know something you don't!"). Earthly minded people are often obsessed with satan's promise of supposedly secret knowledge (Gnosticism). But secret worldly knowledge always falls short of God's glory. Even knowledge that supposedly uses the Word of God, but in a twisted way, it falls short also. This includes all those debates about the shape of the earth being flat or the moon landings being a hoax. All such secret knowledge is a waste of time. It distracts from the Gospel of Christ. For more info on why these are false conspiracy theories visit these links. And that Tree of Knowledge is deadly.
THIS is what we know..... This is the focus of all knowledge:
The focus of our words and actions should be to EDIFY or BUILD UP the saints in the churches.
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| Drawing (c) By Jenny Harrison |
Debunking flat earth conspiracy with science and history: https://youtu.be/CGjFAe018oA
Debunking the moon-landing denial with science and Christian testimony:
Moon Testimony #1 Charlie Duke Christian testimony- Moon Astronaut- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8YC0k8B4Rg
Moon Testimony #2 Jim Irwin - Christian Astronaut who landed on the Moon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FUS1259dHM
Two Christian men give witness to the same experience of landing on the moon.
The Scripture tells us to establish fact on the basis of 2-3 Christian witnesses like this.
2 Cor, 13:1b “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.”
Let us not waste precious time debating these established moon landings when souls are perishing on the earth.
Now as a disclaimer, I am NOT saying all knowledge is bad. Most knowledge is GOOD when used constructively and to help other people!
What I am saying is that "secret" knowledge that distracts from Christ and twists the Bible is bad. It is bad when we become obsessed with conspiracy and lose touch with reality. It is even worse when we become messengers of conspiracy rather than messengers for Christ. (We are to preach the Gospel: Mat 28:18-20) Here is a passage telling Isaiah not to believe every conspiracy he hears:
Isaiah 8:12-13 NKJV
“Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’ Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. The Lord of hosts, Him you shall hallow; Let Him be your fear, And let Him be your dread.
Secret earthly conspircy knowledge is not of Christ.
In fact, if we are of Christ, we should be heavenly minded, like Jesus, the Heavenly Man!
1 Corinthians 15:49 NKJV
And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.
1 Corinthians 2:16 NKJV
For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Here is the original sin: the woman (and man) take of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, believing that the pursuit of secret conspiracy knowledge was worth disobeying God. Satan had successfully tricked Eve into believing a conspiracy theory: he suggested that God is hiding knowledge from her and keeping her from reaching her maximum potential. It was the BEGINNING of today's government distrust crowd. Yes worldly governments are not always trustworthy. But the thing is, not everything around us is a lie. Satan is the author of distrust. And the particularly American sentiment of government distrust is not always unwarranted. Even here in Canada, we have good reason to ask questions of our government officials.
BUT don't take it too far. Not everything is a conspiracy. Eve made the fatal mistake of believing a conspiracy theory.
By believing that conspiracy theory, Eve followed the path of death and ate the forbidden fruit. So did Adam. False hidden knowledge can only lead to death.
BUT don't take it too far. Not everything is a conspiracy. Eve made the fatal mistake of believing a conspiracy theory.
By believing that conspiracy theory, Eve followed the path of death and ate the forbidden fruit. So did Adam. False hidden knowledge can only lead to death.
Genesis 3:6 NKJV So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
Jesus is the way, the truth and the LIFE. Believe on Him to be saved from your sin. (John 14:6, 3:16)
The answer is not more head knowledge. The answer is more knowledge of and relationship to JESUS!
The answer is not more head knowledge. The answer is more knowledge of and relationship to JESUS!
The Apostle Paul gives us the solution to all of this:
1 Corinthians 2:1-2 NKJV
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
He determined NOT to know anything.... except Christ and Him crucified. This was especially powerful because that area of Greece and Macedonia was susceptible to the lure of false secret knowledge and conspiracy.
THIS is what we know..... This is the focus of all knowledge:
1 Corinthians 15:1-8 (NKJV)
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.
6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.
7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.
8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.
6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.
7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles.
8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.
So avoid falling into pointless debates, that waste time and distract from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Avoid debates that do not edify the holy faith of your fellow Christians. Avoid using foolish debates or trying to "win" them. There is no winning in such a debate. Those debates are not reasonable nor are they helpful. They tend to divide Christians and that is a sin.
Keep your eyes and ears tuned to the Holy Spirit as He teaches you and shows you how to build up the churches, the Body of Christ.
Keep your eyes and ears tuned to the Holy Spirit as He teaches you and shows you how to build up the churches, the Body of Christ.
Believers in God should maintain good works (v8) in accordance to the Gospel. Avoid foolish disputes (v9) - distractions from the Gospel. Don't take the bait.
As saints, what good work are we doing for Jesus?
Titus 3:8-9 New King James Version (NKJV)
8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.
9 But avoid foolish disputes, genealogies, contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and useless.
The focus of our words and actions should be to EDIFY or BUILD UP the saints in the churches.
And to GLORIFY GOD.
Romans 14:19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.
1 Corinthians 10:23 [ All to the Glory of God ] All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.
Take note of that verse above: not all things are HELPFUL. Are you trying to be helpful to God and the Body? That is always a good question to ask ourselves.
Ephesians 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
And we need to forever forget the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Instead we need to return to Jesus, who is our Tree of Life to us! Let us eat the fruit of LIFE rather than the fruit of knowledge of good and evil!
Revelation 22:2 NKJV In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Jesus is the True Vine, we are His branches (John 15). Let us abide in His Life, eat of His fruit, and grow His fruit on our branches... the fruit of LIFE. This is the fruit that will bring nourishment to the spirits and souls of people around us.
Blessings
Pastor Curtis
churchonthego.ca
Assistant Pastor
July 22 2021 12:39pm EST
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