Jesus Has Not Changed

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. [Hebrews 13.8]

In 2021 I wrote Unchanging Jesus. It's a short read, but packed with truth. As I reviewed that article to see if it might inspire new or different thoughts for what I would write today, I concluded there is nothing I could elaborate on any further. Why? because Jesus has not changed.

Jesus has not changed. People, on the other hand, have been all over the place when it comes to change. No doubt, the evolution of people will continue. Jesus will stay the same.

Father, as simple as this article is today, I find it encouraging that Jesus has not changed. I find it encouraging that He will never change. May I be found as steady and unchanging as Jesus. So be it.

A Good Reputation

Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. [Hebrews 11.2]

Before and after the faith "hall of fame" found in Hebrews chapter 11, we find mention of "a good reputation." The verse above is found before the list all the faith people and then the following verse sums it all up:

All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. [Hebrews 11.39]

There exist a lot of reasons a person might obtain a good reputation. However, Hebrews 11 does not discuss just anyone with a good reputation, but only those with a good reputation because of (or through) their faith even though none of them received all that God had promised.

 People are pleased by a lot of things these days. But not God. There is only one thing that pleases God:

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. [Hebrews 11.6]

There are a plethora of ways to please enormous crowds of people, but Hebrews 11 does not focus on crowd-pleasing "good." Instead, the good reputation Hebrews 11 highlights is the good reputation of faith.

Should it not cause great alarm amongst believers today that what we call faith does not really resemble what Hebrews 11 illustrates? 

The list of faith people of Hebrews 11 includes people who, by conscious choice, received spectacular miracles as well as those who, by conscious choice, received nothing at all. Hebrews 11 does NOT attribute a good reputation to anyone who thinks it to be faith or calls it faith anywhere in between. The faith described in Hebrews 11 that earned a good reputation refused to accept anything except the spectacular (miraculous) intervention from God ALONE. Otherwise, they refused deliverance.

Look closely at the following statement:

Women received their loved ones back again from death. But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. [Hebrews 11.35]

Why did those above refuse to receive deliverance? To establish a good reputation! If their deliverance was not spectacularly an undeniable miracle from God, they didn't want it. In fact, the verse does not say they refused to receive God's deliverance, but instead that they refused to turn from God to be set free (delivered) indicating that they rejected help from any source but God Himself. Let us not be confused about this! Their faith was essentially this: "If God does not indisputably, undeniably deliver me Himself, then I simply will not be delivered! I WILL NOT TURN FROM GOD!"

Hebrews 11 has far too long been misunderstood in this regard. Yes, faith moves mountains. But God-pleasing faith is not all about deliverance at any cost or through any means! God-pleasing faith is all about "God is my miracle-working deliverer and I will receive no help from any other (I will not deny God)!"

Hebrews 11 clearly disputes all the "Well, God uses..." scenarios we faithlessly fabricate to justify our turning from God to other forms of deliverance! In every circumstance, when we must justify that "God uses..." something, we have effectively turned from God to whatever it is we claim God uses.

A good reputation is not about getting what we want. A good reputation is not about convenience. A good reputation is about refusing to receive anything we want from any source other than God ALONE.

The faith described in Hebrews 11 that obtained a good reputation is not a faith of convenience, but a faith of conviction.

Father, I want so badly to justify all that I think I do in faith. However, is all I think I do in faith going to gain me a good reputation?

What We Know

For Christ did not enter into a holy place made with human hands, which was only a copy of the true one in heaven. He entered into heaven itself to appear now before God on our behalf. And he did not enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the high priest here on earth who enters the Most Holy Place year after year with the blood of an animal. If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice. [Hebrews 9.24-26]

The writer of Hebrews, in today's OYCB reading, displays what is undoubtedly an extensive knowledge of Old Testament information. Although many believe the apostle Paul penned Hebrews, there exist certain nuances in the construct of the letter that might suggest otherwise.

Regardless whose hand penned the words, I believe the book of Hebrews serves as a standard for modern believers by which to measure their own understanding of all things "Old Testament" as they pertain to Jesus Christ. For most, sadly, much of what is discussed in Hebrews is foreign and confusing. While it is easy to appreciate the accomplishments of Jesus addressed therein, the comparisons to Old Testament facts leave most readers blindly accepting what is stated without any basis for personal confirmation of those facts. In short, many of us (far too many) are just plain ignorant of the Old Testament.

For the reasons stated above, the book of Hebrews, more so (I believe) than many of the other books of the Bible, will convey a deeper understanding of Christ in direct proportion to one's understanding of the Old Testament. The more one knows and understands the Old Testament, the more one will understand the New Testament (Covenant) in Jesus Christ.

But also, the writer of Hebrews attests to the writing's usefulness to measure progressive knowledge:

Long ago God spoke many times and in many ways to our ancestors through the prophets. And now in these final days, he has spoken to us through his Son. God promised everything to the Son as an inheritance, and through the Son he created the universe. [Hebrews 1.1-2]

And furthermore:

There is much more we would like to say about this, but it is difficult to explain, especially since you are spiritually dull and don’t seem to listen. You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong. [Hebrews 5.11-14]

And then:

So let us stop going over the basic teachings about Christ again and again. Let us go on instead and become mature in our understanding. Surely we don’t need to start again with the fundamental importance of repenting from evil deeds and placing our faith in God. You don’t need further instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And so, God willing, we will move forward to further understanding. [Hebrews 6.1-3]

It is as if the book of Hebrews is not so much an information source as much as it is an information gauge to measure the knowledge base of the reader. The fact that I personally have never seen this before encourages me that perhaps, as I have methodically read the entire Bible every year for many years now, that just maybe there is some growth! 

So... what does this discussion so far have to do with the subject passage above? For me today, it brings to light the fact that all the Old Testament Tabernacle/Temple worship of God (as religious and deeply spiritual as we deem it), is merely a copy of what things are really like in heaven.

And yet, I still "choke" on the copy! I find myself compelled then (with encouragement from my "baby steps" of understanding) to study and retain even more knowledge of the copy so that I might better understand and appreciate the real thing! If we can see it, Jesus said it best:

You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! [John 5.39]

As we grow in our knowledge of the Bible, God's intent is that we become increasingly better acquainted with Jesus. The book of Hebrews gives us the opportunity to see how we are coming along in that endeavor. Hebrews helps us see "what we know" (or, what we don't know).

How cool is that?

Father, thank You for encouraging me to learn more of Jesus. Thank You for the book of Hebrews that gives me the standard to monitor my growth and understanding of Him.

Jesus, Our Priest, Our Example

But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. [Hebrews 7.24-25]

I am going to associate another scripture with this passage and explore some thoughts from there...

I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. [John 14.12]

Comparing these two scriptures with one another reveals an undeniable Biblical truth.

I think almost everyone I know has struggled with John 14.12, especially the part about us doing "greater works." The problem most of us encounter with "greater works" is that we interpret it as "greater works than Jesus" immediately sending our reasoning in a spiraling tailspin of confusion at the thought of doing greater works than God.

The misinterpretation of John 14.12 is found in our human hard-hearted self-centered individualism.

If we see ourselves "in Christ," as Paul so clearly described in his letter to the Colossians, we would and should see that our state of "being in Christ" is, in fact, eternal, not temporal. In other words, our being "in Christ" is not just in our time and space on earth! We are "in Christ" for eternity. That would mean our existence on earth is tied to Jesus in His eternal state of existence at the right hand of God

The greater works Jesus declared in John 14.12 are HIS greater works done in us because of His place with the Father. WE WILL NOT DO GREATER WORKS THAN JESUS - BUT DO GREATER WORKS BECAUSE HE IS DOING GREATER WORKS!

Yes, we are to heal the sick, raise the dead and preach the Gospel here on earth. But, because Jesus now sits at the right hand of God, and since we are IN HIM, we are tasked also with the greater works of passionately interceding on behalf of others in God's very presence BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT JESUS IS DOING! 

And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” [2 Corinthians 5.18-20]

As Paul instructed the Corinthian Church, we are to be reconciling people unto God in the boldness described in Hebrews 4.16 (see yesterday's article One Step Further). 

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. [Hebrews 4.16]

The mercy and grace we "need" as cited in Hebrews 4.16 SHOULD be seen as mercy and grace to DO GOD'S WILL of reconciling people unto Him as Jesus is doing, not to fulfill some personal earthly desire or need. Besides, Jesus is interceding for our every need (not His own). And, if we are going to follow Jesus' example, we will be interceding for the needs of others, not our own!

Jesus' "priesthood" is His "works." As we are "in Christ," "priesthood" is our "works" (I apologize for the grammar). Jesus' priesthood at the right hand of the Father is the "greater works." All who are genuinely "in Christ" boldly serve as priests with Jesus, at the right hand of God, in that "greater work."

This is truth straight from the Bible. However, until God's people understand that their existence is not for themselves, but purely for the good of others, this truth will lie concealed. Our lives are not ours to preserve, but to freely lay down for others.

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. [John 15.13]

If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it. [Matthew 10.39]

The ONLY WAY to get to God's right hand with Jesus (in Christ) is to die unto ourselves as a daily routine:

Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed? [Luke 9.23-25]

How do we take up our cross every day? By putting the needs of others ahead of our own. We do it IN CHRIST as He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. That was how Jesus quite literally used the Cross to get into God's presence where the greater works take place! Jesus is our priest and Jesus is our example ...forever.

But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. [Hebrews 7.24-25]

Father, You have revealed deep truth here by which I am measured and weighed and found wanting. Forgive me for my self-centeredness. May my eyes be open to see my cross every day, and may my will be found climbing upon it. May my life demonstrate Jesus both as He walked the earth and as He sits in His priesthood at Your right hand interceding for others. So be it.

One Step Further

God’s promise of entering his rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it. [Hebrews 4.1]

Really, it is impossible to discuss this verse without discussing the entire chapter (Hebrews 4). The hard thing about understanding what is said in Hebrews 4 is that is contains some popular passages that are most often quoted out of the context of the entire chapter and therefore grossly misunderstood. 

In a broad but Biblically accurate generalization, Hebrews 4 begins by speaking of God's rest (verse 1) and completes the thought in verses 14-16 with "Jesus" and the boldness He give us to come before God. The writer's use of conjunctions from sentence to sentence segues the entire chapter from "rest" to "Christ" to "boldly approaching God."

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. [Hebrews 4.14-16]

What lies between verse 1 (the promise of rest) and verse 16 (coming boldly to God's throne) can be summed up in verse 11:

So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. [Hebrews 4.11]

In amazing continuity, Hebrews offers clear definition of how one gets from entering [God's] rest and advancing into God's throne (notice the use of a conjunction that signals what follows with what was previously said):

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable. [Hebrews 4.12-13]

God's Word reveals what is the "natural" (joint and marrow) and what is the "spiritual" (soul and spirit) in man -  it exposes ...innermost thoughts and desires. Everything in God's Word works to this end. The world entices man to focus on the natural and the Spirit draws man in the opposite direction:

From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!” Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.” Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul? [Matthew 16.21-26]

Again, the world entices man to focus on the natural (seeing things merely from a human point of view) but the Spirit, through the Word of God, draws man in the opposite direction (seeing things ...from God’s point of view). 

While every human being is called to the life of rest, those who are chosen as "believers" spend their lives transitioning from one point of view to the other.

“For many are called, but few are chosen.” [Matthew 22.14]

The human point of view Jesus scolded Peter about had (and has) everything to do with "human effort," not "rest." The writer of Hebrews guides us to first enter that rest in order that we might boldly enter God's throne. There IS a progression. There is no way to enter God's throne without ceasing from human effort or point of view and instead "resting" in Christ and all His fulness (faith that pleases God). It is God's Word that teaches us how that is done. In fact, Jesus, being God's Word embodied in flesh, gave us not only verbal instruction of what to do, but more clearly a living example of what it looks like! Jesus IS and DOES everything Hebrews 4.12-13 says God's Word does!

A true believer spends his or her life seeking God's rest in every circumstance. God's Word and the Spirit instructs and guides them. A true believer consciously purposes to look at every circumstance from God's point of view, not a human point of view. They "do [their] best to enter that rest" from human effort and strive to be an extension of Jesus Christ's life, death and resurrection in their time on earth.

While Hebrews 4 lays out the goal of "rest" at first, it must be seen that the goal of that rest is to get to God's throne in boldness!

Let's take this just one step further as the progression of Hebrews 4 goes... Hang on...

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. [Hebrews 4.16]

Hebrews 4.16 has been popularly employed to encourage people who need mercy and grace in their need. The context of Hebrews 4 however, including Christ's role in "rest," might more accurately lead us to see that the mercy and grace we need is mercy and grace to do God's will as it pertains to others (from God's point of view - taking up our cross and following Jesus)!

Father, help us to "rest" from our insatiable appetite to look out for ourselves but to look out instead for others as Christ Jesus taught and demonstrated. So be it.

What Is Wrong?

But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you. You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. [2 Timothy 3.14-17]

But, what if what we have been taught is wrong? How would we know?

Paul matter-of-factly pointed out to Timothy that he had been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood. Furthermore, Paul pointed out that the Scriptures Timothy had been taught specifically led him to Christ.

The importance of Scripture is Jesus. Without Jesus, the Scriptures have little effect on anyone's life. 

It is important to understand that the Scriptures Paul referred to would have included the writings of Moses, the Psalms, and the Prophets (it is likely the Proverbs of Solomon would have been included in this as well). What we know as the New Testament was only just being written at this time. And yet, Paul reminded Timothy that Scriptures (what we today call the Old Testament) gave Timothy wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.

Here is something Jesus said that brings clarity to this:

You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! [John 5.39]

The point I am making is that the message of all true Scripture points to Jesus. All the information in the Bible is of no consequence unless Jesus is central to it. This should help us understand the significance of what John recorded about Jesus:

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. [John 1.1-5]

And, on further in, John wrote:

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son. [John 1.14]

What we are taught here is that Jesus IS the Word of God. Therefore, the purpose of Scripture - or, more succinctly, Jesus - is to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

We must realize that Jesus is not just all "feel-good religion" to us - He makes us realize what is wrong with our lives and shows us how to get it right.

Our subject passage begins above with the word "but," so it would behoove us to understand Paul's use of that grammatical conjunction and what it refers to. Here it is:

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that! They are the kind who work their way into people’s homes and win the confidence of vulnerable women who are burdened with the guilt of sin and controlled by various desires. (Such women are forever following new teachings, but they are never able to understand the truth.) These teachers oppose the truth just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses. They have depraved minds and a counterfeit faith. But they won’t get away with this for long. Someday everyone will recognize what fools they are, just as with Jannes and Jambres. But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance. You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it. Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived. [2 Timothy 3.1-13]

What Paul describes here is the condition of Scripture-less people (aka: Jesus-less people). It never ceases to amaze me, how accurate Paul's description in the passage above is to today's society. The dead giveaway is this: They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. While there is a church on nearly every street corner in the USA, there is little to no manifestation of God's unmistakable, undeniable power. Otherwise, the Church today would make as notable an impact on society as did Jesus! Powerless religion is nothing but counterfeit faith. Let that sink in... If religious institutions today were genuinely focused on Scripture - on Jesus, they would be learning what is wrong and what it right, how not to live and how to live, and be carrying on the ministry of Jesus with every evidence Jesus said would/should accompany and attest to it.

And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone. Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. But anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned. These miraculous signs will accompany those who believe: They will cast out demons in my name, and they will speak in new languages. They will be able to handle snakes with safety, and if they drink anything poisonous, it won’t hurt them. They will be able to place their hands on the sick, and they will be healed.” [Mark 16.15-18]

So, IS what we have been taught wrong? Our answer is found in the manifestation or the absence of Jesus, the Word. The Bible is clear. However religion, in face-saving self-defense has necessarily confused people with every religious excuse why God's power (Jesus, the Word) is not prevalent today. They act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Oh, they are content with preaching and teaching Jesus in "word." But their message falls apart when it comes to preaching and teaching Jesus in "deed." They must necessarily choke on Jesus' words:

I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. [John 14.12]

Let's just "call a spade a spade," shall we? This passage from John 14 is the elephant in the room for most "Christian" institutions today (as it should be). As Paul instructed Timothy however, it will only be corrected when the Church deals with the implication of its powerless counterfeit faith state resultant to the famine of God's Word within its people.

The Scriptures teach us "Jesus" in ALL His fulness. Anything less puts us in the same category with those described in 2 Timothy 3.1-13.

People need God's Word. However, in today's society, people are simply too busy with other things.

Father, save us from ourselves and the distractions that prevent us from knowing Your Word - Jesus - as we should (evidenced with Your power). The Scripture-less Church is the worst pandemic to ever hit planet earth. May Jesus become our savior ...for real.

"God Gave It" Is No Excuse For Idolatry

Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good. [Titus 1.15-16]

It is easy to understand what verse 16 above means, but verse 15 is a little different story.

Verse 16 speaks of the hypocrisy of those who claim they know God, but, by their lives, tell a much different story. "Such people" are those in verse 15 who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted.

"Corrupted" would indicate that the minds of those who are corrupt and unbelieving have been filled or infiltrated with thoughts that are not pure - thoughts that are not right. Impure thoughts must be understood in context of Paul's instruction to Titus in what he said just before verses 15-16:

For there are many rebellious people who engage in useless talk and deceive others. This is especially true of those who insist on circumcision for salvation. They must be silenced, because they are turning whole families away from the truth by their false teaching. And they do it only for money. Even one of their own men, a prophet from Crete, has said about them, “The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons.” This is true. So reprimand them sternly to make them strong in the faith. They must stop listening to Jewish myths and the commands of people who have turned away from the truth. [Titus 1.10-14]

The purity Paul spoke of in verse 15 has everything to do with faith and truth as revealed in verses 10-14 above. For further context, the useless talk and deception Paul mentioned was the rebellion a church leader should mitigate as an effective leader. The useless talk and deception was not limited to, but included, the insistence upon circumcision. Now, with this established...

While circumcision's origins are deep in the history of God's people, the New Way Jesus brought to earth revealed that circumcision had evolved into something quite the opposite of what it originally was meant for. Ready for this? Circumcision was initiated to be an act of faith in God. In fact, circumcision pleased God. However, as time evolved and God revealed more about faith in Jesus Christ, circumcision morphed into something entirely different becoming a reason not to trust in Jesus. This is no different than when Israel encountered deadly snakes in the wilderness and God gave them Nehushtan (the bronze snake on a stick) to look upon and be healed (see Numbers 21.4-9). Years later, King Hezekiah destroyed Nehushtan because the people had begun to worship it rather than God Who gave it (see 2 Kings 18.1-4). The very thing that was a gift from God became an idol and had to be eliminated. This is precisely what occurred with circumcision!

Neither circumcision nor Nehushtan were the pure embodiment of faith and truth. They indeed initially served a purpose for faith and truth, but eventually both became stumbling blocks to pure faith and truth. What was meant to foster faith and truth became "corrupt and unbelieving." Because God was at the origins of both, those who idolized them claim they know God but, in fact, know only their idols as evidenced in the way they live. What they idolized corrupted their minds and consciences rendering them "corrupt and unbelieving."

The predictable tendency of idols is to turn people away from the truth by their false teaching. Not ironically, money is involved too.

And here it is... Today's institutions of debt, insurance, medicine and technology perfectly fit the descriptions Paul gave Titus of what circumcision's false (and idolatrous) teaching did to the purity of faith and truth. And, I will add that these institutions are remarkably similar to Nehushtan in their intended purpose versus their digression to becoming idols. People today claim they know God Who, arguably gave these institutions through man's ever-developing knowledge, but deny him by the way they live even declaring anyone who does not use these institutions as foolish! Suddenly, faith in God alone has become impure!

Circumcision is not really a faith problem for modern believers today. However, just like Nehushtan, God's people (not to mention everyone else) have become dangerously dependent upon debt, insurance, medicine and technology. Oh, they claim they know God, but when need arises, their lives show what they really trust in by what they turn to first: debt, insurance, medicine and technology.

Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. [Titus 1.15]

What if we substituted the word "pure" above with the words "faith and truth" (as Paul implies in the context of Titus 1.10-16)? It would look like this: 

Everything is faith and truth to those whose hearts are faith[ful] and truth[ful]. But nothing is faith and truth to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are corrupted. [Titus 1.15]

Does Titus 1.10-16 have any meaning to us today? Every reader will have to decide for themselves. I cannot help but believe that circumcision simply represents any and everything we tend to trust in (instead of God), but excuse our idolatry claiming, "God gave it."

"God gave it" is no excuse for idolatry.

Father, You have been faithful to reveal how idolatrous humanity is dating all the way back to the Old Testament, up through the apostle Paul's time, and extending unto today. Help us to "do our homework" in Your Word to have eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to understand all You are saying to us through Your Word as it absolutely relates to the repetitive history documented by Your Word. It would seem humanity today is deeper in idolatry than at any time in history. God please open our eyes and be glorified as we repent and return to pure faith and truth in You - trusting in Jesus Christ alone for our every need.