Paul, in giving his final instructions to the christians at Rome, wrote by inspiration “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17-18). Those who cause divisions serve their own bellies, as Paul put it. The religious world is filled with divisions. Truly, as Jesus said, there are many “Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel!” (Matthew 23:24). There are many who twist words in the Bible to fit their own man-made doctrines, and yet, when it comes to food, there is no question about what words really mean. Here are three examples in which men know what words mean in regards to food, but when it comes to the Bible, they are all of a sudden confused:
We know what “FREE” means when it comes to food. Around Halloween 2022, there was a commercial going around for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, in which a father and son have a conversation about why they liked Halloween. It went something like this: The son said, “Halloween is my favorite holiday because I can go up to people’s houses, knock on their door, and they’ll give me free candy.” The father replies, “son, you’re a kid, all candy that you get is free to you.” It’s true, I doubt many kids in the United States scrounge around collecting pennies to go get candy, but it’s also true that on Halloween, if one wants free candy, all he has to do is knock and ask. We learn from verses like Romans 5:15 that salvation is a “free gift.” There are many who argue that since salvation is a free gift, one does not need to do anything to receive salvation, for if anyone were required to do anything to receive salvation, the gift would no longer be free. The Reese’s commercial got it correct though. Just because there are conditions, like going and knocking and asking with candy, or believing and being baptized with salvation, doesn’t mean the gift isn’t free.
We know what “AND” means when it comes to food. I don’t think there’s an English speaker alive who would get confused about the meaning of the word “and” when it comes to food. If you saw on a menu that when you ordered a burger that the burger came with fries AND a drink, you would expect fries AND a drink with your burger. If you got fries OR a drink, I bet you’d be talking to the waiter wanting what was missing or wanting a refund, I know I would. Jesus said in Mark 16:16, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” Some like to argue that since Jesus did not mention baptism a second time in this verse, that baptism is not necessary for salvation. Watch again to what He said: “believes AND is baptized.” Would you be okay with fries OR a drink? If we’re not okay with fries OR a drink, what makes some think God is okay with belief OR baptism?
We know what “FOR” means when it comes to food. If you were given a coupon that read “good for one free meal,” you would know, per the context, that to receive that free meal, you would first need to present that coupon to the waiter or cashier. The word “for,” in English, can have several different definitions, but in religious spheres there is usually a contest only between two definitions. Either “for” means “because of” (e.g. For Narnia! Because of Narnia!) or “for” means “in order to receive” (e.g. For profit organizations. In order to receive profit organizations). Only one definition can apply at a time, and the correct definition is determined by context. The verse often in question is Acts 2:38, wherein Peter says “be baptized… for the remission of sins.” Looking at the context, one can gather that “for,” in this case, means “in order to receive,” for they had not yet been saved until after they were baptized (Acts 2:40-41, 47). They were not to be baptized because they had salvation, but in order to receive salvation.
Those who cause division in religion do so because they serve their own bellies. This becomes more evident when they ignore the meanings of words in regards to the Bible, but maintain the meaning of the same words in regards to food.
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