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Misunderstanding the Truth

Misunderstanding the Truth

Do you ever get misunderstood? I am rarely misunderstood when I am in session with my patients, or in personal conversations with friends or family members. But I have noticed one situation in which I am too frequently misunderstood and often misquoted.

I teach a Bible Study class at my church and whenever I challenge a traditional view all too often someone misunderstands what I said. A few months ago two religion professors were in my class. During class I challenged the idea that God has to inflict eternal death on the unrepentant in the end. I affirmed the Bible position that says, “sin when it is full grown brings forth death” James 1:15. I went on to say what confuses many is that God, in many places in the Bible, used His power to put people to rest in the graves (flood, Sodom, first born of Egypt etc). But I pointed out that all of those people are going to be resurrected either to eternal life or, at some future time, to reap the full consequence for unremedied sin.

But after class I received an email from one of the professors expressing frustration that I would teach that God did not destroy the world with a flood or kill people in Old Testament times. Of course I never said this, but that is how it was heard.

Recently, I was invited to a church to do a Healing the Mind Seminar. After all was scheduled, travel had been arranged and with just a few weeks before the event the pastor emailed me to cancel because he had read some troubling reports about my beliefs on an anonymous website. As I explored what had been said about me I was able to clarify that every position on the website was false, a distortion arising out of the misunderstanding in the mind of the person who wrote the website.

I tracked down the author of the website and called him. He had never spoken to me personally nor taken the time to clarify what he thought I believed. Needless to say he had made numerous assumptions about what I said that I never intended.

Recently, I was holding a Bible study with a group of young people and a young lady had many questions. I did my best to answer her questions. After the study however there were many concerns yet unanswered. This young lady took a very Biblical approach, she contacted me directly to clarify her concerns, and sure enough multiple misunderstandings had occurred. When I said that Jesus didn’t have to die to somehow change His Father from an angry wrathful God into a loving and forgiving God (i.e. appease the Father’s wrath), she thought I said Jesus didn’t have to die. Of course, I never said any such thing (I called and checked with several other persons who attended the study and they agreed I had not said Jesus did not have to die). I had even explicitly said that mankind could not be saved without the death of Jesus, yet it somehow wasn’t heard.

These examples expose one of the weaknesses of our human minds. Once we have settled on a belief, drawn a conclusion, formed an opinion the mind begins filtering information based on the beliefs we hold. Thus new truth, insights or ideas that contradict current beliefs are often misunderstood or misheard. There is an old saying, “We don’t believe what we see. We see what we believe.” And there is much truth in this saying. Our minds have the ability to deceive ourselves (Jer 17:9). Therefore, we must learn to develop minds which remain open to new truth, new ideas, new perspectives, minds that love the truth and will follow it wherever it leads. We must resist the temptation to “arrive at the truth” for the moment we arrive at the truth the mind closes and is no longer open to grow.

The Bible tells us in the end the wicked are lost because “they did not love the truth and thus be saved” (2Thes 2:10). The lost are those people who close their minds to new truth, new ideas and new insights clinging instead to old truths, traditions and understandings. This process happened to the Jews in Christ day who would not accept the unfolding truth that Jesus brought, but instead clung to their traditional views. This process is stated beautifully by one Christian writer:

Of the people in his day Christ said: “For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.” The Jews willfully closed their eyes and their ears, and barred their hearts with prejudice, lest they should see a better way, and be aroused from their dream of security. The people of the present generation are pursuing a similar course. New truths are constantly unfolding; new and clearer light is shining upon the pathway of God’s people. But the great mass of mankind are satisfied with their present condition, and are unwilling to exchange error for truth. But we are to be sanctified through obedience to the truth. For want of this Bible sanctification, the soul of many a professed Christian has become a desecrated shrine, the haunt of hollow formalism, of selfishness and hypocrisy, pride and passion. {ST, January 28, 1886 par. 4}

Be a lover of truth! Keep your mind open to new light, new truth, new insights shining forth from the throne of God. The Sun of Righteousness is rising with healing in His beams of truth! The Latter Rain of the Holy Spirit is being poured out to enlighten and ennoble a generation to meet God. Open your mind to God’s Spirit and be willing to follow the truth wherever it leads!

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Your message of design law vs imperial law is so uplifting and makes so much sense- it is a game changer for me. The fact that Jesus’s death is not a big payment by an angry God is , quite frankly, a relief.

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I have been watching your videos in The Power of Love seminar and I must say these have liberated me and have improved my relationship with the Lord. I am no longer terrified of him as I was before following your teachings.

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We were given a gift of the DVD set, “God and Your Brain,” and we just finished watching it. The truths in this are so powerful and truly an answer to a prayer. We’re seeing hope where once we thought God wasn’t answering our prayers to be free of certain mindsets. He answered with these DVDs and we are hungry for more. Thank you!

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Testimony 64

I’ve been reading the bible and walking with Jesus since I was around 16. I’m 42 now. I’ve mostly been alone in my walk although I went to several churches in different denominations. For the past 3 years God has been showing me His character of agape. It’s been a blessing and changed how I view God and my walk with Jesus. About a year ago I came across the power of love and the principles of design law. These teachings changed how I read scripture and have been such a beautiful blessing. I’m very excited and grateful for these truths. We share these truths of agape, design law and the reality of the principles of the two trees in the garden of Eden with people on Facebook and YouTube. People all over are learning to trust God and His agape design law which makes life possible. Thank you for everything you shared with me. May God continue to bless your ministry and lives.

Bradley M., Hinsdale, NY, USA

 

Testimony 50

After coming into contact with Come And Reason Ministries, I can finally say that many of my unanswered questions have fallen into place. I discovered that my view of God’s Law was “imposed laws and rules” with “imposed punishments” and that this was the major culprit of my many unanswered questions. Thanks be to God for using you and those around you to help us who have struggled with this “infection” of thought. I have now rejected the “imposed law” concept to fully embrace “Design Law”… to look thru “Design Law,” instead of “imposed law,” is a relief.

Viliami L., Australia

 

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I continue to enjoy your lessons every week. The more that I research your conclusions, the more I am convinced that the Holy Spirit has lead you to distill out the essence of human redemption. Thank you for your courageous stand for the truth.

S. G., TX, USA

 

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I personally download and listen to each of Come And Reason Ministries Bible study class lessons and PDF study notes to use when teaching my class. Really appreciate the class especially when Dr. Jennings is teaching. Thank God there are persons like him doing His work and traveling to share His beliefs.

B. L.M., North Plains, OR, USA

 

Testimony 14

We really appreciate your views on the judgment and they make good sense considering our free choice.

Anonymous

 

Testimony 62

I would like to express my thanks to the C&R team for creating a platform from which people can learn to trust in God and grow. My life is a witness to the effectiveness of this ministry. Without believing the truth about God as you have shown, I don’t know what my life would be like. I had given up on God helping me with certain sins – it was all useless. Given that the scripture is clear and God is so good, how could I have betrayed him so many times? I was a yo-yo christian; spinning up and down. My faith and enthusiasm was driven by discoveries/threats that prophecy is about to be fulfilled. But when I watched your “Healing the Mind” seminar, it was like a light finally went on. I could see God had no plan to hurt me, the danger came from sin, and that He is working to protect me and strengthen me. Thank you for allowing God to use you. The message God gave C&R saved my life!

Antony N. – Hobart, Australia

 

Testimony 19

I truly believe that to know who God really is the first step to understand ourselves in a balanced and kind way, so the healing can take place. Your approach really makes sense – Thank you for your ministry!

A.M., Pittsburg, PA, USA

Testimony 43

Two years ago I stumbled upon your book, “Could It Be This Simple,” and then found “The God-Shaped Brain” videos on YouTube, your bible study class, and the ‘Come And Reason’ mobile app. I shared your book with a friend and after nine months of showing love, patience, and kindness this person has been changed by the love of God, too. The same love that healed me, I now express to other women in tangible ways, such as to a Baptist woman with high anxiety and childhood trauma. She was extremely happy and relieved when I shared about the so-called “judgment of God” and burning in hell. She had no desire to serve a God that was so harsh. I have repeated the phrase dozens of times to her. “What we believe has power over us, but we have power over what we believe…”

This message that you are sharing has changed my life. I will continue to serve other women and bring this message of God’s healing love to their lives by sharing your books, YouTube videos, and The Remedy Bible app. Keep up the good work. Don’t be discouraged. God is doing a mighty work in and through this ministry!

Jill L., Midwest, USA

 

Testimony 34

I was introduced to Come and Reason Ministries by accident, via a passing comment made in a bible study class we were visiting. I checked this website out and my life was changed. The understanding of the truth of God’s character, and how we apply it, is so right. The tricky part is consistently applying which “lens” to look through. As I began to understand, I started sharing the basics of this understanding with a discussion group I was leading and, suddenly, a lot of things started to make sense that never used to. At the same time, I enjoyed an amazing opportunity. I was able to conduct a full bible study at WORK! What an amazing experience! It is such a joy to share the truth about God and to share how it all fits in the war between God and Satan. So many people benefit when we have a correct understanding about how God works and who He really is! Thank you for this transformational understanding. Keep up the good work! God Bless you!

Tony P., CA, USA

 

Testimony 29

Thank you for all of your work to correct misconceptions about God’s character. So many people that my husband and I have talked to seem to be against the natural law construct and view it as “errant” and “dangerous.” Having learned more about it through your blogs and lessons, I don’t really understand why they view it that way, except that it means they have to relearn theology they have known for their entire lives. But I’m so excited to relearn this. For the past few years I have been questioning how I could trust a God who punishes arbitrarily and is full of wrath for those who don’t obey His commands. That view made me afraid to “mess up” or “not be good enough,” even within my relationship with God. I really appreciated the point you bring out about God not wanting us to serve Him because we are afraid, but because we love Him.

Melissa H., IN, USA

 

Testimony 37

Hearing Dr. Jennings’ presentations in person came at a pivotal moment in my spiritual journey that began about nine months ago, when the fault lines inherent in my belief system began to crack under questions that most reasonable people end up asking about God and His nature. These were questions I couldn’t find answers to, and they shook my faith. I was unable let it go any longer and be satisfied. My Christian experience became distant. I was afraid; the fear in me rose like thorns, pushing me away from Jesus. And then someone heard my questions and introduced me to this ministry, and my life has totally changed.

I can tell you that this new, “present truth” message is far grander and life-changing than when I shifted from being an agnostic and then a nominal Christian. It has radically altered my worldview, because it reveals a God that makes sense. It is a revolution. I believe that Dr. Jennings’ message is the final message that must go to the world. If any message could be called “righteousness by faith,” as abused as that term is by the right and the left, this is that message, because Jennings’ biblical message identifies a God who is different, whose character isn’t an impossible contradiction.

I walk this path now without fear. I see people differently, and the Holy Spirit burns in my heart. Many call Dr. Jennings’ message false and compromising, but it isn’t false, because I’ve seen the fruits within my mind and body. It is not compromising, because in this message is the only road to holiness that makes any sense. No longer do I behold a pagan god who is always angry and suspicious. Instead, I behold a God who is freeing and loving, always working for our good, and giving me every reason to love my enemy even to my own death, just as Jesus pleads with us. God is good.

Anthony L., CA, USA

 

Testimony 56

I cannot thank you enough for opening my understanding to the beautiful truth of God’s Law of Love and how it applies to everything. I have been a Christian for over forty years, but I feel like I am only now seeing with my eyes open. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!

Tammy Cinzio, Australia