Corrupting the Word

15.  The Science of Corrupting the Word

For example, if a person does not understand the distinction between the flesh and spirit, they often believe their flesh was made a custom creation by God who, like a potter, worked them as clay to create their body. In support of their contention, they often cite the following New and Old Testament Bible verses: 

Thus saith the Lord that made thee, and formed thee from the womb,

Isaiah 44:2; see also, Isaiah 44:24 & 49:45, Jeremiah 1:5.

Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

Romans 9:20-21.

IF every person were a custom creation by God who, like a potter makes a clay bowl, each person created by God would be born of the Spirit of God because God is all spirit, and not flesh at all. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:6. God made the first person for the elements of the earth making man organic (earthy) by nature.  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit...The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.  1 Corinthians 15:45 and 47.  (As explained in detail below, the preceding verses are intended to reemphasize the supreme nature of God and His plan for mankind from the beginning of creation, and NOT to prove we are God’s “custom creations” in the flesh which is not possible according to His own Word.)

The human procreative process is a natural process established in all creatures by design from the very beginning. As a testament of His supreme nature, God made man and woman in the first instance and He equipped them to reproduce by His design. Genesis 1:28. God does not enter the womb of every woman to make the baby like He did Jesus—the human procreative process is automatic. By virtue of the equipment men and women have.  Both egg and sperm are considered of the flesh as being products of the human body–a fact which has been repeatedly proved by man, and is now universally undisputed.  The dad’s sperm is deposited to fertilize the egg.  In fact, even as to each person (parent), that which is born of the flesh is flesh.  This we know and do not dispute as facts of human existence.  Moreover, to “un-prove” that which we know is fleshly for the sake of imputing fleshly attributes to the Spirit, undermines the Spirit which is not flesh at all! 

The first man God made was NOT condemned to death, because he was made a living soul.  His own spirit/will in him governed the disposition of his soul as explained earlier.  The first man chose death of his own free when he disobeyed God’s will in ignorance of His Word including His warning against disobedience.  Every human descendant issuing from the first couple, as their offspring, were made of the same type of stock, i.e., disobedient human flesh with a curse of death.  Human flesh became condemned to death by humans who disobeyed God.  Hence, the reference to the “potter” (Romans 9:20-21) and the “made thee and formed thee” (Isaiah 44:2 of the Old Testament) verses above are properly understood in the context of humans being “produced” in the womb by an automatic process not controlled by man, not God because everything God makes is perfect–not sinful.

Furthermore, IF the Father made all flesh as custom creations, the Father would be creating flesh that is condemned to hell (death), without surprise to Himself because He knows everything or He is not God, thereby making Him a God of the dead as their creator which cannot be.  God is not, and cannot be, a God of the dead. I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Matthew 22:32. IF the Father made all flesh as custom creations and some people go to hell and some don’t, how can God be “no respecter of persons”? 

Accordingly, the procreative process was established in man by God from the beginning, but He did the same thing for all living things.  As reproof, Jesus is the only human ever conceived by the Spirit of God (the Holy Ghost), but not even the flesh of that special human was “made” by God the Father as a potter makes a clay bowl. Jesus received His flesh from the human parent–Mary. Even so, the Bible says God chose Mary because of her virtuous human nature, and yet with specific reference to His flesh, Jesus Himself questioned why people called Him “good.” …Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. Matthew 19:17; see also Mark 10:18 and Luke 18:19.  Simply stated, if His flesh was no good, then ours is no good either!

Even though the flesh of Jesus was made to house the Word (John 1:14), for Jesus to be the perfect sacrifice for us He had to be like us–tempted as we are.  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15.  This is why His flesh is no good either.  All flesh is temporal.  For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away:  1 Peter  1:24.  God is eternal.  All flesh is subject to temptation and yet God does not tempt!  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:  James 1:13.

In addition, if the flesh of Jesus were of God as being of the Spirit, then His flesh would be the glorified flesh He got after His resurrection. If glorified, His body could not have been the sacrificial surrogate for us simply because He would not be capable of sin. If He could have never sinned, or for that matter just giving in to the temptation of sin, He could never be “tempted like as we are” (Hebrews 4:15 above), or bear our sins at the cross.

With the above facts in mind, we come to know if a person’s preferred source of truth is anything but God as the pure Word of His will (John Chapter 1), they will look to the world for explanations as a “friend of the world”. The explanations they then find will justify their flesh in support of their own beliefs, or they will (re)craft their beliefs in accordance with their friendship of the world to maintain an excuse for rejecting the Word and remaining the world’s friend.   For example, many self-professing Christians claiming their flesh was made a certain way by God say their genes govern their conduct, and yet their own spirit/will is the cause of their misconduct as they pursue the things of their heart. 

Similarly, people often rely on science to justify their flesh. They often do so to explain away the Word that condemns sin in the flesh and assert their chosen fleshly lifestyle in conduct is somehow pre-ordained by Him.  For instance, man’s scientific “pre-ordination” doctrine is better understood as the “God made me this way” doctrine of people adopting science, or worldly explanations, to excuse their unrighteous fleshly behavior. As part of the excuse, they suggest they are predisposed to a certain conduct by God, because they allege He made them a certain way–predisposed to certain behaviors, thereby making their conduct His doing and not sin.  As part of His alleged doing, they claim their conduct cannot be sinful even if the Bible says it is.  These same people then say the Bible must be wrong, rather than reconciling the Bible by what it says!

Even so, the concept of “genetic predisposition” sounds encouraging to the world in need of justification, and is readily offered by the world as an excuse for what the brethren call sin.  Fact: every human is genetically predisposed to sin because of their flesh!  There is no exception, not even Jesus as explained previously.  Moreover, by not knowing the Word, whenever someone tries to justify their flesh they condemn themselves because of the very Word they rely on to say God made their flesh.  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? Romans 9:20-21.  (Sin is in the flesh and if God truly made them in the flesh as they believe, then perhaps God made them a vessel fit for destruction because the same  Word says their conduct is sinful.)

Nevertheless, “genetics” is the name for man’s scientific study of the inherent programming within the flesh of the natural man. As we know now by our genetic science(s), we have universally come to understand ALL people on the planet have about 99.8-99.9% of the same genetic code. That is, all flesh of mankind is 99.8-99.9% out of 100% the same. This means to at least a 99.8% level all people are identical, and those things that are “clearly seen” such as appearance and voice, etc., must be the differences between us that comprise the two tenths of one percent (0.2%). (Two tenths of one percent (0.2%) as to a population means two (2) people out of one thousand (1,000).)

Consequently, if a person seeks to rely on genetics as an explanation for their conduct, and their conduct is capable of being attributed to an alleged uniqueness, they might be tempted to say their “predisposed” conduct is associated with the 0.2% of the fleshly traits that are clearly seen (even though conduct is not clearly seen until manifested). Otherwise, the questioned conduct is associated with the 99.8% portion and are of the traits found common in all people by default thereby making them not unique at all. Not being unique would mean the conduct itself is mere choice as a “preferred flavor” of action.

By way of example, the self-professing homosexual community today has adopted “genetic predisposition” as their explanation for their homosexual conduct. Homosexual conduct is what makes homosexuality visible, but homosexual conduct is not part of the “clearly seen” physical differences in men such as hair and eye color. For homosexuality to be genetic, it must be “latent”, i.e., present but not visible, apparent, or actualized, and existing as in potential. Thus, apart from male and female based traits, sexual conduct in general is not seen unless displayed.

Still, the self-professing homosexual community likes to champion big “membership” numbers and claim that as many as ten percent (10%)–one hundred (100) out of every one thousand (1,000) people, are homosexuals.  A point worth noting, the self-professing homosexual community does not say as many as ten percent (10%) choose to engage in homosexual activity, but they do say ten percent (10%) are, by nature, “homosexuals”.  Of course, ten percent (10%) is a far greater number than two-tenths of one percent (0.2%) even if homosexuality as an identity could be considered latent (not yet visible), and “clearly seen” at the same time. Therefore, whether they do so in rebellion to enlarge the perception of their public voice, or for some other reason, by their own craftiness the gay community ends up proving they are not unique and their lifestyle is chosen. Not surprisingly, For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. 1 Corinthians 3:19.

Man’s choice “to do” or “not do” something is the result of what comes from within his/her heart as we choose how to “live” (or die). For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:  All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. Mark 7:21-23.  (Our heart often desires the will of our flesh because of the feel good factor, and yet our heart might despise the “feel good” activity and regard it as sin.  This is part of the suffering we  endure for Christ as we crucify our flesh.  And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Galatians 5:24.) 

All things we do prove which path we are on, righteousness unto life, or unrighteousness unto death. The “how” or “what” we choose to do from the heart is our chosen lifestyle of death by the flesh, or life by the Spirit according to the pure Word.  Thus, homosexuality in particular is like every other form of conduct the Bible calls sin.  The self-professing homosexual should simply admit their homosexual conduct is their preferred form of sex and preferred lifestyle, they struggle repenting from. Admission is on the path of repentance, but that’s the problem. Many who are sinful simply enjoy their sin too much to give it up, so they find excuses.  Even so, admitting their excuse is still a step toward repentance every sinner should take.

What does the Bible say about the disposition of mankind?  Unless a person has the Spirit of Christ (the spirit of the pure Word being the will of God) in them they are a reprobate. Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 2 Corinthians 13:5. “Be in faith” means not merely knowing the Word as the will of God, but having a heart’s desire in truth to DO it!  Recall, faith is belief put into action, and action is required. 

Logically speaking a reprobate has the mind of a reprobate (the “reprobate mind”). The New Testament says the “reprobate mind” comes from prolonged unrighteousness. The reprobate is one who retains God as part of their knowledge, but seeks to change “the truth of God [His Word] into a lie” while worshipping and serving the creature (i.e., their own flesh) more than God.

Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them

Romans 1:18-32. (Emphasis added). 

The reprobate mind is not “reserved” for the self-professing homosexual as many accusingly suggest.  The reprobate mind is for all who desire to live in continued unrighteousness.  Not surprisingly, when anyone advocates or supports the sinful beliefs of the reprobate having a reprobate mind, that person adopts a reprobate mind as their own, even if she doesn’t engage in the wicked conduct. This is so simply because of the prolonged approval of unrighteousness. 

For example, by professing to be “saved” or “of Christ”, but rejecting the pure Word in favor of the doctrines and teachings of men and their religion designed to overlook or justify the flesh, she too wants to “change the truth of God into a lie.” She too worships and serves “the creature more than the Creator” while working iniquity as she attempts to persuade others to believe similarly in order to appease herself and her subjects.  For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.  2 Corinthians 10:12.  (This is easily seen when people “shop” for a religion or local church doctrine that suits them (their flesh), rather than picking up the Word in the Bible and living by it unadulterated!)