Let me pause here to point out that Donald Wiley cannot reveal one word of spiritual truth to another human mind. Unless God is moving through the agency of the Holy Spirit to enlighten and grant comprehension most, if not all, of what I write will be just so much religious talk, going in one ear and out the other. Most folks do not change their religious beliefs. Born a Catholic you die a Catholic. Reared a Baptist, you die a Baptist. Raised to go to church on Sunday, you will probably be sitting in the church pew on Sunday when you are ninety-three years old should you live to such a great age. Satan is well aware of this human trait – that humans generally do not abandon their religious heritage and upbringing. Whatever your denominational affiliation, you will have scriptures that seemingly support your denomination’s viewpoint in any given matter regarding scripture interpretation. Plus, you will have revered church leaders that support your denomination’s views. And unless the Holy Spirit moves in miraculously affording light and understanding you will just have too much pulling you in the direction you have been proceeding all of your days. Thus, born and reared a Lutheran your funeral will be conducted in a Lutheran church by a Lutheran minister. Satan is far more aware of that FACT than you are. This is not to say divine truth cannot be known. It can, but about the hardest mental exercise anyone will ever experience is trying to unlearn something they have learned and then proceed to believe something else, generally the very opposite of their present belief in some matter.
A Sunday observer knows and knows that he knows he has it right in at least that one area of doctrine. He has a few, usually half-a-dozen scripture passages that he is absolutely certain supports him in his belief. He has millions who agree with him – even much revered church leaders and spokesmen. He feels they just cannot be wrong. He is “locked in” to his beliefs, for he feels these church leaders would have discovered their error long ago and shared the same with fellow Christians. He is unaware of how Satan works and what a supreme master Satan is at his craft – the art of deception. I have never even read a pamphlet, or a tiny Bible tract, on this subject. So I am on my own, so to speak. I say, so to speak, as I have the guidance and illumination of the Holy Spirit as I ponder Holy Writ and type these words. I am finally beginning to discern just WHY God early on gave me the appetite of a starving giant regarding His Word. He knew a cursory, one time reading, would not bring me to the truth. The Word of God had to become a huge portion of my memory bank. And I had to read ALL OF IT – from Genesis to Revelation, again and again and again. And it has paid huge dividends. To be continued….
Christ’s Aged Servant (Galatians 1:10-12),
Donald Wiley