The gift of understanding the words of God

Published in Pasugo, Jan 2002

THE HOLY BIBLE indisputably contains the words of God, and its importance
to man's life is beyond measure. With the wide array of knowledge and wisdom
that the Bible contains, it is the most read book ever written for all
time.

According to Apostle Paul, the Holy Scriptures not only teaches the wisdom
of God for salvation but it also serves as a guide for reproof, for
correction, and instruction in righteousness (II Tim. 3:15-16).
Furthermore, Apostle John attested that all the things contained in the Scriptures are written for us to believe, and by doing so, we can have life in the name of Christ (Jn. 20:30-31).


The great difference
Unfortunately, many people have not come to the right
understanding of the words of God written in the Bible. The proof of this is the proliferation of various religions having different and often contrasting doctrines
notwithstanding the fact that they are using only one Bible. How has this
happened? Many preachers have misunderstood the knowledge and wisdom of
God, which according to Apostle Paul is so profound as to allow human intellect
to fathom it. He wrote:

"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge
of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!" (Rom. 11:33,New King James Version)

Man can learn and understand human knowledge with his
intelligence. However, understanding divine wisdom or the words of God is not by means of
human intelligence because God's wisdom is a mystery. Apostle Paul said:

"But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden
wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory." ( I Cor. 2:7,Ibid.)

The profound wisdom of God cannot be discerned or understood
by just any man according to his mental capacity. In fact, from ages and from
generations, such mystery has been hidden from man. Apostle Paul attests:

"Of which I became a minister according to the stewardship
from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to
His saints." (Col. 1:25-26, Ibid.)

If God has hidden His wisdom from all ages and generations,
then how could it be preached by anyone? Anyone who assumes the right to teach the words of God without receiving His revelation does not preach the truth but his
personal opinion. In effect, what he would be preaching is not God's
commandments but human commandments instead. It is not surprising then that
so many different churches with conflicting teachings have multiplied
nowadays.



Not anyone can understand

Although the Bible has been translated into many different
languages so that many people may be able to read it, its translation does not guarantee that it is being understood. In fact, even the very translations, at times,
fall into error. How much more if man interprets the words of God? There is
always a danger of misinterpretation, because those who attempt to explain
or teach the words of God on their own end up twisting them. Apostle Peter
says:

"As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these
things, in which are some things hard to understand, which those who are untaught and
unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the
Scriptures." (II Pt. 3:15, Ibid.)

Twisting the Scriptures is a grave offense: Anyone who does
this brings destruction upon himself, and to anyone who listens to him.
Being learned does not guarantee a correct understanding of the words of
God. Illustrating this fact is the case of the eunuch described in the Book
of Acts:

"So he arose and went. And behold, a man of Ethiopia, a eunuch
of great authority under Candace the queen of the Ethiopians, who had charge of all
her treasury, and had come to Jerusalem to worship, was returning. And
sitting in his chariot, he was reading Isaiah the prophet. Then the Spirit
said to Philip, 'Go near and overtake this chariot'. So Philip ran to him,
and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, 'Do you understand what
you are reading?' And he said, 'How can I, unless someone guides me?, And
he asked Philip to come and sit with him." (Acts 8:27-31, Ibid.)

The eunuch, despite his learning, failed to understand the
Scriptures. So when Philip approached and asked him whether he understood what he was
reading, the eunuch humbly admitted that he could not. Thus, even though
one is earnest in knowing the wisdom of God that is written in the Bible, and
even if he undergoes training at seminary or a Bible college, without
proper guidance from the preacher sent by God, he will not be able to
understand the truth. Apostle Paul wrote:

"Always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of
truth." (II Tim. 3:7, Ibid.)

Furthermore, earning a degree or obtaining a certificate in
religious training from a seminary or Bible college does not make one an authority on
the Bible and in preaching the gospel. So, one who listens to a preacher
must be careful and must examine the teachings that such preacher presents.
Why? Because a preacher who teaches a twisted gospel will lead the
unsuspecting and indiscriminate listener into the wrong church, which
upholds false beliefs.

Unfolding the mystery of His words

Fortunately, there is away by which we can understand the
wisdom and knowledge of God, which He has hidden in mystery through ages and
generations. Our Lord Jesus Christ explains:

"And He said to them, 'To you it has been given to know the
mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in
parables'." (Mk. 4:11, Ibid.)

A secret cannot be known, much less understood, unless it is
revealed and explained by the one who truly know it. Likewise, the wisdom that comes
from God cannot be learned from institutions or seminaries established by men
because only God holds the key that unlocks the mystery of His words. God
Himself confers the understanding to those whom He sends to preach, like
the apostles. As messengers of God, they bear His truth, the teachings
concerning the true Church, faith, doctrines, and salvation. Our Lord Jesus
Himself attest to this, "For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God,
for God does not give the Spirit by measure" (Jn. 3:34, Ibid.). Therefore,
only those whom God has sent have been bestowed the knowledge, the gift of
understanding, and the authority to preach the wisdom of God.

On the other hand, those whom God has not sent but who dare to
teach His words will preach twisted teachings of false faith. Such preachers belong
to false religions, which uphold erroneous doctrines, and which will bring
eternal damnation to those who listen and accept them. We should neither
listen to the preaching nor accept the teaching of those who are not sent
by God. Why? Apostle Paul answers:

"And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is
written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!'" (Rom. 10:15, Ibid.)

Those who are not sent by God do not understand His wisdom.
So, how can they truthfully preach the words of God if they have not received true
understanding?

The messenger in these last days

Since the apostles already passed away and the Lord Jesus
Christ already ascended to heaven, who will give us today the right understanding of the words of God written in the Holy Scriptures? The Book of Revelation
prophesied another angel having the seal of the living God whose work is to
seal the servants of God:

"Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the
seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it
was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying 'Do not harm the earth, the
sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their
foreheads'." (Rev. 7:2-3, Ibid.)

The word "angel" in this verse literally means messenger.
Angels can be spiritual beings like angel Gabriel whom God sent to Zechariah, the
father of John the Baptist (Lk. 1:19) who are sent from heaven to deliver short
messages to specific individuals or groups of people at a particular time
and specific place (Heb. 1:13-14). Angels can also be human beings, like
John the Baptist (Mt. 11:7-10, Douay-Rheims Version), whom God sends to
preach the gospel to people.

The fulfillment of the "other angel" described in Revelation
7:2-3 pertains to a man whom God had sent to preach the gospel, because his work is to seal the servants of God. He and his companions would carry out the task to seal
the servants of God, as stated in the third verse," till we have sealed the
servants of our God." As to how the sealing would be carried out, Apostle
Paul explains:

"In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth,
the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the
Holy Spirit of promise, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the
redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." (Eph.
1:13-14, NKJV)

Sealing is the preaching of the true gospel to receive the
Holy Spirit. The angel or messenger described in Revelation 7:2-3 preaches the gospel of truth, which is the word of God for salvation. He is a man whose work is to
preach to words of God. Those who listened and believed in his preaching
were sealed and received the promised Holy Spirit. The place where this
prophecy would be fulfilled is in the East or the rising of the sun,
fulfilled in the Philippines, which is in the Far East (Asia and the
Philippines, p. 169).

The Church of Christ firmly believes, based on biblical
prophecies and their fulfillment, that the messenger of God in these last days is Brother Felix Y. Manalo. He was given the right to understand the knowledge of God,
which is hidden in mystery. Through him, together with the ministers and
evangelical workers in the Church of Christ, the wisdom and knowledge of
God is made known to us in these last days, that we may be guided toward the
path that leads to Christ and to our salvation.