“A double minded man [is] unstable in all his ways,” James 1:8. In the scope of what James is referring to here we find that a man who is double minded is as unsettled as a wave of the sea driven by the wind.
Double minded in the Greek is “dipsychos” meaning “divided in interest”, or “two-souled.” It can also mean wavering, uncertain, doubting. Unstable in the Greek is “akatastatos” signifying unrestrained, unruliness, restlessness, unsettled, and disorderly. A double minded person, being unstable, is someone who, no matter what he hears can’t make up his mind as to what is true and what is false. He isn’t grounded in any particular doctrinal idea, but is tempted by a melting pot of them all. He can be, and will be tossed around by any change that comes along. Certainly anyone who falls into this category isn’t fit to serve God as a pastor, teacher, evangelist, or leader in Christ’s Church. Christians who’ve allowed themselves to be led or pushed into all different types of strange doctrines, because of their inability to recognize the truth of God’s word, are most assuredly “Double Minded”.
Christians in this day and age seem to be willing to fall for anything as long as it feels good or feels right. Our feelings and our senses are not to be trusted. We need to lean on the inerrant word of God for our refuge. Strange teachings which are completely unbiblical appeal to those who aren’t familiar with scriptures. I keep harping on this trend which is subtly creeping into our Christian lives and is not going away any time soon. The appeal of these grossly false teachings is getting bigger and stronger all the time. These falsehoods are becoming so main stream that they have taken on a life of their own.
Followers of false teachers aren’t hypnotized and they aren’t forced in any way to believe in these falsehoods. I find it difficult to believe that Christians who are well versed in the scriptures would ever allow themselves to be so completely deceived. If a Christian has not studied the Bible, he can only blame himself for being unable to discern the truth from a lie, which is what the enemy is counting on.
Double minded people are those who say one thing and do another. The men and women who lead in the arena of unbiblical teachings are double minded. They have an agenda and it has little to do with God. It may sound good, even good enough to fall for. Christians who follow these quacks and adhere to their teachings are being led into a life that is unstable, and as we read in the verse above they are “unstable in all their ways”.
I believe the inerrant word of God is God breathed. I believe it is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness. Some of the readers of this commentary may recognize the above words as coming from Paul’s second letter to Timothy, but many others will not have a clue they came from the Bible and they are the ones who run the risk of being led astray by false teachers. Suppose you were in a Bible class and the class leader was teaching from the Gospel of John and made the claim that in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was a God. Should someone in the class stand up and correct the teacher? Would anyone in the class even realize the mistake the Bible teacher made? Was that teacher being deceptive in the subtle change of the first verse of John’s Gospel? Perhaps the students didn’t hear the mistake. Or maybe no one in the class has a clue of what the first verse in John’s Gospel says. The latter seems to be the case. Perhaps you noticed I haven’t pointed out the mistake I’ve alluded to. Anyone who has studied their Bible will immediately catch the mistake.
I’ve heard Bible teachers say “If it’s not in the Bible, and if Jesus didn’t talk about it, or if it wasn’t taught by any of the Apostles, then don’t believe it”, that my brethren is great advice. But if we have no idea whether or not Jesus or the Apostles spoke about a certain subject then it’s a moot point and we will be deceived. This goes for everyone on the face of this planet. If you don’t believe the Bible is God’s Word, then you have already been deceived. If you only believe what you have been told by man then their deceptions are already a part of your life. If you are following someone who says “Don’t worry about reading the Bible it’s too hard to comprehend for simple lay people, just listen to me, I’ll tell you what the Bible says”, then you are even more greatly deceived because you belong to a cult.
We believers in Christ have a sure word, a truth that can’t be disputed or denied. The word of God is ours to read; to become fully versed in the Holy Bible is something to aspire to. We aren’t to take man’s word for what the Bible says, or doesn’t say. As we are told in Acts 17:11, the Bereans accepted the word with all diligence but searched the scriptures (The Old Testament) for themselves to make sure of what they were being taught was truly from God. In other words they weren’t double minded, they were single minded when it came to searching the scriptures.
How then can we keep from being deceived by all the false claims floating around out there? We must be constantly in His word. Read it, learn it, and memorize all the scripture verses you can, relying on the whole council of God. Take a pocket sized Bible with you everywhere you go. How in God’s name can Christians be so deceived by these charlatans who are so far off base when it comes to God’s word? Are they checking their brains at the door of these great halls and walking in completely unarmed? That’s exactly what Satan is depending on. Satan is depending on the fact that they’ve left behind their only source of protection, God’s word.
My Brethren, the end is near; even now we are at a precipice as we hold fast and stand firm on our faith. We must rely on the word of God to keep us from falling into the great abyss which is Satan’s domain (temptations and lies). Satan will become more and more determined to push all his agendas and pigheaded (unstudied) Christians are no stumbling block for him. He will use whatever means he has at his disposal to make it seem as though God’s word is being taught, and all the time he’s satanically encouraging falsehoods to be taught, teachings that at times will seem biblical but are in all actuality contrary to God’s word.
Certainly brethren without hesitation, and with boldness, we should proclaim the true and correct word of God. We must be ready to denounce the falsehoods as they spring forth like a flood. Allow God to empower you through His word so that you and I will be fully equipped with the armor of God. As we are told in Ephesians 6, only by being clothed with God’s armor can we then stand firm.
Standing firm on the promises of God should be our good pleasure. Allowing sleight of scripture to permeate our lives will be our disgrace.
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Judas was a preacher; nay, he was a foremost preacher, “he obtained part of this ministry,” said the Apostle Peter. He was not simply one of the seventy; he had been selected by the Lord himself as one of the twelve, an honorable member of the college of the apostles. Doubtless he had preached the gospel so that many had been gladdened by his voice, and miraculous powers had been vouchsafed to him, so that at his word the sick had been healed, deaf ears had been opened; and the blind had been made to see; nay, there is no doubt that he who could not keep the devil out of himself, had cast devils out of others. Yet how are you fallen from Heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! He that was as a prophet in the midst of the people, and spake with the tongue of the learned, whose word and wonders proved that he had been with Jesus and had learned of him — he betrays his Master. Understand, my brethren, that no gifts can ensure grace, and that no position of honor or usefulness in the Church will necessarily prove our being true to our Lord and Master. Doubtless there are bishops in Hell, and crowds of those who once occupied the pulpit are now condemned for ever to bewail their hypocrisy. You that are Church-officers, do not conclude that because you enjoy the confidence of the Church, that therefore of an absolute certainty the grace of God is in you. Perhaps it is the most dangerous of all positions for a man to become well known and much respected by the religious world, and yet to be rotten at the core. To be where others can observe our faults is a healthy thing though painful; but to live with beloved friends who would not believe it possible for us to do wrong, and who if they saw us err would make excuses for us — this is to be where it is next to impossible for us ever to be aroused if our hearts be not right with God. To have a fair reputation and a false heart is to stand upon the brink of Hell.
