“Woe unto you, юристы! for you have taken away the key of knowledge: you entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in you hindered”, said Jesus to the lawyers of Israel. Although these words were meant for the lawyers of the people of Israel, Jesus could speak the same words to many church leaders today. Потому что многие люди, who call themselves apostles, пророки, евангелисты, пасторы, and teachers have taken away the key of knowledge. What is the key of knowledge that Jesus referred to in Luke 11:52 and how has the key of knowledge been taken away in the church?
How the lawyers had taken away the key of knowledge?
Горе тебе, юристы! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: вы вошли не в себе, и входящим вы воспрепятствовали (Люк 11:52)
Jesus spoke these words to the lawyers; the interpreters and teachers of the Mosaic law. Иисус сказал, that the lawyers had taken away the key of knowledge. Because although they belonged to God’s people and had carnal knowledge of the Law of Moses, they didn’t possess the knowledge of God.
although they were teachers of the Law of Moses and were familiar with all the laws and regulations of God and knew all these laws by head, they didn’t know God.
They didn’t know God and were not acquainted with His will. Since they lived in disobedience to Him.
The lawyers didn’t люби Бога всем сердцем, душа, разум, и сила. They didn’t know His thoughts and didn’t walk in Его выбор. Потому что иначе, Jesus wouldn’t have spoken these words, which He received from the Father.
But Jesus, who they saw as an unskilled son of a carpenter and didn’t hold a high position in society, spoke these words to them.
These lawyers, who were supposed to represent God and His Kingdom to His people, represented themselves.
They held high positions in society and the people respected them. These lawyers considered themselves superior to the people and had set themselves as gods in the temple.
They thought they possessed the key of knowledge and to be the key of knowledge to the people. But Jesus brought the truth into the light. Jesus exposed the lies of these lawyers, whose minds were darkened and who walked in darkness.
A key provides access
A key has value and provides access to a house, building, means of transportation (car, (motor) bike, boat, и т. д.), a safe, (компьютер) Программ, и т. д.. The keeper of the key has the power to open and shut*. Without a key, a person can’t get access and is hindered from entering and/or making use of something. This also applies to the Kingdom of God.
Jesus spoke about the key of knowledge, since the lawyers were supposed to possess the key to eternal life. They were supposed to possess the knowledge of God and His will and His Kingdom. If they had possessed the key of knowledge they would not have been the only ones, who walked in submission to God and His words on His way and live in the will of God, but also the people, whom they taught in the temple.
Many church leaders have exalted themselves above God and have taken away the key of knowledge
Пусть никто не обманет вас ни в коем случае: ибо день тот не придет, За исключением того, что сначала происходит отступление, и чтобы человек греха был раскрыт, Сын Погибели,; Который противостоит и превозносит Себя над всем, что называется Богом, или которому поклоняются; so that he as God sitteths in the temple of God, показывая, что Он есть Бог (2 Салоники 2:3-4)
Just like in the days of Jesus, the lawyers had taken away the key of knowledge and prevented the people from the way to eternal life, many church leaders have exalted themselves above God and His Word and have taken away the key of knowledge and hinder those, who are seeking to enter. (Читайте также: В чем разница между Иисусом и религиозными лидерами?)
Instead of representing Jesus Christ and His Kingdom and preaching the truth and will of God, they represent themselves and preach lies. How do they preach lies? By speaking their own words, мнения, and experiences and by making their own rules and regulations.
Many church leaders are not born again. They are not baptized in Christ (водное крещение) and haven’t laid down their flesh.
Their spirit is not raised from the dead and they’ve not received the Holy Spirit. But they are still carnal and led by their flesh and the ruler and spirits of this world.
They might have great knowledge of the Bible. But as long as they are not born again in Christ and don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the Father through the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God is not the highest authority in their lives, and they don’t do the word of God, then all their knowledge of the Bible doesn’t mean a thing.
Как кто-то может, who has not entered the Kingdom of God lead others into the Kingdom?
All that knowledge of the Bible has no value, but it only makes them prideful and puffed up. Because how can someone who is not born again in Christ and has not received the Holy Spirit, preach about regeneration in Christ and the Holy Spirit?
Как кто-то может, who has not entered the Kingdom of God and doesn’t live in the Kingdom of God, представлять, проповедовать, и принести Царствие Божие людям? How can preachers lead others into the Kingdom if they have not entered themselves?
And how can someone, who lives in sin, call others to repentance and the removal of sin? Точно, это невозможно!
That’s why the message has changed in many churches. The people don’t preach the words of God and His truth anymore. They have adjusted the truth of God. They’ve mixed the words of God with their own opinions and carnal knowledge, which derive from their carnal mind that has been fed by the world. And so they preach their own carnal truths.
A manmade gospel, что не является Евангелием
Я удивляюсь, что вы так скоро удалились от Того, Кто призвал вас в благодать Христову, к иному Евангелию.: Который не является другим; но есть некоторые, которые тебя беспокоят, и извратил бы Евангелие Христа. Но хотя мы, или ангел с небес, проповедовать вам любое другое Евангелие, кроме того, которое мы проповедовали вам, пусть он будет проклят. Как мы уже говорили, так скажи я сейчас еще раз, Если кто-нибудь будет благовествовать вам иное, чем то, которое вы получили, пусть он будет проклят (Галатам 1:6-9)
Many preachers have become motivational speakers and many prophets have risen, who don’t speak, пророчество, and act from the Spirit according to the Word. But they speak and prophecy from their flesh and preach another gospel, which is not the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Instead of preaching the gospel of Christ, they have perverted the gospel of Christ. They have made the gospel of no effect and put Jesus to shame.
Since the gospel, which they preach and practice doesn’t represent the will of God. Their gospel doesn’t lead to (духовный) freedom but to (духовный) bondage and submission to the flesh and the spirits of this world.
Instead of setting the captives free, they lead the people into captivity.
This manmade gospel doesn’t call the people to repentance and remove sin and lay down the flesh. But this gospel feeds the flesh and keeps the flesh alive. This gospel calls the people to rebellion and sin against God and to not love God but the world.
People are not led to Jesus and the cross, but the world
Because they want to please the flesh and don’t preach the truth of God anymore but preach a manmade gospel, they have taken away the key of knowledge.
Instead of leading the people to the true Jesus Christ and the cross and getting them born again and teaching them in the knowledge of His will, they lead them to the world. Because of that many people wander and are lost. They seek but they’re hindered from entering the Kingdom of God and inheriting eternal life.
How many Christians have taken away the key of knowledge?
But not only many church leaders have taken away the key of knowledge, but also many people who call themselves Christians. They say they believe and call Jesus their Lord and maybe possess a lot of Bible knowledge, but they don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, слово, and refuse to submit to the Word, подчиняться Слову, and live according to the will of God.
They could be the access to the Kingdom of God and eternal life for many people, by preaching Jesus Christ; правда, Путь, and the Life and calling the people to repentance and by living as the new creation, сын Божий (как мужчины, так и женщины), in obedience to God after His will.
But because they don’t know Jesus Christ personally and are not truly born again and don’t have the Holy Spirit abiding in them and have not entered the Kingdom of God themselves, but belong to the world and are world-like and carnally minded and live the same lives like the world, acting according to the will of the flesh, they also have taken away the key of knowledge.
«Будь солью земли’
Источник: Thayer’s dictionary
