You may have never eaten Chinese food, but I suspect that you have at least heard of a Chinese fortune cookie. It’s not exactly my idea of an award winning dessert, but a fortune cookie does have a bit of sweetness to it, and I don’t recall ever eating one that wasn’t crunchy (hard as a rock).
I didn’t create this brief lesson to focus on the cookie but on the shared wisdom or fortune the cookie sometimes contains. And yes, there are times when I try really hard, but I cannot always understand the meaning of the fortune. I guess there are just those instances when the meaning is somehow lost in the translation.
My wife opened a fortune cookie this past week that was very clear and to the point. In other words, there was no way for me to misinterpret nor lose its meaning. “Everything you add to the truth subtracts from the truth.”
Revelation 22:18 – 19 (NKJV)
18 For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book;
19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
As I am sure there have been times in our lives when we, or others, have misunderstand or misinterpreted something unintentionally. That may very well happen on a daily basis, but in today’s “my way or the highway” environment, it seems like people go out of their way to distort God’s truth, or the actual truth of the matter in general. It just seems like we are constantly bombarded with an alternate meaning of the truth. In other words, scriptural truth is intentionally lost when interpreting the Bible.
Romans 1:18 – 25 (NKJV)
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man–and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
2 Timothy 4:1 – 4 (NKJV)
1 I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.
Thankfully the truth that we follow is constant. God gave us the truth once and that once was for all time.
As the fortune cookie’s message is clear, may we keep the truth pure and not add to or subtract from the real truth.
Written by Tony Bohannon