A Different Point of View

In this article we are going to discuss about looking at things from a different point of view. So right off the bat, let’s look at this animation.

So from the animation we see that preacher #1 is looking at the object from only 1 viewpoint, the side view, and from this viewpoint it appears to be from all indication that it is a square. Now only looking from this viewpoint preacher #1 is not going to change his mind. He sees a square, and he sees nothing but a square.

But from a different viewpoint, preacher #2 sees something different. He sees a rectangle. He is looking at the object from a totally different viewpoint, the bottom view, and he does not see a square, but he sees a rectangle.

And yet preacher #3 sees something totally different from the other 2 preachers because he is looking at the object from yet another view. From the front view, he sees a triangle.

Now each preacher is very positive about what he sees. He is certain that what he is seeing is true, and states the fact that it is true because that is what he sees.

But looking at the object from many viewpoints we get a better picture of what it really is. And as the animation indicates, the object is not really one object at all, but in all reality, it is the combination of many objects put together.

So it is with different subject matter in the holy scriptures. You can look at something from one point of view and you see what the answer is. But if you look at the subject from a different point of view, you will see something else and come up with a different answer.

This is how division comes about among bible believers. They see things from different points of view and they have different answers for the same subject. Now if they would take the time and look at the subject from the other points of view, they might also come up with a different answer.

My job as a teacher is to show people that they need to look at things from as many viewpoints as possible before they come to a conclusion on a subject matter. Many times a subject matter will be much more complex than it first appears to be. So it is with the teaching of when the one new man was given.

There are many things that have to be factored in to come up with a good final conclusion. This is a subject that you cannot just look at from one point of view to come up with the correct answer. There are many things that have to be considered to get a good understanding of when the one new man was given. You have to look at this thing from many different points of view.

For instance, I do not know what position you take on when the one new man was given, but in coming to your conclusion have you taken into consideration:

1. The covenant of circumcision given in Genesis 17?
2. The promise of the new covenant in Jeremiah 31?
3. The going forth of the commandment in Daniel 9?
4. The prophecy of the 70 weeks?
5. The understanding of the word “after” in Daniel 9:26?
6. The prophecy of Malachi 3:1?
7. The parable of the fig tree in Luke 13?
8. Christ standing in Acts 7?
9. The teaching of the two olive trees in Romans 11?

These are just a few of the many viewpoints that need to be taken into consideration when coming to a conclusion of when the one new man was given.

The teaching of when the one new man was given is like the object in the animation. It actually consists of many things put together, not just one singular thing.

For instance:An Acts 2 person might say,

In Acts 2 it says,

“47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

Here in Acts 2 the church has already started. The church is the one new man so the one new man started in Acts 2.

An Acts 9 person might say,

In 1st Timothy 1 it says,

“16 Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.”

Paul was the first one in the one new man so it had to start with Paul in Acts 9.

An Acts 13 person might say,

In Acts 13 it says,

“2 As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.”

Paul didn’t receive the gospel of the grace of God and get called out to go to the Gentiles until Acts 13, so the one new man started in Acts 13.

An Acts 28 person might say,

In Acts 28 it says,

“28 Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.”

Israel was not set aside until Acts 28, so the Gentiles that didn’t bless Israel could not be included until Acts 28, so the one new man started in Acts 28.

Everyone of these statements along with their verses, are a very, very long way from seeing this subject matter from the many different viewpoints. Each of the positions or points of view, Acts 2, 9, 11, 13 and 28 have a different viewing angle on the subject matter. They all need to be taken into consideration and at least be looked at from that angle.

Now we all know the scripture about studying to shew ourselves approved, but there is another scripture that cannot be taken lightly. In John 10:35 it says,

“35…and the scripture cannot be broken.”

If a teaching looks real good and it matches several scriptures in some places, but it breaks scripture in other places, then there is a real good chance that the teaching has flaws in it.

A real good solid teaching does not break scripture anywhere. Flawless.

This is what we should be aiming for, flawless teachings. But over and over I have seen teachings that break scripture in many places and the teachers that teach them just avoid those scriptures when they teach that particular subject.

I have also seen situations where a scripture that doesn’t match the teaching, is brought to the teacher’s attention and the teacher says, “That scripture really doesn’t mean that.”

Well, that’s one way to get around it, but it is not the best way, in fact it is probably the worst way. If you say, “It doesn’t really mean that,” to a verse that doesn’t match your teaching, then it can be said for any verse in the holy scriptures. The best way is to adjust the teaching to where it does not break scripture.

The scriptures mean what they say. Period. If they do not agree with your teaching, then it is your teaching that has the problems, not the holy scriptures.

You do not try to change the scriptures to match your teachings, you change your teachings to match the scriptures.

Let me give you a perfect example:

(Now this example might be meaningless to you if you do not study bible chronology, nevertheless it is an example.)

For over 20 years I had been teaching that Terah, Abraham’s father, was 70 years old when Abraham was born. This is how I came to my conclusion:

In Genesis 11 it says,

“26 And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

27 Now these are the generations of Terah: Terah begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran begat Lot.”

From this particular point of view that I was taking, it seemed to me that Abraham was the firstborn and Terah was 70 years old when Abraham was born. I could not and did not see it any other way. From this point of view it seemed like a very solid teaching.

There was no way I could see otherwise. As far as I was concerned the teaching was correct and very solid.

Then just this past year I was discussing bible chronology with a Christian that was half my age. We were discussing some things about James Ussher and how I disagreed with many of Ussher’s conclusions of his chronology.

Then the subject of Terah’s age when Abraham was born was brought up. He said that Ussher taught that Terah was 130 years old when Abraham was born. I told him I knew that and it was just one of the disagreements I had with his chronology.

Then I got curious and wondered how he came up with such an oddball number that was 60 years off from what I had, and I decided to research the matter again and see what the problem was.

As I researched I tried to be a Berean and test both teachings against the holy scriptures. After prayer for wisdom I got into the holy scriptures and the Lord opened my eyes to a new conclusion.

After looking at the situation from a different point of view I saw that my conclusion, that I was so sure that was correct and very solid, ended up being incorrect with the holy scriptures. There was something that I had overlooked for 20 years, and all it took was just looking at the situation from a different point of view.

The scriptures in Genesis did not persuade me otherwise. It was a scripture in the book of Acts. In Acts 7 Stephen is talking and it says,

“2 And he said, Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran,

3 And said unto him, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I shall shew thee.

4 Then came he out of the land of the Chaldaeans, and dwelt in Charran: and from thence, when his father was dead, he removed him into this land, wherein ye now dwell.”

Now here in verse 4 it says that Abraham did not leave Haran until his father was dead. In Genesis 12 it says,

“4 So Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.”

And back in Genesis 11 it says,

“32 And the days of Terah were two hundred and five years: and Terah died in Haran.

So putting all these scriptures together we can see that Abraham did not leave Haran until his father was dead. Terah was 205 years old when he died and when Abraham left Haran he was 75 years old. If you subtract the 75 years from Terah’s age of 205 when he died, we come up with 130 years was the age of Terah when Abraham was born.

205-75=130

There are other scriptures to confirm this, but this is the main part.

So on my chronological time chart I was 60 years off because I overlooked a scripture in the book of Acts. For 20 years I taught this wrong.

Now after seeing my error I had a decision to make. I could either go on teaching the subject as I had been for the last 20 years and just avoid the scripture in the book of Acts, or I could change my teaching and make it match the holy scriptures.

I changed.

Yes, it was kind of a bummer seeing that I was wrong but on the other hand it was very enlightening knowing that the Lord showed me a little bit more of the truth, and in that I do rejoice.

And do you know what the first thing that I did was when I found my error? I contacted that young man and thanked him for bringing it to my attention. Now I have one less thing I will be corrected on at the judgment seat of Christ.

And all it took was to look at the subject from a different point of view. Instead of being hard nosed on what I believed and taught, I tried looking at it from the viewpoint, “Well, what if Terah really was 130 when Abraham was born?”

Just from trying to look at it from a different point of view, the Lord opened my eyes to some truth.

Now here are some questions for you.

1. On the things you teach, are you absolutely positively sure that you have looked at the subject from every viewpoint?
2. Are you absolutely positively sure that you have not overlooked anything?
3. Are you absolutely positively sure that you are not just looking at a subject from one point of view – yours?
4. Are you an independent teacher or do you just follow along with the things you have heard from others?
5. Do you test the teachings that you hear to see whether they are true or not?

Now here is something that we have all heard before:

Be a Berean.

Well, what is it to be a Berean? In Acts 17 it says,

“11 These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

If you listen to a preacher speak and you believe everything he has to say without checking him out, you are not a Berean.

If you are a follower of any particular man’s teachings without checking him out to see whether he is telling you the truth or not, you are not a Berean.

If you refuse to listen to other people or other teachings you are not a Berean. You must be willing to receive the word with all readiness of mind, regardless of who it is.

If you only desire to listen to 1 or 2 of your favorite preachers and shun the rest, you are not a Berean.

A Berean does not take every thing he hears for truth. He checks it out against the holy scriptures first. A Berean will add doubt to the teachings he hears until that doubt is removed by the holy scriptures. If you do not doubt what the teacher has to say, you have no reason to check him against the holy scriptures.

Listening to a teacher teach and then trying to learn how to teach that subject without checking it out first to see whether it is true or not is not being a Berean. That is being a follower.

Men following men causes division, the Lord said so in 1st Corinthians chapter 1.

Are you a follower of men?

Are you the kind of person that let’s what another man dictates, determines what you believe? Or are you a man that stands on his own two feet?

If you change your belief just because the person that you follow changes his belief it’s almost a sure bet that you are a follower, not a Berean.

A follower of men will not look at any other point of view but only the viewpoint of the one he is following.

Here in the United States of America there are hundreds of grace teachers, that teach the word rightly divided. Are you following the teachings of just one of them?

These are very serious questions that you need to ask yourself. Am I a true Berean? Am I a follower of a man’s teachings or am I a follower of the holy scriptures? Do I stand on my own two feet? Am I willing to change my beliefs to match the holy scriptures? If I see something different in the holy scriptures than what my preacher friends teach, should I keep my mouth shut about it or should I preach what I believe is true? Should I speak what I believe that is true even if it rocks the boat?

My job as a bible teacher is to get men to understand the holy scriptures and most of the time it requires seeing things from many points of view to get the full understanding of any particular given subject.

Hopefully through this article some will see that a greater understanding can come from looking at things from many different points of view. When you start to grasp the overall view of things, when you start to see the big picture, when you begin to see the whole overview of the bible, when you start to see things from every different point of view, that’s when the details start to fall into their proper place.