ASTATICISM - STATE OF BEING UNSTEADY OR UNSTABLE
The Bible mentions four things concerning the unsteady individual. Let us examine the results of astaticism.
1) (Gen 49:3-4) “Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: {4} UNSTABLE AS WATER, THOU SHALT NOT EXCEL; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.” Reuben should have been the most mature since he was the oldest, but as we see he was wicked and did not take after his father in righteousness. As a result Jacob compares him to water. Have you ever tried to stand on water? Even on a boat that is on the water trying to keep your balance is difficult at times. Water is unstable and so is the soul of the one who is disobedient to his parents (physical parents or God our spiritual father). That individual will never excel at anything worthwhile. Excel, don’t rebel.
2) (James 1:6-8) “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. {7} For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. {8} A DOUBLE MINDED MAN IS UNSTABLE in all his ways.” James lets us know that if we have an unstable faith that believes in God sometimes, but not other times, we will not receive anything from the Lord. Of course we know that we can’t fool God by saying we believe with our mouth, but not acting like it in our lives. If we try that we are double minded or two faced, we might say, and we are unstable. Don’t be double minded.
3) (2 Pet 2:9, 14) “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: . . . {14} Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; BEGUILING UNSTABLE SOULS: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:” Peter warns us of evil men who do all manner of evil things, and one of the things they are good at doing is beguiling or tricking or bamboozling those who are unstable. Why do you suppose they do that? Their falsehoods and illogical arguments and emotionally charged speeches would never be able to change the stable soul. Those of us who realize that life begins at conception and not at birth are not swayed by the senseless arguments about it being a woman’s body and her right to chose. We know that she made her choice already and now must deal with the consequences of that choice. We know that for her to abort that baby is equivalent to her killing it after it has been born. When we are stable minded and rational we can only be swayed by reason, but the unstable individual can be tricked by everything from a flat out lie told well to the carefully worded concealment of the truth. Don’t be beguiled.
4) (2 Pet 3:15-16) “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; {16} As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, WHICH THEY THAT ARE UNLEARNED AND UNSTABLE WREST, as they do also the other scriptures, UNTO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION.” Finally, we see that the unstable person will ‘wrest’ or twist the scriptures in an attempt to confuse, corrupt, or convince someone. Whenever we use the scriptures, we need to be sure we don’t abuse them. If what we are teaching is true the scriptures will reveal it without our misusing or misapplying them. If the Bible doesn’t reveal it then we ought not teach it as though it were revealed by scripture. Don’t abuse God’s word.
The Bible mentions four things concerning the unsteady individual. Let us examine the results of astaticism.
1) (Gen 49:3-4) “Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power: {4} UNSTABLE AS WATER, THOU SHALT NOT EXCEL; because thou wentest up to thy father’s bed; then defiledst thou it: he went up to my couch.” Reuben should have been the most mature since he was the oldest, but as we see he was wicked and did not take after his father in righteousness. As a result Jacob compares him to water. Have you ever tried to stand on water? Even on a boat that is on the water trying to keep your balance is difficult at times. Water is unstable and so is the soul of the one who is disobedient to his parents (physical parents or God our spiritual father). That individual will never excel at anything worthwhile. Excel, don’t rebel.
2) (James 1:6-8) “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. {7} For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. {8} A DOUBLE MINDED MAN IS UNSTABLE in all his ways.” James lets us know that if we have an unstable faith that believes in God sometimes, but not other times, we will not receive anything from the Lord. Of course we know that we can’t fool God by saying we believe with our mouth, but not acting like it in our lives. If we try that we are double minded or two faced, we might say, and we are unstable. Don’t be double minded.
3) (2 Pet 2:9, 14) “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: . . . {14} Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; BEGUILING UNSTABLE SOULS: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children:” Peter warns us of evil men who do all manner of evil things, and one of the things they are good at doing is beguiling or tricking or bamboozling those who are unstable. Why do you suppose they do that? Their falsehoods and illogical arguments and emotionally charged speeches would never be able to change the stable soul. Those of us who realize that life begins at conception and not at birth are not swayed by the senseless arguments about it being a woman’s body and her right to chose. We know that she made her choice already and now must deal with the consequences of that choice. We know that for her to abort that baby is equivalent to her killing it after it has been born. When we are stable minded and rational we can only be swayed by reason, but the unstable individual can be tricked by everything from a flat out lie told well to the carefully worded concealment of the truth. Don’t be beguiled.
4) (2 Pet 3:15-16) “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; {16} As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, WHICH THEY THAT ARE UNLEARNED AND UNSTABLE WREST, as they do also the other scriptures, UNTO THEIR OWN DESTRUCTION.” Finally, we see that the unstable person will ‘wrest’ or twist the scriptures in an attempt to confuse, corrupt, or convince someone. Whenever we use the scriptures, we need to be sure we don’t abuse them. If what we are teaching is true the scriptures will reveal it without our misusing or misapplying them. If the Bible doesn’t reveal it then we ought not teach it as though it were revealed by scripture. Don’t abuse God’s word.
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