The Word as an Onion

 

Too many merely accept the Word on the surface.  They pick and choose this verse or that and build their doctrine out of it.  One instance for example is that in regard to adultery.  God’s Word says that you should not commit adultery; wherefore, those who have not slept with someone outside of their marriage stand prideful in their security of purity.  This, however, is not the end of the story.  Jesus clarifies years later that the action of adultery is only part of committing this sin, as merely looking on another with lust is another part.  This obviously changes the picture and condemns those who once prideful stood in confidence as they realize that they too have committed adultery in God’s eyes.  Well, the rest of the Word is no different. 

 

You might consider these to be loop holes, caveats, requirements or restrictions to the rules, but I will call them layers of understanding in creating the whole picture rather than a surface image.  We are warned in the Word that though we might begin with milk, basic foundational concepts, we must graduate to meet, dig into the layers that change us into the full image of Christ… not just a watermark. 

 

Let’s take a look at another example, one more involved.  Let’s look at salvation in its self.

 

In Romans 10:13 we read that whosoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, and this is where most leave it… on the surface of the issue.  Without the complete picture, however, many might be dangerously deceived in the end.  Now, before you puff up your prideful feathers as those who were certain they never committed adultery… take a deep breath and consider what I am about to share.  Let’s begin by taking a look at Matthew 7:21 and 12:50, “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  For whosoever shall do the will of My Father which is in heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother.”.  Ok, so now we can see that it is not merely about calling on the name of the Lord, but about doing the will of God.  Now the question comes up of what is the will of God because many can be deceived in this as we can see in continuing on in Matthew 7:

 

“Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:22-23, KJV).  Wow, so if all these powerful displays of faith and works are not doing His will… what is?  For this we will look at Matthew 25, focusing on the last half of the chapter after the list of works done or not done by the many.  You can read in Matthew 12:40,45 the Lord’s new layer on this onion for those who do His will verses those who do not, “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me” (KJV).  This is merely a clarification of what He said another time in Galatians 5:14, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (KJV).  This is where the heart of the onion is.  Many stop at the surface layer, calling upon the name of the Lord, but never peel back to be conformed to His Word and His image by walking in His love, which is to sacrifice yourself for another (clarified in John 15:13), so many on their day of judgment, believing themselves to be saved, will find out differently, making their race run in vain (Galatians 2:2, Philippians 2:16). 

 

You might ask why the Lord’s Word is like this, to which I would refer you to Proverbs 25:2, “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter” as well as, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15, KJV).  So, when someone thinks the Word is contradictory, it is just that they have not peeled away the extra layers to get to the complete picture, as each layer sheds a deeper light upon the previous layers of understanding.  As you peel away the layers, as with an onion, you may shed some tears, but keep peeling because the heart of the matter is where the meet is…and your reward.