Always learning and never able to come to a knowledge of the truth (2 Tim. 3:7).
That’s what Paul said was the problem with some women who were “burdened down with sins, led along by a variety of passions” (HCSB).
Two things about those women stand out:
- They are always adopting some belief which they hear from others, but never seem able to settle on one (over against another) as the truth of God. Oh, of course, they may adopt one viewpoint for a time, but after a while when you talk with them, you discover that they have now moved to some other. Yesterday it was Calvinism; today it is the opposite! The problem is often true of women it is true—but that doesn’t leave men off the hook—there are plenty of men also who are characterized by such instability.
- The second thing to note is why this instability exists: sins and passions rule their lives. That is certainly not the reason that would be given by them if you asked—it is God’s insight revealed to Paul. Note the two elements behind the problem:
- Sins. It is true that sin clouds one’s ability to discover biblical truth. Not only is his mind clouded by sin (as he seeks to justify it over against biblical teaching to the contrary), but under such rebellious conditions, the Holy Spirit cannot be expected to help him glean truth from the Word.
- Passions. Truth isn’t found by following one’s feelings; he must often accept hard truths of the Scriptures despite his feelings, Here, it is feelings to the max (passions) that are mentioned. If you passionately hold on to what you’d like to believe is the truth, despite Scripture to the contrary, then you will never find it.
So, here’s a question for you—What is the reason why you are having so difficult a time deciding about certain biblical truths? Could it be sins and passions are in your way Christian?