I sometimes reread what I wrote and find some critical typo errors. Once I wrote “now” when I was supposed to write “not”. I try to be careful, and it still happens. But I am sure you know what I’ve been trying to say because I repeated the same messages. I hope you do not dwell in a single sentence I wrote but look at the bigger picture by reading the Bible.

Each chapter of each book of the Bible has much knowledge and it would take many years to explain what each verse teaches us. So far, theologians have been focusing on microtheology, in other words, systematic theology. And it may have its own benefits, but it is much more important to understand the Bible in one theme – the Kingdom. Christ became a man to save His elect people for that very reason. Although I have much desire to spend time on a single story or passage within a chapter, I try not to. The Bible is like a billion-piece puzzle. You can spend time on looking at each piece. But you may not know what the puzzle as a whole shows. The Holy Spirit puts the puzzle pieces together. We see that Christ talks about the same things again and again to help our understanding. We are like children and not like learned men. And God wants us to stay that way. Children generally do not know much about how adults think and act. They learn to live the ways that adults live and think as they grow up. Parents teach their children certain things repeatedly.

For God’s children, Christ’s teachings are not difficult to understand. On the other hand, those who think they know God consider His teachings too difficult. Christ uses parables for His people so that the understanding can only be given to them by the Holy Spirit.

So then many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This statement is very unpleasant; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, aware that His disciples were complaining about this, said to them, “Is this offensive to you? What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh provides no benefit; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit, and are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray Him. And He was saying, “For this reason I have told you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” (John 6:6-65)

These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things for Him. (John 12:16)

But this He said in reference to the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive; for the Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. (John 7:39)

The Holy Spirit existed from eternity and was at work even in the OT and when Christ was on the earth. After Christ’s resurrection, the Spirit dwells in His people forever. The Spirit makes us understand the words of God. Although our level of knowledge varies, saints as a whole share the same knowledge of God and His will.

Matthew 18 does not talk about what to do or not. Christ does not teach us how to be saved. Christ simply talks about the difference between His people under grace and those who are not under grace.

Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person through whom the stumbling block comes! (Matthew 18:7)

The Son of Man is going away just as it is written about Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born. (Matt 26:24)

From a worldly point of view, God of the Bible is not fair. Those who reject the doctrine of predestination think that people can achieve salvation and grace by works. Apostle Paul has refuted them by saying – But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’ (Romans 9:20)

Many are delusional and think that they have the right to judge what is right or wrong as if they are like God. That was Adam’s sin. I do not think the forbidden fruit itself had a special effect on Adam and Eve. The rebellious action of Adam and Eve that came from their corrupted heart made them fall. The forbidden fruit was a stumbling block for them. It was a direct reflection of what was in their heart. Adam and Eve wanted to be like God by eating the fruit. “If I just stretch my hand and grab it, I can be what I want to be.” This is what the world thinks. This is what people without the Holy Spirit say. People think God must exist to please them. Earlier I said only God is righteous. Righteousness is not about people’s idea of morality. Everything God does is righteous because only He is righteous as the Creator. Saints accept this truth while those who do not have the Spirit reject it. By rejecting truth, they reject God and thus, are rejected by God. There is no one who can argue with God and win because He is the Law.