Chavurat Derekh HaMashiach

A man recently accused me of saying something I never said. He filled in the blanks with his own assumptions, then argued with the version of me he created in his head. And as frustrating as that moment was, it reminded me of something far bigger:

We do the exact same thing to Scripture.

We hear a phrase, a verse, or a sermon, and our minds instantly supply the rest. We respond to our assumptions, not the actual text. Then we defend those assumptions as if they were handed down from Sinai.

This isn’t a “church problem.” 
It’s a human problem.

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How We Mishear God the Same Way We Mishear Each Other

If we can twist each other’s words in real time—while texting, talking, or debating—how much easier is it to twist a text written thousands of years ago, in a different language, culture, and worldview?

Most people don’t do it maliciously. 
They do it because:

– they trust the preacher 
– they trust the tradition 
– they trust the denomination 
– they trust the version of Christianity they inherited 

But trust doesn’t equal truth.

And sincerity doesn’t equal accuracy.

Over the years, I’ve visited more denominations and fellowships than I can count. Not to judge them, but to understand them. And here’s the pattern that never changes:

– Every group has something solid. 
– Every group has something off. 
– Every group thinks their interpretation is the one God endorses. 

Even in Hebrew Roots and Messianic circles—which, in my experience, come closest to the original context—there are still blind spots, assumptions, and traditions that slip in unnoticed.

This isn’t about attacking any group. 
It’s about recognizing that no group is immune to human filters.

Most believers don’t actually test what they hear. 
They assume the preacher is right. 
They assume the commentary is right. 
They assume the tradition is right.

But the Bereans didn’t assume. 
They checked.

And they didn’t check Paul against the New Testament—it didn’t exist yet. 
They checked him against the Scriptures they did have. The Tanakh and specifically the Torah

If they had to test Paul, what makes us think we don’t have to test our pastors?

Ignorance Isn’t a Sin… Until You Choose to Stay There

I don’t blame anyone for being misled. 
I don’t blame anyone for inheriting traditions. 
I don’t blame anyone for trusting the people who taught them.

But once you know better, you’re responsible for doing better.

Once you realize you might have been taught through someone else’s filter, you no longer have the luxury of shrugging and saying, “Well, that’s just what my church believes.”

After reading this, you can’t claim you didn’t know. 
You can’t claim no one ever told you to check. 
You can’t claim ignorance without admitting it’s now a choice.

If the Bible says one thing, and your preacher says another, you are not obligated to defend the preacher.

If Scripture contradicts your denomination’s tradition, you are not obligated to protect the tradition.

If the Word of God challenges what you’ve always believed, you are not obligated to cling to your comfort.

You are obligated to the truth.

And truth doesn’t fear questions.

Your Next Step

Don’t take my word for anything. 
Don’t take your pastor’s word for anything. 
Don’t take your denomination’s word for anything.

Read. 
Study. 
Compare. 
Question. 
Test everything.

If the Bible says something plainly, and a human being says something else, choose the One who cannot lie over the one who can be mistaken.

Your faith is too important to outsource.