A person can mistakenly say something in such a way that it conveys a meaning contrary to what was intended.
A person can make a mistake or "misspeak" without it being a deliberate deception or lie.
A person can say something that is consistently accurate with their intention, but it can be misconstrued by the hearer.
A person can expect the hearer to understand the intent of a statement. As in grammar, "Bring me the phone," the word "YOU" is understood.
Someone can take a person's statement out of context and make it convey a meaning contrary to what was actually said.
Knowing the person who makes the statement (his values, worldview, history, belief system, knowledge) and the context of the statement are essential to understanding the meaning of the statement.
Because of various possibilities, people get misrepresented, including God's revelation in the Bible. Sometimes this is intentional, and sometimes it is because the hearer lacks discernment.
Knowing God's word is essential, but knowing Him personally enables us to understand what He says.
God's works and His attributes (which may seem to be contradictory) are always consistent with His word and His nature.
Don't view God in the same way that the six blind men described the elephant.
Here is a repeat of something I recently posted. I am repeating this because it is such an important and current issue. There are many blind guides today who are misrepresenting the word, nature and work of God. Be careful.
QUOTE...
"The "parable" refers to six blind men in India who heard that an elephant had been brought to their village, but since none of them had ever encountered an elephant, they decided to check it out together.
Each of the six men touched the elephant and then described what they had experienced. But they each touched a different part of the elephant (the tail, the leg, the side, the trunk, the ear, and the tusk). Each of their descriptions of an elephant differed (a rope, a tree, a wall, a snake, a fan, and a spear), giving a false analysis and description of an elephant.
This simple story applies to life in general, but it has a very definite application to Christian understanding.
Some people are so focused on one aspect of Biblical truth and salvific experience that they don't "see" other facets of truth.
People can be so focused on the Divine side of salvation that they ignore the human participation, such as faith, repentance, confession, obedience, and following, which are part of God's design.
People can be so focused on a particular doctrine that they do not understand the broader scope of God's salvation.
People can be so focused on their own experience (whether the experience is legitimate or not) that they do not experience the specifics of God's will, God's enlightenment, or God's grace.
People can be so focused on a cultural view of Christianity that they are blind to the Biblical revelation of salvation.
There are other problems as well, but this should indicate my concern.
In order to have a proper view of the word of God, we must have a wide variety of information, knowledge, understanding, and wisdom.
In order to be in a right relationship with God, we need to have a clear and accurate comprehension of the Bible. Sadly, great numbers of people today are ever learning, but never coming to the knowledge of the truth.
It is the appointed job, task, ministry, life of a pastor to know the truth and to convey the truth clearly. Pastors have been called and gifted to do the great work of shepherding, leading, feeding, correcting, teaching, protecting, and arming the people of God for the work of the ministry. But the pastor is responsible to follow fully, to spend the hours in prayer, study, counseling, teaching, preaching, equipping, encouraging, enlightening, unifying, reproving, and edifying the believers. The pastor/teacher needs to have a solid awareness of Scripture, theology and doctrine, history (world and Church), linguistics, current events, cultural differences, world religions, cultic beliefs and practices, and political agendas. All of these side issues are part of life and should be understood in the light of Christian faith and practice."
