The unsaved world corrupts people’s understanding of the Bible.

Unsaved people read the Bible and use their corrupt minds to understand it. They pervert understanding of the Bible by assigning incorrect meanings to important Bible words. They use their own or society’s definitions, rather than God's. So people believe the Bible reveals things that it does not. They misunderstand the Bible. They are deceived about God—His nature, purposes, ways and so on. Then they go on to teach their erroneous understandings to others, deceiving them too.

2 Timothy 3:13-14 KJV

[13] But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

[14] But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;

What are some examples of this?

1. Love.

   
   

“Love” is misunderstood to mean doing for people what they desire, enjoy. And never doing anything that would cause them pain. “Love” in the Bible means caring about people‘s well-being. Biblical love causes people to do what is best for others, even if it causes some suffering.

2 Corinthians 7:8-9 KJV

[8] For though I made you sorry with a letter, I do not repent, though I did repent: for I perceive that the same epistle hath made you sorry, though it were but for a season.

[9] Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing.

2. Christian.

   
   

All kinds of people are called Christians. Even those who are obviously anti-Christ. Many believe that anyone who calls themselves a Christian is a Christian. However, “Christian” in the Bible means a disciple of Christ. One who learns from and obeys Christ.

Acts 11:26 KJV

[26] And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

disciple

1. (Philosophy) a follower of the doctrines of a teacher or a school of thought

COLLINS ENGLISH DICTIONARY. 2025.

A disciple is one who is taught and follows the teachings. This can be seen from these verses.

Matthew 5:1-2A KJV

[1] And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

[2] And he opened his mouth, and taught them,

John 8:31 KJV

[31] Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

3. Faith.

Many people equate faith with blind faith. Believing something without any justification at all.

faith

1. strong or unshakeable belief in something, esp without proof or evidence

AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION. 2025.

Yet biblical faith is based on evidence. People who have this faith (trust) in the Bible and God, have good reasons for trusting them.

Psalm 34:8 KJV

[8] O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

Taste, or experience, that the Lord is good. That leads to trust in Him.

Psalm 36:7 KJV

[7] How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.

God showers many excellent acts of kindness on people. This causes them to trust God.

Hebrews 11:17 KJV

[17] By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,

Abraham, having received what God had promised, had faith in God. One such promise was his son Isaac, who was conceived after he and his wife were too old to have children.

Hebrews 11:32-33 KJV

[32] And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

[33] Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

They obtained promises. They experienced God doing what he promised to do. So they put their faith in Him.

4. Generation.

generation

1. The people born and living about the same time, considered as a group: the baby-boom generation.

AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION. 2025.

In the Bible, “generation” sometimes has the same meaning.

“Generation,” is the translation of

G1074 - genea

III. the whole multitude of men living at the same time

STRONG'S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE. 2025.

Matthew 12:41 KJV

[41] The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

But “genea (generation)” has another meaning.

G1074 - genea II.B. a group of men very like each other in endowments, pursuits, character

esp. in a bad sense, a perverse nation STRONG'S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE. 2025.

Matthew 12:39 KJV

[39] But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:

Because of assigning an erroneous definition to “generation,” many people believe Jesus spoke falsely when He said,

Matthew 24:34 KJV

[34] Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

They believe Jesus was referring to those people living at that time. And all those things Jesus predicted in Matthew 24 did not happen back then. The context of this verse reveals the generation referred to is Jesus’ disciples.

Matthew 24:3 KJV

[3] And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

This group of people have not passed. There have always been disciples of Jesus since then.