Book of Collations

The word to collate means: to gather together information from different sources in order to study it carefully; or to arrange (sheets of paper) in the correct order.  It is a process kind of word. So it was fascinating to me recently when in one of my draft books a comment about the Bible book of Colossians, accidently was spell checked to be the Book of “Collations.”  It reminds me of some of the so-called spirituality that is arising nowadays. It often is a syncretic combination of faiths that comes out as some new religion.  

Peter, speaking of the times said, “There will be false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord” (2 Peter 2:1). Numerous NT passages warn of false teachers who are already present or yet to come. We read in 2 Timothy 4:3 “For the time will come when men will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” Well we have certainly come to such a time when not only tolerance for whatever someone believes is OK, but that each person should receive all as equal for there is thought to be no real or absolute truth. This relativism denies that founding principles of the United States as based on Scripture and Christians principles.  Ignorance of history has allowed for a misinterpretation of many time-honored beliefs.

The result of this syncretism is a weakening of our moral and ethical standards in the country. Of course behavioral decay goes with this trend.  Quotes from the Book of Collations would read something like, “whatever works for you” or “whatever feels good do it.” Misinterpretation of the Constitution and related documents on freedom of religion has been reinterpreted to mean “freedom from religion.” This tragic direction has been taken by the Supreme Court of American as well with its landmark decision of “separating church and state” and most recently allowing marriage to be between two persons. It does not seem to matter that 47 times in the Bible, which is the document that describes marriage, says it is between a man and a woman. Marriage is a religious state created by God, not the State.

So it seems that this Book of Collation has brought some collateral damage to foundations writings and beliefs. I personally will continue to use a Bible Concordance to find Scripture to help me understand when key principles are at stake.