THE POISONED BLANKETS

Terry Shishmanian
May 2, 2018
4 min read

There is a story, with a grain of truth in it, that early Americans during the French and Indian War used small pox ridden blankets as a way to kill off Native Americans. It is mostly a myth in that this was never a sanctioned method of warfare by the American government. There are credible stories of Swiss mercenaries and a couple of British commanders who had the thought to send diseased blankets to the Indians with the hope of starting the plague amongst them. There is also evidence that a member of the Mandan tribe in Missouri snuck aboard a steamboat that had docked to gather supplies on the Missouri River, stole clothes and blankets, and brought them back to his people. Unfortunately, that steamboat, the St. Peter, had been quarantined because of the small pox plague. Intentional or not, it was a type of early germ warfare. Clever and diabolical.

These stories remind me of the many times I have clung, like a child to his security blanket, to poisonous and wrong thoughts about who God is and what He expects from me. Many times I have wrapped myself in the coziness of lies and half-truths that, at first, made me happy and comforted me, but in the end left me weak and spiritually sick; a Christian without power or clarity of thought. Not much help to my faith, but very useful to the devil.

When I come upon a doctrine that is difficult to understand in the Word of God, am I tempted to alter it a bit to make it a little more palatable? Let’s take the reality of Hell, for example. Such a hard, uncompromising doctrine, and difficult to explain. Do I soften the edges by telling myself-–and others—that it’s really just a state of mind, and not an actual place? Do I jump on the “a loving God would never send people to hell so it can’t possibly be real” bandwagon?

If I do, then I am pulling the poisoned blanket tighter around me, and snuggling down deep into the clever and diabolical lies of the devil. A Christian without power or clarity of thought. Very useful to the devil.

If you can change the Word of God on one subject because it offends you—you can change them all. God very clearly states that we are not to privately interpret His Word.

I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book:

and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:18-19, NAS).

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (II Timothy 3:16, NIV).

If God says there is a Hell—then there’s a Hell. It is not up to you to reinterpret or redefine what God says. Of course, the good news is that He also says there is a Heaven, and all who know Him as their Savior are welcomed there.

If you have fallen into sin, and then wallow in guilt and condemnation, refusing to forgive yourself, you have wrapped yourself in false doctrine. This may be a blanket you have grown used to and in some strange way, it may give you comfort, but it is incorrect thinking. Think with God, instead.

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1, NIV).

Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise; (Micah 7:8).

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (I John 1:9, NIV)

Don’t hug the poisonous blankets of half-truths and lies that the devil would love for you to wrap yourself up in. Go to the Word and seek the truth. Read what God has to say about you, the world you live in and your eternal destiny.

Go to church and hear what God is saying through the preaching of the Word. Have fellowship with other believers and be encouraged by their prayers and friendship.

There are no questions too big for God. Go ahead—ask away. If the Bible is challenging to your concepts of who God is or what you feel faith should be, then go to Him and ask Him to show you what is true. Truth—real truth—should be non-negotiable. Absolute truths are the same for all everyone, everywhere, no exceptions.

It would be a lie to say that I have never had questions concerning something I’ve read in the Bible, or to say that every question has been answered to my satisfaction. But, I do not look at the Bible and assume the problem is with the Book or the Author. I look, instead, at myself, and my limited understanding, and assume the problem is with me, the weak sinner saved by grace.

God has answered many prayers and spoken to me many times through His Word, and so by now, after 40 years of walking with Him, I know I can trust the Bible to be true. I hope that you also know, or will come to know, that His Word can be relied on completely.