Reflections
When the government trains people to spot counterfeit currency, they don’t spend all of their time studying the various counterfeits – although that is included as a secondary focus. The primary tool for training is genuine currency. If a person is thoroughly acquainted with genuine currency they will be able to spot a counterfeit in a moment.
The genuine article for a believer is the Person of Jesus Christ. If we know HIM, we will know what is OF Him. And we will also recognize a counterfeit. Indeed, if we know Him, this will even enable us to understand — according to Him — what the Bible means by what it says. But if we do not know Jesus Christ in an inward way, then we are pretty much left to the futility of our own mind and wits to try to sort out Truth from error.
It is possible for smart people to logically determine meanings of Bible verses, and to make some application of them. It is also possible for highly intelligent people to be totally deceived. Why? Because brain power will not enable us to see. If we remain blind to the person of Jesus Christ, we will, in one way or another, be subject to our own bias and weaknesses. Eventually this will lead to deception. The key to seeing Christ is an eye that is single to Him. It is by knowing Him that we are able to discern all else.