I mentioned in my last post that the best words I can write are not my words but God’s Word.  Yet, by the grace of God, I have the opportunity to share my thoughts and my words here.  My thoughts and the attitudes behind what I write are very important and I do not want to communicate anything that is self-righteous or judgmental.  I also will not compromise the truth revealed in the Bible, God’s Word.  I believe that the Word of God is inspired, inerrant, infallible, and authoritative—and that God’s justice is both righteous and compassionate.

That being said, I read a post by a Christian recently condemning the clerk in Kentucky, Kim Davis, for her stand against gay marriage, going to jail instead of violating her faith.  The writer essentially contends that making her stand was easy to do while defending and protecting children who are dying around the world is difficult.  That, of course, is assuming that Ms. Davis’ only act of faith is taking a stand for biblical truth.  I know nothing about her life, where she goes to church, how she spends her free time, what the Holy Spirit is speaking to her heart…in fact, all I can assume comes only from my understanding of the choice she made regarding gay marriage—I know nothing about her relationship with Jesus except that she is not willing to give into society’s pressure, criticisms, or judgment.  By the grace of God, may we all be that way!

How we treat other Christians is important, in fact the apostle Peter wrote through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:  “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever….Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious” (1 Peter 1:22, 23; 2:1-3).

Unity and sincere love of the brethren comes through obeying the truth, by the Spirit, and through the Word of God, which lives and abides forever.  …not opinions about truth, not judgment nor condemnation, not an interpretation of scripture that gives permissions that God, in His holiness, does not.

Paul wrote this to the Galatian church:  “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this:  ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!” (Galatians 5:14, 15).

It gets a little tricky when unity means, “you need to agree with me and then this just might work out.”  God has given us the Bible, dictated by the Holy Spirit to His appointed scribes, as a basis for our faith.  However, I have read arguments and been part of systems that discredit portions of scripture or redefined biblical passages to suit their personal passions or beliefs.  The apostle Paul wrote, “And He Himself [Jesus] gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God…” (Ephesians 4:11-13). 

But we must not stop there with that passage; he goes on to write:  “that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ…” (Ephesians 4:14, 15).

When we speak truth it needs to be with love.

We also need to know the truth to avoid getting carried away with “every wind of doctrine” and the trickery of men.  Paul wrote to Timothy, “Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,” –a couple of for instances:  “forbidding to marry [which has nothing to do with gay marriage because Paul makes very clear in Romans 1:26-32 God’s opinion of homosexuality…and interestingly enough, the  Holy Spirit includes in this judgment not only the ones who practice this lifestyle but also those who approve of it] “and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth” (1 Timothy 4:1-3).

So how can we recognize followers of Jesus?  He tells us:

“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.  And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31).

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

“By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples” (John 15:8).

Jesus’ instructions are clear:  we are to abide in His Word, have love for one another, and bear much fruit.  As God’s children and Jesus’ disciples—and for those of us who are Christian writers/bloggers—let us consider the words of our mouths and the words we write, making sure that they are acceptable in God’s sight.