Boyce Mouton
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CORRECTLY HANDLING THE WORD OF TRUTH

Boyce Mouton · 11 pages · 5,616 words

CORRECTLY HANDLING THE WORD OF TRUTH

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” ((2 Timothy 2:15)

Timothy was to “do the work of an evangelist.” (2 Timothy 4:5) Obviously an evangelist should be diligent to be approved to God and handle the word of God correctly!

The fact is, however, that every believer should read the word of God every day! Jesus said: “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4). This is a quotation from Deuteronomy 8:3 which teaches that God fed his people with manna to teach them that man does not live on bread alone! Just as we need physical food every day, we also need spiritual food every day.

Please consider:

  • Everyone should study the Scriptures, for man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).
  • Everyone is to put on the whole armor of God and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:13-18).
  • Everyone is to sanctify the Lord God in your heart and to be ready always to give an answer to anyone who asks a reason for our hope (1 Peter 3:15).
  • Everybody should tell others about Jesus (Acts 8:4).
  • Not everyone, however, should be teachers as teachers will be judged more strictly than others (James 3:1).
  • Timothy was especially called to “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke,. Exhort, with all long suffering and teaching.” (2 Timothy 4:2)
  • God gave special prophecies about Timothy (I Timothy 1:18).
  • God has especially gifted some to be teachers (1 Corinthians 12:28).
  • Timothy was to teach in such a way that he could avoid striving about words to no profit and to avoid foolish and unlearned questions (2 Timothy 2:14, 23).
  • Timothy was to refuse profane and old wives fables and the opposition of what is falsely called science (1 Timothy 1:7; 6:20).
  • Jesus warned: “Watch out that no one deceives you.” (Matthew 24:4)
  • Peter warned: “But there were also 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 who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their depraved conduct and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with fabricated stories. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping.” (2 Peter 2:1-3)
  • Timothy was warned: “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they 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.” (2 Timothy 4:3-4)
  • Hymenaeus and Philetus were bad teachers who had wandered from the truth. Their evil teaching spread like gangrene (2 Timothy 2:17-18).
  • Ignorant and unstable people can distort the Scriptures to their own destruction (2 Peter 3:16).
  • Paul did not handle the word of God deceitfully, and neither should we (2 Corinthians 4:2).
  • Babes in Christ need to be fed with milk (1 Corinthians 3:1-2).
  • Mature Christians need to be fed meat (Hebrews 5:14).
  • Etc.
  • THE POINT IS – EVERYONE SHOULD BE DILIGENT AND HANDLE THE WORD OF GOD CORRECTLY!

SPIRITUAL WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING IS ESSENTIAL

The word of God is different from human words: “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) We must therefore pray for spiritual wisdom in order to understand spiritual words.

Jesus said: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)

We obviously need “spiritual wisdom” in order to handle the word of God correctly. Please consider Paul’s prayer for the holy and faithful brethren in Colosse: “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through spiritual wisdom and understanding.” (Colossians 1:9)

Yes! There is a spiritual dimension to handling the word of God correctly. Yes! We need “spiritual wisdom and understanding.” We cannot handle the word of God correctly without the help of God!

  • The minds of unbelievers are blinded by Satan so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4).
  • This blindness is like a veil covering the eyes of unbelievers, but “Whenever anyone turns to the Lord the veil is taken away.” (2 Corinthians 3:16)
  • “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)
  • When a man is born again, however, he becomes a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). He now can hear and recognize the truth more clearly!
  • Jesus said that his sheep follow him because they know his voice “but they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” (John 10:4-5)
  • Jesus also said: “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.” (Matthew 11:25-26)
  • No one can correctly handle the word of God who is not born again and who does not have the help of God!

THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDMENT IN THE BIBLE

  • According to Jewish tradition there are 613 commandments in the Torah.
  • All truths are equally true, but not all truths are equally important! 2 + 2 = 4 and Jesus is the Christ. Both are equally true, but not equally important.
  • The Jews were divided into different denominations because they did not agree on which commandments were the most important.
  • When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, one of them, an expert in the law, tested Jesus with this question: “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:36) This “expert” apparently wanted to divide and polarize the followers of Jesus.
  • “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
  • THE MOST IMPORTANT COMMANDMENT IN THE BIBLE IS TO LOVE GOD MORE THAN WE LOVE ANYONE ELSE, OR ANYTHING ELSE!
  • LOVING GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART IS YOUR FIRST STEP TOWARD HANDLING THE WORD OF GOD CORRECTLY!
  • God is looking for people like this: “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)
  • Those whose hearts are “fully committed” to the Lord are special.

SPECIAL PROMISES TO SPECIAL PEOPLE

  • Hebrews 11 is called the “faith chapter” of the Bible. It lists special people who were famous for their faith. The list includes such heroes such as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, etc. These special people were obviously among those who hearts were “fully committed” to the Lord.
  • Abraham, for example, was special! He believed in God even though he came from a family of idolators (Joshua 24:2–3). God, as you know, commanded him to leave his country, his people, and his father’s household (Genesis 12:1).
  • Abraham was indeed special! Through him all the families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:1-3).
  • Abraham was special friend of God and when God decided to destroy Sodom he asked: “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do?” (Genesis 18:17) The answer was “no”! Since Abraham was such a special friend God confided in him what was going to happen to Sodom! Note that God revealed this to Abraham but not to anyone else.
  • Further, God even allowed Abraham to bargain with him about sparing Sodom. Based on Abraham’s negotiations, God agreed to spare Sodom if only ten righteous people were found in the city (Genesis 18:32)
  • As we have said, Abraham was so devoted to God that he was considered a “friend of God” (2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23). Most people will reveal things to their friends that they will not reveal to others. Perhaps this is why God revealed things to Abraham that he did not reveal to others.
  • Those who love God with all of their heart are special and God treats them differently from others!
  • God revealed things to Joseph that he did not reveal to his brothers (Genesis 37:2-11).
  • God revealed things to Samuel that he did not reveal to Eli the priest (1 Samuel 3:1-21).
  • God revealed things to Daniel that he did not reveal to the king’s astrologers (Daniel 2:19-23).
  • God revealed things to Cornelius that he did not reveal to other Gentiles (Acts 10:1-8).
  • Jeremiah promised the people of God in Babylonian captivity: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:23)
  • When you seek God with all your heart God promises that you will find him!
  • When you seek God with all your heart, perhaps God will also reveal things to you that he does not reveal to others!

SAUL OF TARSUS

The Apostle Paul was once known as Saul of Tarsus. He understood God when others did not! His conversion is recorded three different times in the book of Acts (Acts 9:1-19; 22:2-21; 26:1-23). When Jesus spoke to Saul on the Damascus Road everyone heard the voice but only Saul understood what Jesus was saying. Why?

  • Saul spoke the Hebrew language as did all Jews (Acts 22:2).
  • The Scriptures are clear that Jesus spoke to Saul in the Hebrew language (Acts 26:14).
  • Yet, while Saul’s companions “heard the voice” (Acts 9:7) they did not “understand” the voice (Acts 22:9). Why?
  • Saul, by contrast, clearly understood every word that Jesus spoke: Jesus said: “‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’” (Acts 26:15-18)
  • How was it possible that Saul was the only one to understand what Jesus said?
  • Please consider that Saul was the only one there who was searching for God with all his heart!
  • Jesus had a similar experience in Jerusalem just before he was crucified. Jesus said: “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him.” (John 12:27-29)
  • Note that Jesus understood the voice from heaven and others did not!
  • IT IS OBVIOUS THAT JESUS WAS SEEKING TO PLEASE GOD WITH ALL HIS HEART! APPARENTLY THE OTHERS WERE NOT!
  • IF YOU SEEK GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART PERHAPS GOD WILL ALSO REVEAL SOMETHING TO YOU!

CONTEXT

The devil, as you know, quotes Scripture (Matthew 4:6). By disregarding the context is is possible to twist the Scriptures into saying almost anything you want them to. There is an old joke about the man who claimed that the Bible commanded him to quickly beat his wife. Here was his “proof”.

  • “Husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church.” (Ephesians 5:22)
  • “The Lord disciplines those he loves.” (Proverbs 3:12)
  • “What you are about to do, do quickly.” (John 13:27)

This is only a joke. Obviously, God does not command a husband to beat his wife.

There were some in Corinth who handled the word of God deceitfully (2 Corinthians 4:2). Such men were: “false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

Those who handle the word of God correctly do not twist and abuse the Scriptures!

This being said, we must be careful not to limit God in communicating truth to his children through the Scriptures. “What is impossible with men, is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27) No person or denomination can limit the ways God can communicate with his children! Paul wrote to the Romans: “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?” “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?” For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Romans 11:33-36)

It is always s wise to consider the context of a Scripture, but it is also wise to remember that God can communicate in ways we do not understand!

Jesus explained: “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.” (Mark 4:26-29) The word of God is a “seed” that grows in ways that mere humans cannot completely understand!

Solomon said: “As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.” (Ecclesiastes 11:5)

As we have already pointed out: “The word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) What person, or what denomination, can completely explain how God’s living word can enable the child of God to grow into the likeness of

Jesus? No man can explain how the word of God divides soul and spirit and judges the thoughts an attitudes of the heart? Yes! God’s ways are “unsearchable” and his “paths” beyond tracing out!

Peter said: “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.” (1 Peter 4:11). Remember! Even a little child can quote a Scripture just as they can plant a seed. It is God, however, who makes that seed grow. Paul said that he planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow! God helps seeds grow in ways that we cannot completely understand.

God, for example, also helps us pray! When we do not know how we ought to pray, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express (Romans 8:26). Obviously the Holy Spirit can also help us to understand his word.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:19-22

For example, let’s consider this brief passage from Paul’s letter to the church of the Thessalonians. The gospel did not come to them only with “words” but also with the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 1:5) Nearing the end of his letter Paul wrote: “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22) What do these words mean? Let’s start with the “context”.

  • Since prophetic revelations come from the Holy Spirit Paul wrote: “Do not quench the Spirit.”
  • The church was not to “treat prophecies with contempt.”
  • Since there are many false prophets in the world they were to “test them all.”
  • Finally, they were to “hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.”
  • The “context” obviously refers to rejecting evil prophecies that did not come from the Holy Spirit.

We need to ask, however, is God limited by the “context” in communicating to his children? For the sake of illustration, let us assume that a godly father is reading these inspired words to his family. When the members of the family hear the warning “rejecting every kind of evil” can they only apply it to prophetic revelations?

  • Is it possible that the Holy Spirit might use these words to keep a 5 year old boy from hitting his sister?
  • Is it possible that the Holy Spirit might use these same inspired words to keep his 15 year old brother from reading pornography?
  • Is it possible that “rejecting every kind of evil” might be used by God to keep the 40 year old father from flirting with his secretary.
  • Is it possible that God might use these same inspired words to rescue their 80 year old grandmother from the evil of discouragement?
  • Do we have the right to limit God on how he can use these inspired words to give guidance to his children?
  • The word of God was “at work” among the believers in Thessalonica: “And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is
  • indeed at work in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13) What does it mean that the word of God is “at work” in those who believe?
  • Since the word of God is alive Paul asked the Thessalonians to pray that it would spread rapidly and be honored: “As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you.” (2 Thessalonians 3:1) There is a sense in this the living word of God cannot be limited or controlled by man!

HOSEA 11:1

Let’s consider another passage from the Bible “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” (Hosea 11:1) What does this mean?

Hosea was a prophet of God who lived over 700 years before Jesus was born: “The word of the Lord that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel.” (Hosea 1:10)

Hosea was known as the “weeping prophet of Israel” as Jeremiah was known as the “weeping prophet of Judah”.

The verse just before the our text reads: “So will it happen to you, Bethel, because your wickedness is great. When that day dawns, the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.” (Hosea 10:15)

Then we are told “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.” (Hosea 11:1)

The verse just after our text reads: “But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.” (Hosea 11:2)

Nothing in the “context” of this verse refers to Jesus and yet Matthew wrote 700 years later that when Jesus was a baby “an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Matthew 2:13-15)

THE POINT IS THAT GOD IS NOT LIMITED BY “CONTEXT” IN COMMUNICATING TRUTH!

NON VERBAL COMMUNICATION

Wikipedia states: “According to some authors, nonverbal communication represents two-thirds of all communications. Nonverbal communication can portray a message both vocally and with the correct body signals or gestures. Body signals comprise physical features, conscious and unconscious gestures and signals, and the mediation of personal space. The wrong message can also be established

if the body language conveyed does not match a verbal message. Paying attention to both verbal and nonverbal communication may leave the listener with a feeling of being lost, due to not being able to breakdown both at the same time. However, ignoring nonverbal communication altogether would cause the listener to miss up to 60% of their communication, according to experts.”

If 60% of our communication with one another is “non verbal” certainly God can also communicate without using words.

David wrote: “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.” (Psalm 32:8-9)

When Peter denied the Lord for the third time the rooster crowed: Then “The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.’ And he went out and wept bitterly.” (Luke 22:61-62) Jesus didn’t have to say one word! Merely looking into the eyes of Jesus caused him to weep bitterly!

B. A. Austin Jr. was raised by a godly mother and a father in Carl Junction, Missouri. When B.A. went away to college he began smoking cigars. Returning home for a short visit he deemed it hypocritical to hide his new habit from his parents. As he crawled into his car he deliberately lit up a big cigar while his mother watched from the front porch. That was over 50 years ago and the look on his mother’s face still haunts him. B.A. never smoked another cigarette or cigar!

  • Paul wrote: “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace, and be thankful.” (Colossians 3:16) The Greek word translated as “rule” in this verse is “brabeuo” which means to “act as an umpire.” When the child of God is doing something God does not want them to do the “umpire” takes away their peace.
  • Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: “Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another.” (1 Thessalonians 4:9). There are certain things that automatically happen when someone is truly born again. One characteristic of the Christian is to love other Christians. Jesus said: “A new command I give you: Love one another as I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)
  • In some supernatural way we are “taught by God to love one another.”
  • John the apostle wrote: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well. This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” (1 John 5:1-5)

A caterpillar is ugly and destructive. Caterpillars can destroy your garden. God, however, can “transform” the caterpillar into a butterfly. A butterfly is beautiful and harmless. A butterfly knows

how to fly and can migrate thousands of miles. The word describing the “transformation” of a caterpillar into a butterfly is “metamorphosis”. This is the very word used in Scripture to describe the “transformation” of a child of God from the works of the flesh to the fruit of the Spirit. Please consider:

  • “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)
  • “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
  • “Conversion” is immediate. The moment we receive Jesus Christ as Lord our sins are immediately forgiven. “Transformation,” however, is a process that continues throughout our entire life. As we continue to look into the face of Jesus we are gradually “transformed” into his image.

KNOWING GOD AND CHRIST

Knowing God and Jesus Christ is a top priority! In fact, it is “eternal life.” Please consider this prayer of Jesus: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” (John 17:1-3)

Paul said: “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so somehow to attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:10)

Jeremiah said: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

Micah said: “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

The Scriptures teach: “And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord.” (Genesis 4:1) When Adam “knew” his wife, it meant that he became intimate with her so that a new life was produced. THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO KNOW GOD AND ONE OF THE MAJOR WAYS WE COME TO KNOW GOD IS BY CORRECTLY HANDLING THE WORD OF TRUTH!

AMMUNITION OR NUTRITION?

It is possible to diligently study the Scriptures without being saved. We need to study the Scriptures for the right reason. We need to study for “nutrition” to help us know God and not for “ammunition” to help us win an argument. Jesus warned the Jews: “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” (John 5:39)

The Pharisees and Sadducees were two major Jewish sects. “The Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, and that there are neither angels nor spirits, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all.” (Acts 23:8)

The Pharisees and the Sadducees were constantly studying the Scriptures so they could debate with one another. The Sadducees used one of their favorite arguments on Jesus (Matthew 22:23-33). Jesus rebuked them saying: “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God.” (Matthew 22:29)

Moses commanded that judges and officials be appointed in every town to judge the people fairly (Deuteronomy 16:18). These judges were called the Sanhedrin. The Apostle Paul was taken before the Sanhedrin and falsely accused of taking Greeks into the temple area and defiling that holy place (Acts 21:28-30). Since Paul knew that there were both Pharisees and Sadducees in the Sanhedrin he merely said: “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, descended from Pharisees. I stand on trial because of the hope of the resurrection of the dead.” When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided.” (Acts 23:6-7)

At this point the Pharisees and Sadducees began fighting with one another. “There was a great uproar, and some of the teachers of the law who were Pharisees stood up and argued vigorously. “We find nothing wrong with this man,” they said. “What if a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” The dispute became so violent that the commander was afraid Paul would be torn to pieces by them. He ordered the troops to go down and take him away from them by force and bring him into the barracks.” (Acts 23:9-10)

A Roman commander ordered the chief priests and all the Sanhedrin to assemble to find out why Paul was being accused of the Jews. Sadly, when these sectarian Jews started arguing with one another they forget why they were there.

The same thing can happen to us when we put “knowledge” before “love.”

KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” (1 Corinthians 8:1)

Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly – mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed you are still not ready.” (1 Corinthians 3:1-2)

One subject of controversy at Corinth involved eating meat offered to idols. “Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds us.

The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God.” (1 Corinthians 8:1-3)

Even though the Corinthians were immature, they did not lack in any spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 1:7). The greatest spiritual gift of all, as you know, is love. Please consider these inspired words:

“Now eagerly desire the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way. If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13)

WE OBVIOUSLY CANNOT CORRECTLY HAND THE WORD OF TURH WITHOUT LOVE! SOME WISE PERSON ONCE OBSERVED THAT “WITH LOVE THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS, AND WITHOUT IT THERE ARE NO ANSWERS”

SO

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” ((2 Timothy 2:15)