My time in the Word went through Psalm 15 again this morning. I was struck by a lot of things in that Psalm but look closely at the second half of verse 2, “He speaks truth in his heart.” Think about that…
The implication is that it is possible to speak truth and it is not in your heart. That would mean that it is not a part of your life, your thinking, your character. I have known people like this. They know the Bible. They may even teach. But their lives are not impacted by the Word. They are acclaimed and honored as good Christians but they have not applied what they are teaching to their lives. In Romans 2:3 Paul addresses this type of behavior. He, rather, he states that God condemns it.
Prof Hendricks said that we are never to traffic in unpracticed truth. James tells us that we are to be doers of the Word.
Speaking truth is not enough. It has to come from the heart.
Prof Hendricks said that we are never to traffic in unpracticed truth. James tells us that we are to be doers of the Word.
Speaking truth is not enough. It has to come from the heart.
"...never to traffic in unpracticed truth." Sounds exactly like a Dr. Hendricks zinger! And all too easy to do that very thing,
ReplyDeleteThis seems to me to go hand in hand with Paul's exhortation in Ephesians 4:15 to speak the truth in love so that we can all grow together toward maturity as the Body of Christ.
Speaking the truth in love means to me that I speak, not all the truth even about a particular subject, but only what meets the need of the person to whom I speak - as well as the way I speak. If it is in my life, then it won't take so many words to communicate anyway, and will be far more effective. And I'm very likely to learn something in the process as well. The Holy Spirit is like that!