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And judgment is turned away backward, and
justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity
cannot enter. Isaiah 59:14
We are again living in such a time. So much
confusion on every hand and quarrels and backbiting, even among those who
claim to be of the same camp. Anyone who is an honest observer of both sides
of these quarrels and controversies will quickly see that truth and honesty
are not the rules by which the debate is governed. False accusations abound,
many times because of simple misinformation about the matter, but many times
it is simply the only way to save face. It is inexcusable under any
circumstances. If we are going to involve ourselves in a debate or
controversy we should not open our mouths or put pen to paper until we
absolutely have our facts 100% right, as far as is humanly possible. Surely
God will hold every one accountable for the false accusations they lay on
others, and even more so when it is done publicly.
When it comes to the Scriptures, men have become experts at wresting them to
mean what they want them to mean. They can find verses and pick out words to
“prove” their point of view. In so doing they always have to ignore other
Scriptures that contradict them because the Bible is perfect and complete
and doesn’t leave room for all this confusion. But it doesn’t matter because
most people won’t open the Bible and look for themselves anyway – they
simply take the word of the man they like the best or want to be associated
with (“having men’s person in admiration because of advantage”). They are
like the news media of our day, where all that is necessary is for someone
to say it and everyone believes it without any proof whatsoever. They have
already decided what they believe and then they interpret the Bible to fit
those beliefs. They only listen to those who espouse the same beliefs and
refuse to consider any point of view or facts that differ from what they
have established in their mind. Those beliefs are usually arrived at by the
influence of others who they are socially attached to. That is, birds of a
feather flock together, and if a man has a crowd he likes to run with he is
going to believe like them in spite of what the Bible says, or what the
church has believed through the centuries. When he is pressed and runs out
of ammunition he will use these “men of God” as proof that what he believes
is right. He will say this is “God’s man” or “God has had his hand on this
man” which is a conclusion they have arrived at based on outward
appearances, such as large attendance at his church, or how many buildings
and property he has managed to acquire or build. They will even talk about
how much he prays or the high standards he holds. While some of these may be
good, these same standards if applied to cult leaders, the Pope, Buddist
monks, and the Muslim clerics would “prove” them to be men of God, also. We
know that cannot be right, so surely God has provided us some other means to
discern who is right and who is wrong.
Since we know that we cannot rely on the facts presented about others
because truth is handled so lightly, and men are so good at wresting the
Scriptures to suit themselves, we have to look elsewhere in order to figure
out what God’s position in the matter is. The Word of God is full of
instruction in this matter. WHAT someone says is not nearly as important to
God as HOW he says it, and WHY he says it. God DOES look on the heart, while
men look at the outward appearance. Men are impressed by big, loud, and
brazen speech, but God is not.
All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth
the spirits. Proverbs 16:2 He
that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an
excellent spirit. Proverbs 17:27
God judges by the spirit we manifest and not by what we think of ourselves.
He also instructs us to judge others likewise. This is referring especially
to the spirit a person manifests when he is involved in a controversy with
someone else. The word here in Proverbs 16:2 means specifically “sensible”
or “violent.” God is simply stating a fact here that we all think we are
right, or we wouldn’t be contending about the matter with someone else in
the first place. Since we all think we are right what really matters to God
is the spirit we manifest. Which way do we tend to go? Are we sensible, or
are we violent? That reveals for everyone whether God is with you or not.
God will not go with you down a road He has forbidden. If you go, you go it
alone, and as time passes it becomes more and more obvious to others that
you have left God far behind.
When a person gets involved in a controversy does he manifest the fruit of
the Spirit, or the works of the flesh? Can his words and his attitude be
described honestly as full of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance? Or would an honest person who is
not involved in the controversy think that they sound more like hatred,
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, and seditions?
Does this person answer immediately in the heat of his passions, or does he
study and consider what he is saying, and try to structure his words so as
to persuade the other party to his point of view?
The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth
of the wicked poureth out evil things. Proverbs 15:28
Seest thou a man that is hasty in his
words? there is more hope of a fool than of him. Proverbs 29:20
When you see someone involved in a debate, or
a controversy, are their words like daggers that wound and kill or are they
gracious? Does he attack the character and person of his opponent, or does
he deal with facts about the matter of controversy?
The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips
of a fool will swallow up himself. The beginning of the words of his mouth
is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. Ecclesiastes
10:12-13
There is that speaketh like the
piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. Proverbs 12:18
This is the way of the world, and even more so in our day.
The media, politics, everything operates in this realm. When anything goes
wrong someone has to be found to lay the blame on. A person can be destroyed
without any proof at all. A simple accusation is sufficient to ruin his
entire life. If he dares to contradict the opinion of the majority he is
marked for destruction. These ways of the world should not be found among
those who call themselves Christians. Considering the matter from Scriptures
one would have to conclude that people who continually operate in this realm
are not of God, but of the world.
A work of the flesh bears the marks described in the Bible. A work of the
Spirit of God always bears the fruit of the Spirit. You will always fare
much better by siding with those who display the fruit of the Spirit than
with those who claim to have the Truth but handle it loosely.
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather
grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Matthew 7:16
…for the tree is known by his fruit. Matthew 12:33
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