Articles
Thus Says the Lord
It is characteristic of the writings of men, humble ones anyway, to qualify many of their observations with a note of uncertainty. Even scholarly articles will use language such as, “Most experts think …” or “The data seem to indicate …” or some similar caveat. Probably the most overused word in public discourse is “alleged.”
But have you noticed that the Scriptures do not use such indefinite terminology, even when addressing the most difficult, controversial or complex subject? When a Bible author is not expressing a mere opinion, as the apostle Paul does upon occasion, he speaks with absolute clarity and certainty. There are literally thousands of examples, but consider these:
1) “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Gn 1:1).
2) “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28).
3) “And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced commits adultery” (Mt 19:9).
4) “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Ac 17:30-31).
5) “And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve” (1 Tim 2:12-13).
The origin of the universe and life, the existence and nature of an eternal Creator, the continuance of the soul beyond death, elements of a fixed moral code, the historical reality and spiritual significance of the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth, the dignity of human life, the nature of marriage, the acceptable expression of human sexuality, gender roles … these and dozens of other foundational, controversial questions are addressed forthrightly and unambiguously in the Scriptures.
The word of God truly shines a bright light upon this dark world!
Of course, that is one of the very reasons why unbelievers have such vehement hatred for it: “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed” (Jn 3:19-20).
And so our exhortation is two-fold:
1) Don’t be ashamed to reflect the light of truth upon a world of doubt and confusion. The ever-changing philosophies of men don’t offer anything dependable, and they leave most people frustrated and uncertain.
2) Be confident of the Holy Spirit’s illumination. The Scriptures speak authoritatively because they originate in the mind of our Creator. The Bible is, in effect, the owner’s manual. He knows what makes us “tick” spiritually, emotionally and socially. Be glad for every “Thus says the Lord,” for what you read next you can take to the bank.
