God's "just-ness" in revealing His will to man

God is a "just" and "righteous" God. (Gen. 18:25; Deut. 32:4) I dare say that anyone would disagree with this.

When it comes to the revelation of His will to us in the Bible, consider this: How just would GOD be to place my salvation upon “that which is written” and then give me “that which is written” (the Bible) knowing all time that I could not understand it? 

The word “understand” occurs about 300 times in the Bible, and Paul wrote, “Wherefore be ye not foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (Eph. 5:17). He also said, “whereby, when ye read, ye can perceive my understanding in the mystery of Christ” (Eph. 3:4; 2 Tim. 2:7). I think it must be “kinda difficult” to “read” silence, that which is NOT written, don’t you?

If the Bible cannot be understood, only one of two reasons would explain why. Either GOD does not want us to understand it (verses just given prove otherwise), [compare 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Tim. 2:3-4], or He is not able to make the word understandable (and who would accuse GOD of this?). Yet, the Bible says the word is truth (John 17:17; 8:31-32; 7:17) and that we can “know” it (Psalms 119:60; 117:1-2; Prov. 23:23; John 1:17; 2 Thess. 2:10-12; etc.). The alternative is, if there is no truth, there is no error; there is no sin and Jesus died for naught!

There can be only one correct understanding of the word of GOD and this comes to us by faith, which is by the “hearing of the word of GOD” (Rom. 10:17). Anything other than an understanding is a “misunderstanding.” “To understand” means to comprehend the meaning of, to receive the correct meaning of words and signs. There is a rule of logic that says two things cannot differ on the same subject and both be right. If you “understand”: and I differ, then I necessarily “misunderstand”. If I tell you my phone number is 283-3634 and two weeks later you try to call me by calling 283-3436 and then tell me that “I understood you to say…” No, you did not, you misunderstood me to say 283-3436.

We can agree “on what is written, “but we “disagree” when talking of the “silence” and “what the Bible does not say.” Note these very great examples.

1. Exodus 3:1-3. GOD spoke to Moses out of a “bush that burned with fire.” We can know it was a “burning bush,” but when we speculate on “what kind” of a bush it was that burned, then we disagree. The answer is simple as to the disagreement – the Bible is “silent’ on the “kind” of bush it was.

2. John 3:1-2. We can all agree that Nicodemus came to Christ “by night.” However, disagreement comes when we force an “opinion” on “the why” he came by night. Unity comes on the clear statement “by night,” and disunity comes when we try to make opinion a basis for unity.

3. John 8:1-8. This scripture explicitly states that Jesus “wrote on the ground.’ What did He write? We do not know. The reason that we do not know is because the Bible does not say. On this we can all be united. Unity comes from “that which is written.” Why? There is that on which we can agree. We will all disagree on ‘that which is not written.” Why? There is no authorization for my opinion. Faith and opinion are not the same thing. It is that which is written that produces faith and is the standard, the norm, for unity. The Bible does not demand unity on our opinions, and they come from the “silence,” that is, that which is not written.

4. 2 Cor. 12:7-10…I guess, at times, much discussion is centered on Paul’s “thorn” in the flesh. Usually people have their minds made up as to what it is. Indeed, much has been said about this “thorn,” and many “ideas/opinions” have been expressed as to “what” it is. We can agree Paul had a ‘thorn’ in the flesh. We may never be, not, we will never be, united on what it was, as the Bible is “silent” on that!

5. There is no authority in this “silence” upon which man can agree. GOD does not require unity where there is no authority. What GOD teaches he expects, and what GOD has omitted, He rejects. Again, GOD does not demand unity in matters of human opinion, speculation, judgment or wisdom.

copyright 2018

rdb