THE RIGHT WORDS
If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God (KJV).
This is what we heard from our scripture reading.
The
word translated “speak” in 1 Pet.
If we are teaching someone about God or we are describing spiritual things, we must be an oracle.
What is an oracle? What does it mean to be an oracle of God?
The word oracle means, “the very words of God.”
This definition teaches that when we describe spiritual things we are to use God’s vocabulary.
We are to describe spiritual things just as God has described them.
IF WE TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT THE RELIGIOUS WORLD WE FIND THAT THE RELIGIOUS WORLD DOES NOT SPEAK AS THE ORACLES OF GOD.
a) Most do not use God’s vocabulary to describe spiritual things.
b) Let’s look at some examples.
c) How many times has someone said to us, “Where do you go to church?”
i) Anyone who asks this question has failed to speak as an oracle of God.
ii) Asking where we “attend church” indicates that the church is a physical structure.
iii) The Bible shows that the church is not a literal building.
iv)
In Mt.
v) Though the Lord was a carpenter He did not build a physical structure for worship.
vi) The “church” that He built was a group of people.
vii) Two
chapters later (Mt.
viii) He said that if problems could not be resolved, tell it to the church.
ix) Surely all agree that Jesus did not mean that we are to speak to bricks and cement.
x) In God’s vocabulary the word church describes Christians.
2) In the vocabulary of men this word usually describes a physical structure.
3)
God said through Peter (1 Pet.
a) Although this is the command, this instruction is frequently violated.
b) As I deal with people at least two respectful terms are sometimes bestowed upon me.
c) Some call me Reverend. Many sincerely refer to me as a pastor.
d) Other religious workers are described by terms such as pope and father.
4) We certainly do not condemn anyone for trying to be thoughtful and kind.
5) However, we must avoid violating what God said through Peter.
6) We must speak as the oracles of God.
7) We must use the words God has given and use them correctly.
8) What words has God given to describe full time religious workers?
a) For those who preach we find the following terms:
b) The word evangelist is used to describe those who teach the gospel, Acts 21:8.
c) Towards the end of his book Luke applied this term to Philip.
d) The word teacher is used in Eph. 4:11.
e) The term preacher is another term that is proper, 2 Tim. 1:11.
f) Minister (Col. 1:23) and servant (Phil. 1:1) are also words to describe this same job.
9) At least five different terms may be applied to those who are preachers.
a) Yet, some do not appear to be content with the words God has given.
b) Men have come up with other words.
c) These other words raise this question: Why?
d) If God has given us words to describe this job, and He has said, “Use my words” (1 Pet. 4:11)
e) Why would anyone disobey Him?
f) I may not know why many disobey.
g) I do know that using words other than those given by God is wrong.
10) What about some examples that relate to speaking as the oracles of God?
a) Have we ever heard of the sinner’s prayer?
b) Has someone told us about the warm feeling they got when they accepted Christ?
c) Do we know someone who laid hands on a t.v. screen and prayed in their living room?
d) These experiences are common throughout our nation and world.
e) According to 1 Pet. 4:11 our conversion experience must be according to the oracles of God.
f) It needs to be just as the Bible describes.
g) This is something that can be easily checked.
h) When someone says, “I said the sinner’s prayer” we must ask, “Is that in the Bible?”.
i) “Who in scripture said the sinner’s prayer?” Where is that found?
j) The Bible does not mention a sinner’s prayer.
k) There is not a single example of a non-Christian in the NT being saved from their sins by prayer.
l) The same may be said of accepting Christ and having a warm feeling inside the body.
m) Nothing is said about laying hands on something and praying at home.
i) When people recount their conversion story,
ii) And it is inconsistent with the information in the Bible, they were not converted.
iii) When we do not use Bible words to describe religious activities something is wrong.
iv) We are out of harmony with God’s will.
11) The more we think about 1 Pet. 4:11 the more points of application we find.
a) How many of us have had a friend say, “Our church needs some money?”
b) The congregation that was established in Jerusalem (Acts 2) needed some money.
c) Did these brethren go their neighbors and ask for donations?
d) Did the church have a bake sale and wash camels?
e) Listen to Acts 2:45.
i) Anyone who is speaking as an oracle of God does not ask non-Christians for funds.
ii) We do not solicit funds or donations from those outside the church.
iii) We do not sell things through the church.
iv) Speaking as the oracles of God means that we pay our own way.
v) Even if this means that we sell personal possessions we do not ask outsiders for help.
vi) In fact, in 3 Jn. 7 we have this comment. READ.
vii) Nothing was taken from the Gentiles (non-Christians).
viii) When it came time for missionary work the church didn’t want help from non-Christians.
ix) If we are speaking as the oracles of God this is our message.
x) Yet, how many people in the religious world come to us and say,
xi) “A mission trip is being planned. Would you like to help?”
xii) This is absolutely contrary to God’s will.
xiii) If we are not speaking as an oracle of God, we are not speaking for God or His will.
12) The violations that relate to 1 Pet. 4:11 do not end here.
a) Is there anyone here who has never heard, “Join the church of your choice.”
b) Or, “There are many ways to God.”
c) Or, “How you worship doesn’t matter.” “Just believe in Jesus.”
d) These statements offer a lot of comfort to many troubled souls.
e) However, 1 Pet. 4:11 forces us to ask, “Are these statements true?”
f) When people say, “Join the church of your choice”, is this instruction found in the Bible?
g) Is this speaking as the oracles of God?
h) The answer is no. Jesus never taught that religion is a matter of choice.
i) Rather, He said in Mt. 7 that the way to heaven is narrow. Few find it.
j) He spoke of “the way” in Jn. 14:6.
k) Speaking as the oracles of God distinguishes the church of the NT from the religious world.
l) Speaking as the oracles of God also relates to worship.
m) We are told that worship can occur in many forms and God is pleased.
n) Jesus came along and said our worship must be in truth, Jn. 4:24.
o) Our worship must comply with the pattern that Paul alluded to in 2 Tim. 1:13.
p) If we speak as the oracles of God we affirm that the type of worship we offer does matter.
q) Furthermore, if we speak as the oracles of God we say some other things.
i) As Christians we will use words like:
ii) Faithful (Gal. 5:22).
iii) We will say that a Christian must not forsake the Lord and the church, Heb. 10:25.
iv) Faithfulness is required even if it means death, Rev. 2:10.
v) To be a Christian we must take up and bear the Lord’s cross, Mt. 16:24.
vi) A Christian is someone who is seeking first the kingdom of God, Mt. 6:33.
vii) We are following after the fruit of the spirit versus the lusts of the flesh, Gal. 5:19-23.
13) GOD’S VOCABULARY AND THE VOCABULARY IN THE RELIGIOUS ARE OFTEN DIFFERENT.
a) In addition to the examples we have given consider three more.
b) The Bible speaks of obeying the gospel, 2 Thess. 1:7-9.
c) We hear this expression quite often in the church.
d) It is seldom heard in the denominational world. Outside these doors people hear about sinner’s prayer.
e) Maybe some think “obeying the gospel” is an expression invented by us. It’s not, 2 Thess. 1:7-9.
f) We use this expression because we want to speak as the oracles of God.
g) This is the terminology that God uses to describe conversion.
h) If we do not hear other religious people use this expression something is wrong.
i) All who are truly following God speak as the oracles of God.
j) We must use the terminology that God uses.
14) As we look at the current day and time many are still making predictions.
a) We are supposedly near the end of the human race.
b)
We are told, The signs of the times show that
the end is near.
c) Those who make these assertions and allegations are not speaking for God.
d) God says that the end will come like a thief (2 Pet. 3:10). It will be a surprise and unexpected.
e) At this time everything will be destroyed, 2 Pet. 3:10.
f) Many outside these doors say that the earth will continue to stand or be refurbished.
g) Scores of religious people do not speak as the oracles of God.
h) In some of the cases where this failure occurs false doctrine is taught.
i) Most of you know that I was in TN for the last week.
j) While out of town I purchased some books.
k) One of these books cost me a dime. In my judgment this was overpriced but I bought it.
l) This is my ten cent book. It was written several years ago by Oral Roberts.
m) Here are some of the chapters penned by Mr. Roberts (read several or most of them).
n) Where does the NT teach these things?
o) Mr. Roberts failed to speak as the oracles of God.
p) He used religious speech, but he has and continues to teach another gospel.
15) Have we committed to the oracles of God?
16) We will do things and describe things as God does in His word.
17) If this is a new thought for you and you would like to study the matter more fully we will study with you.