The Talk

In yesterday's blog, I ended with the summary statement, "If you talk the talk, you must walk the walk."  There are few things more important in the life of a Christian than that principle.  However, it is equally important that we accurately talk the talk.

Just because one is quoting from the Bible does not mean that he/she is actually talking the talk.  He/she may be in reality talking his/her own talk shrouded in biblical quotes ripped out of context in order to support or advance a personal agenda.

One example of this is seen in the politically charged debate over our 2nd Amendment right to bear arms.  Those who seek to deny Americans that right will quote Jesus saying, "you shall not kill" (Matt 5:21), asserting that Jesus was a pacifist as should we be.   But that argument is not even close to the point of the passage.

Jesus was contrasting the Old Testament rule against murder with the New Testament call to refrain from the act of spiritual devaluation, calling one a fool (vv. 22-23).  I know that Jesus was not against bearing arms for self-defense because he instructed his disciples to do that very thing.  Really?  Really!

Listen to his actual words on the subject as he sent them out to evangelize: "He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don't have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one" (Lk 22:36).  The out cloak was a very important item of clothing for those traveling by foot and having to sleep outside, but a sword was even more important on roads filled with murderous thieves.

My point isn't to particularly advocate bearing arms but to show how even seemingly good motives can cause one to bend the Gospel to serve their agenda, especially if they have not actually studied it very deeply or with contextual consistency.

However, evil and motives are just as easily advanced using the Scripture.  For instance, the devil used it to tempt Jesus: “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “ 'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone'" (Matt 4:6).

Many today advocate same-sex marriage, abortion, drug use and the like using biblical the biblical theme of freedom, which contextually is set in opposition to these traps of Satan, offering us freedom from this kind of destructive, sinful behavior.

Jesus never advocated for same-sex marriage, instead he insisted "from the beginning God made us male and female and for that reason a man shall...be united with his wife" (Matt 19:4-5).  Isaiah said, "Before I was born the Lord called me; from my mother’s womb he has spoken my name" (49:1).  Abortion's OK?  Really?  No, not really!

And drugs?  Really?  No, not even!  The Bible is very clear in saying, "Do not get drunk" (Eph 5:18).  So, how does one use pills or joints or needles without getting stoned?  Why would one use them if they didn't unless it was for medical purposes via prescription?  One can drink a glass of wine or beer with a meal without getting drunk but pills and joints and needles are only used for mind altering.

OK, enough of that, I'm not really wanting to wage a war today against the major vices of our nation any more than I want to get everyone packing iron.  What I want to drive home is the need for Chrisitans to actually know the Word in order to factually and actually talk the talk so that we can faithfully walk the walk.

I want to leave you with a biblical quote as a principle for Christian life and development: "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth" (2 Tim 2:15).  Jus' Say'n.