My nose was deep inside the book. I can’t remember what it was about now, but I was completely absorbed then (many years ago, of course). It was as if I was the main character and whatever was taking place, was live and in the here and now. Suddenly I was interrupted by the voice of my sister, “Dad said to get out and mow the yard, now!”
“Tell him I’ll be there just as soon as I finish this chapter,” I responded.
“Dad said NOW!” “Okay, okay, I’m coming.” Placing a bookmark where I had been reading, I immediately got up and put on my shoes. When Dad said now, it didn’t mean in an hour, or even in five minutes. It meant RIGHT NOW! That was his word.
There was a time when a man’s word was as good as any written contract. That’s because he was so completely honest that when he said he would do something, regardless the results or consequences, he did it. His word was as good as gold. There are still people like that today, but there are enough who have gone against their word that in official agreements, financial transactions and other important matters, a signed agreement is often necessary in order to make someone do what they have promised to do.
The Bible uses the word, “oracles” five times, once in the Old Testament (2 Chronicles 24:27 - referring to the many sayings of Joash, a king of Israel), then four times in the New Testament (Acts 7:38, Romans 3:2, Hebrews 5:12 and 1 Peter 4:11), all referring to the word of God. Quoting 1 Peter 4:7:11, “But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” There are a lot of good things to dwell on in this passage, such as being serious and watchful in our prayers, showing fervent love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, being hospitable to others and serving with our talents and abilities. But the one that stands out in this article is speaking as “the oracles of God.”
Firstly, the oracles must be the very Bible Itself. What I mean is that we know what the Bible says and when we speak for God, we reflect what is taught in His Word. Secondly, when we speak for God, we become His oracles – Those who are the instruments that bring forth His Word. And lastly, we speak not apologetically but with the authority God has placed on His Word. Let’s look briefly at each of these.
The Bible – God’s Word – always carries the final authority. What the Bible says is important to each and every man, woman, and child on the face of the globe. All roads don’t lead to Heaven as is popularly taught in today’s way of thinking. Today people think that they are showing love by allowing everyone to believe what they want to believe and let them think, even encouraging the belief that if they are trusting in some kind of higher power that they are okay with God. Sorry, that isn’t what the Bible teaches. Jesus said that He was the door. The only entrance way into the sheepfold, and in order to get there (the sheepfold representing the Kingdom of God) was to go through the door. He further said that anyone who teaches that you can get in some other way is a thief and a robber (John 10:7-18). This is important because, yes, we should love all. We are to allow people to believe what they want, but we just can’t allow them to think that they are okay believing a lie. We are duty bound to Jesus Christ to let them know that if they continue in their error it will lead to their eternal destruction. We must point to the Word of God as the final authority. It isn’t popular today but Jesus never said His way would be popular. What He actually said was that if the world hates you (for your stand for Christ) it hated Him first (John 15:17-25). They will say that we are the haters because in love for their souls we have tried to tell them the truth. But in reality, they are the haters, hating not only us but in essence Jesus Christ. It is a hate for the truth.
Secondly, when we speak on behalf of God, we must speak as His oracles. This takes in a lot. It not only means that we refrain from interjecting what we personally believe and only teach the truth of the Word, but that our lives must also reflect that Word. We not only speak but our very life becomes an oracle of God. We live what we teach. We can’t use the old adage, “Don’t do as I do, do as I say.” Saying isn’t enough. Words without action are empty. If we want the world to hear us, then we must not just speak the Word, but we must also walk the walk.
We also must speak with authority. We aren’t wishy washy, not sure of what we are saying. We speak because we know. This means that we only speak what we have rightly learned from God’s Word. We can’t speak with authority unless we really know. They only way to really know is to read, understand, and apply what we have read and understood to our own lives. Again, living the Word. When we know what we have read and we have studied it out in its full context, rejecting any preconceived ideas we may have been taught or thought, and replacing them with the absolute truth, then making it a part of our very lives by doing what it says, then we can speak with authority. We can because what we say makes sense and our lives reflect it in actual experience and daily living.
For example, when the Bible says to be angry without sin (Ephesians 4:26), that means that we can get angry but we don’t let our anger control our words and actions. This is just one example. We apply it to every aspect of our lives (which is a lot easier said than done) and when we do, then we can make our words believable and we can actually speak with authority.
We are the oracles of God, just as His Word is the oracles of God. We don’t have an easy job. It is one that takes much self-control and a lot of work. It can also take a lot of time, probably, for most of us, our entire lives. I know I’m still working on it at seventy-one. But just because we haven’t completely obtained it yet doesn’t let us off the hook. We still must speak the truth. The truth is Jesus (John 14:6) and the Truth will make you free (John 8:32).
— Jerry D. Ousley is the author of “Soul Challenge”, “Soul Journey”, “Ordeal”, “The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional” and his first novel “The Shoe Tree.” Newer books include “Finality” and “Dividing God’s Church.” Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge.