Repent of Words
& Obey Logos!
Stop Speaking -
Find Self-Control - Save Yourself by Shutting your Mouth!
A Sharp Weapon and
a Fierce Battle Plan for Condemning “the Fool And His
Words” far from Your Heart!
Josiahs Scott,
Josiahs@trueconnection.org,
www.TrueConnection.org
11/25/05*; 11/4/07 (generally enhanced?); [~2008-2010: Embrace Dialogue, Fighting Cheap Shots
(as seen below)]; 3/10/10-4/17/10**; 4/23/10 (versions A-C); 4/29/10; 5/3-5/4/10;
6/15-6/19/10; 8/27/10; 10/29/10-11/2/10; 12/2/10; 12/8/10; 1/24/11-1/25/11;
2/18/11; 8/3/11; 10/12/11; 10/26/12;
4/27/13-4/28/13; other dates; 2/9/17 (added: Obey Logos,
Embrace Dialogue, Fighting
Cheap Shots, etc.)
[* original title: the Fool And His Words]
[** ~2010: the Fool And His Words, Retitled: Repent of
Words & initially presented to disciples (& Mr Jim Barger II - during
his visit)]
Contents
It is time to Repent of the Religion that Indulges. 2
Should We Go on Talking? – Let us
Instead Fear God!2
You and I still Need the Gospel4
Fear and Trembling Before the Corinthians. 4
Work Out Salvation With Fear And Trembling. 4
All Words Come from the Heart5
One of The Bible’s Main Descriptions of Bad Confidence. 5
Warnings about Confidence through Knowledge. 6
Thoughts and Warnings from my “Inspirations” Prayer Journal 7
Do Not Presumptuously Exalt Yourself into Ministry. 7
Conclusions About Confidence…8
Don’t Play Games as a Hypocrite and Make Excuses to Talk. 8
Remove Confidence from Your Heart and Your Mouth. 8
Warnings Against Conversation Competition. 9
You Are Commanded Not to speak until You First Actually Listen. 9
Reaffirmed By the Qumran Community Rule10
Interrupting is Called “Disorder”11
The Summarized Story of Nabal and David12
Repent of Being Self-Appointed Kings13
A Summary Against Interrupting13
Don’t Be A Presumptuous “Prophet”14
Jesus Only Does and Says what He Sees from The Father 15
Speaking Independently is Like Fornication. 15
General Passage from James. 15
The “Stop Speaking” Scriptures! 16
Quick to Hear, Slow to Speak16
Be Bridled When Around the Wicked16
Keep Tongue from Speaking Evil17
The Multitude of Words Means Sin17
Meditate Instead of Rashly Talking17
Silence Can Make a Fool Look Wise17
Don’t Be Quick to Speak; Don’t be Recognized as a Fool 17
Holiness Heals you from the Foolishness we are Plagued with. 18
“Adult
Learning” Disqualifies You From Discipleship18
Psychology of adult learners. 19
How do We Hold our Tongue?. 23
Both Good and Bad Word Dynamics24
We Should Fear; Many Have Been Destroyed by Their
own Words!
This target on
Words is one of the more important overall exhortations that applies
to so many people. I've seen so many, or should I say, way too many "well-meaning" people
destroyed because they continually lived in sin in this area.
·
It does not matter if you seem sincere,
it matters if you have a bridled tongue.
·
It does not matter if you think that you are loving Jesus, it matters if you are actually obeying Him
and not multiplying words.
·
It does not matter if you think that you are true,
hard-core, zealous, impressive, prophetic, faithful or
any other virtuous quality, if you like
talking, even if you tag a "biblical" subject line to it
trying to honor God, your faith is still vain and abominable in God's sight!
More than
people who seem to be talking about "good things" and "biblical
truths," God demands that we actually be people who obey Him in this area
of our tongue, and repent of the demonic lack of self-control, and the filthy,
prideful self-exaltation of talking, and liking to talk.
The Bible warns us against having a religion that
has impressive words, but does not stop indulgence:
Col_2:23 CAB These things indeed [μὲν] have a reputation [λόγον: word of] of wisdom in self-imposed religionG1479, false humilityG5012, and severity on the body, but are not of any value against the indulgence of the flesh.
Greek:
ἐν ἐθελοθρησκίᾳG1479 καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνῃG5012 καὶ ἀφειδίᾳG857 σώματος
A Basic Basis for first actually being a real
Christian who will make it to Heaven
2Co_13:5 WEB Test your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don't you know as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? -- unless indeed you are disqualified G96. [αδοκιμοι G96 (adokimos) – that is, “not” (a) “aproved” (dokimos)]
Ú Don’t be proud and offended so that you are unwilling to examine your own Salvation!
Ú He’s not asking you to do anything that he’s not willing to do himself (Compare Gal_2:2; 2Jn_1:8-9)
1Co_9:27 WEB but I beat my body and bring it into submission, lest by any means, after I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected G96. [αδοκιμος G96 (adokimos) – that is, “not” (a) “aproved” (dokimos)]
Salvation never ceases to be an issue
1Ti_4:13-16 CAB Until I come, give attention to public reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. 14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. 15 Meditate on these things; be in these things, so that your progress may be evident to all. 16 Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.
Even Jesus had this right attitude:
Heb_5:7
Php_3:7-15 CAB But
such things as were gain to me, these I have considered loss for the sake of
Christ. 8 More
than that I also consider all things to be loss for the excellence of the
knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have sustained the loss of all
things, and I consider them to be rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own
righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the
faith of Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 so as to know Him and the power of His
resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His
death, 11 if in some way [εἴ
πως] I may attain to the resurrection
from the dead. 12 Not
that I have already obtained, or have already been made perfect; but I press
on, if also I may lay hold of that for which I was laid hold of by Christ
Jesus. 13 Brothers, I do not count myself to
have laid hold; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are
behind, and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the
high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore, as many as are mature, let
us think this way; and if in anything you think otherwise, even this God will
reveal to you.
1Pe_1:9 KJV Receiving
the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
[TSK: Rom_6:22; Heb_11:13; Jam_1:21]
These verses don't leave you complacently saying, "I'm
saved," but ask you, "Are you going to be saved" in the end.
Don't confidently say, "I'm saved," ask in fear, "Will I be
saved?"
In this section, look at all of the charges to fear God that even
the greatest of the saints received!
2Jn_1:8 CAB Look to yourselves, lest we should
lose those things for which we worked, but that we should receive a full
reward.
1Pe_4:18 CAB And "If
the righteous one
is scarcely saved, where will the godless and the sinner appear?"
Said to a Church:
Rom_1:13-15 CAB Now I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, that often I planned to come to you (and I was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. 14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. 15 So, as much as is in me, I am eager to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.
1Co_2:1-5 CAB And I, brothers, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, announcing to you the testimony of God… 3 And I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 in order that your faith might not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
It was this way for Jesus too:
Heb_5:5-9 CAB So
also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He
who said to Him: "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You." 6 Just
as He also says in another place: "You are a priest forever according to
the order of Melchizedek"; 7 who, in the days of His flesh, when He had
offered up both prayers and supplications, with strong crying and
tears to the One who was able to save Him from death,
and was heard because of His fear of God,
8 though He was a Son, He learned obedience
by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became
the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,
(This is
absolutely amazing!)
Php_2:3-12 CAB doing nothing according to
selfish ambition or conceit, but with humility, regarding one another as being
better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look out not only for
his own concerns, but also for the concerns of others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in
Christ Jesus, 6 who,
existing in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with
God, 7 but
made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming to
be in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a
man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even the death of the
cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted
Him, and has graciously given Him a name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee may bow,
of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue may confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
2Pe_1:10 CAB Therefore, brothers, be even more
diligent to make your calling and election sure, for by doing these things you
shall by no means stumble at any time.
Heb_4:1 CAB Therefore let us fear, lest while the promise remains to enter into His rest, anyone of you seems to have fallen short.
Heb_12:21 - OT was this way, even to Moses
↓
Heb_12:28-29 CAB …let us have grace [favor], through which we serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. 29 For our God is a consuming fire.
1Pe_1:17 CAB And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear;
2Co_7:1 CAB Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
(this makes
Godly repentance: 2Co_7:11, and makes you receive people differently: 2Co_7:15)
Rom_3:18 - no fear of God before eyes
Rom_11:20 - don't be proud, but fear
Rom_13:7 - give to all their dues
2Co_11:3 - fear for other's salvation (also: 2Co_12:20)
Eph_5:21 - submit in fear of God
Eph_6:5 - servants with Fear & Trembling
(also: 1Pe_2:18)
1Ti_5:20 - it results from rebuking as we
ought
Heb_11:7 - Noah move with it
1Pe_2:17 - fear God, Honor the King
1Pe_3:2 – wives should do it to their husbands (same Greek “fear”
in Eph_5:33)
1Pe_3:15 - even answer with fear
Jud_1:12 - spots without fear (no fear = End-times
apostasy)
Jud_1:23 - save some with fear
Rev_11:18 - saints rewarded for fear
Rev_14:7 - loud voice demanding it
Rev_15:4 - hits everyone eventually
Rev_18:10/ Rev_18:15 - nations will do it at God's
Judgment
Rev_19:5 - charged unto Praise
Where do talking sins come from?
What is the drive behind us that
is pushing us to speak?
Mat_12:34-37 WEB
You offspring of vipers, how can you, being
evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth
speaks. 35 The good man out of his good treasure brings out
good things, and the evil man out of his evil treasure brings out evil things. 36 I tell you that every idle word that men speak, they will give
account of it in the day of judgment. 37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you
will be condemned."
Notice these things:
- We see that all speaking sins come from a wicked, messed up, bad, evil heart
- The evil and wicked words in verses 34-35 are not exemplified by overtly gross and blatant crimes, but instead they are described by the phrase “every idle word that men speak” in verse 36
- What is the perversion of the heart that adjusts a person to keep speaking such evil, idle words? – It can be summarized by the word, “confidence” in the passages quoted later in this section, especially because Jesus says that they come from the heart in this passage.
- In verse 37 Jesus shows us that the evil, idle words will shoot us straight into Hell and condemnation
- So keep your mind on “The Judgment” when you have a mouth, especially when you are around others and are tempted to talk
- We need a serious and sober heart inspection to keep our mouth from condemning our whole body in the end!
Ecc_5:6 CAB Do not allow your mouth to lead your flesh to sin…
Pro_27:12 CAB A wise man,
when evils are approaching, hides himself, but fools pass on, and will be
punished. [also see Pro_22:3]
Wis_9:5-6 Brenton For I thy servant and son of thine handmaid am
a feeble person, and of a short time, and too young for the understanding of
judgment and laws. 6 For though a man be never so perfect among the
children of men, yet if thy wisdom be not with him, he shall be nothing
regarded.
Wis_9:13-18 Brenton For what man is he that can know the counsel of God? or who can think what the will of the Lord is? 14 For the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and our devices are but uncertain. 15 For the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthy tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth upon many things. 16 And hardly do we guess aright at things that are upon earth, and with labour do we find the things that are before us: but the things that are in heaven who hath searched out? 17 And thy counsel who hath known, except thou give wisdom, and send thy Holy Spirit from above? 18 For so the ways of them which lived on the earth were reformed, and men were taught the things that are pleasing unto thee, and were saved through wisdom.
Important Read: 1Co_1 – 2
1Co_8:1-3 CAB …we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he has come to know nothing yet as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, this one has been known by Him.
1Co_3:18 CAB Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.
Jas_3:13 CAB Is there anyone wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his works are in meekness of wisdom. (also see verse 14-15)
Also
compare:
“1Co_1:18-21, 1Co_4:10… Pro_3:5, Pro_3:7, Pro_26:12; Isa_5:21; Jer_8:8; Rom_11:25; Rom_12:16” (TSK)
Just why do we
have to speak and show people that we know something, when the Bible says we
should show real wisdom in “meekness” (as seen previously in Jas_3:13)? If it were right to speak whenever we knew
something, then it would never be that we would have to practice self-control
and hold our tongue if we were “wise and endued with knowledge,” but we know
for sure that this belief is wrong and evil because it would contradict these
Scriptures that clearly command us to show it in “meekness”.
What right do we have to go about telling
everyone all of these things we know when Jesus, who always knew unthinkably
more than our foolish minds can grasp, held His tongue and had to practice
self-denial? What unreasonable demon has
so seized us that we think of our own mouth as so much more distinguished than
Jesus’ mouth so that we should never have to stop talking all the time, as long
as we knew about something we can say? When are we going to repent of this
wickedness? When are we going to be
humbled by our forerunner enough to close our foolish mouths that we have
judged so wise as to never need to be closed?
It may seem to be that I could warn 10,000
times for people to repent and stop talking, but I say it only to have 20,000
confident talkers who think they have so much to say from God by the stirring
of their own belly.
Indeed, if anyone who hears or reads this
perishes by the unbearable anger and wrath of God because they did not close
their mouths, I am innocent of their lives. Their blood be upon their own heads, because I
clearly warned them to repent of these
things from the Scriptures, but they stiffened their necks and hardened their
hearts, and with blinded and irrational eyes would not repent and cease to open
their mouths!
Pro_13:3 CAB …he that is hasty with his lips shall bring terror upon himself…
Jas_3:13 CAB Is there anyone wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his works are in meekness of wisdom.
The fearful callus and puffing of time, and the weight
of experience, brings damnable confidence.
1/28/10; 2/2/10
The more you defile your
value for the foolish confidences gained by valuing the flesh, the closer you
will come to the integrity of the unencumbered faith of a child. You will be
able to operate with clean hands and a pure heart of faith when you dishonor
and disregard the things you have previously learned to gain confidence from.
Ironically, the value of fleshly confidence is the worst enemy to clean faith. Honoring God means despising the very basis and foundation of your
greatest confidence.
See: Php_3:4-11
2/11/2009
1Ti_1:12 CAB
And I give thanks to the One who empowers me, Christ Jesus our
Lord, because He considered me faithful, putting me into the ministry,
God put Paul into the ministry based on counting him faithful, but we so quickly think we should put ourselves into the ministry because we have so many things to say, and we think we have lots of good ideas that everyone else needs to hear.
A few chapters later Paul also said that the overseer (the main leader of a Church) should be:
1Ti_3:6 CAB not a new convert [νεόφυτονG3504], lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
But we think the world needs us, and so comes all kinds of filthiness, transgression and condemnation upon the earth in all kinds of various manifestations, because we do not care about fearing God for our own recently reformed soul as this Scripture commands us.
And James says:
Jas_3:1 CAB My brothers, let not many become teachers, knowing that we shall receive greater judgment.
But we are so convinced that the world needs us and we are not even finished being saved yet! Why do we disrespect God by presuming our own worthiness? Why not rather assume that we are too far gone to be used and wait in complete brokenness, subjection and humiliation until perhaps God may exalt us one day to be used? Why are we so quick and stubborn to addictively approve ourselves? But we go about gleefully exalting ourselves while we have not even yet heard the first Word of commissioning from God! In fact, we have heard and read the command to not go and speak to the people, and yet we have disobeyed and promoted ourselves anyway!
Why do we despise God and his holiness so much that we would be willing to profane His holy name (and reputation) and His Divine Words for the sake of exalting ourselves in ministry so that we get a chance to speak our own words? We care not that we are presuming upon God as though He is allowing and even commanding us to talk when He has said no such thing, and we open our mouth in presumption and don’t even care that our own defiled and filthy words come out in the name of God. We hate on God so much, so addictively, because we cannot so much as close our mouth, and then we blame God for our atrocities by saying his spirit gave us the words of this hateful crime. But speaking things that are correct out of personal commission is still rebellion and a practice of evil.
It is high time we actually loved God instead of our own worthless words, which are profaning about as His Words.
It is time we repented of loving our own soul and expressing our own worthless heart, and actually began to love the real Jesus instead.
Where is the fear and trembling with all the talking?
Don’t Approve Yourself!
2Co_10:18 CAB For not he who commends [συνιστῶν] himself is approved [δόκιμοςG1384 (dokimos)], but he whom the Lord commends [συνίστησιν].
[Remember: 1Co_9/ 2Co_13?]
Compare TSK Cross References:
2Co_10:18
not: 2Co_10:12,
2Co_3:1,
2Co_5:12;
Pro_21:2,
Pro_27:2;
Luk_16:15,
Luk_18:10-14
approved: 2Co_6:4,
2Co_13:7;
Act_2:22;
Rom_14:18,
Rom_16:10;
1Co_11:19;
2Ti_2:15
but: Mat_25:20-23;
Joh_5:42-44,
Joh_12:43;
Rom_2:29;
1Co_4:5;
1Pe_1:7
Your surest
damnation is to try and justify yourself with many words.
2/7/10
·
Religious spirits always find ways
to be self-exalting no matter how many times you command and exhort unto
humility and self-denial.
· No matter what context you put it in, the flesh will always find any and every opportunity and method to exalt itself, even if that means talking about correct and good-sounding things.
· Talking about Biblical things is not a sanctified excuse to indulge in the filthy addiction of talking.
· If you are excited and eager to talk about natural things, you are also defiled when you are excited and eager to talk about spiritual things.
· The confidence that drives a person to speak about normal things is at least just as defiled when talking about spiritual things.
We should cry in
prayer: “Remove dirty and natural affirmations from my life, so that I am not
driven and compulsed into hell by the constant
transgressions of my mouth springing from my own confidence!”
Beware
of:
· Age Confidence
· Affirmed, confident, extroverted personality motivation
· When it is consistently easy to wake up and go about life without a troubled soul…beware of this, because walking in the strength of fleshly confidence is a satan worship that will make Hell the only reasonable place to send such a person at judgment!
Lack of self-control is a sin. If you want to talk,
beware and be careful.
We need to be more restrictive than what comes
naturally by default.
Pro_12:13 CAB For the sin of his lips a
sinner falls into snare, but a righteous man escapes from them...
Pro_12:13 MKJV The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips, but the just shall come out of trouble.
[see all of Pro_12:12-23 - as quoted later]
Pro_27:1-2 CAB Boast not of tomorrow, for you do not know
what the next day shall bring forth. 2 Let your neighbor, and not your own mouth, praise you; a
stranger, and not your own lips.
Pro_27:1-2 KJV Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. 2 Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
Remember: Jesus before the woman taken in adultery
Remember: Be slow to speak quick to listen (Jam_1:19/ Sir_5:11)
A thoughtful friend said to me once, “Have you ever noticed how when you have a conversation you will find yourself always changing the subject back to yourself?” – Be warned whenever you cannot let another person talk about themselves and what they relate to without bringing yourself back into the focus of the conversation. Beware if you find yourself switching the subject back to: Yourself, your experience, what you can relate to, and what you can talk about or what you have to say. Non-applicable, non-matching, incongruent, non-harmonious subject-changing control tactics are fleshly and self-serving. If you repeatedly take and retake control of the conversation then it is not Jesus you love, nor even the well being of the person in front of you, but the lustful indulgence of your own personal gratification (see Ecc_6:7; Php_3:18-19).
We usually think it is a good conversation when we get to talk about what we want to talk about, and this is often done with little consideration as to whether it was as fulfilling to the other person. This is a staggering problem of profound selfishness and lack of integrity for loving other people. If we love talking it is certain that we do not truly love people or God, and why would we think that our soul should be saved from a just wrath if it were found in this condition?
1Jn_4:20 CAB If anyone claims, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how is it possible for him to love God whom he has not seen?
The Bible
plainly warns us against interrupting people, and directly commands us not to
do it. If we still do interrupt and disobey the Bible, then we need to repent
of foolishness and folly to be Christians that actually obey the Bible and go
after honor and truth.
Interrupting
is an impatience that presumes that you do not need to fully listen to the
“word” being spoken to you before you give an answer:
Any [one] who answers a word [λόγον (logon)] before he hears [ἀκοῦσαι (hakousai)], it is thoughtlessness [ἀφροσύνη – senselessness/ fig. recklessness] and reproach to him.
[Technical Source
Text Note: I translated this from the Greek LXX, because
that is what the NT quotes when quoting Proverbs;
(for more see Bibliography under “Finding the Old Testament”).]
Considerations
· In saying “a word [λόγον (logon)]” it is clear that this is generic for whatever a person says, since it is comparable to many examples throughout the Bible such as the saying, “…but the word which they heard did not profit those, not having been mixed with faith in those having heard it.” (Heb_4:2 CAB); (also, for example, Pro_25:11; Pro_15:23 (MT); Isa_50:4)
· “answer[ing] a word [λόγον (logon)]” means responding with words to what someone has said.
· “before he hears” essentially communicates that the “word” had begun being presented, but the listener responded before this “word” was actually finished
This is
reiterated by Joshua (Jesus) the son of Sirach (some time before 175 B.C.) in
very specific terms:
Sir_11:6-8 KJVA Many mighty men have been greatly
disgraced; and the honourable delivered into other
men's hands. 7 Blame not before thou hast examined
the truth: understand first, and then rebuke.
8 Answer
not before thou hast heard the cause: neither interrupt men in
the midst of their talk.
Again,
for what it is worth, this is repeated in the Qumran Community Rule:
“No man shall
interrupt a
companion before his speech has
ended, nor speak before a man of
higher rank; each man shall speak
in his turn. And in the Assembly
of the Congregation no man shall
speak without consent of the
Congregation.
Whoever has interrupted his
companion whilst speaking [must
do penance] ten days.”
Note:
I still need to get the specific reference for this particular quote
·
This principal is repeated
in a briefer form at the beginning of the document numbered 4Q266
· This ethical code is confirmed by the New Covenant as seen later in 1Co_14
In the Bible,
even unsaved people knew it was true that you had to hear someone completely
out before “answering” them:
Joh_7:50-51 CAB Nicodemus…
said to them [Other Pharisees], 51
Does our law judge a man before it hears [ἀκούσῃ - same word as
in Pro_18:13] from him first,
and knows what he is doing?"
Note:
this theology, which is typical of ancient (honorable) Judaism, is not only
generally consistent with the Law of Moses, but it is specifically consistent
with Proverbs, and it is even more consistent with the theology of Ben Sirach
(as seen previously: “Blame not before thou hast examined the truth…” - Sir_11:7; etc.). Nicodemus is
referring to a commonly recognized virtue that even the Pharisees knew about,
which we often seem to know nothing about today in our cheap and shallow,
dishonorable culture.
Act_25:16 CAB …'It is not a custom with
Romans to deliver any man to destruction before [“πρὶν” same word as in Pro_18:13 LXX] the one
being accused may meet his accusers face to face, and may receive an opportunity for defense* concerning the charge.'
[* “ἀπολογίας” – lit. speak a word upon (same root word as in Pro_18:13 LXX)]
Also Compare Cases Like When they ‘motioned with their hand’
Lost people knew how to let other people speak as
seen in the following examples:
Act_12:17; Act_13:16; Act_19:33; Act_21:40; and also Act_7:2
There was an expectation (both with the lost as well as with early Christians) that the speaker had an exclusive right to speak in cases as when they ‘motioned with their hand’; Notice that interrupting only happened in these cases when their sin and impatience got the best of them; Every single time interrupting happened and they violated the speakers speech like this in the Bible it was always evil!:
Act_7:57 - Jews interrupted
Steven, and then killed him
Act_19:33-34 - Pagans interrupted (Jewish) Alexander after temporarily pretending that they would listen
Act_22:22 - Jews interrupted Paul when he mentioned the salvation of the nations
We should take sober heed from these things and learn to be quiet when
someone’s time to speak is ‘at hand.’
1Co_14:9, 26-27, 29-33, 37-40 CAB So also you, if you do not give a clear word by the
tongue, how will it be known what is being spoken? For you
will be speaking into the air… [notice: one of
the goals here is to intentionally prioritize communication and clarity when
speaking] 26
What is it then, brothers? Whenever you come together, each of you has a
song, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has
an interpretation. [i.e. everyone has something
spiritual and useful to say] Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in an unknown tongue, let it be by two or at the most three, each in turn,
and let one interpret… 29
Let two or three prophets speak, and let others discriminate. 30 But if something
is revealed to another who sits by, let the first be silent.
[i.e. no talking at the same time] 31
For you can all prophesy one
by one, [i.e. one at a
time] that all
may learn and all may be encouraged. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the
prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion but
of peace. As in all the churches of the saints, 34
let your women be silent in the churches… 37 If anyone thinks
that he is a prophet, or is
spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I am writing to you are the
commandments of the Lord. 38 But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. [Greek grammar:
Present, Active, Imperative Verb; Third Person, Singular – evidently meaning:
You are commanded to ignore them] 39 Therefore, brothers, seek to prophesy, and do not
forbid to speak in tongues. 40 Let all things be done properly and according to order.
Considerations
·
These instructions on how to run
an assembly are consistent with the “Community Rule” of the Qumran Community (as seen previously, which was written before the NT); The
fact that the Bible correlates with the ideals of the Qumran Community in this
case is not surprising, because this actually happens quite frequently with the New Testament
and the Dead Sea Scrolls in general (not to mention parallels with zealous
movements within Judaism as a whole)
· It also goes without saying that this is consistent with Sirach and Proverbs (as seen previously)
· We are only supposed to speak for other people’s best interest (i.e. “edification,” v. 26)
· ‘Orderly talk’ (v. 40) means that one person talks at a time (27, 1Co_14:29-31)
· We see that people are to take turns talking, not to all talk at the same time (even though they generally all have something good to bring to the assembly, as seen in v. 26, 31)
·
Whenever it is needed for someone
else to start talking, the first person is supposed to stop first so the other
can talk without confusion (i.e. we might say: no rude and fleshly
filibustering when we are trying to get spiritual things here)
· We are to prophesy one by one practicing self control not to talk out of turn (v. 31-32)
· If this is how prophecy should be bridled, how much more should this apply to the other worthless and natural things that we usually go about speaking for our own gratification and self-expression? Do we act righteously when we feel more free to express ourselves in vain talk than Paul permits real Prophets to express the oracles of God?
· If we do not do as this Scripture commands us, then the Bible calls this “confusion” (v. 33)
· “all things” (v. 26, 40) to be done by “all” people (v. 31) among “all the assemblies” (v. 33-34) are to “be done” (v. 26, 1Co_14:40) this way, putting a premium priority on doing it “properly and according to order” (v. 40, 1Co_14:26-27, 1Co_14:29-34)
·
Order is
more important than legitimacy: We see that if women are forbidden
to give Divine oracles (from God) in the assembly for the sake of propriety and
order, we see certainly that God has placed a profoundly greater weight and
priority on being proper and in order than even having legitimate Words from
God spoken by women – God here shows us that it is more pleasing to Him to have
men potentially speaking false prophecies (v. 29), than to have things
out of order and have the shame of women speaking in assembly. (For more,
please see the Bible study entitled “Women in Assembly”)
·
The question is not whether or not
we have something good or important to say, but the question is if we Love God
enough to reverence and obey Him in the way He has ordered us to talk with each
other
Act_21:40 CAB And… Paul stood on the stairs and motioned with his hand to
the people. And when there was a great silence, he
addressed them…
This is a
summary of the story in 1Sa_25:1-42
1Sa_25:1-3 CAB …And David arose, and went down to
the Wilderness of Maon. 2 And there was a man in Maon, and his flocks were in Carmel, and he was a very great man; and he had three
thousand sheep, and a thousand female goats. And he happened to be shearing his
flock in Carmel. 3 And the man's name was Nabal… But the man was harsh, and evil
in his doings, and the man was foolish.
[Note the three
crimes listed]
1Sa_25:4-10 -
David protects Nabal’s shepherds and flocks (also see 1Sa_25:14-16), kindly blesses him, and asks for
whatever convenient help he could give
1Sa_25:9-10 CAB
So the servants came and spoke these words to Nabal, according to all these
words in the name of David. 10 And Nabal sprang up, and answered the servants of David, and
said, Who is David? And who is the son of Jesse?...
1Sa_25:10-13
- Nabal proceeds to insult David and deny giving any help, and David determines
to kill all the men of Nabal’s house hold because of this.
The
servants went to Nabal’s wife Abigail and said…
1Sa_25:17 CAB And now consider what you will do; for mischief is determined against our lord [i.e. Nabal] and against his house; and he is a vile character, and one cannot speak to him.
But David
listened when Abigail Spoke to him
1Sa_25:23-25 CAB And Abigail saw David, and she dismounted quickly from her donkey; and she fell before David on her face, and bowed down to him, bowing to the ground, 24 even to his feet, and said, On me, my lord, be my wrong. Let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. 25 Let not my lord take to heart this pestilent man, for according to his name, so is he — Nabal is his name, and folly is with him! But I, your maidservant, did not see the servants of my lord whom you sent.
Things to
Note from the Story of Nabal
· Nabal exploited his exalted state to insult David (verses 2, 36, 10-13)
· Their fear impending “Mischief” implies that bad will happen to them on account of something wrong that has been done against righteousness
·
This impending evil, or
“wrath,” pertains to Nabal’s “vile character” (sinful, perverted, habitual life
style)
· One of the primary characteristics of this “vile character” is that “one cannot speak to him”
· We can almost cringe when we see a colorful description of ‘not being able to speak to him’ in the words, “And Nabal sprang up, and answered…” (verse 10)
· So we see that an important part of being “harsh…evil…and…foolish” is described in this story as one who quickly, rashly and harshly answers people. The conclusion about such a wicked and perverted response is that, although a person may try to say words to someone like Nabal, when all is said and done “one cannot [truly] speak to him”
· Can people truly speak to you, or are you like Nabal?
But one may hear
these things and rise up in their chair and protest and say, “but I am not like
that when I interrupt people!” – But even if we find excuses to claim that we
are not like the character of this story, even though we continue to interrupt
people, the Bible has already convicted us as wicked sinners in the verses we
already covered in the beginning of this section. But on the contrary: we must
make it of our highest aim to be people who can be talked to,
who actually hear people out before responding, unlike the un-listening, rashly
responding Nabal of folly. If nothing else, we should find from this story some
potent parallels that wise people who actually love Jesus will use to take heed
so as to not be foolish and interrupt, lest they become like Nabal in the end.
Filibustering is
when you go on talking so that no one else can ever get a word in. This is
certainly a condemnable sin for many reasons covered in this Bible study,
especially because it is based on the love to talk to begin with. If we repent
of interrupting, we should also repent of loving to monolog, and rudely crowd
others out of getting a chance to comment. Filibustering is a partner with
interrupting, because both of these filthy and perverted indulgences despise
and disrespect the other person, and hold their words in contempt so that the
filibuster can have a monopoly on indulging in their own lust of talking.
As this entire study shows, you are to not like talking to begin with, and then beyond this, we already saw that you are actually supposed to willingly stop and let others speak, especially when God gives them things:
1Co_14:30 But if something is revealed to another who sits by, let the first be silent.
To further
establish this we could almost simply reference this entire Bible study, but
here are a few verses in particular:
Ecc_10:13-14 CAB The beginning of the words of his
mouth is folly, and the end of his talk mischievous madness. 14 A fool moreover multiplies words…
Ecc_5:1 WEB Guard your steps when you go to God's house; for to draw near to listen is better than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they don't know that they do evil.
Ecc_5:1 LB Fear God. Keep Your Vows Keep your foot, whenever you go to the house of God; and when you are near to hear, let your sacrifice be better than the gift of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.
Ecc_5:2 WEB Don't be rash with your mouth, and don't let your heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and you on earth. Therefore let your words be few.
Ecc_5:2 Do not be hasty with your mouth, and do not let your heart be swift to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven above, and you are on earth; therefore let your words be few.
Ecc_5:6 CAB Don't allow your mouth to lead you into sin. Don't protest before the messenger that this was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice, and destroy the work of your hands?
Ecc_5:6 WEB Do not allow your mouth to lead your flesh to sin; and say not in the presence of God, It was an error; lest God be angry at your voice, and destroy the works of your hands.
Ecc_5:6 (5:5) μὴ δῷς
τὸ στόμα σου τοῦ
ἐξαμαρτῆσαι τὴν
σάρκα σου καὶ μὴ
εἴπῃς πρὸ προσώπου
τοῦ θεοῦ ὅτι Ἄγνοιά
ἐστιν, ἵνα μὴ ὀργισθῇ
ὁ θεὸς ἐπὶ φωνῇ
σου καὶ διαφθείρῃ
τὰ ποιήματα
χειρῶν σου.
Ecc_5:7 For in the multitude of dreams there are vanities, as well as in many words: but you must fear God.
Ecc_5:7 For in a multitude of dreams and in many words there is vanity; rather fear God.
Ecc_5:7 (5:6) ὅτι ἐν
πλήθει ἐνυπνίων
καὶ ματαιότητες
καὶ λόγοι
πολλοί· ὅτι σὺν
τὸν θεὸν φοβοῦ.
Compare: Embrace Dialogue
Please also consider that God prizes dialog as we briefly
cover in the companion Bible study, “Embrace Dialogue.” Unreasoning perverts do
not care about dialog but are simply content to monolog without ever caring
what the victim thinks about their own wickedness. People who practice this are
clearly not Christians according to these solid Scriptures. This pervert will
talk to no end and never love truth and wisdom enough to investigate the other
person to see where they are at before foolishly proceeding with their speech.
So often in our
culture, we sit as self-exalted Kings with remote controls as our scepters: Not
only do we flip channels at our own rule and whim, but also we interrupt people
who are right before us as soon as our impatience and lust of fast entertainment
condemns their slow paced words. With our self-appointed majesty and
sovereignty over everyone we listen to, we think we have the right to mute
their unhurried words into being unheard.
If this is us, we
need to hear some painful sarcasm from Paul and be rebuked:
1Co_4:8-13 WEB You are already filled. You have
already become rich. You have come to reign without us. Yes, and I wish that
you did reign, that we also might reign with you. 9 For, I think that God has displayed
us, the apostles, last of all, like men sentenced to death. For
we are made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and men. 10 We are fools for Christ's sake, but
you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You have honor, but we
have dishonor. 11 Even to this present hour we hunger,
thirst, are naked, are beaten, and have no certain dwelling place. 12 We toil, working with our own hands.
Being reviled, we bless. Being persecuted, we endure. 13 Being defamed, we entreat [παρακαλουμεν – i.e. fig. we softly
speak to those who are defaming us]. We are made as the
filth of the world… wiped off by all, even until now.
Asserting your own
primacy to interrupt another is not being “last of all,
like men sentenced to death” it is like ‘reigning as kings’ over others.
“Entreating” is a soft position, not a hard one that interrupts. Look at the speaking posture of the Apostles: They were the greatest among us, yet there are no rights to interrupt others in these humiliated and self-abasing words, but we see a holy and kind rebuke to those who have indulged and tried to reign in this life, as though the Kingdom of Jesus would allow us to be self-exalted over other people, and be accepted in His Kingdom at the same time. We really reign in spirit (1Co_4:8b) in Jesus’ Kingdom when we are humble and abased like Paul.
Whether it is one on one, (as with Proverbs, Sirach, or even Nabal
against David’s messengers) or it is in an assembly (as with 1Co_14,
Nicodemus and the Pharisees, Roman Law, and people who motioned with their
hand) it is a common virtue throughout the entire Bible and even Biblical
culture (as with the Qumran Community
Rule) to not interrupt. Whether it is in Steven’s martyrdom, the pagan
persecution against Alexander, or the Jewish persecution against Paul,
interrupting is always described as a sin done by the overflow of extremely
wicked people in the Bible.
Interrupting, quickly answering, and speaking before actually hearing has always been a characteristic of perverted fools and shallow and shameful societies that hate God. Whenever culture degrades to immodesty and impiety to the greatest degrees, interrupting will abound. But if any culture pursues more honorable things, even the lost among them will acknowledge that interrupting is a dishonorable, cheap and wicked shame to practice. We can not only see this being explicitly taught in the Scriptures, but even accepted by the lost pagans of a more honorable day, which is all but gone in the fading honor of a forgotten time of the past, now having been overshadowed by the indulgence of modernity, and the pride and boasting of shamefulness in our age, and love of our own foolish and dirty words, even to the dishonoring of other people through the impulsive and reckless practice of interrupting.
Now having been shocked by a forgotten truth which was once a common standard, will we repent of our inferior “new” culture and obey the Bible to actually value words enough to let each speak, one person at a time, or will we dishonor each other with the continual self-exaltation and competition of interrupting with our own transgressing words of vanity, disorder and irrational confusion? Let us tremble at the commandment and do it zealously lest we receive the eternal wages of those who sin by loving to speak.
11/11/17-11/12/17
When a hand is raised, no one else speaks. (i.e. according to the clean cannon of Paul)
No interrupting
Dismissal
from Cooperative Communication
A Luxurious
person (sinner/pervert/heretic) is dismissed from Cooperative Communication
Not thinking (not being a very thoughtful person)
Words without knowledge
Not listening to the words someone is speaking
Answering a matter before hearing it
No Cut Throat Trump Style interrupting and demanding quick responses
Hypocrisy (playing games)
…..
Are you eager and determined to hear the missing puzzle pieces for your life?
If I had everything you needed in life, would you be absolutely determined to get that?
Will you stop moving fast and will you stop talking fast long enough to hear the truth about your life?
...
No assuming non inspiration
Cheating
...
Logical fallacies?
Straw man arguments
Begging the question (Aggressively/mindlessly)
...
Being unspiritual, soul-ish, unwise, ignorant, foolish, fleshly - and yet talking many words!
Unthoughtful
Inconsiderate, unperceptive, rash and quick, confident, shallow contentment / content to remain shallow
Manipulative
Talking many words, yet...
Disorderly
Interrupting
....
Flash needs to prove that it is poor, not truth needs to prove that it is true
Flesh balls should not put the truth on the defense
Truth has no need to defend its claim until flash has proven that it is worthy to talk to.
....
Playing games, and then cheating on top of that!