“What saith the Scriptures?”  (Romans 4)

 

I have noticed that questions can be annoying to persons.  I ask many questions and sometimes I can tell a person doesn’t want to answer them. However, questions leads to answers and some lead to more questions which can lead to answers or even more questions.

The Scriptures ask many, many, very many questions. The Bible begins questioning in Genesis when God asked Adam where he was which led to another question which was who told him that he was naked.  A few chapters later we find God asking Cain where Abel was, which led to asking Cain what he had done to his brother, which then led to Cain asking, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

In the New Testament Christ asked upward of over forty questions of different persons, I believe the number is forty-six (46). The number forty (40) is the Biblical number of trials and six (6) is the number of man.  The forty-six (46) questions of Christ then tells us His questions are meant to try His subjects. What is a trial after-all but a series of questions meant to expose the truth.

One question each of us, Reader, should ask ourselves and others often…very often…everyday in fact and that question is what saith the Scriptures.  Reader, when you are faced with a choice or decision you should think, “What saith the Scriptures” before making the choice or decision.  When asking that question one is also asking, “What does God say about this” or the well known WWJD, What would (Lord) Jesus do? Reader, always give Christ His rightful and respectful title of Lord (John 13:13).

Of course there be other options. One may “Follow” one’s heart. One may ask, “What do the polls say?” One might ask a friend what they think about something. One may lean upon one’s own understanding (Proverbs 3 says that’s a bad idea). If one is silly and pagan one may read a horoscope (God forbids this). One may also let others tell them what to think and that is the easy route and the route most taken. An independent thinker is a troublemaker to be sure but if not for trouble life would be boring.

Asking questions of others will bring you to answers. When faced with a choice or decision, simply fall upon or resort to Who, What, When, Where, and How.  These questions will get you your answer or they will lead to more questions which will lead to an answer. However, Reader, Wisdom teaches us not to ask a question we might not want the answer to. It has been said, “Ask me no questions and I will tell you no lies.” That is sometimes sound advice. Sometimes it is better not to know.

“What saith the Scriptures?”  This is a right and proper place to begin any inquiry when self is involved in the equation.  “What saith the Scriptures?” is profitable always when seeking answers to anything. The Scriptures provide answers on marriage, parenting, business, human behaviour, right roads to take, how to deal with others, how to love others, how to treat others, what God expects, what is right and wrong, what is good and bad, what is true and what is false. And most importantly, how one can be saved and be pleasing to God.

As to the other sources one might defer to from above: the person that follows their heart is full of folly and silliness. Basing decisions on polls begets a mob mentality.  “Friends” can tell you what you want to hear, but real friends can be a source of direction and that friend will provide you counsel from Scripture or direct you to Scripture, even if it hurts. To lean upon thine own understanding can be dangerous as you are not your best guide when you are lost. Would you trust a guide who has no knowledge of where you are going? of course not. Letting others tell you what to think is easy, lazy, and stupid. One must learn how to think and not be told what to think. Be weary of the person telling you what to think. Remember the broad way leads to destruction and many there be that are on it.  Remember the dangers and consequences of a person “doing right in [their] own eyes.”

Blessed is the man that has hidden God’s Word in the heart. The man that has the Word in his mind and heart is a man that can avoid much stress as he is able to call upon the Word and Wisdom of God, Who is all knowing. The Scriptures has already answered many of the questions one will be called upon to answer in life. I shake my head when an ignorant persons say, “Life doesn’t come with a manual” or “There is no manual on parenting.” Actually there are many books on parenting some good and some horrible, but that is beside the point. The point is this: When persons say there is no guide or manual to life, they are wrong. The Bible is the guide book for life AND eternity.

To be an independent thinker can be dangerous. Socrates was a man that taught through questioning and he was ultimately made to drink poison and die.  He was thought as a trouble maker and a man that misleads the youth. Questioners are bothersome to those who have no real answer based on any kind of fact or objective source. A person will grow angry when you ask them a question they have no answer to, especially when they are acting as though they know what they’re doing. These are Solomon’s fools to be sure. The person that simply joins in with the crowd without knowing the who, what, when, where, why, and how is an idiot by definition. They are thinking what others think and doing what others do as a child under the age of two (2).

Christ asked questions. John Baptist asked questions. The disciples asked questions. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, asked questions. All were executed, save John the beloved. These men knew that questions are a type of weapon that can kill the fallacious and cut open the hidden. These men knew that questions shine a bright light that makes bugs depart and run away quickly. Christ is the Light of the world, He exposes all things at the right time.

I mean not to be funny, but one way to get out of an awkward situation or to get away from someone that you’d rather not be with is to start asking questions that will make someone uncomfortable. I do this sometimes. “What is your position on X?”  or  “What’s your stand on X?” AND “What think ye of God’s Son, the Lord Jesus?” talk about parting the Red Sea, they will “depart another way” quick and fast or you will have an opportunity to witness to the Risen and Saving Christ of God.

Look at the word asking. As-King.  You can put a person on the spot and gain the upper hand by as-king questions. The right question can make a person act or be persuaded to do the right thing very often.

“Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened.”  These are the Words of our Lord Jesus and we should take heed to them.

Godspeed.