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Dripping Springs Weekly Bulletins
Are Only The "Red Letter Words" Inspired?
A prominent entertainer recently spoke out on a controversial moral issue. She was angry that some “religious do-gooders” were using the word “sin” to describe the “gay” life style. She said that since Jesus never called it a sin, no one else has the right to do so.
Many accept this view, perhaps without examining the evidence. Some Bible publishers sell Bibles with the words of Jesus in red letters. Some convenience may come from that choice, but “all scripture” is inspired of God, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, not just the “red letter words.”
Considering the “Jesus never called it sin” claim, it’s just not true. In Matthew 15:19 Jesus said:
“Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things that defile a man.”
The word “fornications” is from the Greek word porneia, defined by Thayer as: “adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism.” Yes, Jesus did “call it a sin”.
What about putting the words of Jesus in red letters? I don’t know what motivated publishers to use red letters in some of their Bibles. They may have merely wanted readers to know which words were actually spoken by Jesus. That may have led some to believe those words were more inspired or possessed more authority, but there are no grounds for such a belief.
We have said before that some people are going to believe what they want to believe – even if the facts do not favor their opinions. In writing to Christians in Thessalonica Paul said:
“For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God,” 1 Thessalonians 2:13.
When Paul wrote by inspiration, the words he wrote were not just his own opinions or thoughts, but the “word of God.” It was that same Paul who wrote the following words:
“Do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners wll inherit the kingdom of God,” 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.
When the Holy Spirit caused men to write the Word of God, He did what Jeremiah was told years earlier:
“The Lord said unto me…whatever I command you, you shall speak. Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord. Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth. And the Lord said to me, Behold, I have put My words in your mouth,” Jeremiah 1:7-9.
Now, what have we seen from the scriptures themselves? We have seen that what Jesus spoke and what God’s inspired writers wrote are in perfect harmony. God could have gone to every individual and revealed His way and His Word to them. That would have been no problem for Deity, but that is not what He did. In Old Testament times, God employed men who were patriarchs, prophets, kings and common men to speak His message to their generation. He caused them to write His words so they would be available to their generation and to future generations as well.
When Jesus was on the earth, He made a promise to His disciples. Simon Peter, one of those given that promise, later wrote:
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit,” 2 Peter 1:20-21.
Here again we see that men who wrote scripture did not do so by their own authority but were “moved by the Holy Spirit.” The words were not merely their own words, but God’s.
We have the highest regard for the words Jesus spoke because they came from God and the Son of God. When He spoke, He spoke truth, and when others wrote by the Holy Spirit, they also wrote truth.
When the Holy Spirit addressed the purity and modesty that should adorn Christian women, He had Peter write:
“Do not let your adorning be merely outward – arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel – rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of of God,” 1 Peter 3:3-4.
In Matthew 7:15 Jesus warned of the danger of false teachers. A similar warning written by John states:
“Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive not into your house nor greet him; for he that greets him shares in his evil deeds,” 2 John 1:9-11.
As Jesus prepared His disciples to carry the Gospel to the world, He told them the Holy Spirit would aid them in knowing what they should say and how they should say it. See Matthew 10:19-20, John 14:26, 16:13. He told them when that time came it would not be them that spoke, but rather “the Spirit of the Father Who speaks in you.”
We must be willing to hear the Word of God, whether spoken by Jesus or written by men inspired of God. Let us respect all of God’s Word!
Carl B. Garner
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What About Braided Hair?
Question: In Paul’s first letter to Timothy, he seems to forbid a woman wearing her hair braided (2:9). Can you comment on this? What would be the reason behind this prohibition?
Response: The full context of any passage, plus other relevant information elsewhere in the Bible on the same topic, must be employed to bring any ambiguous passage into clear focus. So it is with reference to the 1 Tim. 2:9-10 NKJV, (“…in like manner also, that the women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with propriety and moderation, not with braided hair or gold or pearls or costly clothing, but, which is proper for women professing godliness, with good works.”).
The passage is enjoining “modest” (well-ordered, decent) clothing and is designed to insolate the Christian woman against the inordinate attention of others. A woman (or man, for that matter) may be immodest either by being underdressed, or extravagantly dressed. The emphasis of this passage is upon the development of inner spiritual qualities, which could be obscured by outlandish dress.
Paul is not condemning the items mentioned per se. What he is prohibiting is that excess which would detract from the woman’s spiritual charms. It would not be sinful for a Christian woman to wear a wedding ring of “gold,” though “gold” is mentioned. It is, however, in my judgment, a sign of ostentation to see women wearing rings on virtually every finger, some on her toes, and three or four in each ear – not to mention nose and eyebrow rings, studs, etc.
Historical sources indicate that in that era, it frequently was the case that women would braid their hair high atop their heads, having it intertwined with jewels, etc. It was a showcase – so elaborate as to be a sensation. One certainly may array himself or herself with pride and dignity, but to dress so as to flaunt the physical is not consistent with the will of Christ. Even preachers who are such flashy dressers that they distract from the gospel message are not exercising spiritual judgment.
Moreover, Paul’s prohibition includes “costly raiment.” How much does “costly” cost? Compared to what many folks in third world countries wear, virtually anything we put on is “costly.” The way we dress within our culture is, therefore, to some degree a factor in exercising good judgment. When the Christian visits certain poor countries, he may need to “dress down” somewhat.
In a passage of similar import, Peter condemns “putting on apparel” (1 Peter 3:3 NKJV - “Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—…”). Clearly, this injunction is not intended to be absolute; rather, the language is relative. The point is this: for both women and men, one may dress well, and even fashionable within his cultural circumstances; however, he or she should avoid being show-offish. Inner traits should be paramount in our public demeanor. Christ would be magnified in us (Philippians 1:20 “according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.”).
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