Written by Charles W. Wages
“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye
know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 15:57-58)
“The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. This expression, though not Scripture, tells us something about a truth we all need to consider. On the highway of life, though, there are many detours and distractions.
However, this should not turn us away from the appointed work the Lord has given us to do.
Consider the apostle Paul when he was about to sail from Troas after God called him in a vision to go over to Macedonia. We are told, “Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis” (Acts 16:11).
Note that they came “with a straight course” to Samothracia, then to
Neapolis, then to Philippi.
His mission resulted in Lydia, a “certain” woman whose heart was opened, receiving the message Paul was called to preach and teach. Paul never strayed from the course, but stayed with the course.
This same statement is recorded in Acts 21:1, “And it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara.” Again we find Paul sailing “with a straight course.”
Now, what does this say to us who have been saved by God’s grace and called to work for the Lord?
We must stay with and not stray from the “Word of Truth.” Remember what 2 Timothy 2:15 teaches: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
One of the majortragedies of our present
age is that men and women are detouring and even departing from the truth of God’s Word.
There is a tendency to substitute tradi-
tion for Truth, a tendency to read, study and quote books instead of the Book.
In 2 Timothy 2:17 we are told that men’s words will eat as a canker because they have “erred” from the truth. This is serious and dangerous and leads to all kinds of spurious and false teachings that lead astray.
In 2 Timothy 3:7-8, we read of those who were “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” We
wonder what these stupid people were learning! And then, sadly, they went so far as to “resist the truth.” Often, this is strong resistance and outright opposition to the truth. Finally in 2 Timothy 4:4, we read,
“And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
What a downsizing! The results of not “staying the course” concerning the truth of God’s Word were evident then and are surely evident today.
“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Eph. 4:14).
“The truth often hurts, but it is the lie that leavesthe scars.”
“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye
know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 15:57-58)
“The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. This expression, though not Scripture, tells us something about a truth we all need to consider. On the highway of life, though, there are many detours and distractions.
However, this should not turn us away from the appointed work the Lord has given us to do.
Consider the apostle Paul when he was about to sail from Troas after God called him in a vision to go over to Macedonia. We are told, “Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis” (Acts 16:11).
Note that they came “with a straight course” to Samothracia, then to
Neapolis, then to Philippi.
His mission resulted in Lydia, a “certain” woman whose heart was opened, receiving the message Paul was called to preach and teach. Paul never strayed from the course, but stayed with the course.
This same statement is recorded in Acts 21:1, “And it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara.” Again we find Paul sailing “with a straight course.”
Now, what does this say to us who have been saved by God’s grace and called to work for the Lord?
We must stay with and not stray from the “Word of Truth.” Remember what 2 Timothy 2:15 teaches: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
One of the majortragedies of our present
age is that men and women are detouring and even departing from the truth of God’s Word.
There is a tendency to substitute tradi-
tion for Truth, a tendency to read, study and quote books instead of the Book.
In 2 Timothy 2:17 we are told that men’s words will eat as a canker because they have “erred” from the truth. This is serious and dangerous and leads to all kinds of spurious and false teachings that lead astray.
In 2 Timothy 3:7-8, we read of those who were “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” We
wonder what these stupid people were learning! And then, sadly, they went so far as to “resist the truth.” Often, this is strong resistance and outright opposition to the truth. Finally in 2 Timothy 4:4, we read,
“And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
What a downsizing! The results of not “staying the course” concerning the truth of God’s Word were evident then and are surely evident today.
“That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive” (Eph. 4:14).
“The truth often hurts, but it is the lie that leavesthe scars.”