Proverbs 12:17
He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness:
But a false witness deceit.
Much of the understanding of these Proverbs is hidden in the Biblical agrarian Hebraic culture. The word witness here means: the evidence of things.
Evidence proves facts through the act of seeing. Words are cheap; anyone can say the right thing, pronounce the right theology, pontificate on spiritual things, even do miracles. The crunch comes with the lifestyle. The question to ask ourselves is not, ‘Are they saying the right thing?’ but rather ‘Are they living the right thing’, “What does their lifestyle show me? Does it show me God as defined in His Word?”
Naaman, a Syrian high official mentioned in the Bible had leprosy. He was told by his young Jewish servant girl that Elijah the prophet from Israel could heal him. At first, Naaman was too proud to dip in the dirty Jordan River seven times as the prophet had prescribed; he preferred the nice clean pools of Damascus. After reluctantly obeying, Naaman was healed, and some time later appeared, healed of his leprosy, accompanying the King of Syria to the worship of their idol. What is wrong with this picture?
The people who saw him probably associated Naaman’s healing with his idolatrous worship. Yahweh healed him, but he worshipped the idol. Naaman knew it was wrong; the text of the story makes mention of his convicted spirit. How did God feel? Well, It is the same thing when we claim salvation in the name of God but then return to our old lifestyles. People cannot give glory to God and we become a false witness which shows deceit.
God doesn’t heal and save us so we can become more comfortable citizens of this world; He does it so we can belong to Him even if only for gratitude sake. Let therefore our lifestyle show the One who has truly healed and saved us from; let our lifestyle be a true witness of His love and care for mankind.
He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness:
But a false witness deceit.
Much of the understanding of these Proverbs is hidden in the Biblical agrarian Hebraic culture. The word witness here means: the evidence of things.
Evidence proves facts through the act of seeing. Words are cheap; anyone can say the right thing, pronounce the right theology, pontificate on spiritual things, even do miracles. The crunch comes with the lifestyle. The question to ask ourselves is not, ‘Are they saying the right thing?’ but rather ‘Are they living the right thing’, “What does their lifestyle show me? Does it show me God as defined in His Word?”
Naaman, a Syrian high official mentioned in the Bible had leprosy. He was told by his young Jewish servant girl that Elijah the prophet from Israel could heal him. At first, Naaman was too proud to dip in the dirty Jordan River seven times as the prophet had prescribed; he preferred the nice clean pools of Damascus. After reluctantly obeying, Naaman was healed, and some time later appeared, healed of his leprosy, accompanying the King of Syria to the worship of their idol. What is wrong with this picture?
The people who saw him probably associated Naaman’s healing with his idolatrous worship. Yahweh healed him, but he worshipped the idol. Naaman knew it was wrong; the text of the story makes mention of his convicted spirit. How did God feel? Well, It is the same thing when we claim salvation in the name of God but then return to our old lifestyles. People cannot give glory to God and we become a false witness which shows deceit.
God doesn’t heal and save us so we can become more comfortable citizens of this world; He does it so we can belong to Him even if only for gratitude sake. Let therefore our lifestyle show the One who has truly healed and saved us from; let our lifestyle be a true witness of His love and care for mankind.
1 comment:
Ahmein!!!
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