A Familiar Flavour

Even as we use our senses to discern if food is suitable for eating, so we must be watchful concerning Bible teaching.  Elihu said in Job 34:2-4, "Hear my words, you wise men; give ear to me, you who have knowledge. ³ For the ear tests words as the palate tastes food. ⁴ Let us choose justice for ourselves; let us know among ourselves what is good."  There are foods which looked questionable to me because they were unfamiliar, but when I tried them I agreed they were delicious.  There have also been times when I realised the taste of a familiar food was quite off!  As Christians in this world, there will be unsound teaching which is passed off as biblical the discerning believer will find unpalatable and should reject.  We should not be skeptical or cynical based on appearance alone, but we should be as the noble people of Berea who are described as receiving the Word with readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily to see if the claims Paul and Silas were valid (Acts 17:11).  And this is the point:  people should not preach themselves or their opinions, but endeavour to preach the Word of God.

As children of God filled with the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth, we can discern truth from error.  Seminary degrees have their merit, but they are no substitute for the indwelling presence of God.  Just because a man is revered as a Greek scholar does not mean he is infallible, and some who claim to be filled with the Holy Spirit are full of nonsense.  The Word of God, the Bible, is a indispensable beacon of divine light, a revelation of God's truth He has placed above His own name.  We do not worship the scriptures, but the scriptures reveal the God who inspired them and our Saviour who is worthy of all worship.  People usually are playing a sort of game when they tell you to close your eyes and taste food, and no child of God ought to blindly swallow down whatever is offered to them.

How can we know what is sound teaching?  By using scripture to interpret scripture.  The study of scripture can be a very complex process, but it is understood easily enough by those who have faith in God and a hunger to know and do the truth.  Jesus spoke many parables which remained unsolvable mysteries to unbelievers, but they were designed to reveal spiritual truth to those who believed.  Knowledge of scripture helps us to know when teaching diverts from it - even for a moment.  God is able to even use dubious interpretations of men to lead men to discovering the truth.  One of my favourite examples of this is in the Daily Bread devotional titled, "The Oyster Man."  God's grace is no excuse to justify wilful ignorance, but God's Word preached even by unlearned men has power to impact people for eternity.

Paul exhorted Timothy in light of the deceivers in the world to "Preach the Word!"  We live in a day where many people will not submit to sound doctrine but have turned aside to fables, emotionally stirring vignettes, and worldly wisdom.  The way we avoid error is to keep ourselves aligned with the scriptures.  We should be familiar with the Bible as we are with the taste of salt.  We know when food is savoury, and know when it needs salt.  Whenever I cook dinner and the result is a little different than normal, my wife and kids always know.  I can't slip a half teaspoon of chilli or curry powder into lentil soup without notice, and we should notice when a preacher veers from the truth of the Bible.  If the flavour is a bit off, ask questions and dig into the Bible.  Let us put into practice the truth of God's Word, searching the scriptures to confirm what is preached.