Speak as the Oracles of God
Trent Cornwell
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6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
In other words, we are to limit our thinking to that which God authorizes in His word
17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
Along the same lines, God, through the apostle Peter, commands us to speak as the oracles of God.
11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Religion Based On God's Word, Not Man
For example, to determine what we must do to be saved, we must learn everything the Bible teaches on the topic before we can fully understand God's will and obey.
We do not need to learn the teachings and doctrines of men to understand God's will, nor should we take them into account.
Therefore to speak as the oracles of God, we tell people what God says in His word. And when necessary, we explain it.
The gospel is the power of God unto salvation, not man-made religious doctrines.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
To speak as the oracles of God, we must rightly divide the word of truth.
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
"cut straight." Tas "accurately handling" the word of truth.
How Do We Accurately Handle God's Word?
Since we do not think beyond what is written, and since we speak as the oracles of God, we handle God's word in the manner taught by God in His word.
We do not rely on man-made rules of interpretation to handle God's word, resulting in twisting it to our own destruction.
16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
Rather, we rely on God to teach us how to handle His word, through careful study of the Scriptures.
Such a study whereby we learn how to handle God's word is often called "authority."
Reasoning Based on Scripture, Not Philosophy or Man-Made Religion
To speak the oracles of God, we must reason with people from God's word, not from philosophy or man-made religious doctrines.
Paul, when he reasoned with people, reasoned from the Scriptures.
20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.
He used philosophy to compare the truth to their human religious traditions. He did not use philosophy to establish truth.
For example, when Paul preached on Mars Hill, he quoted poets to compare their religious traditions to the truth of the gospel.
28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Unlike Paul, false teachers use philosophy and man-made religious doctrines to establish what they present as truth, which is actuality a lie
Thus, Paul warns in Colossians:
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
Give Bible Answers
So to speak as the oracles of God, we must give Bible answers to questions.
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
When it comes to discussing the truth, we speak as the oracles of God, showing people what God says in His word, which is the power of God unto salvation.