SPEAK THE TRUTH CLEARLY
"All the words that come out of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understand, and right to those that find knowledge " (Proverbs 8:8-9).
"The commandment of the Lord is a pure word" (Psalm 19:8); "there's not any dross at all in it; it's like silver tried seven times in the fire" (Psalm 12:6). The word of God is plain and simple, so we should speak and teach this clear truth in an easy language that our hearers can understand. There are different categories of hearers. Some are quick to assimilate the message, while it may take others some time to digest the truth.
God promised His church and people that "the oxen also, and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat clean provender, free from the straw, and chaff, dust, and dark" (Isaiah 30:24); "For it is written in the Law of Moses: do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain. Is it about oxen that God is concerned?"(1 Corinthians 9:9) - This message is literally for our sake, to preach the truth to the believers that are yearning for it.
The church is exceedingly pleased with the character of those who come to her, "the doves" (the new converts/the new believers), "who fly to their windows" (to Christ in His church) (Isaiah 60:8). Who are these people that fly? They are those who fly because they can not stop where they were, and they fly somewhere else for refuge, to "a city that has foundations, whose builder and maker is God (Hebrews 11:10)". They are unable to continue in their sins. They want to abide by the truth, which the world cannot give. They live on the "good corn of the kingdom." -The truth.
How do we present the Gospel truth to them? Do they really understand it the way Christ preached it to us? Are we concerned more about their applause or the conviction of their hearts while preaching? Are we moved by their influx into the church, only to be entertained by comedians, not by the truth of the Gospel that was purchased by the blood of Jesus? God sends "the doves" to His ministers to feed them with pure, holy, wholesome doctrine, not with the chaff of unwritten traditions, nor with the mixtures of human inventions.
Oh Lord, help us! Where else should the doves fly but to their dovecot? They are meant to be in the dovecot of the church, where they belong. Yes, the joy of the church is that the poor sinner does not fly to man, nor to the law, but flies to Christ, the dovecot! The world can't give them the truth. God's servants live in this truth, but they fail to speak the truth clearly.
They should be taught clear knowledge, as Elihu here speaks, "My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart, and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly." (Job 33:3)
"I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jeremiah 31:3), therefore "I have not delivered the soul of my turtle dove into the company of the wicked" (Psalm 74:19).
DO NOT JUST SPEAK THE TRUTH, BUT SPEAK IT CLEARLY.
The Lord promised, "For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent." (Zephaniah 3:9). What they speak should be the pure truth. Their language should be not only grammatically pure, proper, and genuine, but theologically pure, without any tinge of error in it.
1. Some speak clear and pure truths, but don't speak them clearly. They speak great truths, but observe them in their own way; those who wrap sound doctrine in hard, uncouth words, or deliver it in an unnecessary multitude of words, confuse and confound their audience rather than inform or instruct them.
2. The ministers of God who don't speak with clear knowledge are like those who mud the waters or raise dust in the air, which will not let others see distinctly what they hold or put in either. Speaking with dark words and strange notions is like speaking in a strange language. The man who speaks clearly speaks profitably.
3. We commonly say, "Truth seeks no corners." - the truth will not be hidden. Corners are obscure and ambiguous words, of doubtful construction and interpretation, wherein many hide the truth while they pretend to speak and publish it. Such speakers, as well as those who speak in an unknown language, are barbarians to their hearers.
4. "He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself, but he that prophesies edifies the church" (1 Corinthians 14:4). We must speak the clear truth in a known language in order to edify the hearer. We would rather speak five words to edify others than ten thousand words in difficult and strange expressions.
5. Though we speak in a known language, doubtful words hinder edifying as much as an unknown language does, the same way a foreign language is to the hearer (a Chinese man can not edify his English hearer unless he speaks the English language). It is a special gift of God to speak knowledge clearly. The Apostle Peter has left that excellent advice with all who are called to speak the great things of eternal life, "If any man speaks (that is, if he speaks about the things of God, divine things), let him speak as the oracles of God" (1 Peter 4:11). What are they?
The oracles of God are the known words of God, but how are those oracles to be known? Surely, as God speaks to them plainly and clearly.
https://mountzionblog.org/speak-the-truth-clearly/
The oracles of God were spoken without ambiguity. Therefore, let no man speak them as the devil speaks his oracles, that is, with ambiguity and doubtfully. The devil of old gave all his answers and oracles doubtfully and darkly to his dark and blinded devoted followers; what he says could be construed in a variety of ways. The devil's oracle predicts an answer for King Saul, which he might interpret either as a great success or as a great overthrow. When Saul sought advice on his wars, he went to the witch of Endor, i.e., the devil (1 Samuel 28:7-11). The devil gave him a doubtful resolve.
Satan does not speak knowledge clearly, but Christ's servants and messengers must use great plains of speech while treating and giving out God's mind to His people; and be careful that as the doctrine which they deliver is sound, so there may be clarity in their delivery. Their lips ought to utter knowledge clearly, as to the matter; pure, plain, without any adulteration, deceit, or guile, as to the manner.
We stand in a very solemn position, and ours should be the spirit of old Micaiah, who said, "As the Lord lives, whatever the Lord says to me, that I will speak” (1 Kings 22:14 NKJV).
We should speak neither less nor more than God's word, and we are bound to declare it with the mind of God, whom we believe in and are not to be shaken in our confidence in him.
"And to you who speak what the Lord has not spoken, Thus says the Lord of Hosts,
"Woe unto the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! They have seen vanity and lying divination, "saying, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed. Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, ‘The Lord says,’ but I have not spoken.” Therefore thus says the Lord God: “Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,” says the Lord God" (Ezekiel 13:3,6,7,8).
"The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice." (Psalm 37:30)
"And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be " (Revelation 22:12).
"Let him who has an ear hear what the Spirit says to the churches" (Revelation 3:6).
“You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For you created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created" (Revelation 4:11).
James Dina (james@mountzionblog.org)
August 10,2021
https://mountzionblog.org/speak-the-truth-clearly/
References
1. "Exposition with Practical Observations on the Book of Job", Vol. 10, (1669). by Caryl Joseph.
2. "The Marvellous Increase of the Church", January 27, 1856, by Charles Haddon Spurgeon.
3. "The Need of Decision for the Truth," A College Address, by C. H. Spurgeon from the March 1874 Sword and Trowel
