I Think…

Solomon admonished: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Later he wrote: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12).

The prophet Jeremiah confessed, “O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his own steps” (Jeremiah 10:23).

On our own we are incapable of charting a course which will lead to God. We simply lack the wisdom and expertise to do it, but that doesn’t keep people from trying!

Over the years I have been involved in numerous Bible studies in which the scriptures have been consulted in answer to some question. And often, the response is, “I don’t care what the Scriptures say, I think…” It is hard for me to understand that kind of arrogant attitude, but it’s certainly not new.

You are probably familiar with the Old Testament story of Naaman. Naaman was a leper in search of a cure. His search ultimately led him to Elisha, a prophet of God in Israel. The prophet, knowing what Naaman sought, did not even bother to meet with the man. He simply sent a servant to tell Naaman to dip seven times in the Jordan River. The leper’s reaction was not at all surprising. The record says: “But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, he will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper” (2 Kings 5:11). However, what Naaman thought was wrong! It was only when he did what was commanded that his leprosy was cured.

What we think about homosexuality, women’s roles, acceptable worship, baptism, or any other matter is not nearly as important as what God has said about it.

Our responsibility is not to do what we think is best, but to do what God tells us in His book! What we think about a matter is irrelevant when God has addressed the subject. The next time you start to say “I think,” remember the correct response should be “the Bible says…!”

Thus, Peter admonished: “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God…” (1 Peter 4:11).

If you have questions, the Bible has the answers.