Read and Obey Your Bible

A “Bible class” in which each participant shares “what this verse means to me” can become an exercise in sharing ignorance rather than a learning experience. Someone must pull together and cite the Bible, correctly understood and applied. Private discussions of ethical and religious differences are worthless until someone points to a biblical principle or passage that speaks to the question at issue.

The principle is well stated by Balaam: “If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the Lord, to do either good or bad of my own will. What the Lord speaks, that will I speak” (Numbers 24:13). However, though Balaam said that just right, he did not want to do it right. He coveted Balak’s riches. He knew that pronouncing a curse the Lord Himself had not pronounced would do him no good, but he kept rationalizing, following Balak along, until he figured out a way to entice Israel to sin and thus bring a curse on themselves.

A religious discussion is not settled until (1) the Bible is correctly cited and (2) the parties to the discussion accept and do what God says.