Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday November 15, 2011

I never cease to be amazed at how the more things change the more they remain the same. This is observable in all walks of life. Good advice certainly fits into this advisory realm.

The following advice for a professional of any sort is as up to date as the latest book on improving yourself to do better in the marketplace.

"Do not hover always on the surface of things, nor take up suddenly, with mere appearances; but penetrate into the depth of matters, as far as your time and circumstances allow, especially in those things which relate to your profession." -Isaac Watts (17 July 1674 - 25 November 1748, English hymn writer, theologian, and logician)

I'm sure you noticed the life span of Mr. Watts and what professor of faith has not been enamored of at least one of his hymns? Isaac Watts went to his reward in 1748, prior to the Revolutionary War. Yet what fault could you find in his advice?

It's a matter of fact that many problems in any realm of endeavor are related to the error of not taking the time and effort to think a thing, idea or new way through with further study, insightful questions getting down to the core of a thing.

In the realm of religion to slide by on the surface has become fashionable and in some cases downright dangerous. The very idea of looking into things a little deeper is openly ridiculed in some circles of faith. True, many go down deep and come up dry, but if delving into the truth of God leaves you dry, perhaps you are not digging into the truth of the Lord, but some wacko position that has developed an idea that does not in the long run of study hold water.

In days long gone I would travel to preach a revival meeting one time each year at a certain church. Each year I would be met at the airport by a pastor friend who was ecstatic over some new wrinkle of doctrine never heard of before by God's people until whoever mined this new truth from the Bible due to the one time only alignment of certain planets. One year the Pope had combed his hair different and this was a sure sign that the end was very near.

The word for men or women such as the above is unstable. Unstable is a Bible word that is nicer than Nutcase. You can decide which term I prefer. About as disruptive are the men of the cloth who while not jumping off the deep end on a new idea, are the ones who at least twice per year change their views on varied historic concepts on biblical teaching. This can only be the result of failure to follow the instruction given in the long ago by Isaac Watts.

Paul the Apostle gave essentially the same though condensed advice in 1Thessalonians 5:21 "Prove all things, hold fast that which is good." I suppose this means to eat the meat and spit out the bones.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2011 Use with credit

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