In The Master's Service

Print this page

A MESSENGER WITH THE MESSAGE

Elder Louis Culver

When a messenger comes to the door with a message, we consider that message, whether or not it is important. We would not ignore it without examining it. I believe we should examine other messages as well as the one that comes to our door.

When the minister delivers a message we want to know if it is a message from God or just something the minister fabricated. In order for us to be able to discern the difference between truth and error, we must be cognizant of the truth. Owning a Bible does not qualify anyone to determine the difference between truth and error. If the Bible is not studied diligently while seeking enlightenment from God Himself, there is no way anyone can learn the truths of the Bible. The Bible is often a closed book: sometimes because God has not yet opened our eyes to the truth; sometimes because we leave the Bible on the shelf, unopened. In either case, we are not able to manufacture wisdom and knowledge for they must come from God Himself.

I first titled this article: "The Messenger With A Message" but I realized that there are many messengers, but only one message: the Message. This message may come wrapped in many different ways, but it is always the same message. It never changes.

Some people leave the studying of the Scriptures to the minister. They trust his ability to deliver the message without error. It is a compliment to the minister that some of the congregation trust him so implicitly. This is neither good nor desirable. First, the minister is but a man, subject to errors just as anyone else (and Satan tries fervently to cause him to misinterpret the Scriptures).

Secondly, this leaves open the possibility for the minister to misguide the congregation by misinterpreting the Scriptures. This is not necessarily an intentional misguiding but rather an unconscious one.

When a messenger comes with the message, may we be knowledgeable enough of Scripture to know and recognize the truth.