Speak as the Oracles of God
Bible study on authority.

In the last article, we discussed the command that we are "not to think beyond what is written" (1 Cor. 4:6, NKJV).

In other words, we are to limit our thinking to that which God authorizes in His word (Col. 3:17).

Along the same lines, God, through the apostle Peter, commands us to speak as the oracles of God.

• "If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Pet. 4:11, NKJV).

Religion Based On God's Word, Not Man
As we talked about in the last article, we don't base our religion on man-made doctrine or philosophy, but on God's word (Mk. 7:7-9; Col. 2:8).

For example, to determine what we must do to be saved, we must learn everything the Bible teaches on the topic before we can fully understand God's will and obey.

We do not need to learn the teachings and doctrines of men to understand God's will, nor should we take them into account.

Therefore to speak as the oracles of God, we tell people what God says in His word. And when necessary, we explain it.

The gospel is the power of God unto salvation, not man-made religious doctrines (Rom. 1:16).

Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth
To speak as the oracles of God, we must rightly divide the word of truth.

• "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15).

"Dividing" is translated from the Greek word orthotomeo, which literally means to "cut straight." The meaning here is "rightly dealing with a thing" (Vine's), and thus the New American Standard translates the metaphor as "accurately handling" the word of truth.

How Do We Accurately Handle God's Word?
Since we do not think beyond what is written, and since we speak as the oracles of God, we handle God's word in the manner taught by God in His word.

We do not rely on man-made rules of interpretation to handle God's word, resulting in twisting it to our own destruction (2 Pet. 3:16). Rather, we rely on God to teach us how to handle His word, through careful study of the Scriptures.

Such a study whereby we learn how to handle God's word is often called "authority."

Reasoning Based on Scripture, Not Philosophy or Man-Made Religion
To speak the oracles of God, we must reason with people from God's word, not from philosophy or man-made religious doctrines.

Paul, when he reasoned with people, reasoned from the Scriptures.

• "And according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures" (Acts 17:20).

He used philosophy to compare the truth to their human religious traditions. He did not use philosophy to establish truth.

For example, when Paul preached on Mars Hill, he quoted poets to compare their religious traditions to the truth of the gospel.

• "For in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children'" (Acts 17:28).

Unlike Paul, false teachers use philosophy and man-made religious doctrines to establish what they present as truth, which is actuality a lie (cf. 2 Th. 2:10-12).

Thus, Paul warns in Colossians:

• "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ" (Col. 2:8).
• " Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ. Let no one keep defrauding you of your prize by delighting in self-abasement and the worship of the angels, taking his stand on visions he has seen, inflated without cause by his fleshly mind, and not holding fast to the head. . . ." (Col. 2:16-19).
• "If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!' (which all refer to things destined to perish with use) in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence" (Col. 2:20-23).

Give Bible Answers
So to speak as the oracles of God, we must give Bible answers to questions.

• "But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence" (1 Pet. 3:15).
• "If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Pet. 4:11, NKJV).

When it comes to discussing the truth, we speak as the oracles of God, showing people what God says in His word, which is the power of God unto salvation.