True Exhortation (3)

Hello everyone,

How are you doing on this day? I hope well and bubbling in the Lord.

Primary Text

“For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:” 1 Thessalonians 2v3 (KJV)

Yet another mark of a true exhortation is that it is without guile. Guile implies something that is fraudulent, devious, crafty, and tricky. The true word of exhortation is none of these. 2 Corinthians 4v1-2 (NIV) says “Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.” The Amplified version (v2) says “… we refuse to deal craftily (to practice trickery and cunning) or to adulterate or handle dishonestly the Word of God, but we state the truth openly (clearly and candidly)…” The true exhortation does not “try to get anyone to believe that the Bible teaches what it doesn’t” (TLB, v2).   

Supplementary Text

“But Elymas the wise man – for that is the translation of his name [which he had given himself] – opposed them, seeking to keep the proconsul from accepting the faith. But Saul, who is also called Paul, filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit, looked steadily at [Elymas] And said, You master in every form of deception and recklessness, unscrupulousness, and wickedness, you son of the devil, you enemy of everything that is upright and good, will you never stop perverting and making crooked the straight paths of the Lord and plotting against His saving purposes?” Acts 13v8-11 (AMP)

Prayer

Father, I thank You for Your Word this day. I pray for a spirit of discernment and knowledge of who You are that I may be able to tell the truth from the lies. May I never be myself deceitful about the message of salvation or handle the Word of God dishonestly. All this I pray in Jesus name, amen.