But as God is true, our word toward you was not yea and nay.
Paul changed his plans to visit Corinth, but that change did not make his teaching uncertain or contradictory, for his preaching about Christ was as true and faithful as God Himself, clear, consistent and never retracted once grounded in God's word. His word was not yea and nay because the Christ he preached is not yea and nay but yea, and all the promises of God in Him are yea and Amen to the glory of God. God Himself is not changeable and not yea and nay but yea and amen, and His word is consistent, reliable, firm and dependable, never contradictory, never confused, and never mixing truth with falsehood. Those through whom He works are established in Christ and sealed by the Spirit, and they speak clear, decided truth in love, sincerity and humility, presenting it so that it works a decided reformation of the heart from inward to outward. To say yea and nay about the same thing is false and deceptive dealing from a heart that is not true and needs conversion, and messages containing such inconsistencies and contradictions do not bear the divine credentials and cannot come from Him.
Paul's True Preaching
The change in travel plans to Corinth did not make teaching uncertain, and the verse answers the accusation of vacillation on that ground. The preaching about Christ set forth was as true and faithful as God Himself, clear and consistent and free from contradiction. Once a doctrine grounded in God's word had been affirmed, it was not afterward retracted, for the preaching was not yea and nay but ever yea and amen. It was not yea and nay because the Christ proclaimed is not yea and nay but yea, and all the promises of God in Him are yea and Amen to the glory of God. God worked through the apostle by a multitude of revelations and wonderful visions to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed, attending the preaching with a power that could not be withstood. That substantiation gave the words spoken an immovable weight of evidence, so that where Yea had once been said Nay could not afterward be consented to.
God's Unchanging Word
God Himself is not changeable, and His word to His faithful people is not yes and no but yes and amen always. His word is consistent, reliable, solemn, firm and dependable, never contradictory, never confused, and never mixing truth with falsehood, and Scripture does not contradict or deny itself. An explanation of one scripture in a way that denies the sanctuary truth which figures so prominently in the Word twists Scripture, since many confirmations uphold the truthfulness of that position. Long, fine-threaded, indiscernible explanations that confuse minds and leave the proofs wanting violate this certainty, and solid, plain, forcible truth must not deny and disconnect special truths that have borne the test of investigation for nearly a century.
His law is a transcript of His character with binding claims, so ministers must preach the Word with clearness and not confuse minds with their own interpretations and sophistry that make the law of none effect. Messages containing inconsistencies, contradictions and untrue statements do not bear the divine credentials and cannot come from Him. His special sacred light sanctifies the heart, purifies the thoughts and cleanses the hands of the one He speaks through, so those who weave contradictory spurious visions into everything cannot be in harmony with His people until they drop them and eradicate their influence.
The instruction received directly from God through the representative men of Israel is not yes and no but yes and amen, spoken by the same Christ who afterward came to stand at the head of the race as the divine-human Saviour, and it is as verily spoken to believers now as to Israel to help them reach the standard of righteousness and show how to advance in conquest of the world. He does not give uncertain, halfway direction that leaves room for impulse or unsettled principles, including the light on health reform, but His workers must follow with firm, consistent obedience the course He has marked as right, because drifting alone with warped and distorted principles misrepresents professed truth and does lasting injury to the soul. His directions are to be followed whatever the result may be, yet to those who will not hear His voice His message comes in vain, and trusting in themselves and not repenting at His rebuke they shall be surprised and fall and be taken by the enemy.
Unlike man, in whom little dependence can be placed as God-permitted apostasies show, God can always be looked to, so people are always to look to God and His sure and decided word alone. Because His word is firm yes and settled and certain fulfillment, ministers in all churches must bear a decided testimony reflecting that certainty. That testimony presents truth so that it works a decided reformation of the heart from inward to outward to transform character, for all labor to bring souls to a knowledge of the truth will be null and void without it.
Faithful Ministry Practice
Those through whom God works are established in Christ and anointed and sealed by Him with the earnest of the Spirit in the heart, and as wise stewards they speak clear, decided truth in love, sincerity and humility. They must not exalt self as supreme or suppose themselves infallible because they have been enlightened and used to bring souls to truth, and must not seek to rule or set themselves up as lords with authority and dominion over faith and conscience. They are to avoid all possible severity and fulfill their duty by faith in God, doing Him service by imparting what they received to enlighten others while God alone impresses the mind and purifies the heart. They labor by kindly persuasion to lead from error and to promote joy, revealing Christlikeness of character, for believers stand by faith.
Ministers who neglect to feed the flock but feed themselves will be called to strict account for unfaithfulness with the blood of perishing souls upon their heads, yet those who listen to sophistry and discard God's Word are not excused. All believers, especially ministers who open the Word, are to stand in a high and holy position through self-denial, simple food that the stomach can digest without beclouding the brain, and keeping the body in the best condition of health so they can recommend the truth. In this way they are prepared when called to assemble, judge righteously and voice the words of God rather than speaking hastily and viewing matters in a wrong light, showing practical godliness that advances the work. Since in every assembly Christ is present and angels ascend and descend in living connection between earth and heaven, those who stand as His mouthpiece need clear discernment, must speak only under His Spirit with unclouded brains, and must guard the door of the lips against anything that makes disturbance.
Saying yea and nay about the same thing is false statement, dealing falsely and deceptively with a false tongue, coming from a conscience that is not good and a heart that is not true that needs conversion and renewal. It comes because men choose the attributes of Satan instead of the attributes of God, and God's people will keep meeting this conflict and trouble and deception while in this world. The church is not to try to deal with such untruthful elements but to have as little to do with them as possible and leave the sinner with God. Human brethren are not sin-bearers and Jesus alone can bear the sins of the transgressor, and only God who reads the heart according to His knowledge can convert the conscience and renew the heart, though He bears long with the false tongue and does not force men to forsake evil.
The Lord alone is trust, so there is to be rest in Him and stillness and walking by faith without fearing that His work is in jeopardy. For in His own time God will deal with the deceiver according to His knowledge and reward every man according to his work, ending in glorious victory. The verse is a caution and warning to be taken to heart by every soul at a time when seducing power is increasing to deceive even the elect and crooked paths turn the weak out of the way. Then every ray of light must be gathered to substantiate truth and bear aloft the third angel's message, the churches must be set in order and the door of unbelief closed, to rescue souls in peril who do not see their spiritual danger.
Paul changed his plans to visit Corinth, but that change did not make his teaching uncertain or contradictory, for his preaching about Christ was as true and faithful as God Himself, clear, consistent and never retracted once grounded in God's word. His word was not yea and nay because the Christ he preached is not yea and nay but yea, and all the promises of God in Him are yea and Amen to the glory of God. God Himself is not changeable and not yea and nay but yea and amen, and His word is consistent, reliable, firm and dependable, never contradictory, never confused, and never mixing truth with falsehood. Those through whom He works are established in Christ and sealed by the Spirit, and they speak clear, decided truth in love, sincerity and humility, presenting it so that it works a decided reformation of the heart from inward to outward. To say yea and nay about the same thing is false and deceptive dealing from a heart that is not true and needs conversion, and messages containing such inconsistencies and contradictions do not bear the divine credentials and cannot come from Him.
Paul's True Preaching
The change in travel plans to Corinth did not make teaching uncertain, and the verse answers the accusation of vacillation on that ground. The preaching about Christ set forth was as true and faithful as God Himself, clear and consistent and free from contradiction. Once a doctrine grounded in God's word had been affirmed, it was not afterward retracted, for the preaching was not yea and nay but ever yea and amen. It was not yea and nay because the Christ proclaimed is not yea and nay but yea, and all the promises of God in Him are yea and Amen to the glory of God. God worked through the apostle by a multitude of revelations and wonderful visions to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed, attending the preaching with a power that could not be withstood. That substantiation gave the words spoken an immovable weight of evidence, so that where Yea had once been said Nay could not afterward be consented to.
God's Unchanging Word
God Himself is not changeable, and His word to His faithful people is not yes and no but yes and amen always. His word is consistent, reliable, solemn, firm and dependable, never contradictory, never confused, and never mixing truth with falsehood, and Scripture does not contradict or deny itself. An explanation of one scripture in a way that denies the sanctuary truth which figures so prominently in the Word twists Scripture, since many confirmations uphold the truthfulness of that position. Long, fine-threaded, indiscernible explanations that confuse minds and leave the proofs wanting violate this certainty, and solid, plain, forcible truth must not deny and disconnect special truths that have borne the test of investigation for nearly a century.
His law is a transcript of His character with binding claims, so ministers must preach the Word with clearness and not confuse minds with their own interpretations and sophistry that make the law of none effect. Messages containing inconsistencies, contradictions and untrue statements do not bear the divine credentials and cannot come from Him. His special sacred light sanctifies the heart, purifies the thoughts and cleanses the hands of the one He speaks through, so those who weave contradictory spurious visions into everything cannot be in harmony with His people until they drop them and eradicate their influence.
The instruction received directly from God through the representative men of Israel is not yes and no but yes and amen, spoken by the same Christ who afterward came to stand at the head of the race as the divine-human Saviour, and it is as verily spoken to believers now as to Israel to help them reach the standard of righteousness and show how to advance in conquest of the world. He does not give uncertain, halfway direction that leaves room for impulse or unsettled principles, including the light on health reform, but His workers must follow with firm, consistent obedience the course He has marked as right, because drifting alone with warped and distorted principles misrepresents professed truth and does lasting injury to the soul. His directions are to be followed whatever the result may be, yet to those who will not hear His voice His message comes in vain, and trusting in themselves and not repenting at His rebuke they shall be surprised and fall and be taken by the enemy.
Unlike man, in whom little dependence can be placed as God-permitted apostasies show, God can always be looked to, so people are always to look to God and His sure and decided word alone. Because His word is firm yes and settled and certain fulfillment, ministers in all churches must bear a decided testimony reflecting that certainty. That testimony presents truth so that it works a decided reformation of the heart from inward to outward to transform character, for all labor to bring souls to a knowledge of the truth will be null and void without it.
Faithful Ministry Practice
Those through whom God works are established in Christ and anointed and sealed by Him with the earnest of the Spirit in the heart, and as wise stewards they speak clear, decided truth in love, sincerity and humility. They must not exalt self as supreme or suppose themselves infallible because they have been enlightened and used to bring souls to truth, and must not seek to rule or set themselves up as lords with authority and dominion over faith and conscience. They are to avoid all possible severity and fulfill their duty by faith in God, doing Him service by imparting what they received to enlighten others while God alone impresses the mind and purifies the heart. They labor by kindly persuasion to lead from error and to promote joy, revealing Christlikeness of character, for believers stand by faith.
Ministers who neglect to feed the flock but feed themselves will be called to strict account for unfaithfulness with the blood of perishing souls upon their heads, yet those who listen to sophistry and discard God's Word are not excused. All believers, especially ministers who open the Word, are to stand in a high and holy position through self-denial, simple food that the stomach can digest without beclouding the brain, and keeping the body in the best condition of health so they can recommend the truth. In this way they are prepared when called to assemble, judge righteously and voice the words of God rather than speaking hastily and viewing matters in a wrong light, showing practical godliness that advances the work. Since in every assembly Christ is present and angels ascend and descend in living connection between earth and heaven, those who stand as His mouthpiece need clear discernment, must speak only under His Spirit with unclouded brains, and must guard the door of the lips against anything that makes disturbance.
Saying yea and nay about the same thing is false statement, dealing falsely and deceptively with a false tongue, coming from a conscience that is not good and a heart that is not true that needs conversion and renewal. It comes because men choose the attributes of Satan instead of the attributes of God, and God's people will keep meeting this conflict and trouble and deception while in this world. The church is not to try to deal with such untruthful elements but to have as little to do with them as possible and leave the sinner with God. Human brethren are not sin-bearers and Jesus alone can bear the sins of the transgressor, and only God who reads the heart according to His knowledge can convert the conscience and renew the heart, though He bears long with the false tongue and does not force men to forsake evil.
The Lord alone is trust, so there is to be rest in Him and stillness and walking by faith without fearing that His work is in jeopardy. For in His own time God will deal with the deceiver according to His knowledge and reward every man according to his work, ending in glorious victory. The verse is a caution and warning to be taken to heart by every soul at a time when seducing power is increasing to deceive even the elect and crooked paths turn the weak out of the way. Then every ray of light must be gathered to substantiate truth and bear aloft the third angel's message, the churches must be set in order and the door of unbelief closed, to rescue souls in peril who do not see their spiritual danger.