Let The Truth Sink In
In Luke 9:44 Jesus said to his disciples, "Let these sayings sink down into your ears; for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men." To allow the word of Jesus to sink down into their ears was to meditate upon what he said, to ponder his words, to permit his words to penetrate well. In view of his coming death, Jesus desired his disciples to think carefully about what he said in order to fully comprehend the truth spoken.
Much of the religious error is taught because we do not take the time to carefully consider the word of God. Amid the rush of the space age we seldom take the time needed to meditate upon God's truth.
If 2 Tim. 3:16, 17 is permitted to sink down into our ears, we will not be led astray by some so called latter revelation. This passage clearly teaches us that the word of God is all we need in religious matters. Many have not carefully considered the verse and are thus led astray by the pseudo revelations of Joseph Smith, Mary Baker Eddy, Mrs. White, Mrs. Lee, Emanuel Swedenborg, and others. Each of us should allow the truth of this passage to penetrate our minds well.
1 Peter 3:21 is often not properly considered and as the result many deny that water baptism has anything to do with salvation. Peter said that "baptism doth also now save us," but man says it doesn't. Which do you believe? If we permit God's word to "sink in," we certainly will NOT deny the necessity of baptism.
From 2 Corinthians 5:7 we learn that we must walk by faith to be acceptable to God. Many use mechanical instruments of music in worship to God because they have failed to stop and meditate upon this verse. To walk by faith is to walk as God directs (Rom. 10:17), and since God has not directed us to use instrumental music in worship to him it must be excluded. He has instructed us to sing (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16) and that we can do by faith. If heaven is to be our home, we must each pause and let the word of God sink down into our ears.
There would be no wearing of immodest apparel if 1 Tim. 2:9 were properly considered. Paul said that women are to adorn themselves in modest apparel. If this truth is allowed to "sink in," there would be no display of shorts, skin tight toreador pants, tight fitting dresses, low cut dresses or anything else that approaches immodesty. There is no shred of modesty in the use of bathing suits, shorts, and other similar attire, and no God fearing person will so consider such if 1 Tim. 2:9 is pondered well. Take the passage and analyze it; look up the meaning of adorn find the definition of the word "modest" and the word "apparel." Consider the context, find the meaning of every word and then allow the truth therein to "sink in" completely, that the full import of the passage might be grasped.
In Col. 3:1, 2 we read, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth." To seek those things which are above is to be interested in things spiritual and eternal. Our first love will be Christ and his church, not the earthly, sensual, temporal side of life. If we think about this passage and study it carefully, there will be no participation in or association with dancing. Though dancing be widely accepted among religious people, the debauchery connected therewith can only place it among the soul destroying deeds of Satan and his ministers.
If such verses as Acts 14:23 and 1 Peter 5:2 were studied carefully, there would be no difficulty over church organization. From these verses we learn that elders were appointed in every church and that the limit of their authority was the local church. If these verses were allowed to sink down into our ears, there would be no synods, councils, conventions, or earthly headquarters. There would be no missionary societies, benevolent societies, educational societies, or centralization of any kind. There would be nothing that even approached the Herald of Truth. Human arrangements and societies would be excluded completely if we pondered well these verses in order to get the complete meaning. If we believe and practice the truth, church organization will consist of the bishops and deacons taking care of the affairs of each local church. (Phil. 1:1)
These are but a few of the many verses that demonstrate the urgent need for each of us to spend more time meditating upon the word of God. We need to do as suggested in Psalms 1:2. "But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doeth he meditate day and night." Do you meditate upon the word day and night? Our lives need to be filled with service to God and meditation upon his word. (Ps. 19:14)
We may excuse ourselves and say that we are too busy to break our heavy schedule of activities to ponder the word of truth, but it is only an excuse. We have the time; we can find the time; we must find the time; we will find the time if we intend to spend eternity in the home of the soul! We hope you Will determine now to let all the word of God sink down into your ears!
— 1109 Ave I, Del Rio, Texas