Thy Speech Betrayeth Thee
After the soldiers had seized Jesus and led him away to be unjustly tried, Peter followed at a distance. Three times he was accused of having been with Jesus and each time he emphatically denied the charge. The third time the charge was stated in this manner: "Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee." (Matt. 26:73.) This, of course, had reference to the dialect he spoke. It identified him as being a Galilean. Human speech betrays a number of things in addition to a particular race or language. It may betray the feelings of an evil heart. It might also betray an ignorance of the will of the Lord as it pertains to his church.
Every notable religious movement has been characterized by its own distinctive language. Such words as eucharist, sacrament, mass and purgatory immediately call to mind Catholicism. Certain words and expressions were used by the great reformers that have since identified or at least been associated with the movements they inaugurated. More than one hundred years ago the noble men, who sought to restore the New Testament church, realized the importance of speech. Consequently, they insisted, not only on doing Bible things in Bible ways, but also upon calling Bible things by Bible names. They knew that without a return to scriptural phraseology there could be no restoration of the first century church. That is the reason that those who are still interested in the pure New Testament church speak a language that is distinctive and at the same time scriptural. If the language we use distinguishes us from sectarianism but is not based upon eternal truth then that speech betrays us. So then, distinctive language may not necessarily be scriptural, but of this much we may be sure, scriptural language will always be distinctive. A faithful, studious member of the Lord's body does not need to listen long to nor to read much from a preacher before he is able to discern if that one is preaching the truth. His speech will betray him. Let us notice then a few present day expressions used by religionists that betray an ignorance of the scriptures.
1. When people talk about "joining" the church, their speech betrays a lack of spiritual discernment with reference to the means of entering the church. This expression is a product of denominationalism. It reduces the church to the status of some social club or fraternal order which may be "joined" in the proper sense of the word. Such talk is nowhere found in the will of God. The New Testament tells of people obeying the gospel and of God's adding them to the church, but says nothing of "joining" it. The Lord keeps the roll book. Unconsciously, this expression has assisted the notion that pardon from sin and entrance into the church are not associated, that one is saved before he is a church member and then "joined" the church. How disgusting to hear professed members of the Lord's church betray their ignorance by using this unscriptural expression.
2. "My church," "your church," "our church" are terms which betray a lack of understanding. Jesus said, "Upon this rock I will build my church." (Matt. 16:18.) So far as the scriptures indicate, no one can lay claim to the Lord's church except divinity. It is spoken of as the "churches of Christ," "church of God," etc. Paul, Peter, James, John and others never referred to the church as being theirs. Paul did say, however, that "he (Christ) purchased it with his own blood." (Acts 20:28.) The church then belongs to the purchaser, the Lord. Not only so, but Paul said of Christians, "Ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price." (1 Cor. 6:19, 20.)
3. This writer has cringed a number of times when some well meaning church member would introduce him to a friend as "our pastor." He has never given anyone reason to proclaim such, whether through preaching or practice. Undoubtedly, there are gospel preachers who have conducted themselves in such a fashion as to create the impression that they truly are "the pastor," but this one deeply resents even the insinuation, however innocently made. No man is deserving of the designation "pastor" until he has attained unto the standard laid down in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. It is absurd to find people calling single men pastors when Paul said one must be the husband of one wife. Here again speech betrays ignorance.
4. This generation has ushered in a host of unscriptural phrases and words that betray ignorance of the word. This article is not written to argue that every word we use in speaking of religious matters must be a Bible word, but at least the idea must be there. It is not uncommon to hear people speak of "our schools," "our benevolent homes," and "our papers" as though these are the peculiar possessions of the church as such. The denominations may have their church schools, orphanages, papers, etc., owned by their hierarchies, but the Lord's church does not. Recently, a well-known preacher, speaking at a middle-Tennessee lectureship, extolled the merits of "consolidated churches of Christ." Now, will some enlightened soul inform us where the scriptures teach or in any sense imply such a notion. Such talk indicates the rising fever for "big" things, for a centralization of power and along with it will appear many pilgrims on the well-worn path of digression. It is this writer's persuasion that such expressions betray an ignorance of God's will.
May God help all of us to "speak things that become sound doctrine," and may it never be truthfully said of us that our speech betrays an ignorance of New Testament teachings.