The Plumb Line
What is meant when I say - "What plumb line do you really hold to? What plumb line is cemented in your mind that forms the Christian Thought that you hold dear today? Is it the Plumb Line of God's Word? Is it that of scripture, or is it based on the Doctrines of Men?
First of all, what is a plumb line?
It is also referred to as a plummet. Scriptures speak of it and contractors today essentially use it. It is a cord with a weight on its end, that when dangled, it seeks a perfectly vertical straight line by which to determine, or assure, the straightness of a wall. However, in the case of scripture, the straightness by which God’s Word brings into our lives.
Amos spoke of the plumb line of God in Amos 7:7-8
7 Thus He showed me [a vision], and behold, the Lord was standing by a vertical wall with a plumb line in His hand [to determine if the wall was straight or if it needed to be destroyed]. 8 The Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said,
“Behold, I am setting a plumb line [as a standard] Among My people Israel [showing the defectiveness of the nation, requiring judgment]. I shall not spare them any longer. [The door of mercy is shut.] [AMP]
King David also declared truths that regard the plumb line that God’s word brings into one's life.
Psalm 119:11
Thy word have I hid in mine heart,
that I might not sin against thee. [KJV]
God’s Word and God’s Word alone is the plumb line for mankind. We may look for other things to replace it, but none truly exist.
Catechisms and Confessions
There are too many Catechisms and Confessions to list. Actually, too many for me to want to list. Examples would be Catholic Catechisms, Orthodox Catechisms, Lutheran Catechism, Common Catechisms, Western Catechisms, and Protestant Reformed Catechisms; Mixed in are various Confessions. The one many fall back to is that of the Westminster Confession, the larger and shorter versions. The names of earlier clergy involved are Cyril, Basil, Augustine, Luther, Calvin, and many others through the centuries right up to John Piper writing a commentary on the subject of Catechisms in the 1980s.
Book after book and page after page, of reading and memorizing with the intent to recite doctrines, catechisms, and confessions. However… here is a novel idea… How about reading the Bible? The widely excepted canonized Word of God. Read it, and memorize it, so that you can recite it. (2 Timothy 2:15. Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [KJV])
The constant distractions that well-intentioned men have brought into the headspace of Christian Thought are utterly astonishing… actually bewildering! Anything to keep mankind from reading that which is the true plumb line for our lives. The Word of God. The Bible - The Bible that has sat on the bookshelves of so many just collecting dust.
Side Note:
It must be understood before the printing press came to be, many did not read, and many did not know how to read. It makes sense when the Catholic Church only allowed Scriptures to be printed in Latin that it was simply not read. Although printed Bibles and other reading materials may have been around since the 1450s due to the work of Johannes Gutenberg (the birth of mass printing due to the printing press), a majority of people simply did not know how to read. For that matter, literacy remained very low through the 1400s to 1800s. For example, literacy grew slowly but steadily. In the late 1400s, 10% of men were literate, climbing to 20% in the 1500s, 30% by 1650, 45% by 1714, and 60% by 1754. BUT… WHAT IS THE EXCUSE TODAY? What keeps man reading Catechisms, Confessions, and Church Doctrinal material rather than their Bibles (the Word of God)?
The answer... Constant indoctrination of those that attend church. Doctrines of Men that’s what! Denominational indoctrination. We are all touched by it.
However, I don’t care how long the Catechisms, Confessions, and other Doctrinal material that your church holds dear has been around. They are not the "be-all, end-all" of man-made Church doctrines! This is extremely relevant in light of SO MANY not knowing God’s Word.
Yet denomination after denomination constantly pushes various Doctrines of Men. Although the original intentions of such doctrines were meant to fulfill something good, to promote piety, it has led to a weighing down of believers with the ideas and ideals ABOUT Biblical goodness and godliness. However, never really accomplishes its good intentions because there is no substitute for being immersed in God's Word versus the Doctrines and Catechisms of Men. (Psalm 119:105; 1 Peter 1:23; Rom. 12:2; Heb. 4:12; Eph. 5:26; 2 Tim. 3:16,17; Isa. 55:11)
There are a lot of false professors in the world. Yes… you heard me. There are a lot of people that are good at good works, good at doing good deeds, good at volunteering at the local mission or youth center, good at doing religion, good at being faithful to attend church, and good at playing the part. In love with the IDEA of being a Christian, in love with the ideals, morals, and goodness promoted by scripture, yet not truly a born-again believer, not truly saved for they put their faith and their trust in their doing, in THEIR work and not HIS work - His work ALONE!
That is why it is so crucial that Christians, especially Pastors, know how to properly and biblically ARTICULATE what one must do to be saved. And may I clearly state, that it has NOTHING to do with any of OUR DOING! (Matthew 7:21-23)
Additionally, Pastors and Teachers must get back to the Expositional Teaching of God’s Word.
"My people perish for lack of knowledge" (Hosea 4:6) easily applies to the subject of individuals coming to the saving knowledge of what one must do to be saved. As well as what God’s Word says regarding how we should live after becoming a believer.
I Corinthians 3:1-3
And I, brothers and sisters, could not speak to you as spiritual people, but only as fleshly, as to infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to consume it. But even now you are not yet able, 3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like ordinary people? [NASB]
Heb 5: v11. Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.
v12. For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
v13. For every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
v14. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. [KJV]
Back to the subject at hand of a Plumb Line. There is only one true plumb line in the lives of mankind: God's Word as written in biblical text. I know many within social media circles and many in my own city that just can't let it go. They can't help themselves from being quick to defend some catechism, confession, or other man-made church doctrines as if any one of them is equivalent to God's Word. They may be based on the ideals of God’s Word, but nonetheless, it is not God’s Word, it is not the Logos of God. These external writings will never become Rhema (living Word) within you. Only God’s Word becomes the living Bread of Life within you!
Mankind is in the state that it is in, and many professing Christians are equally part of it because although they may be able to recite something learned from catechism class or some church confession, they cannot quote scripture accurately or articulate it in context.
No longer view your faith and the Christian walk through the lens of all the "isms" that exist in Churchianity today. It is time to lay aside the various Doctrines and Catechisms of men and divert that effort into knowing scripture. In memorizing God's Word for the purpose of hiding God's Word within your heart. (Psalm 119:11)
GRACEAPOLOGETICS101.ORG
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