Recently I heard a commercial on the radio which presented three scenarios: 1) What if every ruler had different measurements – how could you ever build anything that would stand true; 2) What if a tire air gauge always registered different values – some tires would be under-inflated, while others could explode; 3) What if the oven setting never read the same temperature – some foods would be under-cooked, while others would be over-cooked. Each one of these scenarios represent the need for true measurements, else as you can see, there can be dire consequences. In like manner, we too need consistent true measurements in our lives. Truth should always be true; lies / falsehood should always be false. Without this consistency on a daily basis the consequence would be chaos and confusion.
As a child of God, we have a responsibility to seek God’s Truth in His Word, and then apply it in our lives on a daily basis.
2 Timothy 2:15 states,
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
Here we see the commandment to search the Scriptures so that in our daily service unto the Lord we may be able to handle His Truth in a right manner, whereby we may build our lives accordingly. Otherwise, we will falter under the consequence of 2 Timothy 2:16 which states,
“But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”
In James 1:22 we also read,
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”
And in Romans 12:2 we read,
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
To have a true upright life before God requires that we build our lives upon the foundation set forth by our Lord. Equally true, if there is a way to “rightly divide” the word of truth, there must also be a way to “wrongly divide” the word of truth. This begins when one chooses to remove the landmarks of the Scriptures – meaning, using private interpretation of God’s Word instead of embracing the foundational truths unaltered as found in God’s Word. Thus, we are warned in Proverbs 22:28,
“Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.”
In Amos 7:7-8 we read that it is the Lord who measures our lives according to His “plumbline” – that is, to see how well we are building our lives according to His Word. The verses in Amos state,
“Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more.”
A “plumbline” has two major functions: 1) to see how true, straight and upright something is; 2) to see how far something has moved away from true, straight and upright – such that it has become off-perpendicular. The plumbline therefore symbolizes both righteous construction and justice in the destruction of the wrong.
The apostle Peter further clarified that it is the Lord in whom we are to build our lives upon.
1 Peter 2:5-7,
“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner.”
If the Lord were to align His “plumbline” beside your life, would He find a life that is being constructed in truth and righteousness – or would His “plumbline” reveal a life off-perpendicular and possibly headed for destruction? My friends seek to live by God’s Truth; and be judged accordingly.
