02/09/2022
"While Paul was making this defense, Festus said loudly, “Paul, you are out of your mind! Your great education is turning you toward madness. But Paul replied, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent and noble Festus, but [with a sound mind] I am uttering rational words of truth and reason." (Acts 26:24-25AMP.)
The notion of a resurrection was as foreign to the practical Roman, Festus, as it was to the Sadducees. Festus concluded that Paul's intense immersion in his traditions had driven him over the edge (mainomai, 'mad'). In essence Festus' charge is that Paul is being totally unreasonable; he has immersed himself in a teaching or doctrine that makes no sense at all.
Paul's answer is that his words and position are both 'aletheias kai sophrosynes:(26:25): both 'true and reasonable '. The words mean "in harmony with reality" and "rational, sober". Everything Paul affirmed can be proven to the satisfaction of those with a sound mind.
Now! Here is the matter; the gospel of Christ we preach and teach is not unreasonable as some may assume but the teacher or preacher of the gospel must be tactful and skilful enough to reasonably present the gospel. The fact is, the gospel is too good to be true, especially to the philosophic and logically mind hence it could be labeled unreasonable by many just as Festus did. At this point, is an argument the response to such people? No! A tactful and skillful presentation of the truth is the solution.
This tactfulness and skillfulness are intentionally developed by study and continuous learning and practice. Against this backdrop Paul charged the teacher of the gospel thus; " study to show yourself approved of God, a workman that need not be ashamed but rightly dividing the words of truth".
It is not enough to want to divide the gospel, it must be rightly divided, it be rightly taught, it must be reasonably presented.
a blessed Tuesday.
