Oh my, I was praying one of the prayers from my precious little book, “The Valley of Vision,” (A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions edited by Arthur Bennett) and I came across one of those thoughts that made me pause. The petitioner requested “to be not only a professor of but an example of the Gospel.”
I am not sure if the petitioner meant the word “professor” as one who speaks the Gospel, or “professor” as one who studies the Word and teaches others (as in college professor). But either way …
Paul was quite clear when he wrote that we are to study the Word of God diligently. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” [2 Timothy 2:15 NKJV]
But Paul was equally clear that we are to become more and more Christ-like as we walk through this life. “…we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ.” [Ephesians 4:15 NLT]
I have known people who knew the “Word of Truth,” but never allowed the “Truth of the Word,” to penetrate their behavior. They could recite Scripture, but their actions and conduct never reflected Christ.
We must be careful that we keep our motivation pure. We learn, memorize, and study the Word (and share it), not to gain the admiration of others, but to grow more like Christ in our thinking and our actions.
Lord, help me “to be not only a professor of but an example of the Gospel.” Amen
