“There is a Time to Keep Silence
There is “a Time to Keep Silence
AND
A TIME TO SPEAK”
“If any speak, let him speak as the oracles of God”, 1 Pet 4: 11. This does not mean necessarily that he must use only the words of scripture, though if a speaker be led of the Spirit he will not contravene scripture. Nor does a man speak necessarily as “the oracles of God”, because he gives out scriptural truths. An oracle is the audible word (not an audible word) of wisdom for the moment, applicable at the instant of its utterance to those in whose hearing it is uttered. There are very few Christians but can if they speak give utterance to truth. The knowledge of truth if unchecked may be a great trial to the saints. We want more than this to have the “oracles of God”. THE “oracles of God” give the very word from God, for this very company, at this very moment. If one does not speak as “the oracles of God”, he ought not to speak at all.
This leaves no room for the flesh, nor for man’s wisdom. To be able to utter scriptural truth is not enough for a speaker who desires to be obedient to the exhortation of the scripture which we are looking at here. ‘Have I the word from God for this people at this moment?’ is the question. If, on the one hand, the authority of this word would often keep us on our seats when we are on our legs, it would, on the other hand, lead us to be courageous to utter His message when He has committed it to us, or to make room for those who have it when we have it not, for this also requires divine courage.
From Voice to the Faithful—vol 25, 1892
