Perhaps you’ve heard the old idiom for describing someone dependent on their mother, “they’re tied to mother’s apron strings.” Dependence on mothers is good and beneficial in childhood. The law of a godly mother learned in the formative years of life will be a good resource and rule to live by throughout life (Proverbs 6:20-23). Who better to set an example before children than a godly parent who lives the virtues of Christianity day by day? Parents who know how they should act as children of God in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation are the best education for children (Philippians 2:15). God’s intention for the family is that deep, abiding impressions can be made by godly parents in the formative years of life (Ephesians 6:4; 1 Timothy 5:14; Titus 2:4).

But the time must come when mother’s apron strings must be untied. As a child grows into an adult and possesses the maturity and independence to stand on their own, then dependence on their parents diminishes. Time and again the Bible speaks of marriage as a time when one will “leave father and mother” (Genesis 2:24; Ruth 2:11; Matthew 19:5; Mark 10:7; Ephesians 5:31). This leaving does not mean that the child never considers the advice of their parents, for the command to honor parents still applies to adults who have old parents (Proverbs 23:22). Just as death is the natural end of a successful life and often brings sadness, so also the success of parenthood culminates in the sad day of allowing the little birds to leave the nest and find their own place in the world.

Consider Mary who was told by Simeon regarding her son, Jesus, “Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also” (Luke 2:35). Many times from that point on she had felt piercing pain of the sword when her son left her to fulfill His own responsibilities to the Heavenly Father. She lost Him at the Passover when He was twelve years old, only to find Him three days later discussing God’s word with the doctors of the law. Her son’s answer was, “I must by about my Father’s business” (Luke 2:49). When Mary wanted her son to help at the marriage in Cana, He told her, “Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come” (John 2:4). Though the word translated “woman” was a respectful title, it was not “mother.” When she desired to take Jesus away from speaking to the people in Matthew 12, her son’s reply was, “Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?” and stretching forth His hand toward his disciples, He said, “Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Matthew 12:47-50). And finally, when she beheld her son nailed to a cross, suspended between heaven and earth to save all mankind, He provided for her wellbeing through the disciple John, saying, “Woman, behold thy son!” Then He said to John, “Behold thy mother!” and John took Mary to his own home to care for her (John 19:26-28).

Thank God for godly mothers, who give such wonderful blessings to their children’s lives only to see them leave home and go their own way. Truly a godly mother’s love is the epitome of self-sacrifice and tender care worthy of our praise.

–Mark Day

The Scriptures themselves provide us with a marvelous understanding of how they are to be viewed. Consider the following.

• All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is sufficient for all religious and spiritual instruction. (2 Timothy 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 2:12-13; Galatians 1:11-12; Ephesians 3:1-5).
• Scripture was given “for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work,” and it is not to be added to, subtracted from, substituted for, revised, modified, amended, or supplemented by bishops, councils, popes, human creeds, church manuals, and/or catechisms. (Matthew 24:35; 1 Peter 1:24-25; 1 Corinthians 4:6; Galatians 1:6-9; 2 John 9).
• Scripture must be handled aright (rightly divided), recognizing the difference between the covenant God made with Israel through Moses (the Old Testament) and the covenant He has made with all humanity through Christ (the New Testament). (2 Timothy 2:15; Hebrews 1:1-2; 9:15-17; 10:9b; et al).
• Scripture speaks to us in plain, explicit statements of various kinds (declarative, imperative, interrogative, hortative, etc.), by examples, and with implications from which we draw necessary inferences. With reference to inference, Paul asserts that the existence of the universe teaches us by necessary inference that there is an all-powerful, all-wise Creator (Romans 1:19-20). Jesus used inference in refuting the Sadducees’ lack of faith in the resurrection (Mark 12:24-27). If God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and if God is not the God of the dead but of the living, then it must necessarily be inferred that those Old Testament patriarchs are still alive in the spirit world, and, therefore, there will be a resurrection!
• We must honor the silence of Scripture, and not presume to speak where God has not spoken (I Corinthians 4:6 [NKJV, ASV]; 1 Peter 4:11).
• We should adhere strictly to Scripture in all matters of faith, doctrine, and practice, including what the New Testament says with reference to being saved from sin, the church, worship, and daily Christian living in all of its multiple dimensions (Matthew 7:21; Hebrews 5:8-9; 1 Corinthians 4:6; 2 John 9).
• A person of average intelligence can read and understand the Scriptures for himself/herself as surely as he/she can read any number of other documents and understand them (Ephesians 3:1-4; 2 Timothy 2:15).

The problems/differences we face today in the church and in the religious world at large are not so much a matter of not understanding what the Bible says as they are a matter of not believing what the Bible says. This is not to say that there are not some knotty passages concerning which good and able men have differed. But I fear that in too many instances some have allowed their social and professional peers and their religious and non-religious friends to intimidate them into compromised beliefs and positions where biblical teaching is concerned.

Paul expressed a fear that “as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). The “strait” (observe the spelling) way is too restricted for some (Matthew 7:13-14). To insist on salvation only through Christ is too “limiting” for some (John 14:6; Acts 4:11-12). To insist on immersion for the remission of sins is too “narrow” for some (Romans 6:4; Acts 2:38). To worship without the instrument is too “odd” for some (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16). To insist on male only leadership in the church is too “politically incorrect” for some (1 Corinthians 14:34; 1 Timothy 2:11-12).

Some seemingly have come to the point where they are ashamed of the simple truths of the Bible. I am reminded of the words of an old preacher who said, “I would be ashamed to be afraid and afraid to be ashamed of my Lord and His words.” Jesus had some sobering words for all who fall into that category (Mark 8:38).

By: Hugh Fulford, From Hugh’s News & Views, via Facebook- submitted by Jerry Sturgill