Introduction. The Golden Corral is a buffet-style restaurant, generally packed with customers, offering a delightful selection of food. The upside to a buffet is the ability to select good, healthy and appealing foods we enjoy. The downside is the unlimited quantity and temptation to eat tasty foods that are not healthy or wholesome. When we contrast a buffet with a wise mother cooking a balanced meal of healthy food, we easily see the difference. Children must be trained to eat foods that are healthy and learn to like what is good for them.
What about spiritual food? Jesus made it clear that “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Mt. 4:4). The words that proceed from God’s mouth are the only wholesome and healthy food available for the soul. Yet like the buffet above, next to the healthy and wholesome words of God are the tasty but worthless dishes of human wisdom and desire.
What about spiritual food? Jesus made it clear that “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Mt. 4:4). The words that proceed from God’s mouth are the only wholesome and healthy food available for the soul. Yet like the buffet above, next to the healthy and wholesome words of God are the tasty but worthless dishes of human wisdom and desire.
Need to Choose Wisely. For both body and soul, we must choose good food to have good health. John said, “Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.” (3Jn. 1:2). John used the Greek “hygiaíno (hygiene)” which means “to be sound, to be well, to be in good health” (Thayer #5198). He revealed that just as there are methods to have a healthy body there are also methods to have a healthy and prosperous soul.
Paul described how to assess “sound” and “healthy words” that will bring health and prosperity to the soul. They are “the words of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Since the New Testament contains His words, it is the only source of healthy, wholesome, and strengthening words we possess. Those who “consent not to wholesome (healthy) words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness,” are doomed to be “proud,” and “know nothing” (1Tim. 6:3-5).
Our choices at the buffet determine the quality of the food on our plate. Our spiritual choices will determine the spiritual health of our life. Just as our mother sought to teach us what was good for our body, Jesus seeks to guide us on what is healthy for our soul. It may not be what we want to hear or always to our taste, but it will always be the healthy and right choice. Jesus used His apostles and prophets to place His healthy words in the gospel. They may feel confining and actually make our lives more difficult, but they are necessary to keep us healthy and bring us safe and sound to God.
These sound and healthy words create a pattern upon which to build our healthy “eternal” lifestyle. Paul said, we need to “hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me” (2Tim. 1:13-14), and “speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1-2). For many today, “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine” (2Tim. 4:3-5). Those making this choice are like people at the buffet. Except instead of food, “they will heap up for themselves teachers; and will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” First they seek those who will tell them what they want to hear. That they are simply making fables as they go never occurs to many. Whatever can be imagined as true some will teach as truth. Yet these are not the “Words from God” or the healthy words of His Son.
Conclusion. We must always remember, only what is recorded in Scripture are healthy choices. As we pass through life we meet and learn from many. Some bring healthy words of Jesus. Others offer the tasty trifles of human wisdom. Yet over time, the words of Jesus will bring spiritual health while the words of man will “spread like cancer (gangrene)” (2Tim. 2:17).
Spiritual and moral truth are just like that food at a buffet. You can take what you like and leave what doesn’t appeal to you. But there will be consequences to those choices. Just as Mom made us eat vegetables we didn’t like “for our own good,” Jesus would have us “abide in My word, know the truth and be made free” (Jn 8:32).
Paul described how to assess “sound” and “healthy words” that will bring health and prosperity to the soul. They are “the words of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Since the New Testament contains His words, it is the only source of healthy, wholesome, and strengthening words we possess. Those who “consent not to wholesome (healthy) words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness,” are doomed to be “proud,” and “know nothing” (1Tim. 6:3-5).
Our choices at the buffet determine the quality of the food on our plate. Our spiritual choices will determine the spiritual health of our life. Just as our mother sought to teach us what was good for our body, Jesus seeks to guide us on what is healthy for our soul. It may not be what we want to hear or always to our taste, but it will always be the healthy and right choice. Jesus used His apostles and prophets to place His healthy words in the gospel. They may feel confining and actually make our lives more difficult, but they are necessary to keep us healthy and bring us safe and sound to God.
These sound and healthy words create a pattern upon which to build our healthy “eternal” lifestyle. Paul said, we need to “hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me” (2Tim. 1:13-14), and “speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1-2). For many today, “the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine” (2Tim. 4:3-5). Those making this choice are like people at the buffet. Except instead of food, “they will heap up for themselves teachers; and will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” First they seek those who will tell them what they want to hear. That they are simply making fables as they go never occurs to many. Whatever can be imagined as true some will teach as truth. Yet these are not the “Words from God” or the healthy words of His Son.
Conclusion. We must always remember, only what is recorded in Scripture are healthy choices. As we pass through life we meet and learn from many. Some bring healthy words of Jesus. Others offer the tasty trifles of human wisdom. Yet over time, the words of Jesus will bring spiritual health while the words of man will “spread like cancer (gangrene)” (2Tim. 2:17).
Spiritual and moral truth are just like that food at a buffet. You can take what you like and leave what doesn’t appeal to you. But there will be consequences to those choices. Just as Mom made us eat vegetables we didn’t like “for our own good,” Jesus would have us “abide in My word, know the truth and be made free” (Jn 8:32).