Question Mark or Period?
A while back I passed a Lutheran Church on Kenwood Road here in the greater Cincinnati area.
The sign outside said, “Don’t put a question mark where God has put a period” (or something pretty close to that).
The gears started grinding, the wheels started turning, and thoughts
started rattling around in my head. I thought about how necessary it is
for us to trust the Word and promises of God without questioning.
I thought of Genesis chapter 3 where we are given the historical
account of how sin entered the human race. God had spoken quite plainly.
When the enemy, Satan, the deceiver, the god of this world, appeared to our Mother Eve,
the first thing he did was question God’s clear command. He
put a question mark where God had put a period. He started out with
doubting God’s Word. Then Eve added to the downward spiral by distorting
God’s Word as she misquoted it. Satan then went on to deny God’s Word
and it climaxed by our first parents disobeying the Word. The whole fall
started with a question mark where God had put a period.
Thank God that years later when our God came in flesh and battled Satan
hand to hand, Jesus did not put a question mark where God had placed a period.
He wielded the Word, the sword of the Spirit, in a positive way to send the enemy packing.
I thought, “How positively do I view the Word? Do I put a question
mark where God has put a period?” Yes, I hate to admit it but I’ve been
guilty of that many more times than I would want people to know about. In
Hebrews 4:14 we are encouraged to “hold fast our profession” (King
James Version). In some other versions such as the New King James or New
American Standard, this is translated “confession.” From what I
understand, the word translated confess or confession in the original Greek
text is a form of the word homologeo. It comes from two words: homo
meaning “the same or identical,” and “logeo” which means “to say or to
speak.” To confess means to say or speak the same or identical thing, or to
agree with, or to admit. It would be the opposite of denial or
questioning. When we are encouraged to “confess” God’s Word,
we are encouraged to agree with it, to say the same thing God has said, and not to deny
His promises. In other words, don’t put a question mark where God has
put a period.
There is a note in the Spirit Filled Life Bible about confession which
reads as follows:
“...The power packed word ‘confess’ opens a great truth concerning
God’s hearing and answering prayers. It is an appropriate word in Christian
tradition historically used to describe a position-in-faith or belief,
as for example, ‘The Augsburg Confession.’ To confess belief is to
say,’I openly receive God’s promise and choose to take my stand here,
humbly on God’s promises, and in worship of His Person....This is the true
spirit of the idea of ‘faith’s confession of God’s Word’: 1) to take a
stand on what God says; 2)to speak what is believed with worship and
praise; 3) to do so in the humble spirit of faith in God’s Person and
promise. Such a stance will never be loveless or arrogant, and neither
earth nor hell can successfully test this confession of faith in heaven’s
power.”
Two passages of Scripture come to mind. In
2 Peter 1:4 we read that God
has “given unto us exceeding great and precious promises.” Let’s just
accept these promises and not put a question mark where God has put a
period. We’ve heard the quote, “God said it I believe it. That settles
it.” That may sound rather abrupt and smug but there is some truth
there. In
2 Corinthians 1:20 we read, “For all the promises of God in Him
are yea, and in Him Amen....” In the New International Version, with
which some of us are more familiar, this verse reads, “For no matter how
many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through him
the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God.” In other words, God
has given us positive promises in Christ. They have a period so we agree
with or confess these promises. We “amen” them instead of putting a
question mark on them.
Remember that sign. Don’t put a question mark where God has put a
period.
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