1. Misuse 2. Non-Use 3. Correct Use

1. Misuse 2. Non-Use 3. Correct Use

In all situations, we must choose between one of these three positions. In some cases position #2 is the best, but in other cases position #3 is the only one that makes any sense. You can misuse food and eat too much, so much so that you are incapacitated—you become sick or even die. You can gorge yourself and die as a result. I have heard that more people die from eating too much than from drinking too much. Nevertheless, we should not go from misuse to non-use, but rather from misuse to correct use, so that we eat a suitable amount. This will help us to be healthy and well, able to work and thus survive. This also applies to many other areas.

There are many people who misuse God’s Word. We should not stop using God’s Word and destroy all the Bibles because we are afraid of misusing it, but rather make an effort to use it correctly. Many people misuse baptism. We must not disregard it altogether because we are indignant about its misuse, but rather use it correctly. If someone has misused the various gifts we must not neglect to use them, but we should rather be careful to use them correctly.

The word about an overcoming life, about being crucified, dead, buried, and raised with Christ has been extremely misused and has caused unspeakably great harm to God’s cause. It has become a mockery and shame, a source of much unbelief. However, we must not go from misuse to non-use. We must not let go of all these rich, glorious, and true words! On the contrary, we are to go from misuse to correct use! God help us to that end! Amen.