Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

God doesn’t stop talking to me just because I am imperfect. Neither should I stop listening.

I’ve been writing my devotionals for about five years now. I will often discuss them with another devotional writer with more experience. The reason is because I am not perfect.

The resulting conversations help me codify my thoughts and clean up the language. If there is a more precise way of getting a point across it will be found in reasoning with a trusted friend.

The same could be said of any of us, even if we are not writers. Our theology needs to be tested and our communications clarified. If we are to witness to the lost, which we should, sound theology and clarity of thought needs to be explored. The unbeliever will hopefully reason with you. It is better to have them test you than to walk away.

Testing of these two skills needs to be done in a safe place. The streets are no place for testing unproven theology even if you can communicate clearly.

Sit down with trusted experienced believers and share your understanding of scriptures. Reason with one another.

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Sometimes you will find yourself the hammer, sometimes the sword, or even the anvil. All are steel and nothing gets sharpened standing alone.

Luke 18:11-14 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Yesterday I left you with the thought that the soil (a man’s heart) cannot break itself. Here in the telling by Jesus is a vital piece of the puzzle. It occurs in verse thirteen. That sinner would not approach holy ground, knowing he was unworthy. He would not look up to heaven fearing God with reverence. But then he beats his chest, signifying his heart is broken. Then lastly without even understanding how, he begs God to save him.

All too often I have seen well-meaning men accept others into baptism who never asked the most basic and pertinent question of their applicant, “Why do you come here today?” If the answer is anything but “Because my heart is breaking.” then I would dig deeper to see if there is a proper understanding of salvation.

Matthew 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

The good soil has to understand it is broken and why.