The Devil works through flattery, but God works through truth. For this reason, the apostle Paul clearly articulated that he did not use words of flattery or operate with a motive of covetousness. God’s men were not assigned the task of pleasing others, rather they were assigned the task of preaching the unadulterated truth of God. Today, men of God are not called to say things that please men, but those things that please the Master who called them into the ministry. Using the pulpit to express flattery cheapens the authority of the preaching and clouds the minds of the hearers. In a day when seminary students are more schooled on the finer arts of secular humanism than biblical doctrines, the church desperately needs a remnant of men standing in the pulpits unapologetically preaching the truth.
The New Testament frequently incorporates minor word variations when quoting Old Testament passages. Some Bible critics have pointed to these variations suggesting that the Bible contains contradictions. However, Bible-believing students know that these variations actually provide additional light and understanding of God’s word. For example, Romans 3:13 quotes Psalm 5:9 with the variation in wording shedding light on the meaning of the word flattery. The phrase from Psalms reads “they flatter with their tongue” (Psalm 5:9). Romans modifies this Old Testament quotation by stating that “with their tongues they have used deceit” (Romans 3:13). This indicates that flattery involves the use of deceitful words; and according to 1 Thessalonians 2:5, the motive is often connected to covetousness.
