Isaiah 1:18 English Standard Version (ESV) “Come now, let us reason^[dispute] together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

I removed footnote ^[a] from yesterday’s devotion and reintroduce it here today. A dispute conjures up a different vision than reason. It implies a disagreement and a need to argue. No one should expect to win an argument with the God who is Truth.

In the NT the Greek diakriseis dialogismon literally means “discussions of doubts”.  The Hebrew word yāḵaḥ is translated as reason and carries with it a myriad of methods that God might use to counter us when we question God’s judgments. God will use whatever method necessary to cause us to accept His judgments.

What was said in our youth, before we matured, sounded like this. “Why God why?” Listening to my children often became a battle of “whys”. Every answer was met with “why”. That wears down the parent to the point of exasperation until we inevitably cry out “Because I said so.”

Thank God we cannot wear out God’s patience. He knows best how to remove doubt and end disputes.

Romans 14:1-4 King James Version

¹ Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. ² For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs. ³ Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him. ⁴ Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

Render the issue of eating to spiritual food, the ability to digest the Word of God, i.e. the Bread of Life. It takes a certain level of maturity to understand what matters in another’s theology. What is dangerous and needs to be corrected in the hearing of others and what is best left for God to correct?

Psalm 19:7 English Standard Version (ESV) The law of the Lord is perfect,^[blameless] reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;

The comment yesterday about loving God not being simple led to a study of the word simple. It is complicated. In the Old Testament the Hebrew word pethi was meant to be used in a positive sense. Its origins indicate that we are to be open. Its common understanding is to be open minded, to listen to reason. Who we listen to in reasoning may determine whether this is good for our souls or leads to abuses.

Isaiah 1:18 English Standard Version (ESV) “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.

Reasoning with the Lord leads to salvation. Reasoning with anyone who is not of the Lord will lead to abuses.

Romans 16:17-19 English Standard Version

Final Instructions and Greetings

¹⁷ I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. ¹⁸ For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. ¹⁹ For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil.

The word simple only appears in the KJV once in the NT and not at all in the ESV. The ESV translates simple as naïve. While simple is simple, naïve tends to be a little more complicated because it involves a lack of experience and/or knowledge. The use of naïve brings an accusation against the reader as to what they believe and what they have done.