Never Put A Full Stop Where God Puts A Comma
A FULL STOP MEANS THE END — A COMMA INDICATES A PAUSE
‘Never put a full stop where God puts a comma.’ I originally read that as a humorous statement in a Christian calendar. The more I thought about it I realized it expresses an important principle for Christian living. Understanding the meaning of the statement can mean the difference between life and death.
Although it is said in a light-hearted way, it actually describes an indispensable principle for Christian living. It is a colloquial way of describing what the Bible calls the fight of faith. A full stop/period denotes the end. The finish. A comma means a pause before continuing. What is the fight of faith as Paul states it? (1Timothy 6:12) Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
The original language for ‘take hold of’ there means to seize, sometimes with violent intent. ‘Fight’ means to contend for, like a boxer contending for a world championship. Paul includes confession in the verse. He says Timothy had spoken about his belief among many witnesses. Those three principles make up an essential component in Christian living. We know faith comes by hearing, so to speak, what God has said in His word, the Bible. It is a book of…
