Enchanting Oratory Is Great,But First Know The Truth!

You may not be a skilled electric speech master or speaker with oratory prowess that could rival the likes of the the Athenian Greek philosopher Aristotle and the Roman born fathers of rhetoric and oratory Cicero and Quintilian but in whatever you do make sure you have at least the knowledge of the truth.

A lot of the time we become so engrossed in how the message goes out other than the actual content of the message itself. Though stylish and captivating oratory abilities can be captivating in most scenarios, what we must be more mindful of as individuals who are desirous to sell the message of the cross is to be certain and convinced about the message itself. Our major concern should be if indeed we know the truth and are willing to hold onto this truth regardless of our own inefficiencies even in how it’s delivered.

Apostle Paul may have encountered a similar issue interestingly when he said to the church in Corinth in 2 Corinthians 11:5-6 NLT that "I don’t consider myself inferior in any way to these "super apostles" who teach such things. I may be unskilled as a speaker, but I’m not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every possible way." In his day, there had been individuals who had managed to catch the attention of church goers largely because of their enchanting ability to speak in a way and manner that came across as high intelligence but perhaps lacked the full import of the truth they sought to preach and teach. Paul was smart enough to acknowledge that indeed even in his time, enchanting and convincing speech and oratorical gimmickry was something the church and many Christians were likely to focus on too much to the extent that they lost the true sight of what really mattered.

I honestly don’t think Paul was such a terrible public speaker but then he was willing to acknowledge that there were others who were more skillful at the art than he was. Nevertheless, his consolation was in the fact that he spoke and held unto the truth of the gospel and that was for him the most important aspect of the equation.

It may appear if you ask me, that the church in Corinth was one that was very susceptible to smooth talkers . It is evidenced by Paul’s initial remark in his earlier letter in 1 Corinthians 2:4 NLT where he says that "And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit". Paul was certainly not into the theatrics and oratorical excesses so to speak of public speaking whenever he had the privilege to preach the gospel. His reason perhaps should be a constant reminder to us as heralds of the gospel of Christ in our day and age particularly now in a time where more Christians desire entertainment more than transformation and revival. He explains in 1 Corinthians 2:5 NLT that "I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God." As simple as ABC if you ask me.

Today, many people in our congregations only show up for theatrics and gimmickry and have no desire to hear the truth. It’s all about ecstatic and sleek talk with absolutely no regard for what is either truth or falsehood. By all means if we can, let’s become great orators and speech masters but first let us be committed to knowing the truth and abiding by the truth. For one can certainly do nothing against the truth except for the truth.