The Importance of Precepts

If you have been in this walk for longer than a month or two. I am sure you have heard the term “precept” mentioned at some point in time or another. However, do you understand what it means? And why it is vital to learning and teaching the word?

Isaiah 28:9 KJVS

[9] Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.

Here, God asks us a rhetorical question. How do we know? Because he answers it in the end; “them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.” When you wean a child from the milk or breast, you are taking away the milk because they no longer need that form of nourishment. They are now mature enough to eat solid food. Likewise, you cannot give solid food to a baby that is not yet ready to be weaned lest they choke.

Hebrews 5:12-14 KJVS

[12] For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

When you first come into this walk you are a babe. Although, you may be of any physical age, spiritually you are a baby. As you are being righteously reborn. You MUST, therefore be re-nourished and re-taught, the first principles or basics of God, the Bible, and how to live. As many things you learned and applied are not applicable in the path of righteousness.

Hebrews 5:13 KJVS

[13] For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

You don’t have the spiritual strength needed to be skillful in the scriptures and in applying righteousness.

Hebrews 5:14 KJVS

[14] But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Strong meat however, belongs to those who are matured in the spirit and in righteousness.  However, the problem is, is that those who are mature are not teaching this word correctly and many of them know it.

Isaiah 28:10 KJVS

[10] For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

What is a precept? Let us define it by using the Strong’s Concordance:

Strong's Number

H6490

Original Word

פּקּד פּקּוּד

Transliterated Word

piqqûd piqqûd

Phonetic Spelling

{pik-kood'} pik-kood'

Parts of Speech

Noun Masculine

Strong's Definition

From H6485; properly {appointed} that {is} a mandate (of God; plural {only} collectively for the Law): - {commandment} {precept} statute.

A precept is a mandate, a statute. It is both a law on how we are to teach this word, and the laws themselves. In essence, it is a law that teaches us to teach law, upon law and verse, upon verse. Why?

Psalm 119:104 KJVS

[104] Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

Through these precepts we get understanding. You can read the Bible ten times over, that does not mean you understand everything or even most of what you read. Precepts give you the understanding you need. So when it comes down to someone withholding precepts or not teaching precept upon precept you should be very leery. As they are either babes themselves or possibly have an agenda or ulterior motive. There are very few times when one scripture alone answers everything clearly. It should also be stated elsewhere as well, as the Bible has redundancy built in. And this is to avoid falsehood.

Psalm 119:27 KJVS

[27] Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

Precepts have a “method to the madness” so to speak. You can’t just take any scripture and try to apply it to the next one or just apply any scripture to the understanding you are trying to convey. It’s like a puzzle piece. Think of it this way. Take out a sheet of paper. Make a straight vertical line on the paper. Now tell me, what is the interpretation of what you just drew? You may simply say it is a “line”. Others, when they look at it, they say it is the letter “l”. Some may even say it is the number “1”. As you can see, the interpretation of it can go on and vary differently. Now if I were to take my pen/pencil again and put a dot at the top of it, what would it be then? Most would say it looks like a “i” now. Yes, some may argue it is an upside exclamation point but most would agree it looks like a “i”. This is the importance of precepts. And notice I taught you precepts using precepts! When you understand you are then able to convey that understanding to others. Which can in turn grant you (and others) peace, and joy.

Psalm 111:10 KJVS

[10] The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments : his praise endureth for ever.