Don't walk off a cliff…
My friend Jeremy so aptly put it this way “The hardest thing to do in our Christian life is maintain a Biblical Tension”. We tend to slide down the proverbial slopes of legalism or liberalism. We often seek to find our individual importance through sensationalistic thinking or over zealous contemplations about our faith. Many Contemporary Christians hope desperately that they might be the one to breakthrough the orthodoxy of the day and become the Luther of our time. Now I am not here to stop independent thinking, on the contrary I hope that we seek for ourselves solid principles through systematic study of scripture and reliance on the Holy Spirit (Not to mention “Ganas”, thank you Ernie ). The point being, we Christians have an obligation to watch out for the jagged cliffs that surround us. When we look for the outrageous to replace the common sense or when bazaar as substitute for the obvious we may just drop off the edge.
Paul writes, in his first letter, to Timothy to encourage Him to stay strong in an environment of believers that had lost their biblical tension. He writes this in chapter 4...
“ 1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.”
The circumstances that Paul is referring to was not limited to the first century Church, but is very evident in the sub-culture of modern Christendom. If you walk into your local Christian book store you can find literature that will tell you whatever you want to hear. We make best sellers out of the most ecumenical and charismatic even if they lack biblical substance. The internet is littered with thousands of so called Christians theologians asserting radical ideas about living your life in this culture and yet only a small minority can be trusted with a pure handling of the Word of God. We allow our ears to be tickled by their vacuous elucidations. There is that carnal tendency to hear something fresh even if it's not correct.
The opening statement Paul makes in Chapter four is that many will “ leave the faith ” and go looking to incorporate other beliefs into our faith. Paul credits the Spirit with predicting that people would “ give heed to deceiving doctrines and doctrines of demons” ! It should be no surprise to us then when we see secular networks never seeming to run out of PhD's who undermine scripture for their specials on Christianity. Why do we wonder when those who demoralize conservative evangelicals become the leaders of exorbitant groups of “believers”. We live in those “ later times “ of deceivers and the deceived. Now more than ever brothers and sisters in Christ are leaving the fight for biblical stability and falling off the cliff into extremism. How do we avoid it? How do we keep ourselves undefiled in the face of the contemporary exodus away from conservative doctrine? I think Paul answers that clearly in this same chapter…
6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. 7 But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. 9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. 11 These things command and teach.
Paul tells us to counter bad teaching with… surprisingly enough good teaching. There is clarification given in which manner we must arrive at good teaching. First, hold to good doctrine. That is done by not introducing mystical beliefs, fables and wives tales into our faith. What place do subjective cultural oddities have in our Christian walk? Christian's should not be putting stock in a horoscope or people magazine when they have the Word of God. Paul then tells us to exercise (Greek: gymnasium) our faith; to work out our lives in Godly living. Making a strong comparison to show how spiritual exercise is far superior to physical exercise. I believe the crux of this section is in verse 10. We labor not for self but for Christ! When Christians or theologians seek God for self glorification the end result is going to be off the mark. We study to know Him, We exercise our faith to glorify Him. “ The end of man is doxology ” Dave Glock. Verse eleven finalizes the thought by pointing out that we must command and teach the truth of God's word! I consider Paul's deliberate order of command first and then teach second a model for practical application. We often like to put the cart before the horse when it comes to our spiritual maturity. How am I going to teach without understanding? Why are people so easily deceived? It is because we do not place value in commanding a deep understanding of God's Word. Let us grasp the precious inspired message that has been passed down to us through inspiration. His full expression of truth is what keeps us from walking off the cliff.
CS.
Read 1 st Timothy