Hello Friends!
I’m taking a small break from writing as I listen for God’s direction. Right now I’m deep in the study of Revelation with my BSGs. Looking forward to what God reveals!
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Life Lesson #15: Our best defense against false teaching is to stay rooted in the Word of God.
But even the archangel Michael, when
he was disputing with the devil about
the body of Moses, did not himself dare
to condemn him for slander but said,
“The Lord rebuke you!”
Jude 1:9
We find ourselves at the end of the Tiny Yet Mighty series appropriately enough with a lesson on defensive strategy against false teaching. False teaching comes in many forms. We may initially think it’s just a televangelist telling followers if they pray hard enough all their financial woes will be eliminated. But the world of false teachers reaches so much farther than our Christian leaders.
You’ll notice in our Jude verse today that even the archangel didn’t take up an argument with the devil using his own words or knowledge. He relied on God’s Word. And when unbelievers or doubters take verses out of context it’s our opportunity to use the truth of God’s Word in reply.
But we can’t stand for a God we don’t know.
Too many Christians are not Bible scholars. And yet, it is our greatest comfort and weapon against the devil. I, for one, in the first 10 or 15 years of being a Christian rarely even opened a Bible. During one season of sermons at my church we tried something “out of the box.” The pastor wanted each of us to take the pew Bible and mark it up as he spoke. You could see the hives break out on people instantly!
I’ve been in plenty of Bible study groups where more than half the people didn’t read any of the study, hadn’t been to church the Sunday before to hear the sermon, or hadn’t gone on-line to hear the sermon being studied. And somehow we expect to be filled with the Word of God.
No soldier, no athlete, no surgeon, no salesperson would ever enter their arena of expertise expecting success without first preparing. So why, as Christians, would we expect any different?
Put on the full armor of God,
so that you can take your stand
against the devil’s schemes.
Ephesians 6:11
The full armor includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness given by Jesus, the shoes of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit – the word of God. Without any of these we are left to the evil devices of false teachers.
But let’s back up and start at the very beginning of false teaching.
"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” Genesis 3:1
We were babes in God’s glorious garden when the first false teacher spoke to Eve. He tried to weave his way around God’s Word and deceive her. One of the ways I’ve personally experienced this is concerning how God communicates with us. How often have you heard someone say they received a directive from God but yet claimed God doesn’t “speak to them.” I’ve heard famous preachers dismiss the idea of God actually speaking, using words, to speak to people. We seem to have the need to define God “speaking” as someone standing before us speaking out loud. This unfortunate definition has led so many people to feel as though God is ignoring them.
I have a friend who has frequent interaction with God through others, music, signs, etc, and yet she spoke with sadness that she had never heard God speak. The parsing of God’s messages, directives and laws to find the “out” or the “exception” is the devil’s work.
“You will not certainly die,” the
serpent said to the woman."
Genesis 3:4
Sure, Eve wasn’t going to physically die (although she couldn’t know that for sure) but the death she was to experience would be much harsher. Satan was relying on Eve not trusting the Word of God.
In our modern times sexual immorality has become our apple in the Garden. “What’s the big deal?” “God didn’t actually say a man can’t marry a man.” Like the statement to Eve of death, this one is true on its surface. But God does, throughout the Bible state that a man shall take a woman for his wife.
That is why a man leaves his father and
mother and is united to his wife, and
they become one flesh.
Genesis 2:24
But the Bible was written long ago and cultures change and we evolve, right? There was only one great change in our Christian history – Jesus. He did not come to remove the laws of God. He came to fulfill the law. God’s law reveals our sin, our brokenness. We can never completely fulfill the law through our own means. Jesus gives us the grace and righteousness needed to be right with God.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday
and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8
These are but a few examples of how both believers and non-believers twist and turn the truth of God’s Word. It’s all an attempt to live in the world of the flesh. We are called to be a people set apart. To know God as best we can. To stay in constant communion with Him.
To him who is able to keep you from
stumbling and to present you before
his glorious presence without fault
and with great joy— to the only God
our Savior be glory, majesty, power
and authority, through Jesus Christ
our Lord, before all ages, now and
forevermore! Amen.
Jude 1:24-25
When we find ourselves in the midst of false teaching it is Jesus Christ who we can draw on, both in Word and Spirit, to keep us from the fire. Stay close to Him and the devil cannot strip you of God’s blessings.
I hope you enjoyed this series, “Tiny Yet Mighty!” Stay tuned for my next series, “Fresh Fire — 25 verses to invigorate your faith,” starting March 29. Just in time to celebrate Jesus’ sacrifice and amazing resurrection!
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did
we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger
or needing clothes or sick or in prison,
and did not help you?’ “He will reply,
‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not
do for one of the least of these, you
did not do for me.’
Matthew 25:44-45
The other day during my BSGs’ study on Easter we had a discussion about humbly serving. It was interesting to hear how some of us took the line “the least of these” to solely mean people in poverty. We also tended to look at serving only as a physical or financially act.
And yet Jesus said that He brings living water to the thirsty. Who are the “thirsty” around you? You might be surprised that there are many Christians who remain hungry and thirsty for what Jesus has to offer. They have accepted Him as His savior but are not living out the fullness of life God wants for them.
When we talk about sharing the gospel with others we usually mean the message of salvation. And yes, we must make as a priority the saving of souls through the introduction of the true message of Christ. But the Good News is also about the peace and joy and love of God. It’s also about the helping hand of the Holy Spirit.
When we dismiss the work of helping all God’s people, not just the poor, we create a hierarchy of “needs” that just isn’t present in God’s Holy kingdom. He see us all. He loves us all. And if we are called to help guide and teach a group of young, new believers that is exactly where we need to be — keeping them from being pulled back into the world. Or it may mean we speak the truth plus love to a friend who has been led to false teaching.
Wherever you have been called to humbly serve and share the gospel — be it with believers or non-believers — rest assured that your work is loved by God.
But mark this: There will be terrible times
in the last days. People will be lovers of
themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud,
abusive, disobedient to their parents,
ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving,
slanderous, without self-control, brutal,
not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash,
conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than
lovers of God— having a form of godliness
but denying its power. Have nothing to do
with such people.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
So often when we turn to God for help we look for comforting words. I’ve heard it said many times recently that our churches have mostly eliminated the “difficult” messages in the Bible. And while Jesus’ messages to love one another are powerful tools in our battle against the devil He never asked us to turn a blind eye to sin and lies.
Satan is constantly at work trying to turn us away from the entire message of God. In fact, when I went back to edit my post titled, “Identify the Enemy,” I ran into a number of technical glitches. You see, my original post didn’t include the name Satan. After praying about what I had written I received a clear message to highlight how Satan is the Great Liar. I first couldn’t access the document. Then my computer kept saying I was off-line. Then the document wouldn’t save. I closed my eyes and said, “I know this is you at work, Satan. I’ve got all day and God on my side.” And lo and behold everything started working!
Satan is in our midst. He uses the greedy, the boastful, the abusive, the deceitful and lovers of pleasure to try and destroy our faith. And if we choose to turn a blind eye to his ways then we become his instruments. When we face the enemy head on, with our God-given armor, we step on to the battlefield. Our weapons against these “terrible times” are the truth of scripture, prayer, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and our God All Mighty.
Here’s a prayer I read that we should all speak each day:
Lord, help me stand my ground and defend what I have gained, no matter how difficult it might be to do this. I know that with Your supernatural help, I can outlive and outlast the resistance. With Your Spirit’s power working inside me, I know I can indefinitely and definitely stick it out until the enemy realizes he cannot beat me and decides to retreat! I pray this in Jesus’ name!
“What more can David say to you?
For you know your servant,
Sovereign Lord."
2 Samuel 7:20
In one of my Bible studies last year I was asked the question, “What are you hiding from God?” During my group discussion we all, of course, laughed at the idea of hiding something from God. But in reality don’t we all do that? We think He won’t see us thinking bad thoughts about “that neighbor.” We think He won’t notice if we cut off that driver on the road — because we have someplace important to be. And He definitely won’t know that we posted that comment on Facebook.
But He does.
When I wanted to lose weight before my daughter’s wedding I decided to use a weight loss app called Noom. I had tried using other methods and just didn’t keep with the program. After a month I had already lost almost 10 pounds. After six months I had lost almost 30 pounds. I got close to my goal weight and quit using the app. And then the pandemic hit. I got bored and started snacking. I tried using other programs but wasn’t committed. And six months later I went back to Noom. This isn’t a sales pitch. It’s a realization of why I was more committed.
You see, on the Noom program you are assigned a coach. That coach can see if you are entering your daily weight, your meals, exercising and reading their articles. If you fall behind by a day or so your coach checks in and looks for ways to support you. I realized that “overwatch” aspect was keeping me on track. I knew someone was checking in on me. And that accountability was just what I needed.
But how often do we forget about our minute-by-minute accountability to God? We don’t know the day or hour Jesus will return. It could be as I write this post. How many of us see that day as “a far way off” and therefore think our daily thoughts and behavior just aren’t that big of a deal?
Jesus and the Holy Spirit are our life coaches. They check in with us through staying in His Word and close to them. What part of your life are you trying to hide from the Sovereign God today? Here’s a pro-tip, He sees it all.
Lesson #11: God is sovereign over all, even unbelievers
“The day of the LORD is near
for all nations.”
Obadiah 1:15
There’s a song one of my previous churches used to sing a lot that goes, “Our God is an awesome God.” That refrain is sung over and over throughout the song. I’ve always thought that wording was a bit odd. If we have “our God” then which “god” does anyone else have? Once, after a service, I went up to the pastor and asked him that question. I said, “Shouldn’t that song just say, ‘God is awesome?’” He replied that he’d never thought about it before. So again, there I was asking the weird questions. As someone who not only likes to talk but also write, I sincerely believe that words matter – even words we sing.
In our verse today from the prophet Obadiah he makes it clear throughout the prophecy that there is no “our God” or “your god” but only one God – the God of the Universe, God the Creator of All.
“The God who made the world and
everything in it is the Lord of
heaven and earth and does not live
in temples built by human hands.
And he is not served by human hands,
as if he needed anything. Rather, he
himself gives everyone life and
breath and everything else. From
one man he made all the nations, that
they should inhabit the whole earth;
and he marked out their appointed times
in history and the boundaries of
their lands.”
Acts 17:23-26
As Christians it can be dangerous to fall into the trap of “our God.” It leads us to forget that God’s judgement comes to all, eventually. So, we get outraged over the seeming lack of justice in our human concept of time. We forget that God doesn’t just have expectations of us, as His faithful believers, but also of those who have chosen not to believe. Non-believers don’t get a “free pass,” in the realm of eternity.
Were there even one datum of knowledge, however small, un-known to God, His rule would break down at that point. To be Lord over all the creation, He must possess all knowledge. And were God lacking one infinitesimal modicum of power, that lack would end His reign and undo His kingdom; that one stray atom of power would belong to someone else and God would be a limited ruler and hence not sovereign.
A.W. Tozer
Even when I was, as a what can only be called a “Christian-lite,” I had to laugh when people put limits on God’s authority and ability. If you listen to an atheist, you’ll hear all the limits they wish to place on a being that is omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. Their expectation is if they can’t figure it out then it just isn’t true.
“It is only the loyal soul who believes that God engineers circumstances. We take such liberties with our circumstances, we do not believe God engineers them, although we say we do; we treat the things that happen as if they were engineered by men.
Oswald Chambers
The atheist can be forgiven because, for whatever reason, God has yet to open their eyes to Him. But for the Christian to place limits on God is to deny His sovereignty. As stated in the above quote by Oswald Chambers, we Christians sometimes opt for the “coincidence” excuse when God answers our prayers. Or we take complete credit for the win or the loss. Or worse yet, we just assume God won’t or can’t answer our prayers.
So much of our issue with God’s sovereignty comes back to our limited sense of time. We live in a blink of God’s eye. And yet we have the gift of looking back over the history of God’s work in our human existence and see His hand throughout. I heard a good analogy of how God’s timing works along with the issue of free will:
“Perhaps a homely illustration might help us to understand. An ocean liner leaves New York bound for Liverpool. Its destination has been determined by proper authorities (God). Nothing can change it. This is at least a faint picture of sovereignty.
On board the liner are several scores of passengers (Mankind). These are not in chains, neither are their activities determined for them by decree. They are completely free to move about as they will. They eat, sleep, play, lounge about on the deck, read, talk, altogether as they please; but all the while the great liner is carrying them steadily onward toward a predetermined port.
Both freedom and sovereignty are present here and they do not contradict each other. So it is, I believe, with man’s freedom and the sovereignty of God. The mighty liner of God’s sovereign design keeps its steady course over the sea of history. God moves undisturbed and unhindered toward the fulfilment of those eternal purposes which He purposed in Christ Jesus before the world began. We do not know all that is included in those purposes, but enough has been disclosed to furnish us with a broad outline of things to come and to give us good hope and firm assurance of future well-being.” A.W. Tozer
One of greatest prophesies in the Old Testament is Isaiah 53 and one in which all Christians should be well versed. He writes of the coming of God’s Son, Jesus. Isaiah was called into ministry in 739 B.C. And when you read his prophesy of Jesus you can’t help but be amazed of the details which came true. That’s because God has a plan. He has a plan for every single one of us – believer and non-believer. He uses bad circumstances to bring us closer to Him, if we choose. He never makes a mistake. He never has a “Plan B.”
Our human story that started with Adam and Eve was not a mistake. It is all going according to plan. It may not seem, in our small timeframe, to be going all that well right now. But that is the beauty of faith. Today, during a meeting of my BSGs, we shared how during this pandemic there has been some amazing blessings. Yes, a lot of not so great things have happened. But each of us could share how God has used this terrible time as a means for sanctification in our lives.
His sovereignty means we can hold on to all of the promises He has made. God is not a covenant breaker. If anything, it’s us that likes to break covenants. Our ocean liner is on a steady path to the glorious port He has waiting for us. It’s up to us to decide to have faith in our captain that He will get us through any squalls. Some of us will jump ship thinking we know better. Some might even try to take over the ship and turn it around. But God’s will never fails. So, let’s enjoy the ride and know He will bring us home.
“Good is not always God’s will, but God’s will is always good.”
Watchman Nee
If only there were someone to
mediate between us, someone to
bring us together, someone to
remove God’s rod from me, so
that his terror would frighten
me no more.
Job 9:33-34
When we read Paul’s letter to Philemon yesterday it’s clear that he is acting as an intercessor or in Biblical terms a “daysman.” That’s what Job is asking for in this verse because he knows God is not a man to face directly.
As a Christian we can be thankful that Jesus is our “daysman.” We lift our prayers and requests for forgiveness up “In Jesus’ Name.” But that task isn’t just on the burden of Jesus.
If anyone sins because they do
not speak up when they hear a
public charge to testify regarding
something they have seen or learned
about, they will be held responsible.
Leviticus 5:1
In other words God holds us to account not just for things we’ve said or done but for those we should but haven’t said or done. So, when a friend, colleague or family member is seeking forgiveness or to forgive and we can be a “daysman” for them we need to step up like Paul.
How do we do that? Pray. We pray that the right words and right time are placed before us. We follow the guidelines of the Bible and don’t play favorites (James 2:1) and we don’t seek punishment or shame. We seek to be peacemakers, not for our glory but for the glory of God’s kingdom. And we pray that hearts are softened and opened to healing.
Lesson #7: Forgiveness of others brings us the blessings of Christ
It is as none other than Paul—an old
man and now also a prisoner of Christ
Jesus— that I appeal to you for my son
Onesimus, who became my son while I was
in chains.
Philemon 1:9-10
Recently I’ve been thinking a lot about forgiveness. It keeps popping up in various Bible studies and readings. And when that happens, I realize God is trying to tell me something. So, the other day while in my “She Shed” – where I do my Bible reading and mediation – I just sat and did an inventory of the people in my life and those no longer in it. My question for each face that popped in my head was “Is there something I haven’t forgiven in this relationship?”
There are people whom I actively must work at forgiving. There’s one person in my neighborhood that, each time I see him I need to remind myself I no longer harbor ill feelings toward him. It’s fascinating however, to pay attention to my whole body and mind when he enters my sphere. I remind myself I have forgiven him yet my body wants to remember the hurt feelings. It’s a brief little battle that, thankfully Jesus and the Holy Spirit help me to win. In fact, the last time I saw him I thought it was a different neighbor and I waved. When I realized who it was, I did a mental flip – “Ugh, why did you wave to him of all people? You’re just not supposed to think anything and move along!” But waving gave the impression I was happy to see him. I suddenly realized in my mini battle that it was again the Holy Spirit forcing me to step out of my comfort zone and not just be “neutral” but be kind.
That individual aside, I came to an even greater realization about my need to forgive. These days I can’t think of a greater forgiveness need in me than to forgive my church. Actually, just about all churches who have shuttered their doors during such desperate times.
But let me back up a bit. Today, we jump into the little book of Philemon. Paul, currently imprisoned in Rome, writes to a wealthy Christian friend in Colosse concerning the slave Onesimus. Onesimus took off from Philemon’s household having stolen from him. Onesimus found himself in the company of Paul and was converted. And now Paul humbly asks Philemon to forgive his slave and allow him to return.
I remember as a child my mom talking about converted prisoners. She scoffed at the idea that murderers and thieves could “find Jesus” and change their lives. She thought it was all just a ploy to get out of jail earlier or to garner forgiveness without truly repenting. And she may be right in some cases. Who is to know the heart of a sinner but God?
I wonder if Philemon thought the same? To Onesimus’ benefit he had the great apostle Paul standing up for him. How often have we held out forgiving someone because they didn’t meet our list of requirements for forgiveness? The person in my neighborhood that I must remind myself to forgive frequently? He hasn’t ever asked me for forgiveness. He’s never acted in a way that showed he even knows he needs my forgiveness.
My church, who locked their doors and turned me away from praying at the outdoor steps of the sanctuary, doesn’t see any need for me to forgive them. The elders and pastor who either ignored my pleas for help or worse, said hurtful things, have not asked for forgiveness. So why should I forgive them? Why should Philemon forgive a man to whom he gave so much and then stole from him?
I once was in a discussion about forgiveness during a Bible study. The leader, who also was an elder in the church, said to the group, “You can’t forgive someone unless they have paid a price or asked for forgiveness.” (There’s that Biblical truth issue popping up!) Now, I’m working on my path from being a “baby Christian” to a mature one but even I know that’s just not sound Jesus teaching.
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked,
“Lord, how many times shall I forgive
my brother or sister who sins against
me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered,
“I tell you, not seven times, but
seventy-seven times."
Matthew 18:21-22
The thing I like about this conversation in Matthew is he deals with a real world situation. So many of us keep doing things that need forgiveness from others. And Jesus says to keep on forgiving – each and every time.
I was reading about forgiveness and came across this list of spiritual characteristics of someone who forgives:
My response to the Bible study leader was that if her “rules” about forgiveness were true then how can we forgive people who have already died but negatively impacted our lives? Or how can we forgive people that either don’t have anything to do with us anymore or have no idea they did something wrong? Under her idea so many of us would live with a horrible burden of pain and hurt and anger. And Jesus doesn’t want that for us. He wants to shower us with that glory and those blessings listed in the “forgiver characteristics.”
And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.
Mark 11:25
Against anyone – for any reason. But the most important part of the forgiveness lesson? “So that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” I want to be forgiven because I know I have a lot for which I need to be forgiven. Therefore, I need to search my heart and truly forgive our churches.
I’ve learned a lot this last year about compassion and our human tendency to live in fear. And although our pastors preach to have faith rather than fear, we fall back into the flesh so easily. I do it, you do it and our church leaders (who are just humans too) do it. It doesn’t make me feel good to see our churches closed but I also don’t want to have the burden of unforgiveness on my heart and soul. I realized I can be sad and still forgive.
I like that in this letter to Philemon, Paul doesn’t demand that the slave Onesimus be taken back into the household. Paul wields a lot of authority. He could’ve just said, “Take him back and don’t be mean to him.” But God wants our hearts. Jesus and the Holy Spirit work on our transformation. That’s why each time I see what was previously my “nemesis” in the neighborhood I know the Holy Spirit is working in me. My hand was purposely lifted up to wave at him – not the mistaken neighbor. To help my heart be free of any last morsels of unforgiveness.
Friends, I have seen the miracle healing of forgiveness in others. I have felt it in myself. It’s there for the taking for you. Let’s be like the father of the prodigal son – from a long way off he saw his son returning. He didn’t know why his son was coming back. It could’ve been to ask for more money. Instead of looking out the window and thinking every bad thought, he ran to him. (Luke 15:20) He tucked his tunic between his legs and ran to hug him in front of the townspeople. He might’ve needed to forgive him a few more times in the course of their lives, we don’t know. But the joy he had with that one action has given us the lesson for the ages.
Life Lesson # 6: Truth and love must go hand in hand in our lives
If anyone comes to you and does
not bring this teaching, do not
take them into your house or welcome
them. Anyone who welcomes them
shares in their wicked work.
2 John 10-11
Throughout the text in these five smallest books in the Bible I keep hearing the lessons about facing sin and specifically facing false teachers. It’s a topic that makes many of us uncomfortable. We’ve come to be a Christian world that has accepted the idea of “get alongism.” If we hear a fellow Christian professing wrong doctrine or openly sinning, we feel so uncomfortable questioning them. Unless, of course, we take to social media and all kid gloves fall off. Our inner Pharisee then rears its ugly turban sheltered behind an anonymous computer screen.
So, what’s the solution when a false teacher comes knocking or a Christian friend encourages us to sin alongside them? John tells the lady of the house to not take them into our homes because doing so spreads their words and ways. That seems a bit unkind doesn’t? I mean, Jesus sat with sinners, didn’t he? Ah, if only we were so strong as Jesus to withstand the wily ways of the devil.
Bad company corrupts good character.
1 Corinthians 15:33
Notice the use of the word, “welcome” in our verse in 2 John today. That implies a joyful and eager acceptance of someone. If I invited a person whom I knew to be a false teacher into my Bible study my group would surely think I endorsed what they were teaching. However, if I approached that same person separately, with God’s urging, and spoke the truth to them that’s a different story.
Instead, speaking the truth in love,
we will grow to become in every
respect the mature body of him who
is the head, that is, Christ.
Ephesians 4:15
Truth in love. Love with truth. They are like twins conjoined at all major organs. One without the other fails. There’s a great song by For King and Country that uses the teachings from 1 Corinthians 13.
If I give to a needy soul but don’t have love then who is poor? It seems all the poverty is found in me.
For King & Country, Proof of Your Love
In other words, if I expose a sin in a friend, fellow Christian, pastor, etc, but do it without Jesus-type love then I am no better than the Bible’s Pharisees. And if there was one group of people that Jesus admonished the most it was the Pharisees.
When I think of a group of self-professed, non-loving “Christians” who fall into this category I picture the faces of the Westboro Baptist church. For those unfamiliar with this group, their targets are primarily homosexuals. On the face of their mission, they want to tell people of the dangers of this sin. They have been known to attend and protest at the funerals of gay young men who have been brutally murdered. They harass their families and friends. I would hope that we can all agree this method of “preaching” will not convert one single soul to Jesus. There may be some Biblical truth in their message. But their hate-filled voices are completely void of love. These are the folks we should not “welcome” into our homes, rather meet them outside the gates and share the message of truth surrounded with love. They are the “almost rights” which are therefore always wrong.
And what of love without truth?
“Ships are safer in harbors. But ships are made for the stormy seas.”
Vance Havner
Meaning when we Christians fall into the false teaching of “Jesus wants us to just love everyone no matter what” or we slap the “coexist” sticker on our car, we water down our God-ordained separateness from the world. We become just another person on the street trying not to upset anyone. We join the club of “I’m ok you’re ok” and the sword of the spirit becomes as dull as a plastic knife. We allow, even welcome, the darkness to enter our homes because we are afraid to be seen as judgmental, rude or just plain weird.
“When we seek only to love but never proclaim a better way, we short-circuit God’s plan. As believers in Christ, we need to be known for both truth and love.”
Matt Brown, Truth Plus Love — the Jesus Way to Influence
We are warned throughout the New Testament of false prophets and false teachers using all manner of evil to lead the faithful astray.
But there were also false prophets
among the people, just as there will
be false teachers among you. They
will secretly introduce destructive
heresies, even denying the sovereign
Lord who bought them—bringing swift
destruction on themselves. Many will
follow their depraved conduct and
will bring the way of truth into
disrepute. In their greed these
teachers will exploit you with
fabricated stories.
2 Peter 1-3
When we fear “rocking the boat” and don’t rely on the Lord to help us speak truth to these situations we have separated those conjoined twins – truth and love.
“To pursue union at the expense of truth is treason to the Lord Jesus.”
Charles Spurgeon
There are few lessons I have taken as much to heart as this concept of conjoined truth and love. It guides my fervor to be tempered with compassion. It helps me to stand up for God when I fear recrimination. It has led me to draw Jesus-centered lines in the sand. And it has released me from guilt for positions I take because I know I have done so in love. This lesson has brought me to a good place in my relationship with my parents – something I had failed to do on my own.
Our faith is not intended to be a private matter. Yes, we work out our sanctification one-on-one with God. But our obedience in faith is what sets us apart from this world. And when we step out our doors we need to be armed with truth plus love and love plus truth.
emboldened.net 