Providence Permits Many Heretics

“Divine Providence permits many heretics with their differing errors so that at least, when they insult us and ask us what we do not know, we may shake off our sluggishness and long to know the divine Scriptures. This is why the Apostle says [in 1 Corinthians 11:19], ‘It is necessary that there be heresies in order that those who are approved among you might become manifest.’ For those are approved before God who can teach well, but they can only become manifest to men when they teach. They are, however, willing to teach only those who seek to be taught. Yet many are slow to seek if they are not aroused as if from sleep by the troublesomeness and insults of the heretics. Then, embarrassed over their ignorance, they perceive that they are in danger because of that ignorance. If these are men of solid faith, they do not give in to the heretics, but carefully seek what response they should make to them. God does not abandon them. When they ask, they receive, and when they seek, they find, and when they knock, the door will be opened for them” (Augustine, On Genesis, Against the Manichees, I.1.2).[1]

God allows false teaching to motivate true believers to seek the truth and to manifest teachers whom Christ has given His Church.

There is plenty of false teaching, and it is extremely popular. Our small groups shouldn’t be so small, our Sunday Schools should be bursting with students desirous for God’s truth, our Bible studies ought to be crowded, our Bibles should be wearing out faster than our phones, our prayer meetings’ requests should be for knowledge of God above all, our services filled with humble hunger for a Word from the Lord, and the local church should be the vital seed-bed (the meaning of the word “seminary”) for teachers manifested by God to confront the staggering amount of falseness being marketed to Christians. Teachers should be showing their legitimacy as manifestations of God’s provision to His Church by ever honing their craft, their art, their passion, their accuracy, their communication, and their Spirit-wrought authoritative power.

“Should be.” “Ought.”

The heresies are plentiful, Lord. Please, please, please manifest those approved in the teaching and learning ministry of Your precious Church.

“I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).

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[1] Augustine is meditating on 1 Corinthians 11:19, “there must also be factions [αἱρέσεις] among you, so that those who are approved may become evident among you.” Αἵρεσις is translated “heresy” (its English cognate) by Wycliffe, and in the Geneva Bible and King James Version.

Brought Bible?

Hachita Baptist Church, Hachita, New Mexico, U.S.A.

Brought Bible?

I’ve looked at this old-fashioned board for years now. The only time I really pay attention to it is when I’ve been gone (to get an idea of what went on the week before). A few weeks ago, though, the “BROUGHT BIBLE” caught my attention (though I'm not sure they update that particular number).

“Do they need it?” I asked myself. As I preach or lead them in a Bible study, do they actually need the Book? Do I direct them back to it often enough? Do I inspire them to read further? Do I lift up its vital importance for their daily lives in this world as disciples of Jesus Christ? I was burdened by this. Challenged. How can I encourage them in the Word more than I do? If, by my preaching/teaching, I can get them to look at the Book in their hands, point to the words and really look at it, actively engage the weight of the thing, then the corporate moment in the Bible will cease to be passive. I’ve only got a few brief moments. Got to drive them into the Word more and more.

Then I thought about “stewardship.” It used to just be called “giving,” but somewhere along the way it got replaced by a more spiritual-sounding idea (not that I have a problem with changing words every once in a while...makes us think, which is always good). Anyway, stewardship. If you give to the church, then attending the times of preaching/teaching of the paid preacher is stewardship. You are paying to support the man of God, and are present when he does what you pay him to do. Seems responsible.

“The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says [in Deuteronomy 25:4], ‘You shall not muzzle the ox while he is threshing,’ and [in Luke 10:7] ‘The laborer is worthy of his wages’” (1 Timothy 5:17,18). We learn at least two things in this passage. First, “honor” means financial support, and not just respect (verse 18). Second, the evaluation of the “rule” of “the elders” is on how well they are determined to have worked “hard at preaching and teaching.” How can this evaluation be made if the evaluators aren’t present at the preaching/teaching of the Word? I’m not sure it can. How can you be sure that your giving to the church is being wisely spent, if you are not present to participate in one of the main reasons the New Testament says we must give to the church (in addition to the support of the poor, help to widows, and assistance to other churches)?

On the day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter preaches one of the greatest sermons recorded in the Bible. In response, “those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:41,42). “Continually.” Does one hour a week count as “continually”? A lot of preachers regard preaching twice a week (twice on Sunday, and three times if there’s a mid-week service) as a lot. Considering Acts 2:42 (“continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching”), I wonder if I’m doing enough. I mentioned last fall that I was considering adding a small-group Bible study to my schedule in response to a need that had been expressed to me. A church member admonished me that it might be too much. Is it too much? There’s only a little time: “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15,16). We’ll give an account for how we spend this small handful of moments, and if we’ve got something to do that is higher on our priority list than gathering to read the Word together...

Our confession says that Scripture “is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union” (Baptist Faith & Message 2000, 1). My greatest prayer request is that God will make this more and more a reality in our lives, beloved Church. More and more into His Word. Together.

Practical.

ΠΡΑΞΕΙΣ ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΩΝ. The Acts of the Apostles.

Graduate work in seminary is now over twelve years behind me, but I still cringe when I think about those moments in a theology, Bible, or history course when someone, usually during a break, would comment, “I wish we just had to learn about practical ministry.” My visceral reaction (that I politely kept choked back) stuck with me far longer than it should. I remember a professor in a missiology class saying that the missionaries went out to do the work of reaching the lost, and that it was the “MDiv student’s job” to make it appear biblical. It’s only recently (in the last year or so) that I can open a popular book on ministry. There are good ones out there, I know, but the taint of those who only wanted the practical side of our training stuck to these “hands on” sort of books in my sinful mind.

Last week I opened a Greek New Testament to look something up. As I was flipping through the pages, I saw the title at the top of the pages to the book of Acts. ΠΡΑΞΕΙΣ ΑΠΟΣΤΟΛΩΝ. Πραξεις, the first word in that title, is cognate with our English word “praxis.” Part of the same word-family as “practical.” The fifth book in the New Testament, in a sense, is a “practical” book on how to do ministry. I was both chastened for sticking my nose in the air concerning the idea of “practical ministry,” but also curious. According to the Holy Spirit, Who worked through those apostles in the first generation of the new covenant Church, what did “practical ministry” look like?

They prayed (1:14).

They added a leader for “ministry and apostleship” (1:15-26).

They met together (2:1).

They proclaimed “the wonderful works of God” to every ethnicity and language (2:4-40), preaching a sermon about God’s saving work in Christ from numerous Old Testament texts, ending with a command to “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.”

They baptized “those who gladly received his word” (2:41).

I’ve always loved these next verses, which show the daily,“practical” work of the Holy Spirit in their midst: “...they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people” (2:42-47).

They went to where the people were, healed a man, and preached (3:1-26).

They witnessed to the authorities who had arrested them (4:5-22).

They prayed for boldness to preach even more (4:24-31).

They sold possessions to meet the needs of the poorer members of the Church (4:32-36).

They gathered where people were and healed them (5:12-16).

They were arrested, freed, and told (by “the Lord”) to go preach again (5:17-21).

They were arrested again, and get to preach another message (albeit shorter) to the authorities – not on civil rights, or injustice, but the Gospel (5:29-31).

They were released, “and daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ” (5:42).

They were meeting the needs of the widows in the congregation (6:1).

They were appointing men “full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” to the office of servant (6:2-6). These office-bearing servants were so “full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom” that two of them, Stephen (6:8-7:) and Philip (8:4-40), become unmatched preachers (Stephen becomes the first Christian martyr) and missionaries.

In addition to the office of servant (to meet the needs of the widows in the congregation and set the world afire with Gospel preaching as the Spirit directs), the original leadership continued to devote themselves “continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (6:4-7:60).

They grieved over their dead (8:2). In case that sounds too tame, they “made great lamentation over him.” Corporate grief is a psychologically and spiritually invaluable gift of God, lost in our culture (read the hymn-book of the Bible, the Psalter, sometime to see the emotions on display in their congregational singing).

They baptized former enemies (9:18).

They preached (9:20).

They made peace for the building of the fellowship and ministry (9:26-28). Beloved, we need more peacemakers like Barnabas! “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).

They healed (9:32-34).

They restored the dead to life (9:35-43).

They prayed (10:9).

They traveled to places for the purpose of preaching and baptizing (10:34-48). Yes, there were probably still lots of households in Jerusalem that needed the Gospel. But God sent Peter on a short-term mission trip to this particular house.

They met to sort out disagreement and confusion about the mission work (11:1-18). They ended up glorifying God for reaching a people very different from themselves.

They preached (11:19-21).

They encouraged preachers (11:22-25).

They assembled the Church and taught them (11:26). For a year.

They collected an offering to meet the needs of the Church suffering from what we would call a “natural disaster” (i.e., an act of God, 11:27-30).

They were killed (12:2) and imprisoned (12:3) by the civil leadership.

They prayed (12:12).

The leadership of a local congregation “ministered to the Lord and fasted” (13:1-3).

They sent out missionaries after having “fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them” (13:3).

They traveled and preached (13:5).

They traveled and preached some more – about Jesus from Old Testament texts (13:13-41). Then they did it some more (13:44-49).

And some more (14:1-3).

And some more (14:6,7).

They healed (14:8-10).

They preached (14:14-17).

They preached the Gospel not just in marketplaces or the synagogues, but in local congregations, “strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, ‘We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God.’ So when they had appointed elders in every church, and prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in Whom they had believed” (14:22,23).

They reported their mission work to the Church that had commissioned them (14:27,28). Paul and associates were accountable to a local congregation. What had the local congregations been doing while Acts reported on Paul’s mission trip? The practices outlined in 2:42-47.

They met to resolve doctrinal conflict (15:1-31).

They traveled and preached (15:32-35).

They traveled and encouraged the Church (15:36-40).

They kept on traveling and encouraging the Church (16:1-5).

They traveled and preached (16:10).

They preached and baptized (16:13-15).

They cast out a demon (16:16-19).

They “were praying and singing hymns to God” to a new audience – fellow prisoners in the Philippi jail (16:25).

They preached and baptized (16:31-34).

They encouraged fellow believers (16:40).

They traveled and preached Christ from the Old Testament (17:1-4).

They did it again (17:10-12).

They traveled and preached about God the Creator, judgment Day and the need to repent, salvation in Christ the Judge alone, all while quoting pagan poets (17:16-34).

They traveled and preached (18:1-5).

They baptized (18:8).

They taught “the Word of God” for eighteen months (18:11).

They traveled and preached (18:19).

They traveled and took time to encourage congregations (18:23).

They traveled and preached Christ from the Old Testament (18:24-28).

They baptized (19:5).

They preached for two years (19:8-10).

They healed and cast out demons (19:11,12).

They sent out men to preach whom they had personally discipled and mentored (19:22).

They traveled and encouraged believers “with many words” (20:1,2).

They gathered to break bread and hear preaching throughout the night on the first day of the week (20:7).

They taught and prayed for the leadership of local congregations (20:17-36).

They prayed (21:5).

They reported on mission work (21:17-25).

They were arrested and preached to hostile mobs (21:37-22:21).

They remained arrested and preached to hostile groups of leaders (22:30-23:1,6).

They defended themselves before a regional governor – and preached the Gospel (24:10-21).

They did it again (24:24,25). It’s noteworthy that, while preaching “the faith in Christ,” some of Paul’s topics included “righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come.” Does your Gospel preaching and/or witnessing include these topics?

Still in custody, they continued to witness to Christ while on trial (26:1-23).

While shipwrecked, they healed (28:8,9).

They enjoyed fellowship for a week with believers (28:14,15).

They preached (28:17-29).

While under house arrest, they taught Christ for two years (27:30,31).

This is the Bible’s book on “practical ministry.” While modern books on “practical ministry” can be helpful, they can also pull us in dozens of different directions from the basics outlined in Acts. Let’s make sure we’re reading and following the model of the first “practical ministry” book before reading the advice of well-intentioned and successful leaders of today. Foundations matter.

I’ve purposed to read one of these modern “practical ministry” sort of books once a quarter these days (bearing fruit in keeping with repentance, you might say). If they’re good, I pass them on to church members or leaders in other congregations. What qualifies as “good”? They guide back to the original “practical ministry” book and increase faithfulness to the Holy Spirit’s model.

Let’s not outgrow Acts.

The Ridge Line of Faithful Teaching

“Remind them of these things, and solemnly charge them in the presence of God not to wrangle about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers. Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene” (2 Timothy 2:14-17).

Ah, this is what my pastor would (only partially jesting) call “the razorblade edge of doom.” On one side, the “ruin of the hearers” (2:14). On the other side, quick-spreading gangrenous talk that results in “further ungodliness” (2:16,17). Between these two disastrous drop-offs, on a narrow ridgeline above the clouds, is the only Way for the preacher/teacher of the Word. This Way requires diligence, work, and accuracy (2:15). This Way is before the very face of God, Who brings those on this Way under a “stricter judgment” (James 3:1). Yet this is THE Way. There is no other. So, despite the sometimes ferocious winds, precarious footing, and temptation to take a path down to easier trails, Paul urges us to stay on the ridgeline. To glory.

So, if you’re preparing to teach the Word tonight, or if you’re planning on attending Bible study, pray. Pray to the Father Who is the Source of “grace, mercy, and peace” (1:2), the Son Who is the Mediator and conduit of that strengthening grace (2:1), and the Holy Spirit Who enables us to guard this matchless treasure of truth (1:14). And get to work walking this high, narrow Way.

The Teaching God Ordains a Teaching Church

“Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning; for I trust in You; teach me the way in which I should walk; for to You I lift up my soul...teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground” (Psalm 143:8,10).

The Triune God is a teaching God.

He is three:

• The Father teaches (John 6:45; 8:28).
• The Son teaches (John 6:59; 7:14,28,35; 8:20; 18:20).
• The Spirit teaches (John 14:26).

He is one: “Remember the day you stood before the Lord your God at Horeb, when the Lord said to me, ‘Assemble the people to Me, that I may let them hear My words so they may learn [ילמדון, passive form of verb “to teach”] to fear Me all the days they live on the earth, and that they may teach [ילמדון] their children’...now this is the commandment, the statutes and the judgments which the Lord your God has commanded me to teach [ללמד] you, that you might do them in the land where you are going over to possess it, so that you and your son and your grandson might fear the Lord your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged. O Israel, you should listen and be careful to do it, that it may be well with you and that you may multiply greatly, just as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!” (Deuteronomy 4:10; 6:1-4).

God’s character as Teacher is foundational to who He wants His people to be: “But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated...and Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying...‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...teaching them to observe all that I commanded you’” (Matthew 28:16,18-20).

Blessed Trinity, teach Your Church today and make us learners, that we may go and teach You among the nations (starting with, but never ending with, our children and grandchildren) for Your eternal glory!

Teaching and Learning Discernment

“And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean” (Ezekiel 44:23, Geneva Bible).

This is still a vital responsibility (for teachers and disciples): “Of whom we have many things to say, which are hard to be uttered, because ye are dull of hearing. For when as concerning the time ye ought to be teachers, yet have ye need again that we teach you what are the first principles of the Word of God: and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For everyone that useth milk [“the first principles of the Word of God”], is inexpert in the Word of righteousness: for he is a babe. But strong meat [“the Word of righteousness”] belongeth to them that are of age, which through long custom have their wits exercised, to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).

When the teachers don’t teach and the disciples don’t learn: “Woe unto them that speak good of evil, and evil of good, which put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for sour. Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight...they have cast off the Law of the Lord of hosts, and contemned the Word of the Holy One of Israel” (Isaiah 5:20,21,24).

Parents, Draw From the Deep Well

“My son, observe the commandment [מצוה] of your father and do not forsake the teaching [תורה, the “Law of covenant-love,” see 31:26b] of your mother; bind them continually on your heart; tie them around your neck. When you walk about, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk to you. For the commandment [מצוה] is a lamp and the teaching [תורה] is light; and reproofs for discipline are the way of life” (Proverbs 6:20-23).

Father and mother don’t have to teach from their own wisdom, experience, or creativity; in God’s covenant community of faith they draw it from something much deeper:

• “Sojourn in this land and I will be with you and bless you, for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will establish the oath which I swore to your father Abraham. I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven, and will give your descendants all these lands; and by your descendants all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed Me and kept My charge, My commandments [מצוה], My statutes and My laws [תורה]” (Genesis 26:3-5).
• “Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, ‘All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient!’ So Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, and said, ‘Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.’ Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank. Now the LORD said to Moses, ‘Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law [תורה] and the commandment [מצוה] which I have written for their instruction’” (Exodus 24:7-12).
• “And you shall again obey the LORD, and observe all His commandments [מצוה] which I command you today. Then the LORD your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground, for the LORD will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; if you obey the LORD your God to keep His commandments [מצוה] and His statutes which are written in this book of the law [תורה], if you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and soul. For this commandment [מצוה] which I command you today is not too difficult for you, nor is it out of reach...but the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may observe it” (Deuteronomy 30:8-11,14).
• Joshua “said to them, ‘You have kept all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have listened to my voice in all that I commanded you. You have not forsaken your brothers these many days to this day, but have kept the charge of the commandment of the LORD your God. And now the LORD your God has given rest to your brothers, as He spoke to them; therefore turn now and go to your tents, to the land of your possession, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan. Only be very careful to observe the commandment [מצוה] and the law [תורה] which Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God and walk in all His ways and keep His commandments [מצוה] and hold fast to Him and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul.’ So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents” (Joshua 22:2-6).
• “As David’s time to die drew near, he charged Solomon his son, saying, ‘I am going the way of all the earth. Be strong, therefore, and show yourself a man. Keep the charge of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments [מצוה], His ordinances, and His testimonies, according to what is written in the Law [תורה] of Moses, that you may succeed in all that you do and wherever you turn, so that the LORD may carry out His promise which He spoke concerning me, saying, “If your sons are careful of their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel”’” (2 Kings 2:1-4).
• “Yet the LORD warned Israel and Judah through all His prophets and every seer, saying, ‘Turn from your evil ways and keep My commandments [מצוה], My statutes according to all the law [תורה] which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you through My servants the prophets...you shall not fear other gods, nor bow down yourselves to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them. But the LORD, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, and to Him you shall bow yourselves down, and to Him you shall sacrifice. The statutes and the ordinances and the law [תורה] and the commandment [מצוה] which He wrote for you, you shall observe to do forever; and you shall not fear other gods. The covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. But the LORD your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies’” (2 Kings 17:13,35-39).
• “So Abijah slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city of David, and his son Asa became king in his place. The land was undisturbed for ten years during his days. Asa did good and right in the sight of the LORD his God, for he removed the foreign altars and high places, tore down the sacred pillars, cut down the Asherim, and commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers and to observe the law [תורה] and the commandment [מצוה]” (2 Chronicles 14:1-4).
• “Thus Hezekiah did throughout all Judah; and he did what was good, right and true before the LORD his God. Every work which he began in the service of the house of God in law [תורה] and in commandment [מצוה], seeking his God, he did with all his heart and prospered” (2 Chronicles 31:20,21).
• “Now the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of God, their wives, their sons and their daughters, all those who had knowledge and understanding, are joining with their kinsmen, their nobles, and are taking on themselves a curse and an oath to walk in God’s law [תורה], which was given through Moses, God’s servant, and to keep and to observe all the commandments [מצוה] of GOD our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes; and that we will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons” (Nehemiah 10:28-30).