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.

Solus Christus and His City

I was listening to Revelation while running the last few days. I’ve always found that listening to Scripture (and reading different translations) draws my attention to previously-unnoticed aspects of the Word, no matter how many times I’ve read it (or preached/taught on it).

After seeing “the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband” (Revelation 21:2), it is revealed to John that there are those who are not permitted entry:

• “The nations will walk by [the city’s] light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. In the daytime (for there will be no night there) its gates will never be closed; and they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it; and nothing unclean, and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (21:24-27).[1]

• “Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying” (22:14,15).

Those who “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18), “oppose the truth” (2 Timothy 3:8), or dismissively ask “what is truth?” (John 18:38) cannot abide eternally in this city, which is the Church.[2] Conformity to the truth is key to entry into this city, for Jesus is “the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through” Him (John 14:6; see also John 1:14,17; 1 John 5:20).

In this same ending section of the Revelation, the veracity of the words of the book are emphasized: “…one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues…said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true’” (21:9; 22:6). This isn’t abstract faithfulness or truthfulness, but these words are what they are because their Source is divinely Personal - the words of the Revelation “are faithful and true,” because this book is “the Revelation of Jesus Christ” (1:1), and He is a “faithful and true” Witness:

• “…Jesus Christ, the faithful Witness” (1:5).

• “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness…” (3:14).

• “…I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He Who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war…from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations” (19:11,15).[3]

In a book about the unveiling of the One Who is unchangeably, eternally, and essentially “faithful and true,” its words reflect His character. A book of truth revealing the One Who is Truth lays out the reality that only those conformed to this truth will live in fellowship with Him now and forever.

Therefore, it is not merely telling falsehoods that exclude one from “the city,” but living a life contrary to the Lord Jesus Christ, Whose character throughout the Revelation is highlighted as being “faithful and true.” That which is contrary to Jesus will not be in His city, but those living by faith in the One Who is Truth will be with Him:

• “…to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: The One Who has the sharp two-edged sword says this: ‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is; and you hold fast My name, and did not deny My faith even in the days of Antipas, My witness, My faithful one, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells’” (2:12,13). In Pergamum, a city of great spiritual darkness and persecution, we have a believer named Antipas named. His life as the divinely Personal Truth’s “witness” may have ended his earthly life, but brought him into a welcoming opposite of that condemnation expressed in Matthew 7:21-23. This One Who knows Antipas is introduced in this letter as “the One Who has the sharp two-edged sword,” that is, the Word of power and judgment against those who oppose the Truth Who is Jesus and persecute those united to that Personal Truth by faith.

• “…I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth. These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb. And no lie was found in their mouth; they are blameless” (14:1-5).

Jesus’ “sword” comes from His mouth (1:16; 2:16; 19:15,21); the word, testimony, and witness of Jesus has power. When this testimony is given through His servants, it is He Who is speaking through them. The witness may die, but the truth of Jesus spoke through them accomplishes its purpose. We see this in the “witnesses” described later: “I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth” (11:3). Also, at the end of the book we read of the Whore’s guilt: “…I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus” (17:6).

I really love the song “Sunday!” by tree63.

“Nothing’s sacred, the days are cheap;

Truth is thin on the ground.

Still our prophets are crucified;

Nobody believes we’re stumbling.

It’s Friday, but Sunday is coming.”[4]

In days when “truth is thin on the ground,” where are we going to stand? The Revelation tells us it is not to be found in pundits or websites – why do you read, rely on, and repost these more than the Scripture, which is the inerrant testimony of Jesus? Those who enter the City and live there with the divinely Personal Truth are those who live in conformity not to the chaotic confession and conspiracy of the world, but those who are “standing” with “the Lamb” on the rock-steady “Mount Zion,” “and no lie [is] found in their mouth; they are blameless.” In an age of “false news,” “alternative facts,” poorly-constructed sophistry eagerly consumed by every faction, cults of personality, and 1984-style propaganda, where are you going to stand? I think I know, judging by the fact that you mention Jesus, His Gospel, and His truth far less than you mention the wisdom of the world. Repent and return to the City. Too many are outside the gates, with one finger stretched out to barely touch its mighty walls and with the other hand building a poor, tiny replica of the City out of pieces of garbage unworthy of the Reality.

Love Jesus. He is better. He is King. He is Savior. Witness His truth and faithfulness through the Word of His Gospel to the lost. Bring them into the City. SOLUS CHRISTUS!!

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[1] The Bible often explains itself if we are teachable. The Revelation is written from a very Hebrew mindset, explaining itself through parallelisms, as in this passage. “…the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.” What is “their glory”? The other phrases about entering the city explain the “glory.” It is further described as “the glory and the honor of the nations,” which is brought “into it.” Finally, this “glory” is defined clearly as “those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” Believers are “the glory and the honor of the nations.” Further, I wonder if “the kings of the earth” are believers as described in 5:9,10 (“they will reign upon the earth”) – that is, that 21:24-27 describes evangelism/missions. Those purchased by the blood of the Lamb among the nations manifest His absolute reign over heaven and earth (Matthew 28:18; 1 Corinthians 15:25; Ephesians 1:20-23) by witnessing of Him and leading others into His eternal city which is His Bride, the Church.

[2] 1:1 tells us the Revelation was “signified” (ἐσήμανεν, from σημαίνω, the verb form of the word “symbol,” or “sign,” σημεῖον). John sees the Church “signified,” or “symbolized,” as a city – the New Testament knows only the Church as the Bride of the Lamb (Ephesians 5:22-33; Revelation 19:7-9; 21:9,10 – not to mention the use of “Bridegroom” to refer to Jesus in the Gospels).

[3] See also John 3:9-12,27,31-34; 8:14-18; 18:37,38.

[4] Written by John Andrew Ellis (Birdwing Music, 2007).

An Old Lie Trumped by an Eternal Truth

It’s Monday morning, which means that Sunday is coming. I am working on that approaching Day’s sermon from Genesis 3:4,5. In this text the serpent contradicts the Word of God, and worse, slanders the character of God

The serpent implies that God is not good in His character, His plans for His people, and in His Word. The antivenom to this lie is a firm belief that God is good. He is good no matter what. He is good all the time.

The Bible assures us that the covenant relationship-God, “the LORD” (יהוה) is good:

• “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living” (Psalm 27:13).
• “O taste and see that the LORD is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” (Psalm 34:8).
• “For the LORD is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations” (Psalm 100:5).
• “Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing praises to His name, for it is lovely” (Psalm 135:3).
• “The LORD is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works” (Psalm 145:9).
• “Thus says the LORD, ‘Yet again there will be heard in this place, of which you say, “It is a waste, without man and without beast,” that is, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say, “Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, for the LORD is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting”; and of those who bring a thank offering into the house of the LORD. For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were at first,’ says the LORD” (Jeremiah 33:10,11).
• “The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him” (Lamentations 3:25).
• “The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him” (Nahum 1:7).

The Old Testament does affirm that “God is good” (the generic אלהים used by the serpent, who avoids the covenant title יהוה) but only does so one time, and that one time limits this goodness to His covenant relationship with His people: “Surely God is good to Israel, to those who are pure in heart!” (Psalm 73:1).

However, there’s an interesting exchange between Jesus and an inquirer in the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 19:16,17//Mark 10:17,18//Luke 18:18,19). In Jesus’ first answer to this man, He seems to deny His own deity. Arians (in their various heretical incarnations) have pointed to these verses from generation to generation as proof that Jesus Himself did not claim to be God. However, in doing some background reading as part of sermon prep, I found Stephen Charnock’s (1628-1680) commentary on this text. The connection between the goodness of God and the deity of Christ becomes beautifully coherent in this Puritan’s observations: “Some think that Christ hereby would draw him to an acknowledgement of Him as God; you acknowledge me ‘good’; how come you to salute me with so great a title...you must own me to be God, since you own me to be ‘good’; goodness being a title only due, and properly belonging, to the Supreme Being. If you take me for a common man, with what conscience can you salute me in a manner proper to God...He doth not here deny His Deity, but reproves him for calling Him good, when he had not yet confessed Him to be more than a man. You behold My flesh, but you consider not the fullness of My Deity; if you account Me ‘good,’ account Me God, and imagine Me not to be a simple and a mere man. He disowns not His own Deity, but allures the young man to a confession of it...why dost thou own Me to be ‘good,’ unless thou own Me to be God...had He said, there is none ‘good’ but the Father, He had excluded Himself; but in saying, there is none ‘good’ but God, He comprehends Himself...if you are serious, why do you call me ‘good,’ and make bold to fix so great a title upon One you have no higher thoughts of than a mere man?” (The Existence and Attributes of God, Vol. 2, Discourse XII).

The serpent implies that God is not good, an all-powerful Denier of goodness to His Creation.

Jesus Christ implies that to confess Him to be good is necessarily to confess Him to be God, Him Who is both eternal God and - at the same time - the boundlessly good Provision of God for His people.

May we in every moment of every day walk away from the lie of the serpent and run toward our good God in His Son Jesus Christ. “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25). Draw near. He is good.

His Truth Is Marching On

The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) voted this week at its General Assembly to allow its ministers to bless same-sex marriages in states where such unions are legal. I have seen a lot of gloating about this on the internet ("even the Calvinists have come around!") from people who don’t care one thing about the denomination, would never join one of its churches, and don’t have the slightest understanding about biblical or historical Christianity. Still, they’re happy. The “tolerant” rejoice that another dissenting voice has agreed to change its tune to their own. It is one more institution of the counter-cultural resistance that has fallen.

In Matthew 19:3-6//Mark 10:2-9 Jesus endorses the Creation Ordinance concerning marriage (Genesis 2:24). In other words, Jesus agrees with one of the foundational laws of God in the Bible and defines “traditional” marriage. It takes precedence, in fact, over Moses’ limitations on divorce (Deuteronomy 24:1-4), given because of the “hard hearts” among God’s people.

Once a Church decides it will no longer follow the Word of God (and specifically the Word of Christ), it is no longer a Church. It has forfeited that privilege. The Church is created by the Word, and if the Church leaves the Word, it has cut itself off from the root and is no longer a living organism. This reality is not governed by human beings, human law, or human confessions/creeds/directories of worship. It has been proclaimed by God in His Word.

“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20).

“And His mother and brothers came to Him, and they were unable to get to Him because of the crowd. And it was reported to Him, ‘Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, wishing to see You.’ But He answered and said to them, ‘My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it’” (Luke 8:19-21).

“If you love Me, you will keep My commandments...he who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him...if anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s Who sent Me. These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you...if you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love” (John 14:15,21,23-26; 15:10).

“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:1-5).

“So the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her children, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus...here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus” (Revelation 12:17; 14:12).

There are still denominations that still hold to the truth of the Word of God in the United States of America.* The P.C.U.S.A. has been dying for some time before this, and this capitulation to the culture will not change that. It is unsurprising to see the culture do what it does, but is grievous when an institution proclaiming itself to be a church of the Lord Jesus Christ reject His Word and the Word of Him Who sent Christ.

With the original apostles we confess “we must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). This is what it means to be the Church. What of those who vote to ignore the Word? It doesn’t change one thing about the truthfulness of the Word. This has been argued and addressed before: “...they were entrusted with the oracles of God. What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? May it never be! Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, ‘That you may be justified in Your words, and prevail when you are judged’” (Romans 3:2-4).

The true Church has persevered in its faithfulness to the Word of God since the beginning, and will continue. One-voice “tolerance” and “diversity” aside, “the Word of God is not imprisoned” (2 Timothy 2:9). The Kingdom of God is eternal, unstoppable, and has the promised victory.


*Including the Presbyterian Church in America and the Orthodox Presbyterian Church. I have people I greatly admire in both denominations and am sorry that some will confuse the P.C.U.S.A. for these two denominations in their ignorance.

True Spiritual Warfare: Knowledge and Obedience

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6).

Spiritual warfare: contending for the truth of the faith (Jude 3) and discipleship (a mutual commitment as a community to obedience to Christ, Matthew 28:19,20). God the Holy Spirit works through the truth of the Scripture that He inspired, and His most potent, profound, and eternally fruitful battle is in the arena of false versus true in our minds and lives (John 4:23,24; 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; Ephesians 1:13; 6:17; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; Hebrews 4:11-13; 1 John 4:6 – note here that the Spirit of truth speaks through the apostles; 5:6).

It results in deeper submission to the authority of the apostles, the inspired authors of the New Testament (Acts 2:42): “...our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up” (2 Corinthians 10:8; 13:10)

It results in the support of the expansion of Christ-boasting mission: “But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ; not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men's labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you, so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another. But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord” (2 Corinthians 10:13-17).

It results in a Church dedicated to being “as a pure virgin” betrothed to Christ, focused on “the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:1-3), finding her completion in the Trinity (2 Corinthians 13:14) and a life together as unified as the one-God-in-three-Persons she worships (13:11,12).

This is the battle and fruit of spiritual warfare. May we not be distracted by other things.

The Song of the Waking Dream

“A Song of Ascents. When the LORD brought back the captive ones of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with joyful shouting...the LORD has done great things for us; we are glad” (Psalm 126:1-3, New American Standard).

“We were like those who dream.” This phrase has a strong pastoral-emotional impact to me. It reminds me of the many times I have read Scripture to those on the verge of leaving this life, those whose consciousness was not full; for them it truly is “a song of ascents.” Despite my heart’s reaction to this Psalm, I don’t want to lapse into a mystical emotionalism. So we go to other Scripture to see how this home-going Psalm of dreamy wonder fits in with the testimony of “all the counsel of God” (Acts 20:27, Geneva Bible).

This isn’t a pure mysticism that fails to impact our lives. It is a waking dream that moves us homeward in holiness and ever-increasing dedication to both the Law of the Lord and the Good News of His absolute reign over all: “Awake, awake, clothe yourself in your strength, O Zion; clothe yourself in your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city...shake yourself from the dust, rise up, O captive Jerusalem; loose yourself from the chains around your neck, O captive daughter of Zion...therefore My people shall know My name; therefore in that day I am the One Who is speaking, ‘Here I am.’ How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness [quoted in Romans 10:12-15], who announces salvation, and says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices, they shout joyfully together; for they will see with their own eyes when the LORD restores Zion. Break forth, shout joyfully together, you waste places of Jerusalem; for the LORD has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. The LORD has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God. Depart, depart, go out from there, touch nothing unclean; go out of the midst of her, purify yourselves [quoted in 2 Corinthians 6:16-18], you who carry the vessels of the LORD. But you will not go out in haste, nor will you go as fugitives; for the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard” (Isaiah 52:1,2,6-12, NAS).

This isn’t, though, a being spiritually awake that ceases to be mystical or spiritual at all. It comprehends the truth revealed by the Spirit in the Word of God that shows us the Son to the glory of the Father. In the waking dream of pilgrimage home, it sees clearly yet doesn’t lose the wonder of the dream. It knows truth, but marvels at it: “I cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, that Father of glory, might give unto you the Spirit of wisdom, and revelation through the knowledge of Him, that the eyes of your understanding may be lightened, that ye may know what the hope is of His calling, and what the riches of His glorious inheritance is in the Saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us, which believe, according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and set Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and domination, and every Name, that is named, not in this world only, but also in that that is to come, and hath made all things subject under His feet, and hath given Him over all things to be the head to the Church, which is His body, even the fullness of Him that filleth all in all things” (Ephesians 1:16-23, Geneva Bible). There is no conflict between real intellectual knowledge of spiritual, mystical truth: “...we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hid wisdom, which God had determined before the world, unto our glory. Which none of the princes of this world hath known: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, ‘The things which eye hath not seen, neither ear hath heard, neither came into man’s heart, are, which God hath prepared for them that love Him.’ But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man, which is in him? Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have receiveth not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit, which is of God, that we might know the things that are given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the holy Ghost teacheth, comparing spiritual things with spiritual things” (1 Corinthians 2:7-13, Geneva Bible). The way home is definite, according the Word alone. Yet it is wondrous and Spirit-given.

Holy Spirit, open our sleepy eyes wide enough to see the true home to which we journey, but not so wide that we lose our wonder in its truth. “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:5,6, NAS). Full love is founded upon the Spirit-inspired Word.

“I was asleep but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking” (Song of songs 5:2, NAS).

P.S. David Crowder* Band's album A Collision (sixstepsrecords, 2005) was a powerful soundtrack in my ministry through a dark time of death. The song "Come Awake" seems an appropriate postscript to this entry.

Attendance and the Proclamation of Truth

“People are far more interested in what works than what's true. I hate to burst your bubble, but virtually nobody in your church is on a truth quest. Including your spouse. They are on happiness quests. As long as you are dishing out truth with no ‘here's the difference it will make’ tacked on the end, you will be perceived as irrelevant by most of the people in your church, student ministry, or home Bible study. You may be spot-on theologically, like the teachers of the law in Jesus' day, but you will not be perceived as one who teaches with authority. Worse, nobody is going to want to listen to you. Now, that may be discouraging. Especially the fact that you are one of the few who is actually on a quest for truth. And, yes, it is unfortunate that people aren't more like you in that regard. But that's the way it is. It's pointless to resist. If you try, you will end up with a little congregation of truth seekers who consider themselves superior to all the other Christians in the community. But at the end of the day, you won't make an iota of difference in this world...culture is like the wind. You can't stop it. You shouldn't spit in it. But, if like a good sailor you will adjust your sails, you can harness the winds of culture to take your audience where they need to go. If people are more interested in being happy, then play to that...Jesus did...”

- Andy Stanley, Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend (Zondervan, 2012)

Consider Paul’s teaching on the proclamation of truth in love in the gathered Church:

• “If I have the gift of prophecy...but do not have love, I am nothing...love...rejoices with the truth...love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away...” (1 Corinthians 13:2,4,6,8).
• “Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy...one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation...one who prophesies edifies the church” (1 Corinthians 14:1,3,4).
• “...if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you. What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification” (1 Corinthians 14:24-26).

The goal isn’t to make people comfortable, or to give them what they want. The goal is a Spirit-empowered explanation and application of Scripture alone (a definition of biblical prophecy), motivated by a cross-inspired love that recognizes our sin and God’s absolute holiness (1 John 4:1-21). We have been gracefully loved by God through Christ, and so love others with the Spirit of truth (John 4:23,24; 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; Ephesians 1:13; 1 John 5:6) by proclaiming the saving truth to them.

The problem with “playing to” people’s desire to be happy is that people think being their own god and being worshiped as that god will make them happy (Genesis 3:1-6; 1 John 2:15-17). This is the primordial sin of every human being, and I’ve never seen any evidence to counter that scriptural conviction. Another problem: lost people do not love the truth. If I do not speak truth since no one else is on a “truth quest,” I have left them in their truth-hating pit. It’s a very large pit; its capacity can more than handle very large congregations that people love to attend. “...those who perish...did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved...in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness” (2 Thessalonians 2:10,12). Catering to their desire for happiness is problematic, since their desire is radically misplaced through their hatred (or apathy) of the truth. They must be saved through proclamation of the truth before their desires can even begin to be corrected. The reason catering to a desire for happiness cannot work is that wickedness (and rebellion against truth) makes them happy. There is a way of happiness that man seeks, for it seems right, but it’ll lead them to an eternity apart from God every time (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25).

I always tell our congregation that if we don’t speak the truth, no one will. It’s why we exist as the Church. “I am writing these things to you, hoping to come to you before long; but in case I am delayed, 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 3:14,15).

If we want to get even more basic than this, the proclamation of truth is why Jesus came (not primarily to “love” apart from this proclamation, as most contemporary pop preachers would have us believe): “...the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth...grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ...Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me...when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak.’ ...Pilate said to Him, ‘So You are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice’” (John 1:14,17; 14:6; 16:13; 18:37).

I reject the proposal that a commitment to truth means we will become “a little congregation of truth seekers who consider themselves superior to all the other Christians in the community.” The proclamation of truth, when done in the power of the Holy Spirit, will be loving. The risen and exalted Christ “gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him Who is the head, even Christ, from Whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:11-16). In fact, I reject the idea that a body that does not live for the truth can be truly loving – since true love is revealed in propositions of truth counter-intuitive to our truth-hating natures (Romans 5:1-10; 1 John 4:8-10)!

Be commissioned, Church: “These are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another; judge with truth and judgment for peace in your gates...so love truth and peace” (Zechariah 8:16,19). Preach the truth, love the truth.

Remember the God Who has created you, Church: “You have ransomed me, O LORD, God of truth...I trust in the LORD. I will rejoice and be glad in Your lovingkindness” (Psalm 31:5-7). Be the Church the God of truth loves to attend.

Gather with the Jealous, Wrathful, Sovereign, Holy God of Truth

“Again the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, ‘Thus saith the Lord of hosts, “I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great wrath [cf. 1:14].” Thus saith the Lord, “I will return unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth, and the Mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy Mountain”’” (Zechariah 8:1-3, Geneva Bible).

-          Be zealous for the Gathering of His people. He is. Be jealous for a faithful dedication to Him alone. He is.

-          He does not gather us because we are perfect, but as a display of His forgiving grace and mercy to an unworthy people.

-          When He is present with His people in the Gathering, may we see Him in the fullness of Who He has revealed Himself to be in Scripture, including the attributes we are tempted to hide in our remaking Him into our image. You cannot have a true vision of the glory of the Gospel without a vision of His wrath (Romans 5:9; Ephesians 2:1-10; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; 5:9).

-          The One present at the Gathering is the “Lord of hosts,” sole sovereign Commander of the armies of heaven and earth. Be humbled before Him yet strengthened before all who oppose Him and His people in this world.

-          May the Gathering be marked clearly and obviously by a dominating concern to make His truth and holiness known.

Gather, Church, to the glory of the Lord of hosts in His righteousness, truth, and holiness!

Our Guardianship

“Remember that we are the people You chose long ago, the tribe You redeemed as Your own special possession! And remember Jerusalem, Your home here on earth. Walk through the awful ruins of the city; see how the enemy has destroyed Your sanctuary. There Your enemies shouted their victorious battle cries; there they set up their battle standards. They swung their axes like woodcutters in a forest. With axes and picks, they smashed the carved paneling. They burned Your sanctuary to the ground. They defiled the place that bears Your name. Then they thought, ‘Let’s destroy everything!’ So they burned down all the places where God was worshiped” (Psalm 74:2-8, New Living Translation).

Reading this I am reminded of the New Testament’s continual warnings about our greatest threat as the gathered people of God. It is not as in the days of the Psalmist, for our deadliest enemies do not come from the outside with axes, war-cries, and fire.

• “I know that false teachers, like vicious wolves, will come in among you after I leave, not sparing the flock. Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following” (Acts 20:29,30).
• “These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
• “Have I now become your enemy because I am telling you the truth? Those false teachers are so eager to win your favor, but their intentions are not good. They are trying to shut you off from me so that you will pay attention only to them” (Galatians 4:16,17).
• “Don’t let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ” (Colossians 2:8).
• “Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons. These people are hypocrites and liars, and their consciences are dead” (1 Timothy 4:1,2).
• “For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths” (2 Timothy 4:3,4).
• “But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered” (2 Peter 2:1,2).

And there are dozens of other similar warnings

Sometimes they don’t burn the places of gathering from the outside. Keep your Bibles open before you, reading them alone and together, giving thanks in prayer and rejoicing for the great promise of the new covenant sealed with Christ’s blood: that God the Holy Spirit would write His Word on our hearts (Jeremiah 31:33). Guard the Church from its greatest enemy: false teaching. They may sound good, look good, make you feel good with their words. Be diligent in scriptural doctrine and practice that comes consistently and carefully from that scriptural doctrine. Stay together. In this way, be the Church that doesn't "tolerate evil people," examining "the claims of those who say they are apostles but are not" (Revelation 2:2). "Being the Church" (a popular phrase these days) means being "the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth" (1 Timothy 3:15). Scripture is "the true center of Christian union" (Baptist Faith & Message 2000, 1).

“Behold! The ecclesiastical power which is given to pastors of the church (by whatever name they are called) is clearly declared! That is, by God’s word which they are established to administer, they boldly dare all things and constrain every glory, greatness, and power of this world to obey and submit to the divine Majesty. By this word they have command over the whole world; they build up Christ’s house and overturn Satan's kingdom; they feed the sheep and kill the wolves; they lead by teaching and exhortations those who are teachable; they constrain and correct the rebellious and obstinate; they bind, loose, thunder, and cast lightning - but all in the word of God.”
John Calvin, “Institutes of the Christian Religion,” 15 (1541 version)

As for Me and My House

The house of the world, Shift, where nothing is absolute: “She weigheth not the way of life: her paths are moveable: thou canst not know them...keep thy way far from her, and come not near the door of her house” (Proverbs 5:6,8, Geneva Bible).

The house of the unchangeable God (Numbers 23:19; 1 Samuel 15:29; Malachi 3:6; Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17), the Church, where the truth of His Word is absolute: “...the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth” (1 Timothy 3:15).

To which house to you belong?

Find the Fount of Love

“For Thy lovingkindness [חסד, or covenantal love] is before mine eyes: therefore have I walked in Thy truth” (Psalm 26:3, Geneva Bible). His motivating power for walking in the truth of God’s Word is a blood-bound relationship secure in the unbreakable promise of God’s love. The love is expressed in its cost and oath, not primarily in momentary moods – as Rich Mullins once said, “there’s a loyalty that’s deeper than mere sentiment.” Loyal-love, covenant-love, love of the unbreakable promise...that’s what motivates the Psalmist to walk in the truth of God’s Word, a love alien to our commitment-allergic age. “Herein was that love of God made manifest amongst us, because God sent that His only begotten Son into this world, that we might live through Him. Herein is that love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be a reconciliation for our sins” (1 John 4:9,10). If that covenant-love doesn’t move you to a continual desire to walk in the truth of His Word, return to the gathering where that place of love – the Cross – is the theme of the songs, the promise of the Table, and the only thing the man in the pulpit knows (1 Corinthians 2:2). It’s love that strips you down to the soul to reveal every sin and then covers you in blood-bought perfect white, fills you with the very Presence of love (Romans 5:5), and never lets you go. It’s love that sets you on the Way – not the cheap imitation passed off as love from the feelings and flesh of self-centered humanity. Find the Fount.

“I will...compass Thine altar, that I may declare with the voice of thanksgiving, and set forth all Thy wondrous works...I will praise Thee, O Lord, in the Congregations” (26:6,7,12).

God's Chief Building Material

“And the elders of the Jews were successful in building through the prophesying of...Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they finished building according to the command of the God of Israel” (Ezra 6:14).

The key building material is found at the heart of Zechariah’s prophecy: truth.

“Thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘I will return to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the City of Truth...they shall be My people, and I will be their God in truth...these are the things which you should do: speak the truth to one another...love truth’” (Zechariah 8:3,8,16,19).

God’s main building material for Jerusalem after the Babylonian Exile is still the main building material for the Church in the New Covenant: “...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).

Beloved Church, build on the absolute, timeless, and infinitely valuable truth of the Word of God!