Friday, May 13, 2005
Preserve The Truth
I get newsletters from lots of churchs, mostly from ones where I know people, and particularly pastor friends. Got one just yesterday and what appears below is my firends pastoral letter to the congregation for the month of May. Found it very worth sharing.
The Purpose of the Church
The fourth central purpose of the church is to be a people who preserve the truth.
As we read the Bible cover to cover this year, I have reflected upon the value of truth. This past summer, while we were in Israel, I marveled again at the legacy we have of men and women who have given their lives to preserve the scriptures for us. When you think of it, we are reading a book that is over 3,000 years old, which was written down, copied, and preserved so we might know about the dealings of God with the people of faith.
Just as in days of old, the church is called upon to be a preserver of the truth. Preservation means that we are not only keepers of the message, but we are defenders of the truth. Defending the truth means that we protect the documents, the doctrines, and the lifestyle of the Christian message. Our teaching and Christian education ministries are a part of this?we have to preserve the truth of the gospel first by education of our children and grandchildren before we can ?speak the truth? to the world.
We must speak ?the truth in love,? as the apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:15. Speaking the truth in Jove is a tough balancing act. It means that we are in danger of being called intolerant. I think that many times Christians are ashamed to speak of the truth of the gospel, because if they do, society projects upon them that they are inflexible, or disagreeable.
I think one point of balance is in being called to be agreeable, without agreeing with everything. Preserving the truth means that we have a foundation of the truths about who God is, our relationship to him, and the facts of the gospel which leads us to lead a lifestyle of love.
This is very agreeable! I think the preserving of the truth can produce both tolerance and toughness. The apostle Paul wrote, ? If it is possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peacable with all? (Rom. 12:18). He was careful to add, ?if it is possible.? Paul was a realist. He recognized that it is not always possible to live peaceably with everyone. ?Welcome those who are weak in faith,? he went on to say, ?but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions? (14:1).
The church is a living body of knowledge about the way God works in human history, and our working at the truth, ultimately will grant us a new freedom. As Jesus said, in John 8:32, ? the Truth will make you free.?
I pray we might walk together in truth, and we would find the freedom. Pastor Greg
The Purpose of the Church
The fourth central purpose of the church is to be a people who preserve the truth.
As we read the Bible cover to cover this year, I have reflected upon the value of truth. This past summer, while we were in Israel, I marveled again at the legacy we have of men and women who have given their lives to preserve the scriptures for us. When you think of it, we are reading a book that is over 3,000 years old, which was written down, copied, and preserved so we might know about the dealings of God with the people of faith.
Just as in days of old, the church is called upon to be a preserver of the truth. Preservation means that we are not only keepers of the message, but we are defenders of the truth. Defending the truth means that we protect the documents, the doctrines, and the lifestyle of the Christian message. Our teaching and Christian education ministries are a part of this?we have to preserve the truth of the gospel first by education of our children and grandchildren before we can ?speak the truth? to the world.
We must speak ?the truth in love,? as the apostle Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:15. Speaking the truth in Jove is a tough balancing act. It means that we are in danger of being called intolerant. I think that many times Christians are ashamed to speak of the truth of the gospel, because if they do, society projects upon them that they are inflexible, or disagreeable.
I think one point of balance is in being called to be agreeable, without agreeing with everything. Preserving the truth means that we have a foundation of the truths about who God is, our relationship to him, and the facts of the gospel which leads us to lead a lifestyle of love.
This is very agreeable! I think the preserving of the truth can produce both tolerance and toughness. The apostle Paul wrote, ? If it is possible, so far as it depends upon you, live peacable with all? (Rom. 12:18). He was careful to add, ?if it is possible.? Paul was a realist. He recognized that it is not always possible to live peaceably with everyone. ?Welcome those who are weak in faith,? he went on to say, ?but not for the purpose of quarreling over opinions? (14:1).
The church is a living body of knowledge about the way God works in human history, and our working at the truth, ultimately will grant us a new freedom. As Jesus said, in John 8:32, ? the Truth will make you free.?
I pray we might walk together in truth, and we would find the freedom. Pastor Greg
