Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Walking in Truth, Bringing Joy

3 John 1:1-4 (ESV)
The elder to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth.
[2] Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. [3] For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. [4] I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

John writes to Gaius. It seems some brothers had visited and had reported back to John concerning the trustworthiness of Gaius’s doctrine, his teaching. Already! The first century isn’t even over and there is already need for doctrinal oversight in the church. John is conducting a visitation.
It seems to be getting difficult to do this sort of thing these days. Some take it as an offense to be questioned concerning this and that. The nondenominational movement is absolutely toxic where this is concerned. For them it is a doctrine not to be questioned that there is not questioning of doctrine. I sometimes wonder how then we are supposed to know that they are baptized in the Triune name.
There is however, even in conservative denominations a tendency to “cowboy” it. And that means to teach what you want, do what you want without any concern for what anyone else is teaching and doing. It shouldn’t be so. The sheep deserve to know that they are going to be fed the word of God when they come to one of our churches. They should not have to wake up at 5 AM to make it to a service they can tolerate at 7 AM. And the pastors should be willing to listen and examine their doctrine, be thankful for the help. And it should bring great joy to the church leaders when they hear of pastors walking in the truth. This should bring much more joy than a report of however many new members. The church only grows when the pastors are walking according to the truth.

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