After listening to your most recent discussions on how to navigate division within the church with two other pastors, I took note of the article you mentioned and searched it out on ABIDE site. Thank you for this! I appreciate what you have shared here as we don't seem to understand or acknowledge that when we are redeemed to a new life in Jesus Christ, we still battle the tendancies of our 'human nature' to be molded subtly into the ideologies of the world. This has happened over time and shows how important our foundations need to be. From our reformed perspective we must never forget from what the LORD has saved us when we were DEAD in our trespasses and sins, and though now saved, we still 'sin because we are sinners'. How soundly scripture reminds us over and over of our need to 'test ourselves' to make sure we are 'in the faith'. You have listed many things we seem to have 'lost' or 'forgotten' that have been drowned out through the constant influence of the 'world, the flesh and the devil' and this is indeed the challenge of a life that has been 'redeemed through the blood of the Lamb'. We are also reminded in the letters of the Apostles that 'the flesh' is constantly at odds with the 'the Spirit', and this battle will be with us until the Lord takes us home, or returns to take us to be with Him! Hearing, embracing and applying the Preaching of the 'whole counsel of God's Word' is the food that all believers require to grow spiritually strong. Without it, we are daily vulnerable to 'any wind of doctrine' that comes up, and with the speed of information we are bombarded with today it can be extremely confusing for those whose discernment is weak due to a lack of ambition to strengthen the foundations of our faith which we stand on. Thank you for encouraging us and reminding us again of the importance of knowing the Word, recognising the power of the world to influence us away from God and His Truth, and to test ourselves, and question how well we line up with the 'plumbline' of all that God has given us in His Word. Martin Luther said it this way:
"And though this world with devils filled should threaten to undo us, we will not fear for God has willed His truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure: one little word shall fell him." Stanza 3 of "A Mighty Fortress is Our God"
Hi Craig,
After listening to your most recent discussions on how to navigate division within the church with two other pastors, I took note of the article you mentioned and searched it out on ABIDE site. Thank you for this! I appreciate what you have shared here as we don't seem to understand or acknowledge that when we are redeemed to a new life in Jesus Christ, we still battle the tendancies of our 'human nature' to be molded subtly into the ideologies of the world. This has happened over time and shows how important our foundations need to be. From our reformed perspective we must never forget from what the LORD has saved us when we were DEAD in our trespasses and sins, and though now saved, we still 'sin because we are sinners'. How soundly scripture reminds us over and over of our need to 'test ourselves' to make sure we are 'in the faith'. You have listed many things we seem to have 'lost' or 'forgotten' that have been drowned out through the constant influence of the 'world, the flesh and the devil' and this is indeed the challenge of a life that has been 'redeemed through the blood of the Lamb'. We are also reminded in the letters of the Apostles that 'the flesh' is constantly at odds with the 'the Spirit', and this battle will be with us until the Lord takes us home, or returns to take us to be with Him! Hearing, embracing and applying the Preaching of the 'whole counsel of God's Word' is the food that all believers require to grow spiritually strong. Without it, we are daily vulnerable to 'any wind of doctrine' that comes up, and with the speed of information we are bombarded with today it can be extremely confusing for those whose discernment is weak due to a lack of ambition to strengthen the foundations of our faith which we stand on. Thank you for encouraging us and reminding us again of the importance of knowing the Word, recognising the power of the world to influence us away from God and His Truth, and to test ourselves, and question how well we line up with the 'plumbline' of all that God has given us in His Word. Martin Luther said it this way:
"And though this world with devils filled should threaten to undo us, we will not fear for God has willed His truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him; his rage we can endure, for lo! his doom is sure: one little word shall fell him." Stanza 3 of "A Mighty Fortress is Our God"
Thank you again!
Marlene