Called to CHALLENGE

Called to CHALLENGE

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But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. ² Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; ³ and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. (2 Peter 2:1-3 – NASB)

Peter was an under-shepherd of the Chief Shepherd. As such he was not only called to gently guide the sheep and feed them in green pastures. He was also called to challenge the goats among the flock, gentle to the straying sheep he may be, but bold and uncompromising toward those who would seek to lead them astray.

The entire second chapter of Second Peter is a denunciation and condemnation of false teachers and false teachings. If your pastor is faithful to his calling he will challenge as well as plead; he will rebuke as well as comfort; he will expose error as well as proclaim truth.

Pastor’s and teachers are not the only ones who need to challenge false teaching. No believer is exempt from the need to search the Scriptures daily to determine whether what a teacher is teaching is indeed solidly based upon Scripture. If we are deceived, those doing the deceiving will face judgment. If we are deceived, we too bear a large slice of responsibility for your own deception, since we did not take responsibility for searching out the truth.

In Acts chapter 17, we are told of some Jews in a Synagogue in Berea and how they responded to Paul’s teaching:

 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. ¹¹ Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily [to see] whether these things were so. ¹² Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men. (Acts 17:10-12 – NASB)

We, like those in Berea, need to examine the Scriptures daily, to ensure that what we are being taught is indeed the truth. If we do not, we bear the responsibility for our own deception.

I Won’t

(© Wednesday 1^st October 2003)

                        I won’t soften it up

Or water it down,

Or change the message because

Of a frown that comes my way.

The Truth is as sharp as a doctor’s

Scalpel, and is meant to heal, not harm —

To blunt its edge is a cruel invention,

Revealing an evil, base intention.

So, I won’t soften it up

Or water it down:

I’ll preach it straight and

Make it plain,

Regardless of whether it

Administers pain, or pleasure,

Or ecstatic joy. I’ll spread

God’s truth — without alloy.

I’ll serve it up in the spirit of Love,

With the help of Heaven and the

Host of Light:

I’m not alone as I stand my ground:

By the mercy of God

In His truth I’m found.

I won’t soften it up

Or water it down,

Or change the message because

Of a frown that comes my way,

But I need the prayers of

God’s people each day,

To keep me walking the straight,

Narrow way.

My website: http://www.christophershennan.ca
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherShennanAuthor

God’s True Compass

 

God’s True Compass

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; ¹⁷ so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 – NASB)

I had a discussion recently with a man who was very complimentary toward the Bible; he said it was the best book of any in the world to guide one on the path of life.

He did, however, add a “but” to this complimentary assessment: “But,” he said, while God has inspired a lot of the Bible, human beings have come along and corrupted it. They have added things of purely human origin, and he mentioned certain teachings from the Bible he didn’t particularly like.

The immediate question that came to mind at this was, “Who then is to decide what is inspired and what is not? Is it to be left to the fickle likes and dislikes of the individual? If what this man said was true, who could trust the Bible as an absolutely reliable guide to the critical issues of life?”

Either all the Bible is God’s Word, or you wouldn’t know if you could trust it when the chips were down and you were in the midst of a crisis. Lying on you death-bed, how would you know for sure if what it said about Heaven and Hell and Eternity was true? How would you know for sure your sins were forgiven, or that the blood of Christ could cleanse you from all sin? It would be a tragic guessing game, with nothing to comfort the heart and give assurance of salvation.

Our text tells us: All Scripture is inspired by God…

What does all mean if it doesn’t mean ALL? Nothing in the Bible is excluded from being inspired by God. It is God-breathed. You can trust it at all times and in all situations.

Let me use a homely illustration:

What if someone gives you a compass when you are about to embark on a journey across a wilderness? As they hand it over they tell you it sometimes points to true North, and sometimes not; it is sometimes reliable and sometimes not. Would you then have confidence to embark on your journey with such an instrument to guide you? I think not.

Either you have to believe ALL the Bible is inspired, or none of it is. There are no fence-sitters allowed here. As for me, I will stake my life – my eternal destiny – on the assumption that the entire Bible is the only reliable guide to faith and conduct.

God’s True Compass

(© Friday 4^th July 2014 – by Christopher Shennan)

I found this wondrous book of God:

The Bible, from Heaven ‘twas sent;

I am certain it will never

Lead me astray – I’m confident.

 

I’ve rested all my future hope

On the pure truth that’s inside it;

There’s not a thing that came from Man –

I know for sure God inspired it.

 

I will not pick and choose, dear friend,

What I’ll approve and what I won’t;

I’ll do what it says I must do,

And I’ll listen when it says “Don’t!”

 

The Bible has been my comfort;

It has never led me astray –

It has saved me from destruction,

And it has taught me how to pray.

 

Never accept the sad notion:

Only part of God’s Word is true.

No, dear friend, such a notion

Can only be harmful to you.

 

You never can trust a compass

If it only works part of the time;

The Bible works for me always –

All of its promises are mine.

My website: http://www.christophershennan.ca
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherShennanAuthor

Picture by Joanne Shennan