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Danville Enlightener VOL. VIII, No. 7
Sound Churches“Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables,” (2 Tim 4:2-4). I have underlined the words “sound doctrine” in an attempt to focus upon what Paul is concerned with when he wrote these words. The word sound translates the Greek word hugiaino that means healthful or healthy. In the not too distant past we often heard the word used this way. That is, “being of sound mind and body” indicated a healthy mind and a healthy body. Paul knew that sound (healthy) doctrine (teaching) would insure sound Christians and sound churches. He also knew that there would be those who rejected sound doctrine in favor of fables. Note how Paul masterfully identifies sound doctrine as in these verses. He recognizes sound doctrine to be the truth. Anything outside the parameters of truth (the words of the N.T., Jn 17:17) is not sound. There was a time when brethren were concerned with soundness. Whether it was men who held gospel meetings or whether it was churches visited while traveling, soundness was first and foremost in mind. This interest in soundness does not seem to matter with as many today. Soundness has been replaced by pragmatism (practicality, expediency) in the minds of some. Just
so long as a man claims to be a gospel preacher and
just so long as a building has “church of
Christ” tacked up someplace, all is fine. A church
might invite “brother Goodspeaker” to hold a
gospel meeting based solely upon his power in the
pulpit. Never mind
that he
accepts and
espouses
things not
found in
the book
of Sound What about the churches visited by us while away from home? We see the name “Church of Christ” prominently displayed and we are comfortable with engaging in spiritual fellowship. This despite the reality that it engages in things for which there is absolutely no Bible authority; despite the fact things are taught there in direct opposition to what is revealed in the book of Sound Doctrine. Let us be attentive to the realism that soundness matters. Recently I was perusing some websites of “Churches of Christ” and believe me it was an eye-opener. Read the following ad I lifted from – you guessed it – a church of Christ. “The African Children’s Choir will perform in concert on Sunday, April 8, 2007 at 7 p.m. here at the College Church of Christ. The choir features delightful African children ages 7 through 11. Many have lost one or both parents through the devastation of war, famine and disease. Their voices sing out on behalf of Africa’s 12 million AIDS orphans.” The El Cajon Boulevard Church of Christ in San Diego, CA listed their calendar of events that included the following. “February 3, Ladies Craft Fellowship; February 4, Superbowl Fellowship Sunday; March 2-3, Stressbusters Seminar; April 7, Acappella Concert.” Soundness matters! Ignore any aspect of God’s book of soundness and this is where one is likely to find himself. Identifying soundness is imperative but often ignored because it involves tremendous effort on our part. It is easy to conclude that soundness is bound up in one issue. For example, we might decide that every church not engaging in some form of institutionalism is sound. Or every church not Premillennial or 70 AD is sound. This is intellectually lazy and it does not correctly address soundness. Some churches not supporting human institutions but supporting worldliness would not be sound (healthy). A church opposing the errors of Premillennialism but tolerating the errors of “Mental Divorce” would not be sound (healthy). Sound churches are churches where the whole counsel of God is respected and taught (2 Tim 1:13; 1 Tim 4:16; Acts 20:20, 27). Sound churches do not consider certain subjects as “taboo.” That is, off limits! There are some subjects that are not well received today by many people. Thus, some churches have decreed that certain topics are to be avoided in the pulpit. Subject matter such as the oneness of the New Testament church, the five acts of worship, the work of the church, dancing, drinking, modesty and marriage/divorce/remarriage are often let alone for the sake of tranquility. This is not soundness. Soundness will not only teach the truth it will defend it (Jude 3, Phil 1:17). Sound churches refuse to fellowship error (Eph 5:11; 2 Jn 9-11). These churches are able to distinguish between the spirit of error and the spirit of truth (1 Jn 4:6), and having distinguished – refuse to fellowship error. Lovers of truth cannot and will not meet the world, sin and error half way. Fellowship is becoming an issue that many are struggling with; many do not know whom to fellowship or from whom to withhold fellowship. Several years ago I heard Everett Hardin a gospel preacher make this observation pertaining to fellowship. He said he could fellowship those who (1) don’t teach error, (2) don’t practice error and (3) don’t endorse error. The only thing I could possibly add to that is – amen. Sound churches settle every matter, no matter how small, by the Bible (Col 3:17; Acts 17:11). Sound churches promote biblical discussions instead of stifling them. These churches place the Bible above membership numbers, above the wealthy members, above personal peeves, above friendships, above anything. This avoids any coup d'état to unseat the elders. It avoids angrily dividing a local church and “starting another work.” Whenever the Bible is honored and used to settle any matter, peace will abound as it did in Jerusalem when the issue of circumcision almost fractured unity (Acts 12). Healthy churches result from sound doctrine. As with the older men Paul addressed in Titus 2:2, it begins with each and every one of us being “sound in faith.” -- jrb "As I See It" “The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast,” (Prov 5:22). If we tie our hands with a single strand of yarn, this poses no problem because it can be easily broken; however, if we wrap several strands (fifty or so), then our chances of breaking them are improbable. This was something we attempted to illustrate in our high school class recently to the embarrassment of a male student. Sin is like this according to the above Proverb. A man or woman can become caught and enslaved by the cords (strands) of his or her sins. This is what Jesus and Paul both call becoming slaves to sin (Jn 8:34; Rom 6:16). Temptation given into once might be easily avoided the next time. But if we give in again, and again, and again then the sin becomes a necessity. The fact that most people fail to recognize is that sin (any sin) can and will take control if we do not resist it. Paul admonishes “Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts,” (Rom 6:12). This is why I warn as many as will listen that we cannot sin sufficiently to get it out of our system. We get sin out of our system by avoidance not by compliance. Each time we sin – we put sin into our mortal bodies. If we spend our time putting sin in, then it won’t be long until we are held by the cords of our sin. Then when we think we are ready to give up sin – it just might be that sin is not ready to give us up. “Remember Lot’s wife” (Lk 17:32) Jesus cautions, and it would be well for us to remember her. When it was time for her to depart Sodom (Gen 19) she was unable to get Sodom to depart from her. She, in defiance to God, looked behind her (perhaps where her heart remained) and she became a pillar of salt (Gen 19:26). She was held fast by the cords of her sin. I remember visiting with a man who, while dying of lung cancer, could not give up the cigarettes that contributed to his illness. He would suck in the smoke and cough up blood all in the same motion. Speak to the alcoholic who lost his job, family and health because of being held by the cords of his evil and he will confess to the power of sin. He didn’t set out to be an alcoholic, but the cords of sin took him there. Talk to the young man fired because of accessing pornography on his computer at work and he will admit that he has been ensnared by his evil and the cords of his sin bound him to the XXX site. He didn’t wake up one morning and decide to break his wife’s heart and trust, and lose his job by viewing pornography, he was ensnared by his evil and the cords of his sin held him. AS I SEE IT, each time we sin (drugs, adultery, alcohol, pornography), then we are wrapping cords of sin around our souls and those cords will not be easily broken. |