There is something remarkably precious about the love and fellowship shared between brothers and sisters in Christ. Last night, our family was standing in the parking lot of our church talking with one of the men on our executive leadership team and his sweet wife. We were doing some work around the church building, visiting, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company. Then, as usual, we started talking about the church and doctrine. In our church, doctrine is often discussed. We love it, teach it, and hold to it. My husband often reminds the congregation that we not only need to know what we believe, but why we believe it. Yet, when you talk to a lot of Christian people today, doctrine seems to be irrelevant. Really, is it that important? I will submit that of course it is; that is unless we want to be “children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine,” Eph 4:14. And yet, it seems like that is just the case. People are carried about with every (and I mean every) wind of doctrine.
“I’ll believe this, this week.”
“That sounds good for next week.”
“Teach me something new under the sun, I’ll believe it too!”
My husband explains it like this. Many pastors’ sermons are simply exercises in generalizations. They do not know the Bible; therefore, they do not teach it to their flock. Due to this, people are biblically illiterate. Consequently, they will believe anything (or in some cases nothing at all). So as a result, people will often shy away from sound doctrine, because it has gotten to the point of sounding foreign to the “average” church-goer. Could it be that we have reached the time where “they will not endure sound doctrine,” 2 Timothy 4:3?
I am so thankful for all the pastors who hold fast to the faithful words that they, “may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers,” Titus 1:9. And for the men of God that “speak thou the things which become sound doctrine,” Titus 2:1. Keep it up! The Lord is pleased. There are many out there who are doing just this. I am, of course, partial to one in particular. I really love my husband’s preaching. I have learned so much by the expository, verse by verse, teaching of God’s Word. And, I’m thankful for the churches that have ears to hear and that truly want to follow God’s precious Word. Our church is an example of one. I love our church. Each and every one of them! Our people have a heart’s desire to know the Word of God and obey it. We not only have unity, but our unity is built on the truth (sound doctrine) of God’s Word.
It has rained here all day. This means that my children, not able to play outside after their schoolwork, were rather restless. Then the electricity went out. Living in the forest, we never know how long it will stay out. Therefore, Abigail and Andrew made a tent in the living room out of blankets, chairs and rubber bands. After the excitement of that wore off Aaron broke out the Monopoly game. I was sitting on the couch trying to study my Sunday school lesson while listening to them talk about which game piece they wanted to be. It took me back to my childhood for just as second as I remembered always wanting to be the car. However, playing with my older brother I usually ended up being stuck with the dog or thimble (which no one ever wanted to be). It was then that I heard my son say something about the upside-down trash can. I found this very amusing. To a child who does not know what a thimble is or who has never had anyone explain it to him, it makes perfect sense to call it an upside-down trash can. That’s exactly what it looks like.
Kimberly Williams 