June 17, 2017
"Take heed unto thyself, and unto the
doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and
them that hear thee." 1Tim 4:16.
Otherwise, what is the outcome? Temporal destruction
of both the preacher and his flock!
"Collapsing any nation does not require
the use of atomic bombs or the use of long-range missiles. It only requires
lowering the quality of education and allowing cheating in the examinations by
the students".*
EVEN SO, the downfall of any church. All it
takes is undermining the ministry of the word; lower the faithfulness to, and
expectation of, the word of truth in the ministry of the word, and the demise
of the church is assured.
This explains the solemn charge of Paul to
Timothy: "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove,
rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine." 2Ti 4:2
Also, "Study to shew thyself approved
unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word
of truth." 2Ti 2:15
Since the command is to preach the word, the
church must not tolerate anything else in the pulpit. Lowering the standard is
suicidal! The command to be instant in season and out of season in preaching
requires the solemn duty to be hearing with the same urgency. Not doing so is
undermining the ministry of the word!
"Moreover it is required in stewards,
that a man be found faithful." 1Cor 4:2. A church must not tolerate
unfaithfulness in the ministry. Doing so is suicidal!!!
Now, you see the reason for this injunction:
"Take heed unto thyself, and unto the
doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and
them that hear thee." 1Tim 4:16.
Nothing doing so brings destruction to BOTH
the preacher himself and his flock.
===========
* A University professor wrote an expressive
message to his students at the doctorate, masters and bachelors levels and
placed it at the entrance to a university in South Africa.
And this is the message:
"Collapsing any nation does not
require the use of atomic bombs or the use of long-range missiles. It only
requires lowering the quality of education and allowing cheating in the
examinations by the students".
The patient dies in the hands of such
doctors.
And the buildings collapse in the hands of
such engineers.
And the money is lost in the hands of such
accountants.
And humanity dies in the hands of such
religious scholars.
And justice is lost in the hands of such
judges...
"The collapse of education is the
collapse of the nation"
