Monday, 1 February 2010
What We Can Learn
From The Ultimate Failure Of The Ephesian Church
Page 113
We are living in the days Jesus
prophesied where if possible even the elect may be deceived. False teaching and
false prophesies can be found everywhere. We cannot stop it but we can try to
prevent false doctrine from our pulpits and house group leaders by
being watchful.
It is true that the most important work Jesus wants us to do is
preach the good news and win people for Christ, but are we producing strong or
superficial Christians by the message we preach and what happens to them when
they enter our churches?
Although it is imperative that our churches guard against
unscriptural teaching and practices and worldly religions and ideas corrupting
our churches, this needs to be combined with our practicing the love of God.
Please read these two scriptures
together: Acts 20:17-36 and Rev 2:2-6. See Paul's discourse with
the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:17-36 and in
particular verses:28-31 and then
what Jesus said about the church at Ephesus.
Paul said that wolves (false teachers)
will come in seeking to divide the church. He also talks about showing acts of
love. It seems (by the verses in Revelation) that they had indeed watched out
for false teaching but in doing so had forgotten about combining the watch with
love.
Could it be that being so watchful could produce in us: suspicion, and thinking evil of each other 1 Cor 13:5. If we are not careful being so watchful could result in coldness towards each other and a sternness in the church which leads to a coldness towards our Lord and Saviour? We can concentrate too much on the one and forget the other.
Could it be that being so watchful could produce in us: suspicion, and thinking evil of each other 1 Cor 13:5. If we are not careful being so watchful could result in coldness towards each other and a sternness in the church which leads to a coldness towards our Lord and Saviour? We can concentrate too much on the one and forget the other.
Our Lord commended the Ephesian church
for their watch and prevention of false teaching but ultimately the lamp stand
was removed because they had lost their first love. How do we
maintain both? How do we ensure false teaching does not destroy the church "a
little leaven leavens the whole lump” but also ensure that coldness
does not result whilst doing this? We need to pursue both! Our
churches need to teach truth and love.
How do we watch out for false teachers
without becoming too suspicious of (and cold towards) each other? How do we
maintain a spirit of love, tenderheartedness and unity and at same time expose
and deal with false teachers? If either a loveless church or false teaching
abounds then final result is the church either disappears or becomes worthless.
We are also instructed by 1 Cor
8:1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have
knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love
edifies.
Heb 10:23-24 says let us hold
fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is
faithful; and let us consider how to stir (or spur on in
NIV) up one another to love and good works.
Peter says in 2 Peter 1:
12-13 "For this reason I will not be negligent to remind you
always of these things, though you know and are established in the present
truth.
Yes, I think it is right, as long as I
am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you."
Here Peter says that he used “reminding
them” as a way of stirring them. So I also write this post about these things
as a reminder that we need to practice love and teach
truth/discernment. Not one without the other.
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