BY Erasmus Makarimayi Previously, we detailed how the Bible establishes that evangelism or soul winning should work hand-in-glove with church structures. Without coherence, we will go round in circles. Jesus told us to make students (disciples) of the saved. That’s the mandate of the whole body of Christ. It should be a conveyor belt from hell to sound teaching.
We’re pulling out sinners from the grip of the devil (evangelism and soul winning) and making them Bible students (pastoral teaching). Apostle Paul paints this twin nature tersely in 1 Timothy 2:4, “Who [God] will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
God our Father desires salvation and knowledge of the truth. We can’t leave people heading to hell and certainly can’t afford to have an ignorant church exposed to the prowl of the devil.
Moreover charlatans and swindlers will find a way to milk gatherings. These days there are extra-biblical practices to gain more numbers. Because the stage is there, we’re now seeing politicians, motivational speakers, life coaches and comedians on some pulpits. Precious time for making students of the Bible is lost.
No wonder why when the devil blows wind at the church, we fight each other with machetes. The secular court system becomes our arbiter.
The following passage prickly admonishes, 1 Corinthians 6:1-6: “[1] Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust [unrighteous], and not before the saints? [2] Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? [3] Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? [4] If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. [5] I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? [6] But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.”
I referred to swindlers and charlatans above. There are many causes. I will talk about two. In certain settings, the preacher isn’t grounded in sound doctrine or wholesome words, Greek Hugaino. You know the mealie meal called straight run against super refined.
Apostle Paul settles the issue in 1 Timothy 6:3-6, New King James: “[3] If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which accords with godliness, [4] he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, [5] useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself. [6] Now godliness with contentment is great gain.”
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On the flip side, we have congregants who surrender their life to such ministers. “Impatience costs. To be well grounded, it’s not an instant thing. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 foretold: “[3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; [4] And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” Sound doctrine needs endurance.
This jumping around leads you to confess that you’re a victim whereas Christ Jesus made you a winner. Colossians 2:7, Amplified, teaches us to settle down: “Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving.”
Allow your spiritual roots to go down so that whatever storm comes you will be established.
You will be able to distinguish between right and left. Don’t surrender your victory.
Apostle Paul warns in the next verse, Colossians 2:8: “See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (men’s ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ (the Messiah).”
Please by the mercies of God our Father, don’t surrender issues of eternal life to chancers. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. Grace and peace be multiplied to you through knoweledge.
