| (Copyright) by Albert Hudson (United Kingdom) |
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| “Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus.” (2 Tim.1:13). Throughout the ages the progress and development of Christianity has been marred by doctrinal strife. Intolerance, discord, and persecution has stained many a fair page of the Church’s history with its indelible markings. Men and women whose loyalty to the cause of Christ was beyond question have nevertheless so utterly failed to grasp the essence of Christian teaching that they have soured their lives and blemished their good works with the evil fruits of religious controversy. And realising, as one must do, that the seed of these things lies in individual conscientiousness and zeal for the Truth it is a matter for wonder that greater thought has not been and is not being given to the essential place of theological teaching in the Christian life. That it is an important—perhaps the most potent—of the external forces shaping and influencing our development cannot be denied. That it is of all aspects of our fellowship together the one most productive of misunderstanding, division, and the waxing cold of that love which constitutes the evidence that we have passed from death into life, is unhappily only too true. That we in this day have been blessed with an insight into the deep things of God far exceeding the portion of past generations is so tacitly accepted that the position is never questioned. Yet current thought still tends to gravitate to the extremes; we are told on the one hand that salvation comes by reason of an intellectual appreciation of true theology, and by means of which faith remains unshaken in the evil day; upon the other hand that doctrinal understanding is of such relatively little importance that nothing more than a mental acceptance of Jesus Christ, coupled with a life of good works, is asked of those who would follow in the steps of the Master. Somewhere between these extremes the truth must lie, and it is with sober and reverent minds that we should enquire, first as individuals, and then in communal discussion, if we are to occupy our rightful place as ambassadors for Christ to this generation. The Apostle Paul, writing to his son in‑the‑faith Timothy, leaves us in no doubt as to his own outlook on the matter. “If anyone…will not give his mind to wholesome precepts—I mean those of our Lord Jesus Christ—and to good religious teaching, I call him a pompous ignoramus. He is morbidly keen on mere verbal questions and quibbles, which give rise to jealousy, quarrelling, slander, base suspicions, and endless wrangles; all typical of men who have let their reasoning powers become atrophied and have lost grip of the truth.” (1 Tim.6:3‑5 N.E.B.). That is all too often where the doctrinal enthusiast finishes—the doctrinal enthusiast, that is, who finds no place for the other side of the Christian way. That other side is defined by St. Paul in this same passage “Pursue justice, piety, fidelity, love, fortitude and gentleness. Run the great race of faith and take hold of eternal life. For to this you were called…Turn a deaf ear to empty and worldly chatter, and the contradictions of so‑called ‘knowledge,’ for many who lay claim to it have shot wide of the faith.” (1 Tim.6:11,12,20,21 NEB) —————————————————————————————————————– Reprinted with permission from: Bible Study Monthly http://biblefellowshipunion.co.uk/index.htm —————————————————————————————————————– |
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