Beloved, while I was making every effort to write about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to (go the opposite direction)
and to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. (WHY?)
For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, these are ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. (Jude 3-4)
Jude understood how glorious it is to celebrate our common union in Christ. Magnifying the redemptive grace of God and our undeserved salvation never gets old, does it? Having said that, this emergency 911 epistle (aka Jude), illustrates that it is pastorally negligent to ignore a clear and present danger! To act like everything is spiritually ok, when it's not, is both dangerous and wrong! True shepherds protect the flock at all costs (John 10). On the other hand, when danger appears "hirelings" leave the sheep unprotected. Jesus reminded his disciples that hirelings really only care about themselves. Their personal comfort and well-being is what they are most concerned about. Add to that, Jeremiah 6:14 reminds us that false teachers say, "'Peace, peace!' when there is no peace at all."
After a wonderfully enriching five year journey through the signature
Gospel of John, my original plan was to begin a new expository study of a brief, yet power packed, epistle. Philemon. Sadly, I cannot do that at this time. Though the heresy of flown blown Antinomianism has NOT crept into our beloved church family (as was true in Jude's case), hyper-grace sanctification and lower-case “a,” Reformed antinomianism- has! To do nothing and just hope for the best would be a dereliction of duty.
Allow me to illustrate. How would you react if you heard that your city fire station captain responded like this? "Fire station 401. Fire chief Caleb speaking." "Sir, please calm down! So just your attached garage is on fire? Well, we’re really busy waxing our trucks and few guys are catching up on sleep. We had a really busy weekend… Please call us back if the fire spreads to the entire house- bye for now!" You would be outraged...and rightly so!
It’s the God ordained duty of shepherds/pastors to protect the sheep entrusted to their watch-care (
Heb. 13:17) and to guard the doctrine of the church (
1 Tim. 3:15). 1 and 2 Timothy make this very point over and over again. For a good example of what I am referring to read through
Titus 2:1-15.
Having said that, like godly parents, pastors and elders strive to be biblically balanced. Wanting to be kind, patient, and gracious, but never at the expense of one’s personal walk with God. The overall doctrinal purity and spiritual well-being of God's people is a shepherd's chief concern.
At the onset of this series, let me say this:
Faithful biblical instruction must be balanced!
It must be positive and negative. To what proportion, and to what degree, depends on the specific circumstances. Read
Revelation 2-3 and you will see the Perfect Shepherd's specific instructions to seven different local churches. The tone of each letter varies greatly depending on what was taking place in each congregation. When needed Jesus does not mince words. He is perfectly balanced, "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14-18).
But don’t take my word for it. Notice what the Word of God requires of pastors/elders in Titus 1.
Two voices are required in biblical ministry: 1)
Positive exhortation is the enjoyable part of shepherding and preaching. “By God’s grace you’re doing well flock! EXCEL STILL MORE!” (per 1 Thess. 4:10). Some weeks I pinch myself…“I can’t believe I’m getting paid this week, in part, to study and preach the theology of John 3:16! 'For God soo loved the big, bad world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.'"
The second voice is "negative." 2)
Biblical shepherds must also “warn,” “challenge,” “admonish,” and when necessary, “correct something” and/or “rebuke someone.” Take special note of the 2 Timothy 4:2-4 mandate as well as what Paul says in
Titus 3:10-11.
Titus 1:5-10 highlights the biblical qualifications, the skill set, and specific ministry duties of New Testament church leaders. As the Spirit-equipped, shepherd-theologians of the church (per Eph. 4:11-16 and 1 & 2 Timothy) pastors and lay elders "
must (
Titus 1:9)
hold firmly the faithful word, which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be ABLE BOTH A)
to exhort in sound doctrine and B)
(they must) refute those who contradict."
In Pastor Titus’ ministry context there were rebellious people, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision that were leading various sheep astray! Upsetting entire households. Verses 11-15 inform us these are false believers and false teachers Titus is dealing with. The Greek word
refute means "to eliminate error!" Building up the faithful is hard work but it's generally very rewarding! (2 Tim. 2:15;
1 Pet. 5:1-4).
Exterminating heresy, calling out error, and confronting sin is the rigorous and risky side of ministry! Faithful pastors that do this have the internal scars to prove it! In
Galatians 4:16, Paul had to ask, "Have I become your enemy for telling you the truth." God's Word warns that if you reprove a proud scoffer chances are they will despise you for it (Prov. 9:8-12)!
Let me encourage you to read through the book of James this week. Take special note of all the positive instruction in the book. Also keep track of, if and when, the Holy Spirit corrects error and/or confronts sin. It’s perfectly balanced biblical instruction. Of course it is, it's the infallible Word of God.
The point I am trying to make is simply this. In many ways, if I never had to correct aberrant theology or sinful behavior; parenting, pastoring, counseling, and discipleship would be a walk in Eden Park.
