Rightly Divided

Why Are We Failing the Great Commission?

Chapter Nineteen

Rightly Divided

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed {before God; exegetical work cannot be shamed because of its thoroughness}, rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Timothy 2:15).

Paul speaks to the central responsibility of all generations of pastors and disciple makers in this text – “rightly dividing the word of truth.”  Paul has already commanded pastor Timothy; “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (II Timothy 2:2).  How can the command of II Timothy 2:2 be fulfilled apart from fulfilling the command of II Timothy 2:15?  “Rightly dividing the word of truth” is correctly understanding and carefully exacting God’s will by interpreting the details of what God has revealed in His inspired Words of the Holy Bible (II Timothy 3:16-17).  This is NOT WORK FOR NOVICES (I Timothy 3:6).  

A pastor should have a thorough knowledge of God’s Word and a detailed understanding of the doctrines that the Bible teaches.  A pastor should be able to immediately discern false doctrine and be able confront it while defending the sheep against the wolves that are trying to destroy them.  The very reason why God calls His children “sheep” is because they are ignorant and defenseless against the trickery of the wolf.  The sheep need to learn to trust the shepherd God appoints over them to defend them and watch over them.  

Obviously, if God’s Word can be “rightly divided” (interpreted), it can be wrongly “divided (interpreted).  In choosing a local church (a discipleship training center), a person is choosing a shepherd that he is willing to trust with “rightly dividing the word of truth.”  CHOOSE CAREFULLY and CHOOSE WISELY!  The great difficulty is that most people are making this choice out of ignorance of God’s Word.  Secondly, the filters through which most people make these choices are often false doctrines that they already believed and false presuppositions to which they already hold.  Think of the difficulties this presents to the genuine pastors of local churches.  Think of the struggle in trying to help people know the truth while struggling with their own mistrusts of pastors and their own misconceptions about the truth.  

  

          A major aspect of the organization of a local church is the “gifts” (Ephesians 4:8) of men God has given to lead and train the saints (Ephesians 4:12) coming to be discipled.  God calls these men to preach and calls them to a locality having given them the empowering of the special gifts of teaching, leadership, and organization.  These gifted and called of God men have a mandate from God.  They are to bring the saints to functional spiritual maturity, so each believer is prepared to do the “work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4:12).  

Although II Timothy 2:15 is a command for all believer-priests to be able to fulfill their roles as disciple makers through their own study of God’s Word, the command is particularly sobering for pastors.  Pastors are the first line of defense within a local church against doctrinal error and its infiltration into the body of believers.  Secondly, if pastors are not “rightly dividing the word of truth,” they cannot teach, equip, and mature their congregations “for the work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4:12).  If pastors are not “rightly dividing the word of truth,” they will propagate false doctrines.  If pastors are not “rightly dividing the word of truth,” they force their opinions upon lives and create people that follow them rather than follow the teachings of Christ.  These are some of the greatest concerns of a godly pastor who studies “to shew” himself “approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed {before God; Judgment Seat accountability}.  

Imagine if you can, the difficulty in protection people against the cultural and theological; aberrations facing the average, but totally ignorant baby Christian in these last days.  Every person coming into the church in our era is infected and effected by many of these corruptions in various degrees.  This means these people are corrupted by these false teachings and philosophies in various degrees.  It is the work of the pastor and disciple maker to be able to discern and diagnose these corruptions and teach the truth of God’s Word to correct them.   Below is a list of the primary adversaries:

1. Relativism/Humanism	2. Pluralism	3. Ecumenicism
4. Covenant Theology	5. Replacement Theology	6. Calvinism
7. Pentecostalism	8. Cults	9. Soft Separatism
10. New Evangelicalism	11. Salvational Legalism	12. Sanctificational Legalism
13. Church Growth Movement	14. Contemporary Music	15. Easy Believism
16. Easy Prayerism	17. Only Believism	18. Corruptions of Inspiration
19. Universalism	20. Sacramentalism	21. Baptismal Regeneration
22. Neo-paganism	21. Pantheism/Spiritism	22. Hedonism
23. Humanistic Psychology	24. Pornography/Fornication	25. The Pharmaceutical Culture

These are just the tip of the iceberg!  There are hundreds of other variations and combinations of all these corruptions.  This is the world into which the believer-priest must minister the Word of God.  Therefore, “perfecting the saints for the work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4:12) is an overwhelming responsibility and difficulty.  When the faithful pastor talks about wolves trying to destroy the sheep, these are what wolves’ teeth look like.  These are a few false beliefs that corrupt “the faith.”  

Growing means doing.  Not everyone is willing to become doers of the Word.

“²¹ Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. ²² But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:21-22).

          Hearing the Word of God, whether in its reading or in its preaching, without a predisposition to obey EVERY aspect of its instruction is the most subtle of all forms of self-deception.  The Word of God defines “the faith” and establishes the practices of “the faith” in holiness before God.  No one would have “the faith” that saves the soul without obeying what the Word of God says to receive that salvation (repent, believe, confess, call, and receive the LORD Jesus).  No one will save his life from ruin and waste apart from learning the Word of God and OBEYING the Word of God. 

          When the organization of a local church (those men listed in Ephesians 4:11) does their jobs and people follow their God ordained leadership, the church becomes a growing organism (“the edifying of the body of Christ,” Ephesians 4:12).  The word “edifying” is from the Greek word oikodome {oy-kod-om-ay'}, which refers to the act of building something up.  It refers to that work of the ministry that promotes another’s spiritual growth in the application of truth in a life unto holiness.  The church cannot become a growing organism until it becomes a disciplined organization of functionally mature believers (perfected/equipped saints doing the work of the ministry and following Biblical leadership).  This is God ORDAINED!

“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account {Judgment Seat accountability}, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you {Judgment Seat accountability}” (Hebrews 13:17).

          Hebrews 13:17 is the last admonition in the epistle to the Hebrews before the concluding salutations.  It is an important admonition in that the believing Jews had already been admonished to abandon the Temple Order of Judaism and the leadership of the Old Covenant Priesthood of Israel.  Hebrews 13:17 redirects them to their new responsibilities and allegiance to their new God appointed leadership.  God does not leave believers without God-ordained and appointed shepherds of their souls.  “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you” (Hebrews 13:17).  Hebrews 13:17 leads us into four areas of individual responsibility of New Covenant believers regarding their own spiritual growth. 

1. Obedience to pastoral leadership and discipleship (Hebrews 13:17)

          There is no doubt that the word “obey” in Hebrews 13:17 is used to signify the authority given to pastors over the formal members of a local church.  Although the Greek word peitho (pi’-tho), translated “obey,” can have a number of meanings, the context along with the use of the words “submit” and “rule” would give us the meaning of ascending to authority.  Of course, the intent is to “obey” and submit to their leadership regarding the authority of correct doctrine and the disciplines of “the faith.”  

          The word “rule” is from the Greek word hegeomai (hayg-eh’-om-ahee), which refers to authoritative leadership.  It can mean to command with authority.  Pastors both govern and lead with the authority of the Word of God as they apply the interpretations of the Word of God to the issues and practices of life.  The Word of God does not speak to every new cultural nuance of worldliness or carnality.  For instance, the Word of God does not say - thou shalt not smoke Marijuana.  However, the Word of God gives us a governing principle for these kinds of issues in I Corinthians 6:12, “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power {control} of any.”  

Every local church requires at least one spiritual leader, who has a deep understanding of the Word of God, and who can interpret cultural nuances according to the general principles revealed in the Word of God.  These kinds of decisions should not be left in the hands of consensus (majority rule).  Therefore, a local church must be extremely careful in their examination of the man of God.  They must carefully examine him regarding his Scriptural qualifications for the position of authority they give him when they acknowledge he is God-called to be their pastor.  In the acknowledgement that he is their God-called pastor, they are also acknowledging their responsibilities to “obey” his doctrinal leadership and “submit” to the authority of this divinely appointed position in the local church.  This admonition leads us to the second admonition – “pray for us.” 

2. Praying for pastors and their ministries (Hebrews 13:18-19)

“¹⁸ Pray for us: for we trust {are convinced} we have a good {correct or proper} conscience {moral consciousness or perception of what is right}, in all things willing to live honestly {morally honorable}. ¹⁹ But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored {reconstituted in health, home, or organization} to you the sooner” (Hebrews 13:18-19).

          Hebrews 13:19 takes the statement of Hebrews 13:18 beyond a request to a plea to fulfill an obligation to pray.  I believe this refers to the Apostle Paul specifically, especially due to the context of Hebrews 13:23 in the reference to “our brother Timothy is set at liberty.”  Spiritual leaders face the onslaught of both satanic opposition and extensive temptations.  

Spiritual leaders struggle with issues of discouragement, defeat, and all that accompanies trying to minister to people who often rebel against their leadership and resist the teaching of the Word of God.  Some people are untrusting, and others simply refuse to submit to God’s appointed authorities over their lives.  There are those who mistrust spiritual leaders because a spiritual leader has abused them in the past.  How would you like someone to mistrust you because of someone else’s failure? 

3. People working with diligence towards their own spiritual maturity (“perfection,” Hebrews 13:20-21)

“²⁰ Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, ²¹ Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21). 

          Just like the resurrection and glorification of Jesus, spiritual growth is a supernatural work.  Spiritual growth requires individual participation/cooperation in the operations of God.  The word “perfect” in Hebrews 13:21 is from the Greek word katartizo (kat-ar-tid'-zo).  Although the word means to make complete or thoroughly complete, there is a background intent regarding restoring to wholeness something previously broken.  The statement that follows (“in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight”) implies this perfection is the thorough spiritual equipping of a believer for the purposes God intends in doing the “work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4:12).  

        Therefore, the implication of the admonition is that the believer ought to be making his own concerted effort to involve himself in the supernatural work of discipleship God has ordained for his life through the operations of the local church and God’s ordained leadership.  A believer can only bring glory to God through a life that has been thoroughly equipped to minister in doctrinal soundness and a walk that is pure from worldliness.  The word “amen” is a concluding admonition to a hypothetical response from those admonished – meaning so let it be!

4. “Suffer {hold yourself against or to; i.e., be accountable for living} the word of exhortation” (Hebrews 13:22)

“²² And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. ²³ Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. ²⁴ Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. ²⁵ Grace be with you all. Amen. Written to the Hebrews from Italy by Timothy” (Hebrews 13:22-25).

          Although the epistle to the Hebrews is a lengthy admonition, its message is simple.  The New Covenant believer has a superior position than the Old Covenant believer.  To this superior position is attached more extensive responsibilities.  In other words, the New Covenant believer has a higher level of accountability, and therefore culpability, for all the commandments given to Him by the Lord Jesus Christ and His Apostles.  We are to preserve the Word of God by translating it into the language of living as James 1:22 commands.  This is a central obligation of every local church – holding one another accountable to learn and live the Word of God. 

Anonymous comments will not be allowed.
Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist.
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.

Defining Departure from the Faith

Why Are We Failing the Great Commission?

Chapter Seventeen

Defining Departure from the Faith

          One of the greatest transitional evidences of genuine Christianity in a person’s life is the immediate change from selfish Narcissism to selflessness and preoccupation with the spiritual needs of others.  This is the transition we see in the lives of the Apostles once they received the indwelling and filling of the Holy Spirit of God in Acts chapter two.  This characteristic of true (Biblical) Christianity is presently no longer an evident reality or expectation of what is Biblically defined as “the faith.”  Yet, in Paul’s epistles to Timothy, he warns that in “the last days” there will be a departure from “the faith” (Christianity) characterized by selfishness.  

          The Word of God repeatedly refers to the teachings of the Bible as “the faith.”  Discipleship is teaching “the faith.”  In other words, discipleship is not just teaching the Bible.  Discipleship is TEACHING WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES!  Discipleship is teaching RIGHT DOCTRIINE – ORTHODOXY.  Right doctrine (orthodoxy) is the one correct understanding of what God says to do through understanding the information He provides to us in the holy Bible.  There is just ONE correct faith (Ephesians 4:5). 

“¹ I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called {the priesthood of all believers}, ² With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing {put up with} one another in love; ³ Endeavouring {make every possible effort} to keep {guard against loss or ruin} the unity {oneness or sameness; key phrase} of the Spirit {Although God retains a person’s individuality, there are certain things that the Spirit of God is doing the same in everyone’s life.  God is a Spiritual tri-unity and expects His children to grow into that tri-unity} in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; ⁵ One Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. ⁷ But unto every one of us is given grace {supernatural enabling of the indwelling Holy Spirit} according to the measure of the gift of Christ” (Ephesians 4:1-7).

Ecumenicism teaches the possibility that there are many gods with many names and many doctrines.  Ecumenicism teaches we cannot be confident that any religious writings can be considered perfectly reliable. Therefore, all religious writings and mythologies must be given some degree of credibility.  This teaching is a complete contradiction against Ephesians 4:1-7). Ecumenicism teaches that every belief system is a faith that must be equally considered and given respect and viability.  

Ecumenicism is a broad definition of Christianity defined by terms like nondenominational, nonsectarian, universal, all-embracing, all-inclusive.

The Roman Catholics think they have “the faith.”.  Yet, they hypocritically claim to be Ecumenical.  The Lutherans think they have “the faith” in Luther’s Large Catechism, but they too are hypocritically Ecumenical.  The Pentecostals and the Charismatics claim they have “the faith,” but they too are hypocritically Ecumenical.  The Seventh Day Adventists and the Mormons claim they have “the faith,” but now both of these groups want to be accepted into Evangelical Christianity (and are accepted by many).  

When has someone departed “from THE faith”?  This is the Emergent church of modern-day Christianity.  This is Laodiceanism describe in Revelation 3:14-22.  The word “depart” in I Timothy 4:1 is from the Greek word aphístēmi (af-is'-tay-mee), meaning to instigate a revolt or to desert.  We are witnessing these events of the “latter times” characterized by selfishness and desertion “from the faith.” 

“¹ Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; ² Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; ³ Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. ⁴ For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: ⁵ For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

⁶ If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. ⁷ But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. ⁸ For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. ⁹ This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. ¹⁰ For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe. ¹¹ These things command and teach. ¹² Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. ¹³ Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. ¹⁴ Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. ¹⁵ Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. ¹⁶ 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” (I Timothy 4:1-16).

In his next epistle to Timothy, II Timothy 4:1-14 defines Fundamental Christianity with its objectives.  Fundamental Christianity is simply defined as a spiritual struggle, consistently and constantly fought on two spiritual battlefronts. 

“For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears” (II Corinthians 7:5).

The two battlefronts of every Christian’s life are “fightings” from “without” and “fears” from “within.”  From “without” come the external struggles for truth and the temptations that allure the believer into sin and seduce him into spiritual adultery and/or doctrinal compromise breaking his “fellowship” with God and breaching the enabling of the Spirit of God.

From “within” come both the lusts of the flesh that want the things we are tempted with and the carnal emotions of a fallen nature that struggles with the issues of the heart such as pride, fear, worry, envy, hatred, manipulation, bitterness, resentment and unforgiveness again breaking his “fellowship” with God and breaching the enabling of the Spirit of God.  However, the greatest internal problem is the fears of the outcomes of being faithful to our missional objectives – preaching the Gospel and making disciples of Jesus.  

          The struggle/battle of a militant Christianity is against the forces of wickedness from satanic external influences and the carnal, enmity of our own fallen natures against all that is godly, true, honest and above reproach.  This struggle of militant Christianity is a struggle for our own integrity before God so that His power, residing within us, might be released upon the world through the testimonies of our lives.  These battlefields establish the militancy of the Christian life.  

          Dr. Fred Moritz in a workshop entitled “Stand For Fundamentalism . . . And Against Attempts to Change It” lists five traits that Non-Fundamentalist commonly identify with Fundamentalism (as quoted below).

“1. An emphasis on inspiration, infallibility, inerrancy, and authority of the Bible

2. An opposition to Modernism

3. Emphasis on separation

4. Opposition to sin and cultural decay

5. A militant spirit”

In order to understand why militancy (fighting against the erosion and degeneration of “the faith”) is necessary, we must first define why it is a fundamental aspect of Christianity.  (Fundamental Christianity is defined by ALL the fundamental truths that define New Testament Christianity, not by a list of major doctrines.)  

          William Ward Ayer, in a speech to the National Association of Evangelicals in April 1956 (as quoted in Louis Gasper’s book, The Fundamentalist Movement (Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1981 reprint) gives an excellent definition of Fundamentalism:

“Fundamentalism represents a resurgence of ancient practices, which began not with Martin Luther but at Pentecost.  Fundamentalism is apostolic, and the doctrine of justification goes back to Paul.  That branch from which the fundamentalist movement sprang lived obscurely through the ages and had never been completely silenced even in the Dark Ages . . . What fundamentalism did was awaken the slumbering apostolicism from lethargy.”

If we accept this definition (and I do), Fundamentalism is about maintaining and defending the historic, apostolic, New Testament Christianity.  Fundamental, New Testament Christianity is steeped in terms of militancy.  Therefore, if we believe the Bible is authored by God (and not men), we must believe that God purposely chose militant terms to both describe and define New Testament Christianity.

“¹¹ But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. ¹² Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses” (I Timothy 6:11-12).

There is a movement, whether acknowledged or not, in modern Bible believing Christianity (Fundamentalism) to move away from its historic militancy.  I believe this to be the result of theological reactionism to the obnoxious, mean spirited and unloving attitude displayed by many professing Fundamentalists of the past.  (This is a fair criticism of Fundamentalism, but it is not a justifiable reason for abandoning it.)

Secondly, I believe the movement away from a militant Fundamentalism is due to our natural tendency for self-protection and our desire for sociological acceptance.  (Fundamentalism has been denigrated by our society.  It is easier for us to disassociate ourselves with this negativity by trying to redefine ourselves than it is to define and defend historic, militant Christianity.)

In the last forty years, I have watched the development of a pacifist Christianity that has not only lost the concept of the fight for the faith and against worldliness; they have adopted a form of neutralism towards the enemies of Biblical militant Christianity and towards the carnal influences and advances of this world. 

The Bible has a consistent warning to the pacifist Christian.  Satan destroys the lives of his captives.  A Christian cannot be neutral, he cannot surrender, and he cannot make peace with the forces of evil.  The goal of the “mystery of inequity” is annihilation.  Let down your guard for a moment and they will take your head off.

What many Christians consider neutralism, God considers surrender and treason.

“³⁴ Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword {division}. ³⁵ For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. ³⁶ And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. ³⁷ He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. ³⁸ And he that taketh not his cross {willingness to die as a faithful witness}, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. ³⁹ He that findeth his life {saves it for his personal selfish purposes} shall lose it: and he that loseth his life {uses and sacrifices it for Christ’s purposes} for my sake shall find it” (Matthew 10:34-39).

To take up the Cross of Christ is military terminology defining the essence of the Christian faith.  The Cross of Jesus Christ is the banner under which the soldiers of the Cross fight.  Therefore, the very nature of this symbolism identifies Christianity as militant.

 

For some reason, many Christians have decided to be at peace with the Satanic world system against which Christ is at war.  For some reason, many Christians have redefined Christianity away from a militant warfare with real casualties to playground mentality where they think they can be weekend warriors who draw their blessings but never need to take any real risks.

Even though we may not have realized it, when we accepted God’s gift of salvation and became a child of God by rebirth, we were joined with the family of God in a fight against the forces of evil for the lost souls of all of mankind.  It is not a game we play.  The stakes are far too high.  We cannot be at peace with those who are at war with Christ (Matthew 10:37).

1. To take Christ’s side is to take truth’s side.

2. To take truth’s side is to take the side of righteousness.

3. To take the side of righteousness is to take the side of “Light” against “darkness.”

4. To “take up the Cross” is a proclamation of spiritual militancy against anything contrary to the truth it stands for.

Central to the revival of any local Church is the return to a militant Christianity.

The struggle of the Church militant is both a struggle to maintain truth and a struggle for the lives and souls of people.  Why did God choose to give of the words of Paul to Timothy in II Timothy 2:1-4?  Paul understood the overwhelming responsibility of the transfer of doctrinal truth without compromise (“the whole counsel of God”) from one generation to the next (II Timothy 2:2).  Whatever truth is compromised by one generation is usually lost to the next generation.  Every “jot and tittle” must be fought to be retained or that ground will be lost in the battle for the lives of the next generation.

Even if we personally and individually stand for Christ throughout our lives but fail to transmit the “whole counsel of God” to the next generation, we will not have one person to take up the banner of the Cross of Christ and fight on for proceeding generations.  We can expect the Cross of Christ to become battle-scarred and worn when it is constantly carried in the battle for truth, but it is a sad testimony to the generation that purposely removes large portions of it so it will not be such a heavy load to bear.

          Many professing Christians are so entangled with the affairs of this world that they have little time and less desire to fight the fight of faith (II Timothy 2:4).  Such a person will never be a militant Christian.  Such a person will never have the time for evangelism (the fight for souls) or discipleship (the fight for lives).  A real soldier of the Cross understands his purpose in life.  It is not to get rich or to be famous.  It is to fight the fight of faith and fight to the death if necessary.

II Timothy is the mission’s statement of the Church militant (II Timothy 4:1-8).

The statement of II Timothy 4:1-8 is the inspired Word of God written by the hand of an old battle-scarred warrior by the name of the Apostle Paul.  He was writing from a prison cell where he was waiting to be executed for being a militant Christian.  Paul was passing the banner of militant responsibility from one generation to the next.  It is the lifelong responsibility of every soldier of the Cross to pass his banner to many others in the next generation who will take up their Cross and fight on.

The non-militant, “seeker sensitive” Christianity of today seems to think the purpose of the Church is to avoid any doctrine that is divisive or controversial or that which contradicts the lifestyles of those they seek to reach.  That is what Paul refers to by the words “itching ears” (II Timothy 4:3). 

 

Anonymous comments will not be allowed. 
Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ 
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist.
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.