This is a two-part post.
Part 1 – Our men (12 and up) have begun reading “The Attributes of God – A Journey Into the Father’s Heart by A.W. Tozer”. Our first week, had we not had to cancel, we would have discussed God’s infinitude. But, it wasn’t a quote on God’s infinitude that grabbed my attention. It was this,
I wouldn’t quote anybody unless there were Scripture to confirm it.
This flies in the face of so many these days who fill the pulpit (or stand on the platform) each Sunday and quote man after man rather than quote the Scriptures (ie John Eldredge more than the Apostle John). To make matters worse, they quote men whose statements cannot be confirmed by the Scriptures at best and at worst contradict or deny them. Don’t get me wrong, I quote others, and I have my favorites like John MacArthur (there’s something about the name John), and the A.W.’s (Pink and Tozer). But they are a trusted few who can always be validated, affirmed, and confirmed by the Scriptures. Which do you quote more often? And when you quote men, can they be confirmed by the Scriptures?
Part 2 – I had a great conversation with Jeremey last night. Of the many things we discussed, the church was one. Not so much Legacy, which we touched upon, but the church as a whole; the true, universal, big “C” Church. An idea we mulled over is that very few who fill sanctuaries and Sunday school classes each week have only a vague idea of what the Church really is and that the local church is to be a “thumbnail” of it, to use competereeze. So what is the Church/church and why should we love it? Here is a series you must read, speaking of quoting others. Part 1 and Part 2 were posted earlier this week. Part 3 was posted today. I’m sure Part 4 will be tomorrow.
Happy reading.
Coram Deo
Pastor Chris
I agree that many have a general lack of understanding about the church. Interestingly, I mentioned to Todd just last Sunday that I have been thinking about preparing a series of lessons on the Seven Churches of Revelation. The first three chapters of Revelation can teach us a great deal about the church and (even more importantly) about her blessed Builder and Master.
It seems to me that there is probably something of a parallel here. The more we really know and love Jesus, the more we will really know and love His church (people)[see John 15:7-17]. The converse is also probably true (see John 15:18-25). Based upon the two parenthetical passages…it appears that a good portion of the Western Church is mired in lethargy, if not ambivalence. But this isn’t a question for “the Western Church,” this is a question for me personally.
Chuck Bengtson
Excellent post.