THE BATTLE FOR CHRISTIAN TRUTH

Christian, there is a battle ranging around us, the battle for Christian truth. It was fought first in apostolic times, and subsequently, throughout history there has been a tendency to drift away from the teaching given in the Bible. The sixteenth century post reformation confessions make it abundantly clear that the unchangeable word of the Bible must be the basis for all decisions. Thus the ‘Formula of Concord’, written in 1577, which was the last great Lutheran Confession starts by stating,

“We believe, teach, and confess that the prophets and apostolic writings of the Old and New Testaments are the only rule and norm according to which all doctrines and teachers alike must be appraised and judged ”.

The Canons of the Church of England, which are legally binding upon Anglican clergy, confirm it also has a Biblical basis. Canon A5 states,

“The doctrine of the Church of England is grounded in the Holy Scriptures, and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures. In particular such doctrine is found in the 39 Articles of Religion, the Book of Common Prayer and the Ordinal.”

Article 6 confirms,

“Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation: so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of the Faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.”

Article 20 adds,

“. . . it is not lawful for the church to ordain anything that is contrary to God’s Word written, neither may it so expound one place of Scripture, that it be repugnant to another.”

It is significant that the founders of the Church of England, men such as Cranmer and Ridley, who helped to write these Canons and Articles were later burnt at the stake! The strength of the Anglican church is its strong Biblical tradition. Today however, some Anglican churches are both teaching and practicing doctrines that are not Biblical. Some churchmen even feel the Bible, the ‘Word of God’, can be, “a millstone round your neck.” Bishop J.C.Ryle once said, “The battle for the Reformation must be fought in every generation.” In essence this battle is for the Bible to be restored as the supreme authority of the Church of Jesus Christ.

To be Biblical, is to be ‘evangelical’, yet this word is at risk much as the meaning of the word ‘gay’ has changed. In Germany today most non-catholic churches describe themselves as ‘evangelical’, but very few would consider the Bible to be their main authority now. The word ‘evangelical’ comes from the Greek ‘eu-angelion’, or ‘Good News’, and was applied to those whose doctrine was derived from God’s book, the Bible. Such people will also be ‘evangelistic’, meaning eager to pass this gospel on to those outside the church, so that they also may become acceptable to God by responding to Christ’s message. The Bible teaches us to do this as a priority.

The battle we face today is on the question, “Is the Bible the Word of God, complete and sufficient for all time?”

Paul at Miletus

The early church faced this same question, and much of the apostolic writings deal with this. When Paul was returning from Europe on his third missionary journey, he met up with the leaders of the Ephesian Church at Miletus. He had spent 3 years founding the church there, and was very concerned that it should stay true to God’s teaching that he, as a true apostle, had passed on to them.

“I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.” (Acts 20 v. 27)

He had given them all the teaching they would need, so the responsibility for their welfare before God was no longer his. Oh that this were the priority of all church leaders today. What a difference it would make if their sermons were seen as the great opportunity to teach and expound the Word of God. Paul then challenges these Ephesian leaders.

“Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God.” (Acts 20 v. 28)

In other words he is saying “lead them in the ways and teaching of God”, just as Paul himself had done for them. Why did he stress this? Because Paul knew that leaders would soon come into the church who would distort the truth and draw people away from God’s ways.

“I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard.” (Acts 20 v.29-31)

If this was going to be a problem for them, it is also likely to be a problem for us!

How do some leaders “distort the truth”? As in Ephesus it is not usually by overt rejection of the Bible, but by putting other authorities alongside the Bible, and selectively using that authority over the Bible when it pleases.

The German theologian Bultmann, correctly stated that when people read the Scriptures they approach it with preconceived ideas that come from their social background and the thinking of the society they live in. He took this idea to its ultimate conclusion when, in 1941, he wrote the essay ‘New Testament and Mythology’. He concluded that it is not possible for modern man, with his scientific outlook to believe in the Biblical teaching of a God who became man, of miracles, or of angels. Instead he preferred to have the contemporary world view as his ultimate authority, keeping ideas from the Bible that his world view felt comfortable with.

This approach is exactly what the apostles have warned the church to avoid. They robustly claim that the Scriptures are the Word of God. To reject parts of the Bible is to reject what God has said!

Peter’s Concern. 2 Peter

Peter’s second epistle deals with this very problem. He begins the letter by stressing that our Christian faith depends on God’s undeserved kindness to each of us, but the means of receiving this is through our ‘knowledge’ of God and of Jesus. (2 Peter 1 v. 2) Everything we need for life is to be found in “our knowledge of him” (v. 3). It is “his very great and precious promises” that are the means of our becoming godly (v.4). We cannot know what God wants and how he wants us to live without his explicit instructions and help.

Peter sees that his role as an apostle is to remind people of this teaching, which he calls “the truth” (1 v. 12). He longs that all should remember this teaching even after his death.

“I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.” (1 v. 15)

He did this by writing his epistles and helping Mark to record his version of the life of Jesus, which we now call ‘Mark’s Gospel’. Peter’s use of the word ‘always’ does suggest that he thought his writing would be as relevant to us today as in his time. He again emphasises that these stories were in no way ‘clever inventions’, but really were the truth that the apostles had witnessed themselves (1 v. 16). Nor did this teaching replace the old prophetic writings in the Old Testament - how could it as they were also the Word of God.

“We have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place.” (1 v. 19)

That is what the Scriptures are - God’s light to a dark world, where our world views are tainted. The Scriptures are not man’s invention, the Holy Spirit himself directed what was written.

“Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophets own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” (1 v. 20-21)

‘False teachers’ have always been a major problem for God’s people, they are leaders who quietly move away from Scriptural teaching. By slow steps this process can even lead to these teachers denying that Jesus is God, our rightful King and Lord.

“But there are also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them.” (2 v. 1-2)

There are now many clergymen in our churches who do not teach from the Bible as the Word of God. Their Sermons will consist largely of their thoughts instead of expounding God’s thoughts. There are even some who do not believe in a real personal God to whom we will all have to give account one day. Yet they still remain in office!

The remainder of chapter two explains how foul this particular sin is - drawing people away from the Word of God. It is to “blaspheme against God” (2 v. 12). They are out to “seduce unstable people” (2 v. 14). Such leaders may have the semblance of being “springs of water” - but they bring no nourishment. They teach - but the appeal is to satisfy man’s desires, not God’s! (2 v. 17-18). It is a particular disaster when this happens because these leaders have often known the Bible, but have deliberately chosen to turn their back on its instructions. Eventually this wrong teaching will lead to wrong behaviour (2 v. 19). One example of this is the 1992 report of the House of Bishops of the Church of England entitled ‘Issues of Human Sexuality’. This recommended that lay homosexual couples should be welcomed into church membership with all it’s privileges. This is in spite of the Bible teaching that such practices are repugnant to God.

“It would have better for them (the false leaders) not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.” (2 v.21)

This appeal of Peter is very much needed today - it is imperative that we start thinking clearly and determine what does the Bible, God’s Word teach. We must then encourage one another to obey it.

“Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Saviour through your apostles” (3 v. 1-2)

What a beautiful summary this is - we Christians are followers of ‘the Way’ - God’s way revealed in the Bible by His apostles and by the old prophets. Everything in the Bible stands, and has eternal relevance. God’s word cannot be broken. People will scoff, saying that some of God’s promises, such as His second coming, have not been fulfilled. The Bible teaches us that everything will be fulfilled in God’s time. God’s patience with us is for one reason only - to give us time to repent and turn back to him. (v. 9)

How does Peter end this epistle? “Be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of lawless men and fall from your secure position. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (3 v. 17-18)

William Tyndale

William Tyndale was executed in 1536, after he had translated the Bible into English so that everyone could know the Word of God. Over half of the New Testament in the Authorised Version is as Tyndale first translated it! His last words were, “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes”. He wanted the King’s eyes opened in order that everyone in England should come to know God’s Word. Not surprisingly there was much objection to the Bible being freely available in the native language. Then, as now, some of what was done in the church was incompatible with the Bible’s teaching. In his preface to the ‘Five books of Moses’, which was written several years after he first realised that the church was keen to suppress the Scriptures, he wrote,

“A thousand books had they lever (rather) to be put forth against their abominable doings and doctrines than that the Scripture should come to light . . . which thing only moved me to translate the New Testament. Because I had perceived by experience, how that it was impossible to establish the lay people in any truth, except the Scriptures were plainly laid before their eyes in their mother tongue, that they might see the process, order and meaning of the text, for else, whatsoever truth is taught them, these enemies of truth quench it again.”

The battle is being fought - we must each be learning more about Jesus and his teaching day by day, and then by the power of His Spirit, apply it to our lives and to our church activities.

Edmund Burke, the seventeenth century politician once said,

“The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”

What am I doing about this? Am I studying my Bible regularly? Am I involved in a Bible Study group? Let us encourage our Church leaders to teach the Bible well. Let us all bring our Bibles with us to church meetings so that we can understand the teaching better, as well as being a sign that we Christians are followers of ‘the Way’ revealed by God himself? Let us tell the world that God has spoken through word.

BVP