The Recovery & Return to Sound Teaching

The Sliding Scale of Truth

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

- 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NASB)

Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.

- 2 Timothy 1:13-14 (NASB)

As you can see, I have been absent for some time - a reflection of my lack of discipline for which I feel the necessity to confess. While I would love to know that the words posted here are a source of encouragement and provocation for others in their walk with Christ, they are at the least, a means for me to heed Paul's admonition to Timothy to " take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you. "

I have been stirred of late about the matter of sound teaching and wondering if we have not fallen prey to the deception that Scripture often warns against. Amazingly, we acknowledge the reality of deception yet fail so often to accept the fact that it might have very well happened to us - individually and corporately. The standard of sound teaching seems to have found its way into each individual's understanding of "what seems right" or "what we wish were right" rather than the immutable, infallible Word of God himself.

One thing is for certain, God's standards are constant. The only thing about the standards of men that is consistent is that our standards "consistently move". Facing difficulty, cultural demands, and our own sense of justice, we continually adjust the standard according to the prevailing sentiment of the day thinking that, in the process, we are more liberated, open-minded, compassionate and tolerant than were our predecessors. In the process, we mistakenly think that God is behind the tectonic shift in thinking and has changed His mind about how He wishes us to live before Him.

I'm thinking that if God "hated" something in 400 B.C., He still "hates" it today. Unfortunately, I've found that there are some things that I have "hated" in the past with which I have grown quite comfortable. I am intentionally resisting my desire to "make a list" but rather lay before you the simple question, "Where have I given in?"

More to come...