Under Attack

The church is under attack.

The church and the truth of the gospel, the person of Christ, the trustworthiness of the Scriptures, and the character of God are under attack.  These truths have always been under attack — and they are not only being attacked by the world, but by the world from inside the church as well.

At his last meeting with the elders of the Ephesian church, the apostle Paul warned of the dangers of heretical teaching:  “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:29-30; my emphasis).  Not only would the Ephesian church have to battle heretical teaching, but those teachers would arise from within that church.  Even worse, it appears that since Paul is addressing the elders of Ephesus, when he says, “among you…from among your own selves,” he is asserting that there would be defectors from among the elders who would lead this revolt against biblical truth.

Additionally, in his final three letters (two of which were sent to the pastor of the Ephesian church, Timothy) Paul repeatedly warned of dangers that would come against the church:

• Some would teach speculative theory — offering conjectures about genealogies and endorsing myths about Scriptures, and even being dogmatic about it (1 Tim. 1:6-7; Tt. 1:10-11, 14; 3:9)
• Some would engage in “demonic” teaching — like ascetic legalism (1 Tim. 4:1-3).  Note that in this case doctrines of demons is not a teaching that exults in the delight of demons, but exults in something that is often embraced as profitable spiritually — self-denial (taking to a legalistic extreme).
• Some would be opposed to biblical truth and orthodox theology, like the resurrection (1 Tim. 1:19-20; 6:3; 2 Tim. 2:18; 3:8; 4:14-15; Tt. 1:14).
• Some of these teachers would be crassly motivated by money (Tt. 1:11).
• All of these false teachers are characterized as rebellious (Tt. 1:10).
• The tragedy of these false teachers is not only that they brought ruin on themselves (1 Tim. 1:3, 6, 19-20; 2 Tim. 3:9; Tt. 3:9), but that they also destroyed the faith of innocent, unsuspecting believers (2 Tim. 2:18; Tt. 1:11).

In eleven distinct sections/verses in the three short letters of 1-2 Timothy and Titus, Paul warns about the likelihood and dangers of false teachers.  The reality of that danger is not diminished in our day.  And the warning for the Ephesian church is a warning for us as well — the greatest danger of theological compromise is not from attacks outside the church, but from inside the church.  The danger is for compromise on bedrock truths like inerrancy of Scripture, deity of Christ and substitutionary atonement, and the justice of God.  Additionally, there are attacks on so-called lesser theologies — things like literal six-day creation, two genders of humanity, sexual enjoyment only within the confines of marriage between one man and one woman, complementarianism, and more.  Every theological attack is designed to erode confidence in and dependence on Scripture and to exalt man’s “self-sufficiency” and a rebellious attack against God’s authority and supremacy.

The end of all theological error, as noted above, is only tragic ruin and destruction.

Paul also offers an antidote to all this false teaching.

• The church must uphold and be faithful to teach the truth (1 Tim. 3:15).  Paul repeatedly emphasizes the need for embracing only sound (healthy) doctrine (1 Tim. 1:10; 6:3; 2 Tim. 1:13; 4:3; Tt. 1:9, 13; 2:1-2, 8).
• The church must protect and defend the truth (1 Tim. 3:15; 2 Tim. 1:14).
• The church must be immovable from doctrinal purity (2 Tim. 1:13).
• The church must interpret and apply Scripture faithfully (2 Tim. 2:15; Tt. 1:9).
• Believers in Christ must live faithfully to the doctrinal fidelity (Tt. 2:1-3, 5, 7-8, 10).
• Church ministry and philosophy of ministry must be rooted in the truth (2 Tim. 4:2).

There is good reason for this emphasis on the Bible and doctrine — only the Word of God is actually profitable to be taught, to reprove, correct, and to train believers in righteousness.  Only the Word of God can make one adequate for serving God and equip one to minister for God. 

That’s why we defend the Word of God against every attack.  That’s why in every ministry of the church, we exalt God through the teaching of His Word (what He has said about Himself and us).

“Luristan/Ancient Near East Bronze Weapons” by Gary Lee Todd, Ph.D. is marked with CC0 1.0.