So he shared his thoughts about it, and then posed this question to us: "In light of the approaching of the last days, and possible false teachings that may arise... is it possible to trust what is being preached from the pulpit?"
A thoughtful silence fell across the room.
Then the sharing started, and we interjected, interrupted, and introspected. Among some of the food-for-thought issues that we discussed about were:
i. How much do we really know our Bibles? The Bible itself reminds us that Satan knows the Bible better than a lot of us know... he even tried to quote a portion of Scripture out of context to tempt Jesus to sin! Win already lor... he tried it on JESUS HIMSELF, so what makes us think he'll not try it on you and me?
ii. We in Hope are becoming quite lazy, actually, not being able to remember even basic Scripture like Psalm 23... not bothering to bring our Bibles to services, preferring to read from the screen... and not double-checking with the Scriptures when we listen to the teachings that we receive.
iii. We are not really thinking very much when we receive plenty of teachings... often we don't question (sincerely) what we are taught, even if we feel uncomfortable sometimes. One of the bros shared that he had felt a bit uncomfortable when a leader shared about his own views on homosexuality... but wasn't sure whether to speak up or not. (Although if I remember correctly, the leader had invited us to share our own thoughts and viewpoints too, so I think it's more of our fear of looking like sore thumbs in questioning...)
Perhaps it's partly due to our own education system in Singapore where we don't think so much... and also due to our own church culture, where in the name of good intentions of wanting to make it more convenient for our younger brothers and sisters, we spoonfeed them Bible verses and so on.
So that's not good. Such well-intentioned actions may not help us to learn to train ourselves towards being Godly.
In fact, Scripture commands us clearly and explicitly that as we grow up in Christ, we must train ourselves. To learn the Word for ourselves.
1 Timothy 4Thus, in order to discern and distinguish false teachings from true (which the Lord has clearly warned us in the Bible so long ago ever since the first church), we MUST know what the Holy Scriptures say! And to practice applying it into our own lives!
7Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. 8For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
Hebrews 5
11We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. 12In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! 13Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. 14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Otherwise we are like soldiers running into battle without ammo, or even if we had lots of ammo, we do not know how to aim, shoot or even load our rifles! Thus we are sent fleeing in disarray and in panic.
So we concluded that we should take responsibility for ourselves to double-check the Scriptures, know clearly what the Bible says... in short, to know what the Logos, the Written Word, says! And I'll add, to study the Bible for all its worth. Do inductive Bible study on my own. Not be lazy and just let others spoonfeed me. No! I must take stronger ownership of my own walk with the Lord, and study the Word of God, which is God-breathed, and is useful for training and equipping me. Aye-men!
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It's very timely, heh, 'cos today, I had messaged the references for a Bible passage to my CG, to encourage them to read the verse... my CL thoughtfully suggested that I should include the verse as well, 'cos it would be more convenient for them to read.
But I replied to my leader, "I would... But it will make the SMS very long. Then i'd have to send 2 or 3 messages per person. If they really want to read the verses, they can read their Bibles." To be frank, I wanted to be even blunter: "If they really want to read the verses, they jolly well can read their own Bibles - if they can be bothered to!"
Of course, I'm not putting down my CL's advice. But I think it's time to push older believers to start doing for themselves what they are perfectly able to do on their own (especially after YEARS of being in church). I mean, if they have genuine issues, then sure, we who are spiritual should restore him/her gently... we are to carry each other's crushing burdens, BUT we should carry what we are supposed to carry on our own!
As Galatians 6 says,
1Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. 2Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, 5for each one should carry his own load. [my emphasis]
In HopeTots, there are little children who struggle to put on their own shoes. So I kneel down and help them. And there are older children who sit down and ask me to help put on their shoes. I stare hard at them, and tell them, "Do it yourself. You're old enough to do it on your own." (And I shake my head, thinking, alamak, must be someone with a maid... - haha because I myself had a maid when I was very young - she would help me with a LOT of things... well, I struggled later on life because of that.)
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Yup... so these are some things that we talked about. Any thoughts or comments?
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