The Christian's course will be narrow.

The Way, The Truth, The Life

In John 14, Jesus followed the harrowing words to Peter of his soon-to-be denial of Christ (13:36-38), the impending betrayal by one of their own (13:21-30), and the message of His looming departure with a message of encouragement. He told them to not allow their hearts to be troubled, pressing them to believe in God and His sent Messiah (14:1). He added that He Himself would be going to a place where they would one day come. This place He calls His “Father’s house,” which has many rooms and where He would be preparing a place especially for them (14:2-3). When he promised to return and take them, saying they know the way (14:4), Thomas contended that they did not actually know the way, to which Jesus asserted, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (14:5-6a). He further clarified that no one can come to this place apart from the Son, that they know the Father through their knowing Jesus (14:6b-7), and later He added, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

The Narrow Way

Back at the sermon on the mount in Matthew 7, Jesus said, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matthew 7:13-14). Christ had laid out, over the course of this sermon, a way so narrow, so hard, that it seemed impossible to attain it. Jesus Himself said the standard is perfection (Matthew 5:48). The standard required perfect righteousness both internal and external (Matthew 5:21-47).

This path described is so laborious and unattainable that it’s not only narrow but entirely cut off from all of mankind save for One. That man was Christ Himself. He met every standard and followed every law. Far from abolishing the moral law or casting off God’s righteous requirements, He perfectly fulfilled each portion (Matthew 5:17). He sinlessly walked a way so narrow no man could find it. He did all of this for the sake of becoming a propitiation for the sins of man (1 John 2:2, Hebrews 2:17, Romans 3:25). It was for the sake of man that He was made to be a sin sacrifice so that His perfect righteousness could be applied to us (2 Corinthians 5:21). He was as a perfect, unblemished Lamb being slain at the altar for the expunging of the sins He never knew so that those who would believe might find a way to the place only He could go. He is the way the one who will be saved must go, He is the truth they must believe, and He is the life offered to those who enter by Him (John 14:6).

The way that Jesus talks about in Matthew 7 takes a supernatural work to turn a heart of hostility to a heart of trust. It cannot simply go from pursuing its own wickedness to faith in the Christ by an act of volition or a declaration of belief. This requires repentance. And not just a repentance drawn from a worldly sorrow at the loss of all the things dear to self, but instead a godly sorrow whereby the man recognizes his place of rightful condemnation before God and rues his disregard for God’s laws and abuse of God’s mercy, not for His own sake but for the sake of God’s name (Corinthians 7:10, Psalm 51:4). He longs to be freed from the burden, not only of the consequences of his rebellion against God, but also the sin that bears on his soul and seeks to drag him all the way to the grave. This way is narrow but praise God, for He assuredly grants some to find it.

Implication & Application

The Christian’s course is one that reflects Christ’s way. We have no middle ground to find. This way requires us to deny ourselves as we pursue the way of Christ (Matthew 16:24) so we cannot offer any alternative. There is one way and that way is only Christ. The way of the Christian points in the direction of a kingdom not of this world, wrought by the hands of God, sought even at the expense of the valuable things of this life, living in a manner that looks to reflect our Savior, and includes a loving invitation to its most ardent opponents. Let us remember what Jesus said of those who were not of this narrow way.

1. You will know them by their fruit (Matthew 7:15-20): The world does not know Christ and therefore cannot bear His fruit. The world hates our Master, so we should expect the same (John 15:18-25). This should not discourage us. It is not for the Christian to find a middle ground of commonality with the world nor find a “third way” when the issues are clear. We seek the Lord’s way because we love Him and do not want to dishonor Him. The world cannot understand. We have a course set before us. The world will not follow on their own and it will be evident.
2. Workers of lawlessness (Matthew 7:21-23):  Many will say they knew Christ but they will be denied all the same. The Lord is not looking for professions of fidelity alone or strong language, He expects obedience. The way set before the Christian is the one clearly laid out in His Word. We cannot “whisper”¹ about “culturally divisive” moral issues and we cannot expect to advance the kingdom of God if we worry about how our “radical views” appear. Christ brought a sword, when needed, to divide. Division will come when truth is introduced to error. It is a mercy for us to call that worker of lawlessness to repent now instead of them having to face the denial of Christ on that day.
3. House on the Rock (Matthew 7:24-27): The castles and kingdoms being built up by the world are all along the sandy shores of worldly wisdom and godless enterprise. These are not built to last. Only a worldview built upon the rock of Christ will stand. The gospel preached is the way hearts are conquered and people are won for God.

We have a course that is completely unlike the world. It cannot be entered but by the door of Christ (John 10:7-9). It is a way so narrow that those who walk it need constant empowering to strive after our Master. And it is mercy to warn those who have not begun this course. We do not love by wishing them well, complimenting them, or trying to mix lawlessness with truth. We love them by calling them to pursue the same path and to forsake the wide course in which they are walking.

1 In a 2019 message, Southern Baptist pastor J.D. Greer asserted that God “whispers” about sexual sin. He was quoting a female speaker named Jen Wilkins as he attempted to make the case that religious pride and materialism were bigger concerns to God than sexual perversion. Specifically, he was addressing homosexuality.

Paul’s Citizenship

Paul was a man who knew great abundance and great lack. He was a well-regarded, highly educated teacher of the law with more to boast about than any man (Philippians 3:4). He was, in his own words “a Hebrew of Hebrews,” from the tribe of Benjamin, a teacher of the law, and blameless in the sight of man (3:5-6). He knew abundance, but that all changed when he was knocked from his high horse and called for the purposes of the One who he was persecuting (Acts 9:1-6). Christ took this man of prestige and humbled him. He did this for His purposes, and He used His servants to bring the one who persecuted them into their fold (Acts 9:10-19). The scales fell from his eyes physically and spiritually and he came to know the truth of the gospel. The blessing of God comes by grace, not by works, and now Paul was to be a messenger for this good news.

As a result of his repentance, Paul received greater labors, imprisonments, countless beatings, stoning, shipwreck, danger from every group he encountered, sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, cold and exposure, and was often before the face of death (2 Corinthians 11:23-27). On top of that, every church he encountered in his new role of apostle was facing encroaching forces from without and gave Paul pastoral concerns for their wellbeing (11:28-29). He had to stand before the Roman government to account for the trouble that seemed to follow him (Acts 24-26). He needed to repeatedly give an accounting of his own qualifications to the churches he ministered to despite being given his office from God Himself (2 Corinthians 10-13). He was a man who became a true sharer in the sufferings of his Lord.

It is against this backdrop that Paul came to say to the Philippians, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice” (Philippians 4:4). He further exhorted them to “reasonableness,” not being anxious about anything but relying on God, and he assured them that the peace of God would guard their hearts and minds (4:5-7). From imprisonment, Paul spoke about peace and called his readers to think on that which is honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and worthy of praise (4:8). He reminded them, despite his appearance, that he did not rejoice in their provision for his need, but rather in the fruit of the increasing grace being poured out from their hearts (4:10-13). His concern was for their souls. Earlier in the letter, he talked about the utter worthlessness of the estate he had before Christ and his willingness to count it all as rubbish all to the gain of Christ (3:7-8). Paul longed to know Him and the power of His resurrection as well as the suffering that led His Lord to death (3:10-11).

Citizenship in Heaven

Jesus was a man of sorrows who was acquainted with grief (Isaiah 53:3). He suffered, as Paul recounted in Philippians 2:1-11, the infinite humiliation of the incarnation and subsequent death on the cross. The perfect Son of God became flesh, emptying himself of the prestige and rightful claim to worship for the sake of servant-hood, and He did this for the joy set before Him (Hebrews 12:2). He took upon Himself a wrath that He never deserved to win for us an estate we could never claim (Eph 1:11, 18). This estate was not of this world. He said as much in the upper room in John 14:1-4 when He told His disciples to not be troubled as He would be preparing a place for them to which He would one day take them. He stood before Pilate and told him the kingdom that Christ would rule was not of this world (John 18:35-37). It was the same kingdom Abraham sought (Hebrews 11:10). And it is in this kingdom where Paul assured the Philippians they would find their citizenship (Philippians 3:20-21).

Likewise, we must remember that our life on this earth, in this earthly kingdom, is not our final home. We must consider the stark contrast of the enemies of the cross as compared to those who await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 3:17-21). Those who sit as enemies of the cross, no matter what blessings they tasted in this life, have a mind set on the things of this world. Because of this, their end is destruction as their true god is their belly, and the things that ought to bring them shame are things they find worth glorying in (3:19). For those of us who have a citizenship in heaven, our bodies will be transformed. We will be raised from our lowly estate to a glorious body through the power of the One who saved us (3:20-21).

The apostle Paul, like Moses, considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward (Hebrews 11:24-26). Paul’s striving was not to have and build for himself a life worthy of appreciation here. He strove after that which could not be seen but was promised. Therefore, what he sought was built on a firmer foundation than the countless blessings he enjoyed as a Jew or a Roman citizen. He knew that there was a better nation to come where his citizenship was already secured. He didn’t long to stay for the better things of life, only as long as he needed to in order to serve those he cared about. 

Implication & Application

For many Christians here in America, the sweet taste of freedom and abundance has been an uncommon blessing not often tasted by the people of God throughout the history of His church. This is not something to mourn over as God is sovereign over the times of prosperity as well as adversity (Ecclesiastes 7:14). That being so, we do not want to be lured in by the siren-song of a nation never promised to the people of God in this life. We can glory in the mercies of God to give His people a respite in this life with a nation to live where we do not share the same daily experience of the apostle Paul. However, let us not forget that we long for a kingdom better than this.

We live in this nation knowing that there is a better one to come. Therefore, we are grateful to God with what we have, and even though we are concerned with the welfare of this nation because we are concerned with the welfare of our neighbors and that of our children and grandchildren, we must not become lost in a sea of concerns. This life is not our own and this nation is not our home. Therefore, we live and move with a character steadfast and built up in the hope we receive in our knowledge of the gospel we preach and our home with eternal foundations.

Not Ashamed

The book of 2 Timothy was Paul’s second letter to a dear son in the faith. He wrote this from prison in the final season of a life poured out for God. He cared deeply for Timothy, and Timothy served Paul well over their time together. They relationship was a dear example for us in how a spiritually mature leader and the one he has been given to lead ought to treat one another. Timothy was humble, teachable, a steadfast companion, a fierce compatriot, and a leader in his own office. Paul was loving, humble, compassionate, earnest, and dedicated to his own. Both men were used of God. Paul taught Timothy, and Timothy received gladly in order that he could pour it out on those he taught. And, from a cold prison, Paul penned his final recorded address to his beloved disciple.

He spoke to Timothy as his “beloved child”, reminded him of the care and prayers he had expended for him, and spurred Timothy forward. He recalled the true faith Timothy shared with those who raised him up in the faith, and it is for this reason that Paul reminded Timothy to “fan into flames the gift of God”. This was the office Timothy was ordained into; an office that Paul himself endorsed through the laying on of hands.  Why? God provided “a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control”. Timothy was facing a calling, a more than formidable enemy, and a seemingly endless list of obstacles tempting him to fear, to be ashamed, and to fall into ceaseless quarrels (2 Timothy 1:2-7).

Paul instructed Timothy to “not be ashamed” of God’s testimony or himself, and he called Timothy to “share” in the suffering for the gospel by the power of God.  In this shared suffering, Paul embedded the precious good news that God saved his people, not because of works done by them, but because of “His own purposes and grace,” and this was all done through the work of Christ, a plan worked out in eternity past. It is in this gospel that immortality and life is delivered and death is abolished. This truth, Paul is assured, will be kept until “that day” (2 Timothy 1:8-12).

Paul exhorted Timothy to “follow the pattern of sound words” and “guard the good deposit”. Then, using the things that Timothy knew, Paul repeated his call to suffer and this is suffering “strengthened by grace that is in Christ Jesus,” something Timothy has seen in those who came before him. As a good soldier, Timothy was expected to suffer together with his compatriots and to do so in the spirit ingrained in him by his Commander. This was all to the end of the gospel, and it was going to be done in the power of God. That’s why he needed to behave as a “workman approved”; rightly handling truth, fleeing lusts, pursuing righteousness, despising truthless controversy, being kind and teachable, patiently enduring evil, and yet willing to correct with gentleness. The one in error may well be granted repentance by God and a means to escape the snare of the enemy of our soul (2 Timothy 1:13, 2:3,15, 22-26).

Not of Fear

The language of Paul in this letter seems to grant us a picture of the concern Paul had for his son in the faith. He wanted Timothy to remember, hold firm, and endure. Paul's last imprisonment, persecution pressing in on the church, and false teaching running around God’s people, all likely weighed heavy on Timothy. In this, Timothy was being called to seek his opponent’s soul in the midst of tumult, in the midst of controversy, and in the midst of hardship. He was not only to endure the suffering in hard times, grieved and whimpering, but was instructed to be bold, compassionate, and sober because the gospel was the cause and God’s power was his means. In this we can see the three-fold spirit we are called to today.

The character of every Christian is the same spirit infused with power, love, and self-control, thereby unbound by fear and shame and not inclined to empty quarrels. The Christian should possess:

A spirit of power: The spirit the Christian has within himself is not one that is hindered, given to despair or lacking for the task given. Instead, the mindset and disposition of the Christian is steadfast, sure, and able. He is given all he needs to meet the trials of the day and has confidence in that.

A spirit of love: It is a natural state for the Christian to consider the needs of the other person and will their good. The Christian is given to charity and wants to see a hurt soul mended and peace made where war wages. The Christian seeks peace and abhors needless faction.

A spirit of self-control: The Christian has the spirit of self-control. A Christian spirit is characterized by a capacity to do what is required of him with an attitude of service and goodwill that is not swayed or manipulated away from his goals or expectations because he is set and secure in himself as he abides in God. He is this way because God has made him this way, and God made him this way with his mission set clearly before him.

Implication & Application

In our day, we see much in common with the church of Timothy’s day. We have wickedness encroaching on us from every side, we have seemingly endless false teachings and false words running rampant around us, and we have been marred by tragedy so many times. Some turn to “black pilling”¹ or running to the darkest places of despair and anger. There is a sense that there seems to be no light at the end of this cultural tunnel. Paul himself talked about the price of persecution for living a godly life (2 Timothy 3:12-13) and the desertion he experienced (4:10-16). But we have good news. The Lord strengthens (4:17) and He rescues (4:18). The Christian is endowed by God with a character that does not fall forever into the temptation of fear or shame. Even with the world against us, God gives us the power to proclaim the message entrusted to our hearts. Our hope is fixed and our confidence will be vindicated in the day the Lord returns. We are not perfect, but, by God’s grace, we will succeed in exemplifying Christ and doing the work He has given us to do.

¹ Black-pilling is the term placed on those with a conservative cultural perspective that have moved to the place of “nihilism” when considering the outlook of the culture. They will hold to a pessimistic view that society is “too far gone” and therefore there is nothing left to conserve, and that the institutions and system are beyond salvaging. For example, many in this group assert that marriage is a dated institution that can no longer be used because the system too heavily favors women and the women of the day are corrupted by feminism to the point that men can only be victimized by the institution.

Wholly Helpless

We were once far off and at war with God. The theological term that encapsulates the whole of this reality is “total depravity” or, as RC Sproul liked to call it, “radical corruption.” It speaks to the nature of man after the Fall (Romans 5:12). From the beginning of man’s rebellion to today, we have been in a state of sin and corruption (Psalm 51:5). This means not only that we stand before God as transgressor, but it refers to the actual state of mankind's inner person (Genesis 6:5). Furthermore, we have a heart that is desperately wicked and deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). It does not seek the things that would please God, nor does it have a capacity to want to please Him (Romans 8:7-8). This does not mean that man cannot act according to good sense and occasionally seem to participate in an action that may be deemed “moral.” However, the reality of man’s condition is that he is born with a character that hates God which affects every choice he makes and every deed he performs (Isaiah 64:6).

It is because of this total depravity that man is wholly helpless to “save” himself or get right with God. There is an irreparable chasm between him and God. For this reason, the world was flooded in the days of Noah and this is why the earth will be one day be judged along with the devil and his demons. There is only condemnation available to man in his corruption. He will not be able to do good as it is defined by God. Only God is good (Luke 18:19). He gets to define it (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25, 31). Man may think an action he takes is “good” or commendable, but it is not so as far as God is concerned. His standard is perfection (Matthew 5:48), and goodness requires a worshipful appreciation for the Lord’s character as man looks to follow in His will.

Reconciled

This is why it was necessary that God acted. We are beneficiaries of a God who loved His enemies (Romans 5:8) and made peace with them; a mystery of love so profound this world cannot fathom it. He, in the substitutionary death, burial, and resurrection of the incarnate Christ, reconciled us. It was grace given to active enemies, not passive hostages. And in this grace, His Spirit is given to us. He washes us not only outwardly in behavior but turns our hearts of stones into vessels that exercise faith (Ezekiel 36:26). We now bear fruit that is pleasing to Him as we are continually granted greater depths of knowledge (Colossians 1:9-10). We are strengthened by His power to endure and to be characterized by joy with a grateful spirit toward the One who “qualified” us for His inheritance  (Colossians 1:11-12). This was a supernatural delivery where we were born again (John 3:3). We are new creations and were transferred to the same kingdom of His Son out of the domain of darkness we once called home (Colossians 1:13). This is where we find our comfort. Having once been “alienated” from God, “hostile in mind” toward Him and being doers of evil, we have now been reconciled (Colossians 1:21).

The word “reconciled,” which shows up a couple times in Colossians 1, refers to a complete or total harmonizing of two parties. It is a decisive change to the same position, meaning the ones being reconciled now have the same mind.  Unlike a world characterized by selfish pleasure-seeking, inevitably leading to frustration and despair, the Christian sees this life through the eyes of his Savior. We can take comfort in the promised peace with God that is the great end of the gospel with Christ our Lord being preeminent in it all. In this place, we can rejoice, even if suffering comes while we remain here. We now have renewed minds that seek the will of our new Master as His people (Romans 12:1-2).

Implications & Application

In our salvation, delivered to us by the finished work of Christ, we have a new perspective on all things. We are a people with eyes set to eternity and therefore can take consolation in unity with God, even if the whole world would go to war with us. With this understanding, let us consider how this comfort and assurance works itself out for the Christian in three significant ways (Colossians 1:24-29).

1. We Rejoice: The Christian has an understanding of this life that is different from the world. Our minds are renewed and we see things as they relate to the God we serve. We do not endure the worst of this world with forlorn despair, nor do we receive affliction in this life with an expectation that God will someday give us an easier time here. We do not carry ourselves with the joy of the Lord because He gives us more, but because we are right with Him. We rejoice as we suffer because we fulfill the purpose God has granted us for His sake.
2. We Proclaim: We have been given the revelation of mystery so glorious that the angels long to look into it. It is a mystery that has crossed the dividing line of enmity. Now, we proclaim this glorious revelation to this world with the wisdom of God, warning and teaching, with a true and full knowledge of Christ as our aim. We are given grace so rich that we can’t help but profess it.
3. We Labor: We have peace with God and a kingdom not of this world. Therefore, we still rejoice and we still endure gladly as we labor as unto Him even if the Lord, in His sovereign prerogative, determines to give us a kingdom to live in here and now where we are persecuted and His name is reviled. His power invigorates us and His love drives us. When the world sees our labors as futile or worthless, we press on.

We have peace with God. This peace is the Christian’s consolation and is unlike anything the world can know. Because of this peace, we find ourselves rejoicing in our suffering, proclaiming the mystery of Christ in us, and laboring with vigor as unto the Lord. This consolation makes us stand out and reflect our Lord as He works in us. Once enemies, we are now sons and live in blessed harmony with the Father as we seek first His kingdom here.

Follower of Christ

The word Christian means “follower of Christ.” This word is only used three times in the New Testament and first appeared in Acts 11:26 when we are told that Antioch was the place where the disciples were first called “Christians.” The other reference to this word in Acts is when King Agrippa questioned Paul by asking, “In a short time would you persuade me to be a Christian?” (Acts 26:28).  The final reference is in the book of 1 Peter where Peter exhorted the church he wrote to in the midst of suffering (1 Peter 4:16). In this passage, he encouraged his readers that they could rejoice in their hardship if they were sharing in the suffering of Christ, assuring them that the end to their suffering would be rejoicing and gladness when His glory is revealed. Peter said that it is a blessing to the insulted for “the name of Christ” (1 Peter 4:14), and told the believers there, “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name” (1 Peter 4:16).

We understand that, in the early days of our history, the name “Christian” was a term of derision used of a small sect of people who were hated by the Jews and looked down upon by the Gentiles. The life of the follower of Christ in the first century was not one of freedom and cultural influence. Peter wrote to the “elect exiles of the dispersion”. He intended to give them a refresher in the news of the “Living Hope”. He told them that, though they have been grieved by various trials, their faith was being tested so it could be found more precious than gold, resulting in the outcome of salvation for their souls. This was the promise of the “living hope,” an inheritance kept for those who believed in Heaven. Even if they received suffering in this life as Christians, Peter wanted them to remember that there was far greater grace to come (1 Peter 1:1, 3, 7, 9).

This grace was to be brought to them by the “revelation of Jesus Christ”. That is, according to Peter through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they must be holy, no longer conformed to the passions of their former ignorance. They were ransomed by the precious blood of Christ to be living stones “being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”. Unlike the world “who stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do”, the Christian is a part of “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light”. In short, the Christian is God’s chosen vessel, claimed by His blood from the world, called out from darkness to fulfill His mission of proclaiming the excellencies of His grace, and one day to see the reward for his suffering result glory in the life to come (1 Peter 1:13, 14, 18, 2:5, 8, 9).

The Glorious Price

Peter said, “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy” (1 Peter 2:10). This was a work so glorious that the angels long to look. Let us glory in the magnificence of it. We, as a people, were dead, conformed to the ways of the world and its ruler, sons of disobedience, and children of wrath (Ephesians 2:1-5). We could not come to God on our own (John 6:44), could not please Him (Hebrews 11:6, Romans 8:8), and hated Him (Romans 8:7). We fall short of His glory (Romans 3:23), are all under sin, not righteous, are altogether worthless, and even the best things we do are akin to soiled rags (Romans 3:23, 9, 10, 12; Isaiah 64:6). Our place was not favorable and certainly offered nothing to lend to God.

And so He acted. He died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6), made us alive in Him (Ephesians 2:5), and delivered us into His kingdom (Colossians 1:13). He washed us clean (Psalm 51:7), expunged our debt (Colossians 2:14), and called us according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Not satisfied to leave us simply unburdened by the weight of wrath, He called us His friends (John 15:15), claimed us as His people (1 Peter 2:9-10), and adopted us as His children (Ephesians 1:5). It is amazing grace and nothing we could earn. Now we rejoice as we live and move and have our being in Him. We want what He wants and seek His will to be done. That is good news. Our salvation was by His hand and this good news is received by our empty hand of faith. Therefore, we, as His people, are those who have received His gospel and laid claim to it by faith. And that faith was a gift from God (Ephesians 2:8). The Christian is the beneficiary of amazing grace and the church is the full reward for His suffering. We have been bought with a price and now have an extraordinary call to become, as the apostles once were, “fishers of men.”

Implication & Application

In our pursuit of unity in love and standing in opposition to all that looks to disrupt that unity, we need to treasure in our minds what is worthy of cherishing and keeping. It is in the light of truth that things are best explored. One great flaw among many in our number, especially those given to the activity of discernment and critique, is a tendency to remain doggedly focused on the muck and mire. This is not our intention in bringing you this series. With our desire to see our church more unified and therefore more like Christ as His followers, we will necessarily call out what is not according to sound doctrine, but we will do it from the place of affirming what God has revealed.

Over the next several posts, we will look at what a Christian ought to be, even when that may look different from our culture. We will look different than the world as we pursue likeness to the truth. We will press up against, and unintentionally antagonize, the culture. It will happen. We strive to do it in love, not seeking to find demons to slay, but instead seeking to exemplify Christ where He has us.

To be a Christian simply means to be born again -- to have been united to the life of God in His eternal existence; to have been grafted into Christ and to receive salvation through faith (John 15:5-6; Eph. 2:8). To be a Christian is to be first and foremost a recipient of grace, not a seeker of truth. After all, Psalm 14 tells us that no one seeks for God. No one looks for or runs after the one true God of heaven.

Every single human being on planet Earth is born, to use the Greek philosopher Plato’s own sophistry, in the cave.^[1] Every human being since the time of Adam's sin has received ignorance, a spiritual inability to find out what is absolutely true about God. Every philosophy and system out there proves that that is the case. Everyone disagrees with one another. Only Christianity has the light of the torch of truth that illumines the dark recess of mankind's lost mind. And that is because Christ is the light and true Christianity sheds the light on Him. Only in this way we can pursue true knowledge when we give ourselves over not to darkness, but to light; to a Light that overcomes the darkness. In this pursuit, we see that man’s attempt to find out the truth concerning God and the world around him - the world as a system of body of truths - is not the evolutionary process of self-liberation, exemplified by the Übermensch of Nietzsche: the Super-man who finds his true self and frees himself to then lead others. There is no such hero in world history!

No, the story of liberation is best understood by the history of God's redemption when, in the fullness of time, God himself entered this world stepping onto the scene of man’s miserable theater and coming in from outside He came into the cave to free those who were chained to their own self-imposed, deceitful slavery.

This is the great story of the incarnation, and faith is nothing else than another God-given gift by which God, in his mercy, gives us eyes to recognize the person of the Son. This is true faith. Man has nothing to do with it, and I fear that too many so-called Christians fill the pews of the churches of this nation without understanding what Paul said in Ephesians 2:8, namely that faith is a gift of God that comes not by our own doing but from God. A salvation by works is not a half-accomplished salvation -- it is not salvation at all. It is either God who saves us through Christ, or it is we who condemn ourselves through our own sinful rebellion (Rom. 10:3-4). There is no middle way. There is no untrodden path to explore. There is no divine-human cooperation. Either Christ saves and gets the glory entirely or rather we stick with our own self-deceiving story and stay in the cave eternally.

Choose today: receive the gift of grace or forfeit it in disgrace.

Pastor Alberto

[1] Plato’s Cave is an allegory in which people are chained inside a dark cave since birth who believe that the shadows cast in the cave are reality. Among these, Plato envisions the philosopher who, freeing himself of the chains, runs outside the cave and sees the sun. Realizing the true substance of things, he returns to the cave to try to inform the rest but he is mocked. Plato’s main argument through the allegory is that education and intellectual reasoning lead a darkened mind to the discovery of liberating truth.

Testing Everything

The apostle John, in 1 John 4:1, tells his audience not to “believe every spirit.” He instead directs the reader to “test” the spirits for the purpose of seeing “whether they are from God.” And the reason for this consideration is given in the second part of the verse. John says, “many false prophets” are now present and moving about in the world. The word “test” in this verse is the same word used by Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 where he says, “Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”

The passage in 1 Thessalonians begins by instructing the reader to despise (or “count as nothing”) prophecy (5:20). To prophesy is to “assert the mind of God” and the apostle Paul didn’t want his readers to “quench the Spirit” (5:19). He was not telling his readers to unquestioningly affirm the full array of truth claims floating around the 1st century church, even in the name of prophecy. We see many examples of Paul taking aim at the truth claims of even professed apostles in his day. Paul’s point was, instead, not to be dismissive of truth claims. He explains in 5:21 that we should “test everything” with the goal of keeping to what is “good.”

“Test” means to approve by demonstration or trial. It is “dokimazo” in the Greek and comes from “dokimos.” HELPS Word-studies offers this explanation: “(dókimos) was used for the proving (testing) of coins, i.e. confirming they were genuine (not counterfeit, corrupted).” The word “dokimazo” scrutinizes with the goal of revealing what is good. We see the word used in passages like 2 Corinthians 13:5 where we are told to “examine” ourselves. In Romans 12:2, we are instructed not to fashion ourselves like the world, instead having our mind renewed for the purpose of discerning the “good and acceptable and perfect” nature of God’s will. While in 1 Peter 1:7, Peter offers the consolation that trials show forth the genuineness of the believer’s faith by “refining.”

There are five takeaways from Paul’s instructions from 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22.      

1. Be willing to consider the truth claims being made to us. A dismissive spirit is not a Christian virtue. We can hear out someone who claims to be “asserting the mind of God.”
2. Like the Bereans (Acts 17:10), we can receive the words spoken and test them in the light of the Scriptures, willing to hold them fast if they turn out to be true. We are a people that ought to assume the best and be glad to hear a word of truth, allowing the refining fire of God’s Word to be the claim’s judge.
3. We should not be partial or incomplete in our testing. We want truth to be known and falsehood exposed, no matter the source. This is evident in Paul’s use of the word “everything.”
4. If the claim being made is contrary to the sound teaching we have received from our Lord in His Word, we ought to mark it and avoid it. This includes no longer bringing attention to it. It isn’t enough to simply acknowledge it to be evil. We should separate ourselves from it and not give it undue attention through constant focus. We “abstain” from the evil.
5. Every "form” of evil should be abstained from. From this we gain at least two things. First, we should to avoid or remain “far from” even the appearance of evil. Second, the same word “everything” appears, telling us this is all encompassing. We avoid all that opposes God in every form.

Our Test

The church is not unfamiliar with controversy. Many storms and many waves have crashed along her walls throughout history. Yet, she remains. In Matthew 16:16-18, following Peter’s confession (16:16), Jesus affirms that this truth was revealed by God Himself to Peter (16:17) and on the “rock” of this confession the church will be built by Christ Himself (16:18). Jesus then gives the blessed assurance that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” She has withstood so much persecution and hardship. The enemies of God have tried to extinguish the light of Christ’s church through bloodshed and ostracization. From the 1^st century to many places in the world today, clear and apparent threats and assaults on the believing church continue to bombard the chosen of God. And He keeps her.

This will never change. Even when the enemies disguise themselves as “angels of light” (1 Corinthians 11:14). When murdering God’s people does not avail, the devil will bring in falsehood, looking to lead astray the elect (Matthew 24:24). He is the father of lies (John 8:44) and, likewise, his children have followed in his paths. The church has encountered this from the beginning with teachings such as the many forms of Gnosticism in the 1^st century and it has continued to today. Each new errant view claims to know better than the Word revealed and to have a knowledge never understood until they arrived.

Therefore, we move forward with our task laid out before us. We seek to love our church and strive to foster a true unity among our people. We seek to address matters of truth without learning to hate those with garments stained by the evil. And we do all this with the tools set before us in His Word. It is by looking to the Word that we can discern what is not “approved” by God. We do this humbly, we do this cautiously, and we do it with the same goal Paul expressed in 1 Thessalonians 5:13 – to “live in peace with one another.”

Contending With Righteous Judgment

There can often seem to be an imperceptible line between what is right and wrong. Charles Spurgeon famously said, “Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong. It is knowing the difference between right and almost right.” His quote gives us a picture of handling matters where it can be difficult to determine where something has moved into the territory of “wrong.” That is not to say that there is such a category of “almost right”, as if God is not a God of truth. Spurgeon would not have meant his quote as to suggest there is a place between truth and error where the terrain is unclaimed and neutral. No, his intention in this quote is to say that falsehood can be shrouded in truth. Therefore, we have a specific practice that we must utilize to clear through the fog of uncertainty and come to right conclusions. 

That practice is “discernment,” and we have, in the Word of truth, everything we need to know what that looks like and how to wield this necessary tool. To do this, we can look at “the Truth” Himself.  Jesus, during the Feast of Booths in John 7, was being confronted on the authenticity of his truth claims. The people before Him were contending against His practices and His claims about those actions. His answer to this disbelief and contention is the key to understanding how we ought to approach all questions of truth and, therefore, contention. On the question of His authority and doing good on the Sabbath, He told the people, “My teaching is not my own, but His who sent me.” Further he said, “If anyone’s will is to do God’s will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority,” and “The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood” (John 7:16-18). His final admonition to the people was, “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment” (John 7:24). 

In the words of our Lord, we can note several points about our discernment in matters of truth and for our purposes, contention in the church.

1. God is the ultimate authority. We do not need to be concerned with having authority in ourselves, neither should we be fearful of the authority of other people. God is truth and therefore, he has the final say.
2. God’s will is our starting point to knowing truth. We will never come to the right conclusion if we have ulterior motives, if we allow our personal preferences to dictate our judgments, or if we think a matter of truth doesn’t involve God. However, if we, like Christ, seek to meet God’s measure, we will more clearly see when that measure is not being hit (Romans 12:2).
3. If we rely on God, we will have the answer we need for this moment. We don’t need to dread the time we are called upon to answer for a question of truth. Jesus Himself had a word for His disciples on this. When being brought “before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities”, He tells them “do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (Luke 12:11-12); and “settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict” (Luke 21:13-15).
4. God’s glory is the goal of our labors. If we go into a matter of contention with our own purposes as the goal and not for the glory of God, we are propping ourselves up as a glory thief and sit in a very dangerous place (Isaiah 42:8).
5. Our discernment should understand its purpose. Jesus was sent and so are we. His ministry was to fulfill the purposes set by the Father. There were times that Christ had things He chose not to do because His mission took Him elsewhere (Mark 1:35-39). As the church, we are stewards of His body and our charge is love (1 Timothy 1:3-7). Not every controversy needs our input nor does every question need our answer. We certainly can, like Jesus, serve by involving ourselves in matters not directly related to our ultimate goal but it should never happen to the detriment of unity nor in the absence of love.
6. We judge (“krinó”) with right judgement. We cannot ”krinó” (distinguish, decide, or separate) as Jesus instructs if we do not do so with the type of discernment that starts with the what is right (“diké” or what is “approved by God”). Outside circumstances will not change the truth. 

Know Your Enemy, Know Your God, Know Your Mission

With discernment laid out, we can ask “How do we contend?”.  To answer, we will follow our Lord in seeking to do what the Father has willed. And we do that by observing what He has revealed in His Word. 

Returning to Jude, we find exhortations following the dividing line he set. And, it is these exhortations that will benefit us in understanding how we go about true and right contention.  From verses 17 to 23, Jude gives 3 directives: “remember the predictions of the apostles,” “keep yourselves in the love of God,” and “have mercy” (Jude 17-23). His first directive is to call to mind the warnings they received and what these dangers would look like when they arrived. His second is an admonition for them to build themselves up in faith and in praying in the Spirit. This was to the purpose of actively remaining in the love of God, which included awaiting the Lord to do what He had promised. This second exhortation is a call to stay in the means of grace provided and trust the Lord to provide the result He said would come. And last, Jude returns the focus back to love and the need for mercy towards those who are caught up in this falsehood. The church was to do as Christ did, seeking the good of those who hated Him while remaining undefiled Himself. Put more simply, Jude would have his people to stay alert, rely on God, and exemplify Christ. These were the instructions for a church facing down a danger so pernicious that it could tear at the very fabric of their unity.  

This was how the church was expected to “contend for the faith.” They needed to be ready and alert for the intrusion of false words and godlessness that would come in without announcement. They had to know it when they saw it. They needed to call to mind all that they had been taught and apply those warnings to the present reality. Then they needed to keep themselves under the covering of the Lord. He would see them to the end of this war. They would make it through the night of this ordeal. They just needed to trust the means He provided, namely His Word and prayer, and patiently wait for Him to bring the victory. And this all was done with a mind to mercy, with “fear”, and a hatred of the “garments” worn by those they were showing mercy to. 

Discerning Love - Contending

This is how we are to engage: aware of our foe, equipped by God, and ready to combat the folly of Satan while seeking to preserve the souls of the lost. To contend, for the Christian, is to call out that which sows discord. It is a blessing to a body afflicted with falsehood but it needs to be done in love and in order. We need “right judgment;” seeking the will of God and His glory when we speak. We need to abide under the shelter of His revelation, not falling into idle speculation or trivial controversy. We need to stand firm, not shrinking back or entertaining compromise. We need to go no further than He commands and rely wholly on His deliverance. We must not strain gnats only to swallow camels (Matthew 23:24). We must wield the double edged sword of the Spirit that can pierce beyond the surface and touch the heart (Hebrews 4:12). God is with us and has given us a church to love.

Grace Abused & Christ Denied

Jude, the brother of Jesus and the writer of the only book in the NT dedicated solely to the issue of apostasy, gives us his dividing line. He wrote his epistle to a specific audience, and he identified this audience in the very first verse of his letter. He wrote to those who are “called”, “beloved by the Father”, and “kept by Jesus Christ” (Jude 1). The word “called” here is the effectual call of God to His people, the call that will be heard by those who were made to hear by His Spirit. “Beloved by the Father” means a people chosen by God, plucked out of the darkness, and moved into the beautiful light of life and love through the finished work of His Son. And “kept by Jesus Christ” is the blessed assurance for each of those to whom He has granted newness of life and called His own, those that will all one day reach that golden shore and reign forever with the Eternal Son. This is the audience to whom Jude wrote, and this is the audience who received a severe warning about the coming tide of falsehood. And Jude did so with a desire to see “mercy, peace and love be multiplied” in this church.

He wrote to a dear body of believers, but he did not write to them about their unity in their “common salvation.” Instead, he wrote an appeal to the body to contend (Jude 3-4). The specific people he called the church to contend against is instructive to us. Those who are “designated for destruction” and “ungodly” are the ones Jude identifies as those who, “pervert the grace of our God into sensuality”, and “deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ”. These are the concerns that compelled the writing of this letter to a people whom Jude recognized as fellow heirs in the promise.

 Truth as Foundation

The epistle of 2 John is an often overlooked book in the Bible. It seemingly treads ground covered in 1 John, and is a mere 13 verses long, so many do not take the time to consider the issue that prompted John to write this brief letter to “the elect lady and her children.” In this letter, John, like Jude, made sure to identify the audience of his letter as fellow believers. He referred to the recipient as “elect,” a term used almost exclusively in the NT to speak of those redeemed by God. He wanted his audience to know how he viewed them as he laid out his letter. He saw his readers as believers with whom he would share eternity and those whom he loved in the truth (2 John 1). He used the word “truth” 5 times in the first 4 verses as he built the foundation for his letter. He wrote to them so that they would walk in love (2 John 5-6), and do this by watching themselves (2 John 8) when dealing with “deceivers and antichrists” (2 John 7), and not receiving nor giving a greeting to them (2 John 10). He gave these instructions so that the reader “may not lose what we have worked for” (2 John 8), and would avoid taking part in the “wicked works” of those deceivers and antichrists (2 John 11).

In his first epistle, John tells his readers that the message that he has heard and has brought to them is that God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all (1 John 1:5). He further says that to walk in darkness is to “lie” and “not practice the truth” (1 John 1:6-7). This is the message he clarifies throughout the epistle as he looks to build up his dear “little children” in the things they know.  He tells his readers that he does not write them a new commandment (as God has not changed), yet adds that it is new as the “darkness is passing away” and the “true light is already shining” (1 John 2:7-8). That true light is Christ, and He is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15). Christ demonstrates the love of God (John 3:16, Romans 5:8). He exemplifies the character of God (Hebrews 1:3). He is the Word of God from eternity past (John 1:1). He made all that there is, all that there is is sustained through Him, and it is made for Him (Colossians 1:16, John 1:3). He is the light of God shining upon us in flesh (John1:4-5). He is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6). No one comes to the Father except by Him (John 14:6, 1 John 2:23, 1 John 4:2-3, 2 John 9). He is the foundation on which the believer’s common salvation is laid (1 Corinthians 3:11).

John, in his second epistle, instructs his reader to walk in the commandments already given. This is, as John explains, what it means to love. Further, to love is to demonstrate walking in the truth (2 John 1-2). The purpose of his letter is to outline a love that is grounded in “the truth” and shared by the elect. It is to this end that drives his pen to call out the “deceivers and antichrists.” There is a fruit of joy that sits at the mount of right and full unity. But, this unity could not be tasted if there was falsehood regarding the Author of their faith being spread among the people. Our common salvation is built upon the bedrock of Christ’s person and work. Therefore, to have right and full fellowship, that which attacks, denies, or rejects the character, the nature, or the work of our Lord must be called out and set away from the camp of faith. That is the only way we can participate in the full blessing of peace and joy of fellowship.

Christ is “the truth” sitting at the base of our love, and our love is that which demonstrates the reality of our unity with one another. It is impossible, therefore, to unify with those who “walk in darkness.” To try to meet them where they are is to leave the safety of the light and venture into the darkness of their wickedness. We ought to love enough to expose the darkness to the light (Ephesians 5:6-11). Jude, near the end of his letter, exhorts his “beloved” church to “keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life” by “building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit” (Jude 20-21). This is what it is to be established in “the truth.”  We contend against that which attacks “the truth” our faith is built upon: Christ.

 Last Thoughts - “What” Not “Who”

Jude does not stop with verse 21 as he gives one final exhortation before sending his people forward with a doxology. He directs his “beloved” people to have mercy on the confused but sincere doubters, save those in danger of the fire, and show mercy to those with “stained garments” (Jude 22-23). Our goal of unifying the church does not end by simply casting out the falsehoods. Ultimately, “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). We contend mightily and with a desire to keep the bride undefiled and our unity sweet. We tear down strongholds of falsehoods about our Lord and refuse to compromise with those who teach things that defy “the truth.” And yet, we still pursue the lost. In warning the Corinthian church to cast out a man caught in grievous immorality, we are told it is to be done “to deliver this man to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 5:5). We contend to keep the Lord’s bride pure and seek to see her filled with the full reward of the Lamb’s suffering: saved sinners. 

There are many texts that caution against a contentious spirit that looks to cause divisions (1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 12:21-25, Titus 3:2, 9-11, etc.). Jesus said to John in Luke 9:50 that, “the one who is not against you is for you” when John tried to boast of contending against those casting out demons in Christ’s name. Jesus further said that the world will know His disciples by how they “love one another” (John 13:35). Are not the words of our Lord authoritative enough to cause us to “lay our weapons down” and avoid controversies with one another that might disrupt unity?  Should we not lock arms with the people who do works in Christ’s name and “go to war” against the principalities, the powers, evil forces, and the gates of hell itself as they oppose the church?

Unity - Truth Pitted Against Truth

The presence of professed enemies of God outside the church’s doors should not cause us to never address concerns inside the church. We have examples in God’s word of God’s people “going to war” against those who named the name of Jesus. Jude went as far as to call them “people…designated for condemnation,” “ungodly,” those who “pervert the grace of our God,” “stains” at the church’s love feasts, “shepherds who feed themselves,” “waterless clouds,” etc. (Jude 4, 12). Peter used his first letter to instruct the church, in the midst of trials and attacks from the political powers, to do good to “put to silence” those afflicting them with slander and to “honor the emperor” (1 Peter 2: 15, 17), but used his second letter to call those falsely professing to believe “false prophets,” “false teachers,” deniers of “the Master that bought them,” and those whose “destruction is not asleep” (2 Peter 2:1, 3). Paul, who said “aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace” in 2 Corinthians 13:11, called out persons by name when needed (1 Timothy 1:20, 2 Timothy 1:15, 2 Timothy 4:9-10).

The Scripture is clear that we should not hate the people of God (1 John 3:15) nor forsake the harmony wrought by love (Colossians 3:14). That being said and settled, we cannot deny that Matthew 7:15-23 records our Lord Jesus’ warning about false prophets and false professors. Further, the “disciple Jesus loved”, in his second epistle, instructed his audience to “watch yourselves” (2 John 8) and “do not receive him” (2 John 10) when speaking of those who would call themselves believers. This came only a few verses after exhorting his readers to “love one another.” There is not a word from our Lord that is to be cast away as being frivolous or out of step with our current reality. His Word does not return void and He alone has the words of life. All of Scripture is, “breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). If we read a word of warning, instruction, rebuke, or exhortation that seems to be in disunity with another such word in Scripture, we need to reevaluate our understanding of what is being said.

That is the reason why unity is not a concept we ought to define for ourselves. We have an understanding of what unifies the people of God if we simply read what He says about the people He calls His and what binds them together. For this, the words of our Lord in His prayer in John 17 give us clarity. In his prayer, Jesus identifies His own as “given Him” by the Father (John 17:2), who “know” the Father and the Son (17:3), keep and receive His words (17:6-7), are kept “in His name” (17:11), have His Word (17:14), are kept “from the evil one” and “not of this world” (17:15-16). Those same people are being changed by “the truth” found in His Word (17:17), sent “into the world” (17:18), “may all be one” with one another, “so that the world may believe” (17:21-23); they will one day be where the Son has gone (17:24), and they know the Father has sent the Son (John 17:25). The unity that our Lord prays for is built on a foundation of Christ’s love for us before the Father, our recognition of God as He has revealed Himself in the Son, and fidelity to His Word as it molds us and shapes us into His image. Faith, love, and obedience: these are the basic markers of those fellowshipping in the light (1 John 1:3-7, 2:4, 3:4-6, 23). 

Unity or fellowship is had when the foundation is rightly laid. This foundation gives us the groundwork to know some things about what unity does not mean for the Christian. First, unity is not the same as surface level agreement. Our faith needs to be deeper than what demons, murderers, or traitors can affirm. A demon knows the name of Christ yet shudders (James 2:19), Cain brought sacrifices to the Lord yet hated his brother (1 John 3:12). Judas walked with Christ but believed 30 pieces of silver was a better reward than peace with God (Matthew 26:14-16). Faith is more than walking in the same direction for a season, love is more than recognition, and obedience is more than sacrifice.

Second, unity among the saints comes at the cost of exclusion, not the requirement of inclusion. We cannot say there is unity if we are not clear on what constitues disunity. Martin Luther was quoted as saying, “Peace if possible, truth at all costs”. We know that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6), heaven is impossible to enter apart from God (Mark 10:23-27), and the gate is narrow to life eternal (Matthew 7:13-14). We cannot have true and full peace with those who have chosen war with God (Romans 8:7). We have been purchased and claimed by the One who is “the true God and eternal life” (1 John 5:20), so we have no way to truly unite with the person who speaks lies and whose end is destruction.

Third, unity is a by-product of the goal, not the goal itself. We see peace with God and a new life that yearns to honor and serve Him as our great gain. The Westminster Shorter Catechism provides a neat shorthand of the truth a true Christian cherishes: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” Unity is a beautiful blessing found among a people that share this great end.

Contending For The Sake Of Unity - Final Thoughts

At the end of the last blog, we landed on love as the great motivator for contending earnestly. This post looked to touch on the place of contention in unity. Returning to the book of 1 John, the apostle John’s people were secure. Their salvation was never at risk (1 John 5:13, 20), but the sweetness of the unity of the faith, the blessing of a clear conscience before God, and a confidence to go boldly before the throne of grace sat in the balance. He cared for their safety, and they could still be hurt. John gives us a clear example of a man who saw his children being ravaged by the wolves and who didn’t allow the call of peace or the fear of man to turn him aside from speaking. We ought to feel the same fire of conviction. Love drives us towards the good of one another, and unity is built when we agree on that good. The one who tries to enter among the sheepfold without going through the gate of Christ is a thief (John 10:1). At times, it may take a cry of alert to awaken the peacefully sleeping church. True and God-honoring contention does not look to divide true brothers but instead call out the thieves that have crept into the house of God unnoticed (Jude 4).