Stability

Eph 4:14 "that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the craftiness of men in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head -- Christ--"

Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers...communicators of the word...to equip, to edify, to unify, to mature, to stabilize. One thing that may have been a problem in the early church, and something that continues to this day are people who want to come into the church to deceive, to mislead, to trick, to confuse. Back in Paul's day it may have been the Gnostics or the Judiazers. Today it is Rob Bell or people in the emerging church. I know that this may seem harsh, but to tell people that there is no hell, or that everyone is going to have a chance, even after death is just plain unbiblical. To say that God and God's truth (theology) is all inclusive and progressive does nothing to support absolute truth. Rather it is built to confuse, to question, to make people doubt. And when that happens we are like children being tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine. Nothing is stable. Nothing is sure. We can't build our lives on anything. The very words of scripture are to be doubted.

This is why God placed in the church people who could clearly articulate, who could clearly communicate...apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These people should not give those in the church a reason to doubt. Rather, these gifted people need to give assurance in the truth. The need to speak the truth and do it in a loving way. Maybe part of the reason those in the emerging church, or guys like Rob Bell have responded in the way that they have is because all they did or all that they observed were people who spoke the truth, but not in love. Sure it was the truth, but it may have been the harsh truth shared in an arrogant manner. That is not what God intended for these gifted communicators. Instead, He wants them (He wants us...I include me because I have the privilege of holding the microphone on Sunday mornings) to communicate His truth, His absolutes in a loving way. In a way that tells people that God cares.

I have heard some harsh truth in my life. Guys that like to pound the pulpit or scream and yell. Are they preaching the truth? Yes. Are they communicating the truth? No. They are just alienating the hearers. We need to lay out the truth of God before people in a way that they know that God desires their best. He does not want them to get hurt. He does not want them to be punished. He does not want them to be condemned. He loved them so much that He sent His best who was willing to lay down His life. Talk about communicating the truth in love. Jesus did it on the cross. We need to remember that when we open out mouths.

And what will happen? Growth. Maturity. Stability. Christlikeness.

That is the church. That is what communicators of the word need to do and when they do they will see stable people who live like Jesus.