In the first three blogs I have endeavored to broach some often overlooked areas in our doctrinal dialogue and/or theological discourse that often times precipitates ungodly tones and tenors that are themselves untrue. As I move forward I certainly do not want anyone to divorce the aforementioned from the content of this typed interjection.
That being said, it is incumbent upon us to recognize the need to intrepidly take up arms when issues of fundamental doctrinal truths that are sine qua none to the gospel confront us. Aside from issues of tone and tenor, which must always be sanctified, biblical truths must be defended and cogently articulated whenever and wherever 'God's breath' is being muffled or gagged. (Paul describes scripture as God breathed in his letter to Timothy)
Controversy and serious debate are necessary to effectively counteract and suppress the voice of heresiology(heresy). Especially when false doctrine is so creatively phrased using a guise of orthodox verbiage in our day. The core truths of the gospel demand our willingness and readiness to speak against her gainsayers. In an age of thesis and antithesis controversy is unavoidable and necessary. To posture oneself as a pacifist or silent observer is to, in effect, allow heresiology to fester untreated and to non-verbally suggest that God's truth isn't that essential after all. As Albert Mohler Jr. has opined, "The only way to avoid all controversy would be to consider nothing we believe important enough to defend and no truth too costly to compromise" Silence is a concession to falsehood.
Church history is marked with the church's ministers marshaling her forces and rallying her Christian disciples against exponents of 'new doctrines', 'ancient heresy', 'scholastic ingenuity', 'enlightened reasoning' and the like. 'Credo' emerged within the church community as early as the the New Testament era. (ex. I Cor. 15:3-6, Phil. 2:5-11 et al) The New Testament contributors repeatedly admonished disciples and the N.T community to guard the truths of the faith (ex. I Tim. 6:20, II Tim. 1:13, 2,2; II Peter 3:16-17, I John 4:1-3; Jude 3 et al). This pattern and modus operandi continued throughout subsequent centuries in the form of church councils and synods meeting to establish creeds that represented the 'pattern of sound words' that had been preserved from the days of Christ and his disciples. The Apostles Creed & the erstwhile seven ecumenical councils (from the first council of Nicaea[325 a.d.] to the second council of Nicaea [787 a.d.]) evince the church's unabashed posture to defend the truths of the gospel.
It is no less imperative for us to confidently stand upon the apostolic & historic truths in our day as those men did then. The gospel, after all, is the greatest treasure to be known and had throughout the history of the human drama. We cannot, nay, we must not allow the capricious postulations and inventions of madmen nor the formalistic traditions of the religious to tarnish the luster of this treasure in the church's hearts and minds despite how well intentioned they may be.
Stand your orthodox ground!! Do not surrender the high ground in the name of diplomacy.
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