"Certain persons"

BLIND GUIDES: 1 Timothy 1:6-7

Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

The Apostle has just stipulated the three "legs" on which the "stool" of the charge of love rests: a "pure heart", a "good conscience", and "sincere faith". Now he addresses the problem of those who have abandoned these legs, seeking to rest the basis of ministry (the "stool") on other things, namely discussion and opinion.

Dialogue is good, and in the Wesleyan tradition we regard Christian conferencing as a "means of grace". But unless grounded in the word of God and the life of the Spirit, discussion and debate, even with the best of intentions, drifts into mere sentimentality or worse, rationalization in which we reinforce one another's errors.

James warns us that we need to be careful about being teachers, because we will be judged with greater severity. This passage goes a step farther, and warns not only about the behavior of teachers, but the content of their teaching as well.

Humility is in order here. So is continuing grounding in the word in Scripture, and attention to one's faith and life. Quality, sound teaching relies on all of the above.


Lord, safeguard my life and my teaching. Let me not run ahead of where You lead and guide, nor make things up where You have not given light. If you would have me be a teacher and guide of others, let me be a sound one, filled with faith, keeping good conscience, single in heart, and above all aglow with Your love, reflecting it to others. Amen.


Fulton, Maryland

"Not to Teach Any Different Doctrine"

TEACHING MATTERS: 1 Timothy 1:3-4 (part 3)

There is a bias today among some Christians, particularly it seems in America, and including (lamentably) some pastors, toward the notion that doctrine doesn't matter ... or at least, doesn't matter a lot. In my tradition, Wesleyan Christianity, there is a built-in bias toward actions that holds too-fine distinctions in teaching suspect. There are reasons for this, both historical and practical, but it is, to be candid, a weakness. Doctrine without praxis drifts into a kind of quasi-gnostic detachment from the brass tacks of where God is at work in the world; but praxis that is not rooted in sound doctrine is just busy-ness that too easily become completely detached from Christ. (It reminds me of the riddle, "What do you get if you cross an agnostic with a Jehovah's Witness? Answer: Someone who rings your doorbell for no particular reason.")

A recent series of articles in the Lutheran Witness magazine made this point clearly, detailing the testimony of church leaders before Congress regarding the impact of some public policy proposals on the conscience of believers. The testimony is deeply rooted precisely in the teachings of the Gospel. Apart from them, we are simply adrift, with nothing more than that shadow of Christianity which Kenda Creasy Dean has tagged "therapeutic moralistic deism".

Paul knew the importance of doctrine. The apostle who has given us the clearest references to grace in all the Scripture was clearly willing to go to the mat for it, if necessary. There is always the temptation to trim, to equivocate, to cut the Gospel message to fit the pattern imposed by the world around, compromised by sin and alienated from God. This way lies bondage and death, the death of the spirit. Paul, who would ultimately face martyrdom, reminds his protege that above all, even in the gravest circumstances, we must remain true to the teaching of and about Jesus Christ.

Lord, the temptations to compromise are strong. The world's temptations glitter and threaten to draw my eyes from you. The pressures of society, of friends, even of family are strong. Even the Church is not immune from attack from within. Keep me true, and resolutely oriented to You. And grant me, gentle Lord, the added grace to be gracious about it. Amen.


Prince Frederick, Maryland (Providence)