Dangers of Being in a Church that Loves God's Word: #1 Forgetting the importance of reminders

God's Word is vital to our lives individually and as a body of believers (local church). And a church that loves and teaches God's Word accurately and on a regular basis is an unmitigated good thing. In fact, it is one of the marks of a healthy church. However, there are still dangers to watch out for. Every blessing and trial comes with its own potential dangers in this fallen world. In fact, it is often in great blessing that we find great temptations. The problems are not the blessings but our propensity to go astray.

So, are there any dangers to the unambigiously good gift of a church that loves God's Word? I would say there are some. Over the coming weeks I'll list several dangers.

Danger #1 Forgetting the importance of reminders
A church that loves God's Word usually is a church that loves to learn new things from God's Word. There is a potential danger here though. We can get to a point where we hear each sermon and Bible study as falling into the categories of "I already knew that," verses, "I learned something new."  We can then assume that the whole point of the teaching of the Word is to merely give us new information. We then define "getting something" from the message as "I learned something new." In other words, a good message is one which gives us new facts.

While we should learn new things often, that is not our only goal in hearing the Word or reading it. The Apostle Peter is clear that his teaching (even inscripturated, God-inspired teaching) aimed not only at teaching new things but at reminding believers of things they already knew.

Therefore I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have. I think it right, as long as I am in this body, to stir you up by way of reminder, since I know that the putting off of my body will be soon, as our Lord Jesus Christ made clear to me. And I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things. 2 Peter 1:12-15

He writes to "remind" believers of truths they already knew in order that he might stir them up to greater faith and the obedience it produces (2 Pet. 1:3-11).  It could be that we often "don't get anything out of the message" because we fail to see that our foolish hearts are prone to go astray and need constant reminding and exhortations and encouragements to run the race of faith (Heb. 3:12-13).

Advice on How to Face Hostility towards the Gospel

I hope and pray that as the semester is off to a start that you are finding opportunities to share the gospel with new friends and professors. As you seek to be faithful to speak the good news of Christ, you might (and at times will) find yourself facing hostility. Recently, I was reading in Spurgeon's Lectures to My Students" on the topic of a minister's conversation. As I read it, I noticed that what he said would apply to sharing the gospel in the face of hostility. He writes,

In all probability, sensible conversation will sometimes drift into controversy, and here many a good man runs upon a snag. The sensible minister will be particularly gentle in argument. He, above all men should not make the mistake of fancying that there is force in temper, and power in speaking angrily. A heathen who stood in a crowd in Calcutta, listening to a missionary disputing with a Brahmin, said he knew which was right though he did not understand the language- he know that he was in the wrong who lost his temper first. For the most part, that is a very accurate way of judging. Try to avoid debating with people. State your opinion and let them state theirs. If you see that a stick is crooked, and you want people to see how crooked it is, lay a straight rod down beside it; that will be quite enough. But if you are drawn into arguments, use very hard arguments and very soft words. Frequently you cannot convince a man by tugging at his reason, but you can persuade him by winning his affections.

The point is not to avoid using reason. Spurgeon used reason and made clear arguments. But, the point is that reason does not change those who "suppress the truth in unrighteousness."

Remember, your goal is not to protect your pride. Your goal is to put the gospel on display in word and deed. The powerful message of the gospel is best communicated by those who entrust themselves to God and do not seek to revile. In the classroom, remember that it is the professor's class. In humility seek to winsomely and accurately lay the straight gospel beside crooked philosophies of the world. Finally, don't forget to pray that God will open blinding eyes to see the beauty of himself in Jesus Christ.

Is Football an Idol?

Kevin DeYoung has a helpful article to help you evaluate whether or not you might have made football into an idol. Here are the bullet points:

1. Is ministry and worship on the Lord’s Day compromised by my allegiance to football on Saturday and Sunday?

2. Are my emotions all out whack?
... If the good news of Jesus’ resurrection can’t outweigh the bad news of your team’s minus 3 turnover differential you’ve got some heart work to do...

3. Can my conversation go deeper than football?