But when I saw that they were not maintaining a steady, straight course according to the Message, I spoke up to Peter in front of them all: "If you, a Jew, live like a non-Jew when you're not being observed by the watchdogs from Jerusalem, what right do you have to require non-Jews to conform to Jewish customs just to make a favorable impression on your old Jerusalem cronies?" (Galatians 2:13, The Message)
Paul used this real-life parable to demonstrate for the Galatians the actions that he was requiring of them. When Paul encountered heresy, he dealt with it directly and immediately. He took a great risk by appointing new believers to be elders of the Galatian churches as recorded in Acts 14:24. Knowing that he had to leave them so quickly, he certainly must have been concerned about doctrinal purity. However, he did not allow that to keep church planting from taking place in the cities where he preached the gospel. When he gave instructions to Timothy on selecting elders for the church at Ephesus, Paul encouraged him not to select recent converts to serve as elders, because they may "become conceited " (I Timothy 3:6 NIV). In Galatia, however, Paul had no choice. He had to trust these men and the Holy Spirit. Many pastors that I have talked to personally have allowed the fear of what may happen keep them from developing new leaders and releasing them to live sent. Paul's strategy was to preach the gospel, teach disciples, release leaders, and correct heresy whenever it cropped up. Paul dealt quickly and publicly with Peter when he led the Antioch disciples astray. He expected the Galatian elders to do the same in their churches.
Please don't let fear keep you from fulfilling your assignment. Jesus will not reward servants who bury their talents out of fear. Remember Jesus actually sent out Judas, knowing full well that he was a heretic. I don't think he would fault you for doing it accidentally. There have been many heretics since Judas and none of them have been able to wreck the movement that Jesus started.
4 comments:
There is a saying in the Organic Church Multiplying Movement that says, "The best solution to heresy in the church is not to have better-trained leaders in 'the pulpits', but better-trained people in 'the pews'."
I just started reading about this topic in today in chapter 11 of "Church 3.0" by Neil Cole. You can read more from Neil on this topic at the following URL:
http://www.cmaresources.org/node/205
Johathan,
I like that quote from Neil Cole. It is funny, though, many organic churches don't use pews.
We must trust more in the Holy Spirit and less in our own "management and training".
Paul was a major influence in the direction that Ephesus went. if you are in the area of Ephesus, I also recommend visiting the nearby house of the Virgin Mary. It was her last resting place.
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