The Tribune

By MINISTER KEITH EVANS

There is a need recalibrate and re-adjust Biblical doctrines that are fundamentally Orthodox in today’s Church. The calls for word-of-faith teaching are growing, and with rapidity in a lot of our local churches.

Word of faith is a worldwide Protestant Christian movement which teaches that Christians can access the power of faith or fear through speech.

We should use our discretion here, weigh the pros and cons of such doctrines. Some indeed are contradictory in essence. The popular adages of this approach to faith include: “Name it; claim it”; “You’re coming out of this”; “This is your wow season”; and “Money cometh!”, just to name a few.

These are some of the clichéd sayings that have spread through the vast majority of churches today, much to my chagrin.

The Church must include within it structures that are sustainable and invaluable for all of us, and especially for new converts. However, if the Church acquires new teachings, it must be through Orthodox doctrine and in a systematic manner.

Hebrews 5:12-14 says: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

The writer here is emphasising to the believers the need for elementary sustenance in the word. We must be imbued with scripture in order to grow in grace, and in the knowledge of God. Too many Christians become chattel and unstable in the things of God by following man-made teachings and philosophies.

The collection of doctrines that the Bible describes is there for you and I to peruse from an exegetical perspective. Doctrines that concern themselves with redemption, regeneration, justification, sanctification and glorification are all indispensable and necessary for spiritual growth. There is a need to get back to Bible doctrines that are necessary to guide the Church constantly and progressively in a turbulent world.

John 8:31-32 states: “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in My word, then are ye My disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

The Greek word for “know” is ginōskosin; which is to know, to recognise, and to know personally. In other words, we as Christians must come to God’s word intimately, with daily perusal of Scripture. There’s no need to be tossed to and fro with miscellaneous and religious tautological claptrap.

I believe in the inspiration of the Bible, and it being God’s word. The Old Testament was written in Hebrew and Aramaic, and the New Testament in Koine Greek. Some may ask, how do you know that the Bible is God’s word and not the Quran or any other religious book considered authoritative? Well, you’d have to put those books to the test to see if they stand up to criticism.

Allow me to explain, there has to be internal consistency. The book of authority would have to have a literary style. There, indubitably, has to be archaeological evidence supporting the text; there has to be manuscript evidence. The Bible checks all these boxes.

2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

Now let’s look at the meat and potatoes of what I’m writing about: (Scripture; Romans 5:1) “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in Hope of the glory of God.”

Paul here is giving us a profound definition of justification. Justification is God’s actions pronouncing sinners righteous in His sight. It is a matter of our being forgiven and declared to have fulfilled all that God’s law requires of us. To put it in layman’s terms, God sees His son in you when you bow to His will in complete compliance.

Sanctification is another element in the administration of grace. 2 Corinthians 12:9: “And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

The power of God here is His grace on display in the life of the Apostle Paul. However, the subject here is sanctification, which is the continuing work of God in the life of the believer, making him actually holy. By “holy” is meant bearing an actual likeness of God. It is also a process by which one’s moral condition is brought into conformity with one’s status before God.

We come to the new birth or the doctrine of regeneration. Titus 3:4-6: “But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His Mercy He saved us, by washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.”

Regeneration is the life of God in the soul of man. The newness of life conferred upon and instilled within the believer. Jesus says, according to John 3:3: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

These are some of the essentials of the Christian faith. Scriptures that attest to the sovereignty of God, in His providence of His people. These are just some of the pivotal doctrines that must be taught and discussed within the Church.

The nonsensical regurgitation of new faith sayings is absolutely counterintuitive to the Church. They will only impede and inhibit the process of the believer in his or her growth in the faith. Too many are mimicking the superstar televangelists from the Christian networks. We are prone to repeat what they’re saying and not what the Scriptures are saying. Let’s get back to the fundamentals of the Bible and what it truly means to walk the road of faith.

• Message Keith Evans at kenazevans242@gmail.com or keithevans242@gmail.com.