'Epi-Agonize' For The Faith
(Fifth in a Series on "Obligations to the Truth")
In His trial before Pilate Jesus said, "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." If we, then, are of the truth, we not only hear the voice of our Lord and are willing to abide by it and in it, but we will strive to uphold, sustain, propagate, and defend the truth that he came to bear witness of in this world.
When one knows, believes, loves, and obeys the truth and has his heart purified by this process through the power of the truth, he is then obligated to spread that truth, uphold and maintain it, and contend for it. Moreover he is duty bound to give himself, his ability and his resources to help save others thereby. Too many people think that when they are saved by the truth that is the end of the matter. We must come to understand that obedience to the initial requirements of truth is but the beginning of a life devoted to it.
Paul said to Timothy, "Thou, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou has heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also, Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ." (II Timothy 2:1-3) The literal idea expressed in the words "commit thou" is "pass on the torch!" The idea is that someone has brought the truth to you or lit the torch in your own hand, therefore it is your obligation to light the torch in the hand of others. Christians not only live constantly in quest of a greater understanding of the truth but are also obligated to carry on a crusade in its behalf.
Paul again reminds Timothy, "Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel: whereunto I was appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.... Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us." (II Timothy 1:8-14)
And again he instructed his son in the Gospel, "Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." A right division of the word of truth involves the ability and determination to "divide unto each his due portion." The truth that is able to make men free must be taught and to each the truth that is needed to solve his problems, correct his life, and bright him into submission to the will of the Lord must be delivered. This is the obligation of every Christian to the full extent of his ability.
We must be careful not to teach and propagate anything but the truth. God's word is the standard. (John 17:17) If God has not said it, no man has the right to teach it. Perhaps the right of free speech in this country has led people to believe that they have the right to believe and teach in the name of the Lord anything just so we think it is the truth. God has forbidden men to teach anything but His Word. No man has the right under any circumstances to teach anything if the Lord and His Word does not teach it. To teach anything else is to violate the plain commandment of the Lord and condemn ourselves as well as those who hear and believe what we teach. We call attention to a number of passages in the word of God on this point.
"As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith, so do." (I Timothy 1:3-4)
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished upon the words of faith and good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained. " (I Timothy 4:1-6) It is easy to ascertain from this passage that those who "forbid to marry and command to abstain from meats", whether it be the Pope and his Cardinals or some other humanly created tribunal, are not nourished in the word of faith and good doctrine but are rather seducing spirits and emissaries of Satan. Remember, friends, that this is not our own judgment or the pronouncement of some man, but what the Spirit of God said about these matters. It must be the truth, therefore, or there is no truth to guide us.
"Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee." (I Timothy 4:16)
"But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness. And their word will eat as Both a canker; of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some." (II Timothy 2:16-18) To err concerning the truth is fatal.
"Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they be sound in the faith; not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth." (Titus 1:13-14)
Many other passages could be cited that emphasize the importance of our fidelity and steadfastness in upholding the truth and turning away from all of the doctrines and commandments of men. Whatever comes from man makes our religion vain in the sight of God. (Matthew 15:6-9) Human authority and philosophy makes void the cross of Christ and the will of God. (Matthew 21:23-27; I Corinthians 1:17-18) Paul warned the Colossians that "philosophy and vain deceit, after the traditions of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ" would make "spoil of them. (Colossians 2:8) In the Galatian letter, chapter one, verse eight, the same Apostle wrote, "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." This may be in the eyes of some, bigotry, narrow mindedness, or intolerance, but the Holy Spirit has said it and men may call it what they will, it is still the will and word of Almighty God.
"We are to 'contend earnestly' for the faith. (Jude 3) The Greek is - 'epi-agonize' - and it is the strongest word in any language, so far as we know, to express intensity of struggle. It occurs in the New Testament only here. We are to 'agonize' to enter the strait gate. (Matthew 7:13-14), but we are to 'epi-agonize' for the faith once for all delivered unto the saints.' This, then, is the supreme struggle of our existence. It is more important that 'the faith' be maintained than any thing else, yea, than even our own salvation as individuals. We are to 'agonize' for the latter but to 'epi-agonize' for the former. We are not to let error alone; we are to attack it with all our force and contend against it with all our strength. Of course, we must use no wrong means or methods, but our whole power should be exerted against error and in support of the truth. "--("Faith and the Faith") --T. T. Eaton.
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