This term we’re looking at the letter of 1 Timothy, in which the Apostle Paul outlines for Timothy (and us) what a healthy church looks like. This series will look at things such as worship (Ch 2), leadership (Ch 3), ministry (Ch 4), social justice (Ch 5) and the Christian life (Ch 6). Yet where does one start when it comes to the health of a church? What does Ch 1 talk about?
Last week we heard that just like step 1 in CPR is to check the patient’s airway, step 1 in the health of a church is faithful teaching. In Ch 1 Paul ensures the airway of the Ephesian church is clear by focussing on sound doctrine. For if a church is being taught lies, nothing else will matter. Our worship, leadership, ministry or social justice will be constricted, if not defective, if we’re not doing them in accordance with the truths of God’s word.
Yet what is sound doctrine, according to Ch 1? It is the gospel of grace. Some in Ephesus had strayed from grace, to preach moralism; the notion that our standing before God is based on our present spiritual performance, rather than the gift of forgiveness through Christ. A church that understands grace will never look down on others because of their beliefs, mistakes or sins, for they know they are just as sinful, if not more so. A Christian that understands grace will not even judge themselves (1 Cor 4:3), or hide, minimise or try to justify their own sin. They will openly admit, alongside Paul, that they are the worst of sinners (1:15).
And this is what is taught every week at Earlwood Anglican, whether from the pulpit, in Bible studies, in youth group, or in our children’s programs. And while we must never take this for granted, as most churches in the world today do NOT preach grace, we can rest in the fact that our church has step 1 covered. Our airway is clear, for the Bible is taught faithfully at Earlwood Anglican every week. And for this we praise God.
