Contending For The Faith
Follow Sound Teaching
Galatians 4:9
But now after you have known God, or rather are
known by God, how is it that you turn again to the weak and beggarly elements,
to which you desire again to be in bondage?
NKJV
The Greek word for "sound" means to be well or in good health. It is, in a metaphorical sense, teaching that is free from any error. It is pure teaching, the Gospel of God as delivered by the prophets, by Jesus, and by the writers of the New Testament. Paul refers to this teaching as a pattern of sound words. These were the teachings of the Gospel of salvation and peace, of the kingdom of God.
In Galatians Paul writes about the worthless elemental things followed by men (Gal 4:9; Col 2:8, 20). These are the things of the world as opposed to the elements of sound teaching. The two should never be confused. Yet, today, some 2,000 years later, men are still following the elemental things of the world rather than the teachings of Christ.
In 1 Timothy, Paul admonishes Timothy to be ready to preach the Gospel, in season and out of season. This message carries over to all of us, as we should be prepared to always defend the beliefs which we hold so dear and true. Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. This is the single most important fact in all the universe for all time. We should be prepared to discuss, exhort, reflect, argue in favor of, and otherwise contend for this belief 110% of our time. When we, like Timothy, grow weak in the pursuit of delivering this message we can go to the same source as the young evangelist. We, too, may turn to the words of Paul (or Jude) for strength and encouragement. We may turn to the Bible!
We need to remember that as long as there are false teachers, there will be false doctrines.
Jude
18
They said to you, "In the last times there will
be people who laugh about God, following their own evil desires which
are against God." NCV
Peter 3:3
It is most important for you to understand what
will happen in the last days. People will laugh at you. They will live
doing the evil things they want to do. NCV
