To Whom Shall We Go?

The title question of this article is something I have wished to write about for some time. Our church is celebrating its 50th anniversary of ministry this Sunday and I felt this was a good time to share some thoughts on this matter. The theme of our anniversary is "Celebrating 50 years of holding forth the Word of Life". In this article I hope to convey what I believe to be the privilege, responsibility and necessity of doing just that, "holding forth the Word of Life".

As I considered the matter for which I felt the Lord was putting on my heart to write about, the Helper reminded me of the words spoken by the Apostle Peter in response to a question that Jesus had asked His disciples. In John 6 we find the Apostle John describing the decision by many of Jesus' disciples to withdraw from Him and stop walking with Him any longer. In verse 67 Jesus asked this pointed question of the twelve; "You do not want to go away also, do you?" In the following verse Peter's response to the Lord's question is recorded for us. "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life." Oh that the Church would have this same response today! Where would we go but to Jesus. I fear that we live at a time when members of the body of Christ are quick to go everywhere but to Jesus and His words of eternal life. Believers struggle to find a local church to attend that preaches Christ, holds fast to the gospel of grace and has a concern for the purity of doctrine, rightly dividing the word of truth and teaching the whole counsel of God's word.

Yes, the Church finds itself in a struggle to endure sound doctrine. To be sure, some desire the pure milk of the word. But make no mistake, as the Apostle Paul warned Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:3, a large number of our congregations want to have their "ears tickled" and have accumulated “for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires”. I’m not suggesting that this is new or a surprise, but I am suggesting that it is a matter of great importance to the Church today. Along with Paul's warning to Timothy, he also gave him (and us) the correct response to this problem. In 2 Timothy 4:2 Paul urged Timothy to "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction." It would seem that the Church is faced with the same decision that Timothy had to make. We must preach the word, reprove, rebuke and exhort with great patience and instruction, or not. The former will be to our edification and His glory while the latter will be to our detriment.

I appreciate the principle found in the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth. In verses 22-23 of the 1st chapter, Paul wrote that the Jews asked for signs and the Greeks searched for wisdom. But neither of these two groups would get what they wanted. God desired to impart to them something of greater value. They would be given that which they needed. Paul and those who served with him would tell them of Christ and Him crucified. Our bibles are full of truths that we need to hear time and time again. The flesh may not wish to hear these truths but they must be proclaimed regardless.

We are truly living at a time in Church history when Paul's prophetic words to Timothy seem so descriptive of what we see happening in our churches. But we must preach the word. We must “reprove, rebuke and exhort with great patience and instruction". To do otherwise would dishonor the One who put us into service and be unfruitful and harmful for the body of Christ. As "servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God" we have an obligation to "stand firm and hold to the traditions" which we have been taught. 1 Corinthians 4:2 says that "it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy" and we are "stewards of the manifold grace of God".

The scripture reveals to us a close relationship between the Apostle Paul and Timothy. Paul referred to him as his "beloved son" and "his true child in the faith". He told the Philippians that he had "no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned" for their welfare. When inspired to write his second letter to Timothy, the apostle wrote some very strong words to him. He challenged Timothy not to be ashamed of the testimony of the Lord or of Paul himself. He spoke of Timothy's need to "kindle afresh the gift of God" which was in him. The letter included many things that may have been difficult for Timothy to hear. But they were necessary and although "God breathed", they were written out of love for Timothy and love for Christ and His Church.

In Paul's first letter to the Corinthian church, we see that he was inspired to write words that would be used by God to cause them sorrow. In 2 Corinthians 7:8-9, in reference to the first letter, Paul wrote, "For though I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it; though I did regret it--for I see that that letter caused you sorrow, though only for a while. I now rejoice, not that you were made sorrowful, but that you were made sorrowful to the point of repentance; for you were made sorrowful according to the will of God, so that you might not suffer loss in anything through us." Godly sorrow brought about by the word of truth resulted in repentance and a church getting right with God. This was not an ear tickling letter. It contained words that were not easy for the writer to pen or the reader to receive. But they were necessary for God’s purpose in edification.

I must take a few moments to address this matter of tickled ears. Webster's defines “tickle” with some of the following words; to excite or stir up agreeably, to touch as a body part lightly so as to excite the surface nerves, to provoke to laughter or merriment. The desire to have one's ears tickled is of the flesh and not the Spirit. It is the desire of those acting as a "mere men", seeking that which will tickle their ears but not go beyond the surface. In Romans 12:2 we are admonished to not be conformed to the world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This comes through the unadulterated word of God. Preaching and teaching that simply tickles the ear has no power to renew minds and transform lives.

Tickling suggests a surface level activity that only affects the outer nerves. Those who find themselves wanting to have their ears tickled will find that it results in a surface level relationship with the Savior. The scripture suggests that those who wish to have their ears tickled will find no shortage of teachers willing to tell them things that will appeal to this unholy desire and draw them away from the power of His precious word. Oftentimes, perversions of the gospel, a loss of focus on the power of His cross, His blood and our need to "be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus" seems to follow. An ambition of the Apostle Paul's, that we should share also, was to "know Him and the power of His resurrection". Words that tickle the ear would not have helped Paul in this pursuit. And it will not help you and I in our desire to know Him better.

As for the teachers who are ready and willing to tickle the ears of God's people, I will say this. I believe that some are teachers that were given by God to His Church for its edification who have not handled accurately the word of truth or who have wandered from the faith. Some to be sure are false teachers altogether. I’m concerned that many who stand in the pulpits of our churches and many who occupy teaching and other leadership positions, do so according to the will of men and not the will of God. This is a very serious matter for the body of Christ. On any given Sunday morning, men and women will stand in roles of authority, declaring “thus saith the Lord” when the Lord has not said it.

As mentioned already, the answer for those wishing to have their ears tickled is to preach the word. Consider the sharp contrast that we find in Hebrews 4:12 where we read, "For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart". This is what the believer needs. We need that which can go deep to the heart and soul to conform us to the image of Christ. This is the opposite of the teaching that only tickles the ear, without the power to penetrate as God purposes in His word to do.

Oh that God's Church and those in its pulpits would preach the word. We need the word of truth which is "living and active and sharper that any two edged sword", changing the lives of those who humbly receive it. Members of The Way need to reject the empty and powerless preaching and teaching that tickles the ear and surrender to the power of the word of truth. We still need to hear the words written to the Romans, the Corinthians, the Galatians, the Ephesians, the Philippians, the Colossians, the Thessalonians and the Hebrews. We need to hear the words written to Timothy, Titus and Philemon. We need the words of James, John, Peter and Jude. If we do not echo Peter's words, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life", to whom will we go?

Are you subjecting yourself to the word that is able to pierce "as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart"? Or have you found yourself attempting to be satisfied with having your ears tickled? Is the leadership in your church accurately handling the word of truth? Is Christ being preached? Is the whole counsel of God being taught. Is grace the song of your hearts or is it being perverted and abandoned? I believe these are important questions to consider.

Father, help us to love the One who "has words of eternal life". Help us to have a passion for the Lord Jesus, the living Word and to have a love and hunger for His written word. We ask for your guidance and direction in being good stewards of the words of eternal life. Help us to handle it accurately and preach it passionately. Help us to reject the fleshly desire to have our ears tickled. As the apostle Paul instructed Timothy, help us to preach the word, reprove, rebuke and exhort, with great patience and instruction. For those who have strayed from the faith; for those who have erred from sound teaching; for those who have found themselves caught up in the scheme of ear tickling, both teachers and hearers, we ask that you would intervene in a manner that brings glory to your Son. Thank you for Lewis and Clark Bible Church. By your grace and your mercy, help us to continue “holding forth the Word of Life”.