Befitting Sound Doctrine

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God 

I’m teaching through Titus in the church I pastor. We’ve been into it about twenty-two weeks now. One of my Bible readings this morning was from Titus chapter two. I was reminded of something that Paul said to Titus, his apostolic representative on the island of Crete. He told Titus to speak things which befit sound doctrine.

Would you agree with me that sound doctrine is, well, sound doctrine? I’m not trying to be funny here. It’s just that a lot of the stuff I hear coming from the mouths of some preachers is far from sound, and far from biblical doctrine. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt that they are trying to be relevant in communicating the true Gospel of Christ, but in their attempt to do so, they have diluted the message. 

Perhaps they don’t want to seem to harsh or make it sound that God is “unfair.” A woman called me once after hearing one of my sermons from a CD. She went on and on about how I wasn’t inclusive of all religious thoughts. Then came those dreaded words, “You’re too much of a hater for my taste!” 

I’m not a hater. I’m simply a messenger! Friends, we must try our best not to distort the Gospel for the sake of palatability, which may end up leading people to believe the wrong things. We mustn’t allow a pursuit of relevance to compromise the proclamation of biblical truth.

Do we need to be relevant? Sure, but not at the cost of compromise! If people are going to stumble, let it be for the message of the Gospel. Let the Bible speak for itself and do its work in the hearts of people. Let’s take up Paul’s challenge to Timothy, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction” [2 Timothy 4.2].

But as for you, speak the things which are befitting sound doctrine. Titus 2.1