SORO SOKE

Hi there! 

How are you this fine day? I pray that God will continue to be with you and guide you. 

Welcome to today's gist. 

There's this thing I always used to say until a few days ago; I always used to say that any argument on doctrine that is evidently a product of someone trying to 'show spiritual muscle', I no dey put mouth. So whenever I was in the vicinity with someone who was evidently peddling wrong doctrine, trying to cause unnecessary argument, I always made it a point to consciously steer away from such conversations, I'd always say "God go tell us who correct when we reach Heaven."

The rationale behind my actions was two-fold: I didn't have power to start arguing with people who obviously weren't in the argument to learn but to argue because they could; secondly, I would rely on 2 Timothy 2:23 where there is an instruction to abstain from baseless and meaningless arguments. In my mind, these people stating the rubbish know in their hearts that what they are saying is wrong, I do not need to converse with them first before they know. I felt justified in my decision to drink water and mind my business. 

Then a couple of days ago, I ran into a particular scripture (I've looked for it but I can't find it) where Paul was admonishing believers to correct wrong doctrine that some people may try to peddle among God's people. I honestly can't remember if it was Paul that said it like this or it was the Holy Spirit that ministered it to my heart, but I understood in that moment that my speaking out against wrong messages and doctrine is not because of the person peddling wrong doctrine, but for the sake of the person or persons who would be the audience to this peddler. 

When someone speaks a lie about God or His word and such wrong doctrine is not corrected, people listening to this lie may believe that the lie is the truth and use that lie to run their life. If I do not oppose wrong doctrine, the lives that hang in the balance, waiting for the truth may, very unfortunately, fall prey to such doctrine. I believe that this is part of the problem we have in the Church of Christ, we silently allow peddlers of false doctrine thrive and the result? We have a generation full of people who do not know God, we practice a washed down Christianity where it seems like we can mix God and everything else, good or bad, where anything seems to go so long as we're in Church on Sunday morning. 

If people must know the truth of God's word, then we who already know God's word must take the truth to the people; wherever we see people teaching wrong doctrine, we must very consciously speak the truth of God's word so that the audience really understand 'the good and perfect will of God.' If I do not correct wrong doctrine, then I am just as responsible for these people believing lies as the persons who peddled the lie. 

There's no place for keeping quiet, we must learn to speak the truth about God's word especially when someone is spreading lies. Am I asking you to go and fight? Of course not! All I am asking is that you correct wrong doctrine. 

There's a legal maxim that says "nemo day quod non habet" meaning "you cannot give what you do not have", so for you to actually be able to tell the truth about God's word, you must first have studied God's word yourself to know His truth, only then can you discern wrong doctrine and correct it. 

I really hope you've learnt a thing or two from my ramblings, and I pray that God will help you to be willing to stand firmly against wrong doctrine so that men will know the truth that sets free. 

See you next week!

Love,

Achenyo. 

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