Last week I attended our Conference on “Church Planting & Evangelism” (sponsored by my church) the theme was “Contending for the Faith”. I was one of the morning speakers and challenged them with this thought:
Three things the Apostle Paul was contending for:
1. Knowing Jesus
2. The empowering presence of the Spirit
3. The furtherance of the gospel
Are these things that we should be contending for, and what else what you add to it?
August 22, 2010 at 10:10 am
And the pronouncement of the Kingdom – which might be absorbed into number 3.
August 22, 2010 at 12:03 pm
Jude 4 says it all: “For certain persons have crept in unnoticed (within the church), those who were long beforehand marked out (wrtten about) for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
The attack is both upon the real work and Atonement of Christ, and upon His true person! We have seen this in focus since even the 1st Nicaea Council. But now so much more in this our present postmodern time!
August 22, 2010 at 2:56 pm
I’d only add “resulting in holiness and a life lived in devotion to God” in parentheses after #2.
August 22, 2010 at 3:11 pm
Robert,
Great question (glad you blogged about it !), as w. Robert I’d fill in #1 with the orthodox Christology established in the creeds. I’d agree w. Nick that #2 should include holiness. And Stuart is correct that #3 should include the Kingdom, especially as relates to the essential eschatological vision of Christianity.
August 22, 2010 at 5:33 pm
I’ll add the true nature of the gospel and the inclusion of non-Jews.