The Aim of Our Charge Is Love

It is a pretty exciting day to come and preach to you all. If I am honest normally I am a bit nervous the first time I preach, but considering the reason for Drew asking me to fill in for him, I know many of you are distracted and far more interested in meeting someone else who is new. So that takes a bit of the burden off my shoulders.

There are a few of you that know me, but for the rest, hello, good morning, I am Tyler.

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3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. 5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

I have always felt awkward reading the letters of the New Testament. I mean you’re basically reading someone else’s mail, which means there is an intimacy and relationship that we are entering into. Now of all the New Testament letters, the letters penned to the churches are a bit easier because they were intended for a large group of people, so I feel less like an eavesdropper, but with 1 Timothy its a bit more personal. It is a letter from Timothy’s childless mentor. It is sort of like reading the correspondence between a father and son. In fact, Paul refers to Timothy as “his true child in the faith” in verse two. I am not sure if that has struck you as odd, but it is at least helpful to have the concept in mind as we enter into this text.

Further, it is helpful as well to understand the reason for Paul’s letter. Quite clearly, Paul, out of concern for his you protege, wants to warn Timothy about false doctrine and false teachers. The danger of theological error and those who promulgate it is mentioned in our text, early in the letter and the theme is sustained through out its entirety. Thus Paul:

Thus Paul “charges” Timothy to “[hold] faith and a good conscience” in 1:19.

“Charges” Timothy to “[hold] faith and a good conscience” in 1:19.

States his desire for peace in the church so that everyone possible can come to knowledge of the truth in 2:4.

Outlines the qualifications for leadership (those who would be tasked alongside Timothy with protecting the doctrine) in the church in chapter 3.

Warns against false teachers again in 4:1-5, and instructs Timothy on what to teach in order to protect his church from them in 4:6-16.

In chapter 5, he instructs Timothy on proper church order and some practical ministry advice in order to remain faithful and win favor with the congregation so as to give him more influence than potential false teachers.

He concludes with a third strong warning against the false teachers (6:2-10) and a final exhortation that Timothy himself ought to keep watch on his doctrine and life (6:11-21).

It is clear that the primary point of this letter is Paul’s concern that the church’s doctrine be protected. That is the objective of the letter, protect the doctrine. What I want to highlight today is not only that objective, but Paul’s motivation—love.

That is the objective of the letter

Objective—protect the doctrine.

Motive—love.

It appears to me that this tandem of protecting doctrine and aiming at love is critical for the church today. So let’s unpack this text and hear this challenge.

Explanation of the Text

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3 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine,

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It is not explained in the text and it appears difficult to fit into the framework of Acts, so it appears that sometime after the book of Acts ends Paul is released from prison and in some manner (either Timothy is with him or he instructs him through letter or a friend) Paul tells Timothy to remain in Ephesus, pastoring the church there. The purpose of such instruction is to protect the true doctrine concerning Christ by charging “certain persons” not to teach differently than what Paul has passed on to Timothy and the Ephesians.

It is not particularly clear what this different doctrine is that Paul fears Timothy will need to contend with, but Paul has some strong words for it through out the letter:

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4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.

Connected to sinful lifestyles and actions (1:10-11).

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murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.

Coming from deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons (4:1-2).

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depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared

And is out of accord with godliness and understanding in such a way that it will puff up the adherents (6:3-4)

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If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing

It is not particularly clear what this different doctrine is, but the text does indicate that such different doctrine is connected with myths and endless genealogies.

Further, in the text we are looking at this morning it is associated with myths and endless genealogies.

the text does indicate that such different doctrine is connected with myths and endless genealogies.

While “myth” too is a bit general of a description, the reference does appear occasionally in Paul’s writing:

In , Paul writes,

In our text Paul notes that the doctrinal errors that he is worried about is connected to myths and endless geneaologies.

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For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

And in , another protege of Paul’s is instructed saying:

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Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not devoting themselves to Jewish myths and the commands of people who turn away from the truth.

As well Peter clarifies (2 Pet 1:16):

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16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.

Notice that myth is consistently contrasted with the truth of the gospel.

Paul also includes a reference to “endless genealogies.” This phrase too is unclear. In preparing to teach on this passage I came across a number of interesting speculations about what this might mean, but it seems a bit hazardous to get into them considering “speculations” get a bad wrap in the next verse.

Paul writes that “the different doctrine”

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which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith.

So this new doctrine is spawning conversations, debates, and discussions about they are ungrounded. He describes the “certain persons” doing these speculations in verse six as having:

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have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

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wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

Their discussions are meaningless and though they desire to be teachers these meaningless hobby horses have kept them from gaining true understanding. In its place they simply make confident assertions.

ultimately meaningless things. What might be the problem with that? Can’t we talk about meaningless things? Yes. You can, but in a sense that is why you watch television and movies. So you can gather and talk about how great Endgame was or how disappointing the Last Jedi was. When we talk about the Bible, philosophy, and theology we ought to be aware though that our conversations should not be taken lightly.

I understand that there might be some confusion because “speculations” might not sound like such a bad thing, but remember that the speculations are connected to the teaching of “different doctrine” which Paul speaks of through out the letter as:

The sort of speculations Paul is referring to might seem harmless, but in truth there are certain theological avenues that if we walk down, we walk at our own peril. And if a leader walks down they will neglect their duty, just consider Paul’s contrast:

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By contrast Timothy is to focus on

Coming from deceitful spirits and the teachings of demons (4:1-2).

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depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2 through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared

And is out of accord with godliness and understanding in such a way that it will puff up the adherents (6:3-4)

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speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith

The speculations are a distraction from the stewardship of God’s church. For a leader to get distracted by such things will cause the neglect of the church. The flock of God, the bride of Christ, will be left vulnerable to false teachers. So Paul follows this up with why we protect right doctrine. Because we love.

When I read this passage I am reminded of a question I get asked frequently—did you enjoy seminary? Usually the question is couched in some kind of understanding that ministry and the Bible are practical, but that theology and philosophy are often superfluous debates.

The truth is I loved my time in graduate school and that most of the theology and philosophy I encountered was deeply practical, you might not have thought so at first, but as you looked at a fine point of theology you would see how its implications reached out to the church.

Paul wants Timothy to ground himself in that theology, in that doctrine, to teach it and to protect it.

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the stewardship from God that is by faith.

There is however that aspect of speculation too. One time I was struggling with an idea in a particularly difficult philosophy class. It was taught by a man considered one of the world’s leading Christian philosophers and apologists. And I decided to go to the professor’s office hours in order to ask him about it. As I am walking down the hall way to his office I can hear voices in a friendly back-and-forth. As I got to the door I saw my professor talking to another professor, also one of the worlds leading Christian philosophers and apologists and this is the portion of the conversation I heard:

“Yes Bill I grant you that, but you have to remember it is hard to take that claim seriously from you since you don’t believe in faces.”

the speculations are a distraction from the stewardship of God’s church. For a leader to get distracted by such things will cause the neglect of the church. The flock of God, the bride of Christ, will be left vulnerable to false teachers.

At this point my professor noticed me and invited me into their on going discussion. I declined the invitation pointing out that while I respected both of them, the last thing I needed while I was already wrestling with an idea from class was the additional question “should Christians believe in faces?” So to this day I don’t know what that comment meant nor what philosophical rabbit hole got them there. What I know is that if you are questioning the existence of faces you may have ventured into speculations that Paul would not have had the time for.

So Paul follows this up with why we protect right doctrine. Because we love.

It is key to notice why the speculations are troubling to Paul: they are not stewarding or managing the church of God which is their task and calling.

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The aim of our charge is love

What do we love?

God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Our brothers and sisters in the church who need to be reminded of the gospel and need the balm of God’s love for the bumps and bruises they endured throughout the week.

Our unsaved neighbors who will not meet the risen Lord Jesus in a sermon or Bible study or small group discussion that is off center from the gospel.

Our love...

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that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.

We love...

We love from...

A pure heart. That the core of who we are is cleansed by Christ and we are pursuing further transformation through God’s word by the power of the Spirit.

A good conscience. Our desires and motivations are free from selfishness and immorality.

A sincere faith. This whole Christian thing we do is not superficial nor cultural. It’s not because it is expected or because our family and friends are Christian. It’s not because Jesus makes people more moral. It’s not because Christianity is American. You can only truly love like Christ if you are being transformed by him. Your faith that he is the Son of God, the King and Creator, that he has lived, died, and resurrected must be sincere.

If it is not you are like those certain persons Paul was thinking about earlier.

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6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.

I think Paul has specific people in mind here. He will name some further on in the letter, but for now they are simply certain persons. And of them Paul says that they have swerved from having pure heart, good conscience, and a sincere faith. As such they cannot have the kind of love which Paul is referring to. The fountainhead of whatever it is that they would classify as love is different, so the stream of “love” which comes from it must too be different. So following the previously mentioned speculations they have wandered into useless discussions.

There is so much to say about these last few verses, so let’s spend a bit of time reflecting more deeply on them.

Protect the Doctrine

As I said earlier, the central point of the letter is the protection of sound doctrine, which Paul clearly connects to the good news of Jesus. This is Timothy’s charge, his objective.

Since I am currently at a church that is not my own I have the luxury of being able speak to your leaders as well. So for those of you here who not only call Santa Cruz Baptist Church your home, but also have felt called to lead be it as deacon, elder, small group leader, or any other post or position which carries with it authority and oversight hear me on this: Your job is to protect sound doctrine. So,

You must know sound doctrine, which is to say that you must know your Bible.

You must be able to present a case for what you believe, why you believe, and how it plays out in your life.

By the way that case should be stronger than feeling or mere sense. In Mormon theology they ask people to assess whether something is true by whether they sense a “burning in their bosom.” In our secular culture we ask if something “resonates with you.”

Your case should not be limited to the subjective. You can include the subjective, but your case ought to be grounded in objective truth. Jesus really did come, he really did die, he really did rise, and he really is at work in this world

In fact, based on what I encounter as a high school Bible teacher and a ministry leader working with 18-28ish year olds, I would say you want to be able to defend two major concept:

Is the Bible true.

Is the Bible good.

You must be able to spot deviations from sound doctrine and

You must have the courage to winsomely confront them in a manner appropriate to the deviation. Gentle where it is warranted and with the force of argument where it is warranted.

If you are not able to do these things, you must learn. If you are not willing to learn you ought not lead.

Accidental errors or confusion and questions are met with grace, truth, and love comparable to teaching someone the proper fundamentals of a sport. When I correct a friend on a misstep in their theology the voice I try and channel is a voice I heard from my older brother as we would practice baseball together. I remember my brother trying to teach me how to play catcher. He would gently correct:

Congregation you too have a role in this. You must see that the task of leadership falls to qualified men. If you call Santa Cruz Baptist Church your home church,

You must take responsibility to know your Bible and at least some basic elements of sound doctrine.

Try and move as little as possible and you’ll get more strikes called.

You must ask questions of those in seeking leadership.

As you close your glove quickly frame the ball in the strike zone.

Intentional errors must be met with more forcefulness. Not necessarily in tone, but certainly in biblical and theological evidence.

You must ask for clarity when you feel confused. Much false teaching is missed because it is stated vaguely or in technical jargon.

You must pray for your leaders. Ask God to give them strength and stamina, conviction and courage, and most, most, most importantly to be ever increasing in their love for Christ and commitment to his word.

So let us remember our calling to protect the sound doctrine. But let us not wander into mean- spiritedness, slander, or a general unloving attitude. For the aim of our charge is love.

Letting Jesus Define Love

Here we have to be careful not to get wrapped up in mere rhetoric. It can be so easy to say that we are acting out of love without thinking about what love requires and what love really looks like. In fact, I would not be surprised if we asked both the self-styled progressive Christian and the hyper-fundamentalist (you know the kind who ironically have forgotten the fundamentals of loving God and neighbor in favor of protests and diatribes against those they disagree with) about their motivations and discovered that they both traced the roots or their ministries to something they classified and defined as love.

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The aim of our charge is love

So we need to be careful, if you can picket a same-sex wedding and preform or attend one all in the name of love. Then our definition of love is too big to actually mean anything. And I want it to be meaningful when I tell my wife and kids that I love them. Moreover I want it to be meaningful when I tell people that I love Jesus and I believe Jesus loves them.

So we need to step back from the amorphous cultural definition of love. Let me give you an example of what I am talking about.

Every year at Easter one of my favorite journalists Nicholas Kristof, a columnist for the New York Times interviews a prominent Christian figure and asks some pretty hard hitting questions about the state of Christianity and their take on major issues in culture. The one major thing that the interviews have in common is the final question in which Kristof, in some way, shape, or form asks if he is a Christian.

This Easter Kristoff interviewed Serena Jones the president of Union Theological Seminary:

KRISTOF Happy Easter, Reverend Jones! To start, do you think of Easter as a literal flesh-and-blood resurrection? I have problems with that.

JONES When you look in the Gospels, the stories are all over the place. There’s no resurrection story in Mark, just an empty tomb. Those who claim to know whether or not it happened are kidding themselves. But that empty tomb symbolizes that the ultimate love in our lives cannot be crucified and killed.

Two thoughts:

If you don’t believe in a physical resurrection, then either there is no empty tomb or the tomb is empty because the body was destroy, stolen, or lost. In other words if there is no empty tomb then love can certainly be crucified and killed.

What does she mean by love? Of course you can’t crucify love it is an idea. But you can crucify the object of love.

Jones goes on in the interview to state:

“For me, the cross is an enactment of our human hatred. But what happens on Easter is the triumph of love in the midst of suffering. Isn’t that reason for hope?”

No it isn’t. If Easter is the triumph of love and the tomb still has the body of Christ in it then love incarnate has lost. He is dead.

Do you see what I mean by this concept of love that is meaningless rhetoric? In its place we need to let the scriptures define love.

If I turned to all of the passages about love we would be here all day. Now, while I don’t believe the scriptures lay out a specific definition of love (as it does for faith), I do think they give us enough information to get a picture of love. So let’s consider just a couple passages of the many we could look at:

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13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never ends.

Maybe one of the most well-know passages in the Bible, oft quoted at wedding ceremonies, . It tells us that:

Love supersedes much of what we would classify as miraculous.

Love is, in fact, is the virtue par excellance of the Christian faith.

Being loving is better than being a martyr. That might be something we need to hear today. Speaking personally, I find dying for my faith an easy concept to wrap my mind around. I struggle mightily to love my enemies. I take that back. I struggle mightily to love those who are inconvenient. I am not sure what to say about my enemies if I have any.

Much of the rest of this passage is straightforward, but I do want to highlight this before moving on. “it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.”

it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), .

Matthew 22:36-40

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36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

We see here that:

Love can be commanded

Love is the hook on which the entire Old Testament hangs.

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Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Again we see:

You can fall out of love, so we should strive to abide in love.

We abide in Christ’s love if we keep his commandments. In doing so we mirror how Christ kept the Father’s commandments.

Since the commandments enable us to abide in a mutual loving relationship with Christ, we can see that the commandments and the teachings of Christ are for our joy.

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19 We love because he first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Finally we see that:

Love flows from God. As such it cannot contradict God.

The love of God directs us to love others.

Do you see how just a careful reading of a few passages. My research found approximately 1000 uses of the word Love or a derivative. Imagine the sort of robust understanding if we looked at all 1000 uses. As well, do you see how the meaning of the word grows deeper in each passage? Do you see how love has a shape and form, it motivates and it necessitates certain actions? That is Christian love.

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mt 22:36–40.

On top of that, I tend to think that the cultural definition love is frequently used as a as a facade. We say that we are loving and accepting, but it appears to me that such pronouncements of love are often done so that we don’t have to actually love someone in a sacrificial manner.

Diet Love and Sweet Sacrifice

Diet Love of the New York Times

If you don’t mind me being controversial I will just use what I am seeing culturally and what I have seen in my ministry here in Santa Cruz. I have the honor of working with Dan Kimball in Vintage Faith Church’s college and young adults group. Our average has ranged (40-65) young people each Tuesday night over the past three years. Generally speaking there are usually only a few people (4-8) in the audience who are in committed dating relationships. Most would be “single” in terms of their relationship status. As well, generally two or three (that I am aware of) struggle with same-sex attraction.

Let me give this disclaimer. I am about to use same-sex attraction or homosexuality as an example. I want you to hear two things: first my criticism is for the leaders that authorize homosexual relationships because I think they are actually not loving same-sex attracted people well. Second, if you experience same-sex attraction, please do not hear this as condemnation of you. That is not my intention.

Here is what I have seen in culture. There is a consistent and increasing pressure on the church to licence people to act on same-sex attraction. However the churches moving that way are also struggling to build communities and combat loneliness.

It seems to me that many couples expect every social need they have to be met in marriage and family. So they may have had community when they were younger, but they begin to break a way from their friends when they meet a potential suitor and they begin to establish their isolated couple life. Imagine being same-sex attracted in such a church setting. As couples branch off and even if they begin to establish communities and small groups they are likely life-stage dependent (thus the single-same-sex attracted man loses his friends in his twenties, by his mid-thirties feels too old for the sorts of ministries in which other single people gather, and by his forties has probably lost hope in ever finding intimacy. How many read through the Bible in a Year programs don’t have you read on January 1st?

Love Requires Sacrifice

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18 Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”

So what do the culturally flexible churches do? They ask questions like

Why not let him get married?

Are we not perpetuating loneliness by forcing him to remain single?

Are we absolutely sure that the Bible is right about this?

For many churches sound doctrine has not been protected, thus these questions are basically answered before they are even asked. So they hang a rainbow flag and edit their website—but truly, where is the love? Let me tell you where it is not:

It is not with the opposite-sex attracted or same-sex attracted girl or guy called to a season or life of singleness. The church is often rightly criticized for making an idol out of marriage and the family, embracing same-sex marriage is just one more way we do that. Every time we imply that you are not complete without a spouse we through singles in our churches under the bus and we tempt them into relationships that may not be healthy. Marriage and family are great, but they are not sufficient or even necessary for joy.

Nor is it with the same-sex attracted person who has just been tempted to disobey Christ. Let’s remember again

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If the Bible calls homosexual activity a sin, which it does, then to participate in it challenges your love for Christ and robs you of joy.

Finally then, we can say neither is the love directed at Christ and the Father.

So where is the love? Since I have already ventured into controversy why not bring it home. Where is the love? It is on the self. When you authorize same-sex marriage, cohabitation, or any other sin that people partake of in order to alleviate loneliness, the only person you are loving is yourself because you appear to be unwilling to make sacrifices to love someone and show them the intimacy of friendship and family.

Let’s look at another example as we conclude:

Love, Gospel, and the NYT

Let’s return to the Kristof’s interview:

This Easter Kristoff interviewed Serena Jones the president of Union Theological Seminary. Here is how the interview ended:

I’ve asked this of other interviewees in this religion series: For someone like myself who is drawn to Jesus’ teaching but doesn’t believe in the virgin birth or the physical resurrection, what am I? Am I a Christian?

Well, you sound an awful lot like me, and I’m a Christian minister.

I often feel like we are in the middle of another reformation in a 500-year cycle. John Calvin and Martin Luther had no idea they were in the middle of a reformation, but they knew that church structures were breaking down, new forms of communication were emerging, new scientific discoveries were being made, new kinds of authorities and states and economic systems arising — all like this moment in time. This creates a spiritual crisis and a spiritual flexibility.

We are told that it is stronger than life and death, that God is all about love, that living a life of love is meaningful and true, and that the rejection of love is Hell. But where is love here, when Kristof point-blank gives this “minister” a chance to share with him the story of God’s love come to us in the person and work of king Jesus—who lives a perfect life, dies a substitutionary death, and is resurrected to new life as a sign that God has accepted Christ’s loving sacrifice at for the forgiveness of sins? Where is it?

No where to be found. In fact, in an extremely unloving act, her silent acceptance leaves Kristof in his sin. Compare her response to another one from a few years back.

Kristof: So where does that leave people like me? Am I a Christian? A Jesus follower? A secular Christian? Can I be a Christian while doubting the Resurrection?

Tim Keller: I wouldn’t draw any conclusion about an individual without talking to him or her at length. But, in general, if you don’t accept the Resurrection or other foundational beliefs as defined by the Apostles’ Creed, I’d say you are on the outside of the boundary.

And in a follow up:

What I admire most about Christianity is the amazing good work it inspires people to do around the world. But I’m troubled by the evangelical notion that people go to heaven only if they have a direct relationship with Jesus. Doesn’t that imply that billions of people — Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, Hindus — are consigned to hell because they grew up in non-Christian families around the world? That Gandhi is in hell?

Keller: The Bible makes categorical statements that you can’t be saved except through faith in Jesus (; ). I’m very sympathetic to your concerns, however, because this seems so exclusive and unfair. There are many views of this issue, so my thoughts on this cannot be considered the Christian response. But here they are:

You impl[ied] that really good people (e.g., Gandhi) should also be saved, not just Christians. The problem is that Christians do not believe anyone can be saved by being good. If you don’t come to God through faith in what Christ has done, you would be approaching on the basis of your own goodness. This would, ironically, actually be more exclusive and unfair, since so often those that we tend to think of as “bad” — the abusers, the haters, the feckless and selfish — have themselves often had abusive and brutal backgrounds.

Christians believe that it is those who admit their weakness and need for a savior who get salvation. If access to God is through the grace of Jesus, then anyone can receive eternal life instantly. This is why “born again” Christianity will always give hope and spread among the “wretched of the earth.”

I can imagine someone saying, “Well, why can’t God just accept everyone — universal salvation?” Then you create a different problem with fairness. It means God wouldn’t really care about injustice and evil.

There is still the question of fairness regarding people who have grown up away from any real exposure to Christianity. The Bible is clear about two things — that salvation must be through grace and faith in Christ, and that God is always fair and just in all his dealings. What it doesn’t directly tell us is exactly how both of those things can be true together. I don’t think it is insurmountable. Just because I can’t see a way doesn’t prove there cannot be any such way. If we have a God big enough to deserve being called God, then we have a God big enough to reconcile both justice and love.

That response was given by pastor and author Timothy Keller. He models well for us our charge to hold fast to sound doctrine for in doing so we take aim at being truly loving.

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