In Light of the Trees

I don't own much gold but I've seen a field, a forest of it.

It isn't mine but it's as if it's been given to me

so I might feel rich enough that I will not covet.

But you know that I do, in light of the trees.

The dresses of the fields, as they prepare to wed,

the birds of the air, as they look for food and feast,

confused by man, as he sleeps and complains of his bed.

For we are covetous, not thankful in the least.

But we mustn't forget who gave us all our wealth

or Jealousy and Desire will lead us to our death,

for they are wicked mistresses. But they don't need stealth;

One grabs my hand, one my filthy heart, saying "we know best."

No. I will find wealth in riches that were never mine.

I'll find shame in my money, disgrace in my stock.

When I sleep and I am examined, may the Lord find

in my vault, my heart: the Savior, the Lamb, Eternal Rock.

The Importance of Doctrine

I am being discipled/mentored by a great man from my church. I could write a whole post about men who have inspired me, but that's not what I plan to do now. My point in bringing him up is that he suggested we start memorizing 1 Timothy. At 24, I still consider myself a young person in the church and akin to Timothy in that way. We are four verses in and I already have marveled at what God's word has for us, then and today.

It is easy to get distracted from what we must focus on. The good doctrines that Christ himself and the early disciples have taught. Even in the wake of Christ Jesus' death and resurrection, people wanted to distract from his doctrines. As Paul instructs Timothy:

 "... charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith."  

(1 Timothy 1:3b-4 ESV)

We see that so early in the Church's history and today, people were teaching different doctrines, myths, and other distractions. We see the danger of doing such things. We see the reason we should trust the original doctrine.

Is it not interesting how it seems that human nature never changes? The same issues Timothy had to deal with at Ephesus are the same issues we may deal with today. Many have tried to distract themselves and others with theories and conspiracies as to the way the world or God works. We try to divert ourselves with teachings contrary to, or outside of the Bible, theories of angels, demons, and heavenly creatures, and conspiracies of where Jesus' bloodline really came from. This is the same today as it was in Timothy's day.

Paul tells his true son in the faith that these practices will only lead to speculation. There is no firm evidence in them and they cannot be trusted! I think it is obvious what can happen when our faith is in something that is not solid. Anyone who has been saved by Christ's sacrifice has already experienced this. Our faith went from something weak and failing (ourselves, others, money, idols, etc) to something strong and unwavering (Christ Jesus, our hope). Why would we wonder from this rock to other unfounded claims? It truly is foolishness.

This is the reason we should trust the original doctrines: they have been given to us by God as a solid place to stand. He has given us this stewardship of the good doctrines to rely on and profess. We ought not be distracted by preachers telling us that we must exhibit X gift to be saved, distract ourselves with theories outside of Biblical text, or focus on bloodlines to find some new hidden truth. We have been given the Gospel: We are wicked sinners who need a savior, namely Jesus Christ, who lived, died, and rose again to pay our debts to a perfect God. This is the important doctrine, the good doctrine, that we must not be distracted from.

How sweet and important this truth is. Paul's warning to Timothy still stands to us today. Charge the church to not get distracted from the Gospel.