Continuing through the 2006 Together for the Gospel messages (as compiled in Preaching the Cross), we come to a message of extreme importance from C. J. Mahaney: Watch Your Life and Doctrine. Citing 1 Timothy 4:16, Mahaney reiterates the importance of sound doctrine. Then he moves into the other half of the message with words of warning. This warning, though aimed at pastors, is surely applicable to us all.
[W]e can often forget that a knowledge of Scripture alone is not sufficient. Of course, James won’t let us forget that we must “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). This verse tells us that apart from obedience, knowledge can be deceptive. This puts an interesting twist on some of the favorite activities of good evangelical pastors: attending ministerial conferences, listening to sermons, and reading doctrinally sound books. All such activities afford us the opportunity for serious progress in personal godliness and ministry effectiveness. Yet each one can also be an instrument of progressive self-deception.
. . . please understand: according to James, of you consume truth without applying truth, you risk the false and dangerous impression that spiritual growth was achieved without application. But it never is—never. We must be ever wary of the self-deception of which James speaks. Let’s recognize limitations of sound doctrine, and make the practice of truth a daily priority. Never stop watching your life.—C. J. Mahaney, Preaching the Cross (Crossway, 2007), 120–121.
Preaching the Cross is a collection of messages from the 2006 Together for the Gospel Conference. You can download the entire message from which today’s quote was taken here.
TrackBack URL: http://www.thirstytheologian.com/mt/mt-tb.cgi/1477
Share this post:
Posted in: Preaching the Cross · Spiritual Warfare
Link · 0 TrackBacks
← Previous · Home · Next →
Comments on this post are closed. If you have a question or comment concerning this post, feel free to email us.