ORTHODOXY
Sometimes we preachers
use words the average person does not understand. It is not because we are
smarter than other people, but because we read books and articles that not all
people read. For example, how many people use the word "orthodoxy" in
their regular conversations? Preachers, theologians and seminary professors use
this word regularly. What does the word mean? The word "orthodoxy" is
derived from two Greek words, orthos, meaning straight or right,
and doxa, meaning opinion or belief. The word
"orthodoxy" literally means having the right opinion or the right
belief. The word has come to mean doctrines and practices that originated in
the teaching of Christ and of his apostles.
The noun orthos appears
two times in the New Testament and is translated "upright" (Acts
14:10) and "straight" (Heb. 12:13). The adverb orthos is
used four times. The word is translated "rightly" in the following
verse. "Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave
much. And he (Jesus) said unto him, You have judged rightly" (Lk. 7:43).
The word orthos is combined with the verb temno, meaning
to cut. Paul used the combination of those two Greek words in this well-known
passage. "Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman who needs
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (2 Tim. 2:15). The
expression, "rightly dividing," comes from the Greek word meaning to
cut straight. Ancient writers used the word to mean "plowing a straight
furrow." The Greek doxa appears 168 times in the New
Testament and is always rendered "glory."
The word
"orthodoxy" never appears in the King James Version of the Bible or
in any other version with which I am acquainted. But the New Testament
constantly emphasizes the absolute necessity of being orthodox. The apostle
Paul uses the term, "sound doctrine," instead of the word
"orthodoxy." Please listen to these verses from Paul's letters.
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but
after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching
ears" (2 Tim. 4:3). "But speak the things that become sound
doctrine" (Tit. 2:1). The Greek word translated "sound" or
"wholesome" means healthy.
You know, as well as I
do, that there are churches with the word "orthodox" in their names:
The Greek Orthodox Church, the Russian Orthodox, the Orthodox Presbyterian
Church and others. When a church adopts the title "orthodox," it is
telling the world that it follows the New Testament pattern of work and
worship. We know that not all churches that use the word "orthodox"
in their names teach the same doctrines and engage in the same practices. So
which one is truly orthodox? Or is any of the orthodox churches really
orthodox, that is, does anyone of the orthodox churches have the same
government, the same worship practices and the same plan of salvation of the
early church? I shall present the teaching of the Bible and allow you to make
up your mind based on the teaching of God's word.
But first let us take note of the use
of the word "orthodox" in modem writings.
Dr. Don Carson is an outstanding evangelical scholar. His
book, The Gagging of God:
Christianity Confronts Pluralism (Grand Rapids:
ZondervanPublishingHouse, 1996), in my opinion, is the very best book exposing
the errors of pluralism and
postmodernism.
In a footnote, Dr. Carson comments: "And in more
cynical moments, one wonders whether the pluralists think their commitment to
the proposition that there is no distinction between orthodoxy and heresy is
true. If not, then their commitment is merely the opinion of the interpretive
community constituted of pluralists; if so, then is the failure to believe it
heretical" (p. 175)?
One of the reasons I
chose this topic today is because of Brian McLaren's book, Generous
Orthodoxy (
incarnational + depressed-yet-hopeful +
emergent + unfinished Christian." These ideas raise a number of questions.
If the word "orthodoxy” means right belief, how can anyone be generous
with the right belief? Is not God the only one who has the right to be generous
with his word? If Brian McLaren entertains all of the beliefs he listed, does
that make him everything or nothing? How is it possible for one to be a
Calvinist and a Methodist or a liberal/conservative? Oddly enough, Brian
McLaren is not a theologian; he is an English teacher. You would think an
English teacher would not be so illogical in his use of words.
Brian McLaren is the
leading figure in the so-called "
"In his writing and in his
lecturing," his aim "is to explode the certainties that he feels has
controlled too much of the thinking of Western Christian people in the
past" (p. 30). Dr. Carson asks: "At what point does an 'orthodoxy'
that is more 'generous' than God's become heterodoxy? ... One can be biblically
unfaithful by being much narrower than Scripture; one can be biblically
unfaithful by being much broader than Scripture" (p. 208). If you are
concerned about the
Trying to define and
outline biblical orthodoxy in the remaining few minutes of this lesson is
impossible. But I must examine some of the great truths of New Testament Christianity.
Must we not have the right view of God-the biblical view? I shall read one
brief section from the great book of Psalms. David asks almighty God:
"Where shall I go from thy spirit? Or where shall I flee from thy
presence? If I ascend into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in Sheol,
behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the
uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right
hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me: even the
night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hides not from thee; but the
night shines as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike unto thee.
For thou hast possessed my inward parts: thou hast covered me in my mother's
womb. I will praise thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are
thy works; and that my soul knows right well. My substance was not hidden from
thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of
the earth. Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unformed; and in thy book
all my members were written, when as yet there was none of them. How precious
also are thy thoughts unto me, 0 God! How great is the sum of them" (Psa.
139:7-17)!
The apostle John says
concerning our Father in heaven: "God is love" (1 John 4:8, 16). Is
there any greater evidence of God's love than these well known words: "For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not
his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him
might be saved" (John 3: 16-17)? The Bible very plainly teaches that God
is eternal, all-powerful, all-wise, all-loving and always present. Any religion
or church that denies any of these attributes of God is not orthodox. It is not
the church of the New Testament.
Bible orthodoxy demands
a right view of Jesus Christ. Did you know there are cultic groups that deny
the preexistence of Christ? They believe and teach that Christ is a created
being-not the eternal Son of God. There are many passages that shed light on
who Jesus is and what he came into the world to accomplish-John 1, Colossians
1, Philippians 2 and others. But I shall concentrate on Hebrews 1. Please
listen to these words from that great chapter. "God, who at sundry times
and in divers manners spoke in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, has
in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all
things, by whom also he made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory,
and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of
his power, when had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of
the majesty on high" (Heb. 1: 1-3). I need to summarize the powerful
truths the Hebrew writer has discussed in these verses. Christ is our prophet,
our priest and our king. He is the Creator of the universe and holds it all
together. He is the divine sacrifice for the sins of the world.
Later in this same
chapter, God the Father said about Christ: "Thy throne, 0 God, is forever
and ever: a scepter of righteousness is the scepter of thy kingdom. Thou hast
loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, has
anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord, in
the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the
works of thy hands: they shall perish; but thou remainest; and they shall wax
old as does a garment; and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall
be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail" (Heb.
1:8-12). Did you take notice of the fact that God the Father called Christ
"God?" Not only that, but the Father said that Christ laid the foundation
of the earth. He is the One who started it all and the One who will bring it to
its ultimate conclusion.
In addition to these
beautiful and inspiring truths from Hebrews 1, I must point out that Christ is
our Savior and our supreme example. Over and over, New Testament writers called
Jesus Christ our Savior. The apostle Peter challenged his readers to add the
Christian graces-virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly
kindness and love. He then charged his readers: "Wherefore the rather,
brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if you do
these things, you shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be ministered unto
you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ" (2 Pet. 1: 5- 7, 10-11).
One of the most
remarkable events in the life of Christ was washing his disciples' feet. Can
you imagine what it would be like for the Creator and Sustainer of this world
to wash your feet? After Christ had washed the disciples' feet, he asked them
if they knew what he had done. He then explained: "You call me Master and
Lord: and you say well; for a so I am. If I then, you Lord and Master, have
washed you feet; you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given
you an example, that you should do as I have done unto you. Verily, verily, I
say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent
greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, happy are you if you do
them" (John 13:12-17).
There are members of some mainline
denominations and of some cultic groups who deny the personality and deity of
the Holy Spirit. They seem to believe that the Holy Spirit is a force rather
than a person. Is that what Jesus meant when he promised the apostles that he
would send the Holy Spirit to guide them? A careful reading of three chapters
in the gospel according to John-14, 15 and 16-should convince anyone that the
Holy Spirit is a person just as God the Father and Jesus Christ are persons. I
shall take time to read just three verses from John. "Nevertheless I tell
you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away,
the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto
you.... Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into
all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear,
that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. He shall glorify me:
for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you" (John 16:7, 13-14).
Did you notice the personal pronouns Christ used of the Holy Spirit?
But is the Holy Spirit
the third person in the Godhead? The language inspired writers use of the Holy
Spirit proves that he is deity. Do you remember what the apostle Peter asked
Ananias? "Why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and
to keep back part of the price of the land? While it remained, was it not your
own? After it was sold, was it not in your own power? Why have you conceived
this thing in your heart? You have not lied unto men, but unto God" (Acts
5:3-4). These verses teach that the Holy Spirit is God-not God the Father or
God the Son, but God the Holy Spirit. Lying to the Holy Spirit was lying to
God.
If one would be
orthodox, what must he believe regarding the Bible? Should he think of the
Bible as being inspired like Shakespeare, Milton and Tennyson? Or must he
believe that the scriptures came from the very mind of God? There is one thing
for sure: the writers of the Old Testament and of the New believed they were
speaking the very words of God. The prophet Jeremiah wrote: "Then the Lord
put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I
have put my words in your mouth" (Jer. 1:9). Similar observations can be
found throughout the writings of the Old Testament prophets.
In his book, The
Moral Teaching of Paul (Nashville: Abingdon, 1979), Dr. Victor Paul
Furnish, a professor of New Testament, Perkins School of Theology, Southern
Methodist University, denies that Paul believed he was writing scripture. Dr.
Furnish asserts: "It is important to recognize that Paul was not conscious
of contributing to scripture, of writing words that would be read and studied
for generations, even centuries to come. He was not writing for us.... Paul was
not writing 'timeless truths'" (pp. 15-17). There is a serious problem
with Dr. Furnish's views: They are inexcusably wrong. What did Paul mean when
he wrote to the Thessalonian Christians: "For this cause also thank we God
without ceasing, because, when you received the word of God which you heard of
us, you received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of
God, which effectually works also in you who believe" (1 Thess. 2:13)? The
same apostle affirmed that the scriptures were inspired of God, literally
God-breathed (2 Tim. 3: 16-17).
If one would be
orthodox, he must believe that the church is the very body of Christ, that one
must be a member of the church to be reconciled to God. Paul affirmed that “all scriptural blessings
are in Christ,” that is, in the church.
Or does the prepositional phrase, “in Christ,” mean in the
I have a final question
for you to consider. Is there an orthodox way of being saved from our alien
sins? If you listen to some preachers on radio and on television, you would get
the impression that the so-called "sinner's prayer" is the orthodox
way of being saved. But not one time in the book of Acts-the great book of
conversions-did any preacher ever tell anyone to repeat the sinner's prayer.
Should that not be an eye-opener for people who want to comply with the New
Testament's teaching? Why do not preachers tell alien sinners what Peter told
the believing Jews on Pentecost? Do they have something against the apostle
Peter or against his inspired command to the Jews?
I have said on this
radio program and say often from the pulpit that the record of the Ethiopian
eunuch's conversion is so simple no one should misunderstand it. The Ethiopian
was riding along in a chariot reading from Isaiah 53. "The place of the
scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and
like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so he opened not his mouth: in his
humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation?
For his life is taken from the earth" (Acts 8:32-33). The eunuch did not
know whom Isaiah had in mind. He asked Philip to explain. "Then Philip
opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture (Isa. 53:7-8), and preached
unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, the came unto a certain water:
and the eunuch said, See, here is water: what hinders me from being baptized"
(Acts 8:34-36)? Where did the eunuch learn about baptism? He did not learn it
from Isaiah 53. Is it possible that preaching Christ involved preaching
baptism? After all, did not Jesus tell his apostles: "Go therefore, and
teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit" (Mt. 28:19)?
Does orthodoxy demand
that one preach baptism for the remission of sins, as the apostle Peter
preached on the day of Pentecost? Orthodoxy demands that we preach the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
Winford Claiborne
The
International Gospel Hour
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