THURSDAY February 1st
1 Timothy 3:9
‘They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.’
In its context, this verse come into the list of qualifications for any who are called into the office of deacon or elder in the church, and of course we would agree, that one who holds office should be one who holds to the mystery of the faith, with a clear conscience, that is knowing that they are standing firm upon the doctrine of the Christian faith, not abusing it or misusing it.
Doctrine is so important, and not just to those called into leadership, but to each one who has come to know the Lord Jesus Christ and as a result have come to become a part of this wonderful church which he is building.
To hold the ‘mystery of the faith’, along with ‘with a clear conscience’ is to hold onto or to adhere to healthy doctrine.
I want to liken it to the need for us to live out those things that we believe, for example if we believe that godliness and good morality are part and parcel of the doctrine of our faith, then we should seek to live in a godly way and to live within healthy moral boundaries.
Doctrine does matter, and so does practise. That is the outworking in our lives of the very truths or doctrines that make up the faith which we have come to believe. So, good practise is not only important for those in positions of leadership, but for each one of us who make up the individual members of the church.
You may recall that recently I used an illustration of us taking the word of God as using it like a mirror, and as we read it, we need to see those things that are revealed in the word of God that should be a reflection in the outworking of our lives. That is how we can effectively hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience, for as we read the word and it challenges us in any or every area of our lives, we seek to make the adjustments required.
The word of God is living and powerful and ‘All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work’, 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
Are our lives a reflection of the word or of the world? Do we hold onto the mystery of the faith with a clear and a good conscience?