Defend your Church from all false teaching

Two truths
There are two important truths I want to emphasize in this post. The first is that God loves us. And the second is that the Gospel is good news. These two truths are not only a wonderful support, but are also a wonderful defence against false teaching.

God loves us
Think about the greatest love you have ever experienced, whether it be from a mother, a father, a spouse, a child, or an animal. Keep it in mind, but now think, too, about the greatest love you have ever given, whether it be to a mother, a father, a spouse, a child, or an animal. Keep a hold of those thoughts of love in your mind, and in your heart for a while; really enjoy them; really appreciate them. It’s a good feeling, isn’t it?

Now consider that as good as those feelings of love are, as happy as they can make you feel, that our God loves you, and me, more even than that, much more. God loves us even more than the person who loves us the most.

The Gospel is good news
The literal translation of the word, “gospel”, is “good news”. Every authentic aspect of Christianity is good news. It’s important to remember that, it’s important to share it: Christianity, and the whole Gospel message is Good News!

Defence against false teaching
How can this help defend us, and the Church, against false teaching? Those two important truths can be used to test things against. We, and the Church, can use them as a test to discover if we’re understanding a Bible passage, or personal revelation, properly; by judging our interpretation by its fruits.

Since the most important fruit is love, we can ask ourselves, “When someone who loves me is loving me the most, would they act in this way?” And, since every authentic aspect of Christianity is good news, we can ask ourselves, “Is it good news?”

If the answers to these two questions are “Yes”, our understanding is probably right. But if either answer is “No”, then we probably need to look again at our interpretation, because it’s most likely wrong, coming from false teaching.

Lord God,
defend your Church from all false teaching
and give to your people knowledge of your truth,
that we may enjoy eternal life
in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Additional Collect for The Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

Enlarge our minds with the knowledge of your truth

Trinity Sunday is a good day to be praying for our minds to be enlarged with the knowledge of God’s truth. We need that to be able to attempt an understanding of the doctrine of the Trinity — one of the more complex doctrines of Christianity.

Trinity: one in three and three in one. We, Christians, believe that there is only one God. But that doesn’t mean that when God became man God was no longer in heaven, and that when Jesus died, God died.

Within the one God there are three beings/entities/people, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. It was God the Son who took on our human experience as Jesus. And at the same time God was reigning in heaven as God the Father. This same paradox continues even to this day. God the Father, and God the Son are in heaven, yet we can know them because God the Holy Spirit is with us now.

So how can God be one, and yet three at the same time. There have been numerous illustrations suggested to attempt to explain the Trinity. But, as with all these analogies, they fall short of the reality. One of my favourites, though, says that, “I am a father, a son and a husband, but that doesn’t mean that I’m three people, I am just one man! I have different relationships and roles with different people, but when I’m with my wife and am relating as a husband I’m still a father to my children and a son to my parents.”

I believe wholeheartedly in the doctrine of the Trinity; but, as you can probably tell, I’m pretty hopeless at explaining it. However, I’m not sure that that’s a bad thing. It’s right and proper that we should wrestle with these complex issues, enlarge our minds with the knowledge of God’s truth, but now is not the time to fully understand him, only believe in him. It’s one of the “mysteries” of our faith.

Holy God,
faithful and unchanging:
enlarge our minds with the knowledge of your truth,
and draw us more deeply into the mystery of your love,
that we may truly worship you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Additional Collect for Trinity Sunday
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council