The Church always being reformed

 

Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. John 17:17 ESV

            These words come from the high priestly prayer of our Lord the Christ, and express His desire and aspiration for the whole Church. Here He wishes the Church to be brought into perfection, by perfect alignment with the word of God that is the Bible. God’s word is absolute truth, unchanging (Psalm 119:89), and effective (Isaiah 55:11). It is therefore a firm foundation, steady and unmoving, consistent throughout the ages. At the same time, it is able without any adjustment to answer the challenges of humanity in all seasons. It is thus the perfect standard to which we must adhere.

            The difficulty is that men like to form their own foundations, and to adjust the dimensions of the buildings to suit there own ideas, for as it is said throughout the book of Proverbs, “There is a way that seems right to a man,” and so men go about in their own way making changes for the sake of change. Such men misappropriate the work of the true reformers, abusing their ideas and actions as justification for the very things the reformers were protesting in their reforms. Indeed, the reform did not form anything new, or proclaim any new revelation; rather they reformed based on what had been once and for all delivered to the saints. The hearts of men are wicked, and their vision clouded so that we see only through a glass dimly. And so, when we abandon the firm foundation of the scriptures, we will find ourselves heading for destructions. This is why Paul in 2 Timothy continually urges the centrality, and sufficiency of scripture in all ministry, and the perpetuation of these tenets from generation to generation; from teacher to teacher.

            Against the ever-pressing winds of change, the tides of those with itchy ears, and all the forces that would sway us from the sure and safe, satisfactory and sufficient Word of God we must be ecclesia semper reformada est, the church which is ever being reformed. Reformed by God according to His word, and this within the hearts of the churches. And this is not the formation of human minds, nor a merely human desire; but in it is the echo of the words and desire of our Lord still carried out to this day that we should be sanctified in truth.

Prayer

            Our Father have Your way within Your churches, that the desire of our Lord be carried out as we are sanctified in the truth, Your word is truth. We thank You for the faithfulness and love You show us in this. To Your glory alone we ask this. In the name of Christ, we pray. Amen.

Songs

The church’s one foundation

Speak O Lord

Lo the storms of life are breaking

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