Daily Companion  | 20 November

ENDURE SOUND DOCTRINE

" Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 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; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." - 2 Timothy 4:2-4

Sound doctrine is the pure doctrine of truth. Being sound means being healthy or taking the original status without defects. It is the original faith that was once delivered to the saints (apostles) to us. It is the undiluted word of God: the unadulterated teachings from the gospels. 

To endure the sound doctrine, it takes efforts and sacrifices. It is "choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. It is esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures" in this world ( Hebrews 11:25-26). Enduring sound doctrine is enduring the hard sayings.

The sound doctrine may be the bitter truth you to enduringly chew. Preachers of sound doctrine may be seen as often 'harsh' atimes. Sound doctrine is like a two-edged sword whose pain needs to be endured when it pierces the bone marrow. If your pastor or teacher of the word of God is preacher of sound doctrine, cherish him. And you need to encourage him by obeying the truth,  and preaching the word constantly (in season and out season). The gospel of Christ risks falsehoods, distortion and finally extinction if we fail to propagate to the sound doctrine. 

The times that were predicted by the Apostles are here. The perilous times, the time when people will not endure sound doctrine of holiness and righteous living; a time when fables will feel most of the messages from the altar, and a time when the social media space will be dominated by sermons of lies rather than of truth. 

Beloved, anyone who holds not the sound doctrine cannot live a sound spiritual life and will not hear the the last trumpet sound. Only the truth will last. Lies and fables have a short life. Soothsayers on the pulpit today will not do you eternally good but they rather smile to the bank every day as they make merchandise of the gospel. Beware of them!

Today’s Recite: "But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry."  - 2 Timothy 4:5

Today’s Morning Prayer: O Lord God, I thank you for today's reminder of sound doctrine. Keep me in your truth. I need Your grace to keep and transfer the truth to generations after me through the work of an evangelist. I renounce lust for false teachers. For in Jesus name I pray. Amen!

Today’s Hymn: OLD RUGGED CROSS  

Today's ReadMe: 2 Timothy 4