Everything is Essential
Today, we frequently hear references to this idea:
In Essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.
The idea behind this statement has become the mantra and dominant influence among many who claim Christianity. This sentiment ultimately amounts to churches creating lists where doctrine is divided between “essentials” (points of fellowship with others) and “non-essentials” (those things where diversity/liberty of opinion is allowed). The goals are to create an environment of charity where churches feel they have room to grow in their understanding of Scripture and to facilitate advancement of the kingdom in unity. However, the result that is produced is just the opposite.
Rather than continuing to pursue growth and the understanding of truth in the areas of diversity, churches become inclined to teach or think about only those things in the “essentials” category. A bigger problem however, is that such a list also creates a delineation as it relates to the Gospel. The so-called essentials represent the bare minimum a Christian must obey if they are to enter heaven; whereas the non-essentials—are just that—things not necessary for salvation. The essentials v non-essentials is a Gospel issue.
However, God has not created such a list. There is no separation of essentials and non-essentials in Scripture. A sound believer accepts that if God saw fit to reveal it, He expects Christians to obey it. Nowhere in Scripture do we find “optional” commands, in fact, we find the exact opposite:
Deuteronomy 29:29: “The revealed things are for you and for your children.” This is the closest that we come to a list of non-essentials. The non-essentials are contained in the truth that has NOT been revealed. Everything that has been revealed is essential, revelation establishes obligation.
2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” If all Scripture is inspired, profitable and necessary for the man of God to be adequate and equipped for every good work, is it not essential?
Romans 15:4: “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Not part of what was written, not some, not most, but everything that was written was for our instruction.
Matthew 28:19-20: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.” According to Jesus Christ, discipleship is defined as obedience (observance) to all (not some) of God’s commands. Again, everything is essential!
All of the word of God is important and God’s people need all of it. A sound church is determined to not set people in the broad way, the way populated by those who do not obey all that Christ has commanded (Matthew 7:13). Jesus himself recognized that there will be a large number of people who claim the name of Christ but who also segregated Scripture into essentials and non-essentials. He foretold that at the future judgment, there will be many who cry out, “Lord, Lord”, but who are then condemned. These individuals might have followed the commands that they thought to be essential, but in the end, they do not inherit eternal life because they did not do all “the will of the Father”. In other words, they practiced “lawlessness” in the areas that were deemed to be “non-essentials” (Matthew 7:21-23).
This is why the issue of church membership is so important. Hebrews 10 says that we are not to be, “forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some…for if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins…” Does this not teach church attendance as not only a command but also one which will determine our eternal state—yet how many have church membership on their “essentials list”? Does this not prove (along with a whole host of other commands which seem to never darken the doorway of such lists, i.e. 1 Timothy 5:8) that nothing can be taken for granted – that all of God’s commands are essential – essential to the Gospel – the true Gospel that demands complete obedience to Jesus as Lord?
Let us therefore not turn to the right or to the left, or be so arrogant as to think that we can treat as secondary what God has made primary – which is all of His Word. Hellfire and eternal separation from God is on the line and we must do exactly as He says! 2 Peter 1:3: “His divine power has granted us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”
All is essential, all is the Word, all is authoritative and all is needed if we are to be found as true Christ followers on that great day when we stand before His throne.
photo: ryk_neething
Wednesday, July 13th 2011 at 4:37 pm |
I am amazed at the deep level of teaching in our church. Recently my eyes were opened that even in Paul’s salutation in Titus 1:1-4 we find deep truth and sound doctrine, Essential Truths in something most people skip over. For example:
1) The Missionary exists for the elect, not for the non-elect and therefore Missions also exist for the elect and for shepherding sheep and not for herding goats.
2) The Missionary exists for the knowledge of the truth, and the truth produces Godliness. The flip side is false teaching will not produce Godliness.
There is much more packed into those four verses but these two things stood out because I had skipped over it so many times.
Thursday, July 21st 2011 at 12:01 am |
Missions and missionaries have nothing to do with “shepherding sheep” or “not… herding goats” (where did this idea come from? Matthew 25:31-46?)!
They exist to bring the message of the (real) gospel to the lost (the perishing, the condemned, which we all were at one point, Eph. 2:1-3,12; Gal. 3:7 — yes, we were all “goats”).
This response/comment is NOT the result of “deep teaching” (or deep learning!).
The local church’s role, and the elders in particular, is to shepherd the sheep.
Thursday, July 21st 2011 at 9:39 am |
Ron, you seem to contradict yourself in your comment – unless you are drawing a distinction between elder/pastors and missionaries. Are you saying that the job of a pastor is to sheep (elect), while that of a missionary is to goats (non-elect)?
Thursday, July 21st 2011 at 11:11 pm |
Joshua,
Yes, the only logical conclusion from my comment would be that there is a distinction between the two roles.
Of course, that is not to say there often isn’t some ‘blurring’ of the line… missionaries certainly do pastoral work, while pastors/elders often are ‘missionaries’ in their own locale. However, the main ‘mission statement,’ if you will, of the two are very distinct, as I indicated in my original comment. The pastor is a “shepherd” to the sheep at home, while the missionary is sent (by God) to bring the message of salvation (the gospel) to the lost (and that could be anywhere).
You have missed the main point of my comment though… there is no such idea in the NT as “herding goats.” That concept is not even found in the passage I referred to (or anywhere else in the NT I might add).
So I question the source of this ‘idea,’ for it is definitely not found in Scripture.
Friday, July 22nd 2011 at 9:59 am |
I agree that the idea of “herding goats” might not explicitly appear in the NT. That is why it is important for shepherds/pastor/elder and missionaries to “endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen” as Paul writes in 2Timothy 2:10. There is no benefit to be gained by making the true Gospel attractive to individuals who are “goats”. Obviously, only God knows who is a sheep and who is a goat, so we must be faithful in presenting the Gospel to everyone.
Friday, July 22nd 2011 at 6:26 pm |
OK, thanks for clearing that up for me, although I might add that the concept of “herding goats” is not found explicitly or even *implicitly* in the NT. The idea is that there are those that are His (the sheep), and when they hear the True Shepherd’s voice, they will hear Him. (John 10)
I agree with your comment about no benefit in making the gospel ‘attractive’… in fact, if one is true to the gospel message, making it attractive is impossible. The gospel will prove to be offensive to most of the ‘unregenerate.’