Quote from Forum Archives on November 18, 2003, 9:42 am

Posted by: bhfbc <bhfbc@...>

THE COLLINEAR FACTOR
November 16, 2003

Text: Titus 3:1-11

I remember a math concept I was introduced to in seventh grade. My math
teacher explained to the class what “collinear” (KOH-linear) meant.
That’s how he pronounced it: “KOH-linear.” Now I would have accepted
that, if it had not been that the books we were using contained the
pronunciation guide next to each new math word, just like in a
dictionary. Since I was also in an English class and had been taught how
to decipher those pronunciation marks, I readily recognized that my math
teacher was mispronouncing the word. It was not “KOH-linear,” as he had
been saying. The correct pronunciation is “kuh-LIN-yer.” So, being the
dutiful student that I was, I felt obligated to make this obvious error
known to him. I did one day in class. I don’t think he appreciated it all
that much. His response, as I best recall, was, “I know I haven’t been
saying it right. I was saying ‘KOH-linear’ to emphasize it and make my
point.” But he did start using “kuh-LIN-yer” after that.

At some point in time, of course, a test was given over new material
learned. It included a section requiring us to define mathematical terms;
one of those terms was collinear. I missed it. After the fuss I had
raised about pronouncing the word, I missed it. And, in front of the
whole class, he let me know I missed it. I was quite embarrassed. Believe
me, to this day, I know what collinear means. If you have three or more
points through which you can draw a straight line, those points are said
to be collinear. Or “KOH-linear.”

But my point this morning is not to discuss math or English. It is to
share about God’s Word, the Bible. Even though I was right about how to
pronounce collinear, I totally missed the point. If I could not apply it
properly to any given mathematical situation in my class, then it did not
matter how proper I was with its pronunciation. Isn’t it strange how
right yet how wrong a person can be sometimes?

On the Christian calendar that I use, this is Bible Sunday, which is what
got me thinking about all this in the first place. For centuries since
early Church councils collected the manuscripts and, led by the Holy
Spirit, determined which were to be legitimately referred to as God’s
Word, the Bible has been esteemed and defended by Christians around the
world. We know this, because you and I are among the many Christians who
regard the Bible as God’s Word. It is authoritative; it is truth; it is
life-giving; it is holy; it is the voice of God speaking to the world
today. The writers of the Bible, from the earliest time, were inspired
and led by God to collect His words, commands, blessings, and history for
all generations to receive. Yet, in spite of how much we cherish and
guard and defend the Bible as God’s truth, we all run a very grave risk
of disobedience if we are not careful. I call this the “collinear
factor.” Just like I missed the point in my math class those many years
ago by not being able to apply what I was supposed to be learning, I miss
the point today if I am so busily defending the Bible and defending
meticulously correct Biblically-derived doctrine but then fail to do what
the Bible teaches. I can still be so right and so wrong at the same time.

Now this is not an easy lesson for me to learn, much less to have to
preach. I am particular; I am meticulous; I am precise in my Biblical
studies. I believe that questionable doctrine should be studied and, if
necessary, confronted. If a message or doctrine is contrary to Scripture,
it should be labeled “false.” It is legitimate to do so. For instance, as
we approach the celebration of the birth of the Christ-child, I will be
reminded that there are some - ordained ministers included - who do not
believe literally in the virgin birth. For many reasons, I do. It is
Biblical; in the context of God’s plan for humanity, it fits logically;
it is a step of faith Christians are asked to take. Those beliefs and
doctrines built on a denial of the virgin birth are false. Turn to 1
Timothy 6:3-5. The same is true for those built on denials of the deity
or humanity of Jesus; the death of Jesus upon the cross; or the literal
resurrection of Jesus from the tomb. Those who teach these and other
falsehoods are false teachers. Paul confronted many false teachers and
false teachings. 1 Timothy 6:3-5 are some of those Scriptures: “If anyone
teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of
our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and
understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and
arguments that result in envy, quarreling, malicious talk, evil
suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have
been robbed of the truth and who thinks that godliness is a means to
financial gain.” It is clear that Paul recognized that there is such a
thing as false teachers and false teaching.

For me, and I suspect many of you, the problem is not whether or not we
recognize false doctrine. The problem is whether or not we apply the true
doctrines from Scripture. Return to Titus 3. Titus was a young man left
on the Mediterranean island of Crete to supervise a Christian church
planted among a particularly unruly people. The people of Crete were
renowned for their malicious savagery and unrestrained passions. It was a
culture known for its lack of moral character. How would you like to be
left in a place like this with the charge to oversee the growth of a new
church and its congregation of spiritual infants? It might be an
overwhelming challenge. (The Spiritual Formation Bible, NIV, Grand
Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing Co., 1999, p. 1590)

Paul knew this, so he wrote to Titus, which is of course the name
attached to this book of the Bible. We might easily imagine that given
this setting, Paul would write one of his more massive, detailed letters
in order to cover all the circumstances Titus might face. He doesn’t.
What Paul does give is concrete advice in a clear framework. The
introduction to the book in my Bible reads, “Paul seems to be saying,
‘Don’t be overwhelmed, stay focused, appoint qualified elders, challenge
false teaching, pass on pure doctrine and don’t forget the importance of
good deeds.’ In this letter Paul encapsulates the heart of true
Christianity. Titus is overwhelmed, so Paul focuses only on what is most
important.” (The Spiritual Formation Bible, NIV, Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Zondervan Publishing Co., 1999, p. 1590)

“Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be
obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be
peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.”
Here is a thumbnail sketch of how the Christian is to present him or
herself. Are we obedient to authorities who do not violate God’s
commands? Are we always ready to do whatever is good? Are we careful not
to slander anyone? The King James version reads, “To speak evil of no
man.” Are we peaceable, considerate, and humble toward one another?
During our revival services, Dave Osborne spoke at length about Christ’s
love living in Christians. Do we confuse the world by saying repeatedly
how much we love God and then fail to love one another? Look at 1 John
4:12. Is it not from the Bible, which we so highly prize and readily
defend, that we read this written by John? “No one has ever seen God; but
if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in
us.” If we are ready to quickly argue doctrine and the validity of
Scripture, but fail to put into practice these commands from Scripture,
we are guilty of my collinear factor.

As I have already said, this is a difficult lesson for me to preach
because I strive to be doctrinally accurate and precise. I believe that
being careful in these matters gives us the true foundation from which we
can proceed with both God’s truth and love. Nevertheless, throughout my
years of theological and pastoral experience, I have noticed that
Christians still make mistakes with doctrinal understanding no matter how
careful and precise we are. I know I do. And I see it occur over and over
in my studies of Church history. When it comes down to it, I do not
believe that we will ever be as doctrinally pure as we wish we could be.
We will never be able to defend the Bible to the extent that we think we
should be able to. But remember this: God does not mark us as failures on
these points. Jesus did not come to defend the Law, like we might defend
the Bible and orthodox doctrine. Jesus came to “fulfill” the Law. Do you
not think and believe, then, that this is what we are to do as well?

I know that this gets hard. I know that it even gets confusing. Back in
my pre-teen and early teen years, some churches were wracked with
conflict over hair length for males, appropriate clothing for females,
the types of musical instruments and songs allowed in the church. You can
probably think of others. Churches have faced controversies over speaking
in tongues and over the eternal security of the believer. The acceptance
of homosexual behavior as a legitimate lifestyle in the church is right
on the front burner of issues today. Where will it stop? I doubt that it
ever will.

Which sets us right back to where we began. No matter how committed we
may be to defending the Bible as the authoritative Word of God, and no
matter how hard we may strive to develop and teach doctrine that is
Biblically accurate, we still miss the point if we fail to practice what
the Bible teaches. And you and I know that nothing is made more clear in
the New Testament than the depth of God’s sacrificial love and His
instructions for us, in turn, to love one another. So this Bible Sunday,
remember that when we are defending, but not doing, the Word of God, then
we are guilty of the collinear factor. “But when the kindness and love of
God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we
had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of
rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us
generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been
justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal
life. This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these
things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote
themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and
profitable for everyone.”

Rev. Charles A. Layne, pastor, First Baptist Church, Bunker Hill, IN

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