There have always been competing claims on who Jesus was/is, what He taught, and what it means to follow Him. Paul warned the Corinthian Church about how dangerous it is to tolerate those who preach a ‘Jesus other than the Jesus we preached’, or who offer ‘a different spirit from the Spirit you received’ or who proclaim ‘a different gospel from the one you accepted’ (II Cor.11:4). And he is even more forceful when writing to the Church at Galatia: ‘...even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!’ (Gal.1:8). He is adamant that the Gospel he has preached to the Galatians was not something he received from any mere human. It was revealed by Jesus Himself (Gal.1:12).

To confess that we believe in ‘One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church’ is to commit ourselves to this Gospel. It is to commit ourselves to the teaching and traditions, the example and the patterns of ministry and Church life that we see in the Apostles. We are committing ourselves to disregard and to stand against all other versions of Christianity, all other opinions, all other beliefs and spiritualties. This was the call on the Church in the days even of the Apostles, and it remains the call on the Church now.

In my sermon this week I tried to make the point that we are committed to following the Apostles in their teaching, their example and their mission. We are bound to whatever we see in them, or hear from them, and thus we are assured of the Spirit’s sanctifying work. Such is released in us only as we believe in the truth (v.13). The deep connection between the content of our belief and actual lived godliness is well attested (here, but also e.g. Rom.1:5, Titus 1:1 etc.). As we drift from what we have received from the Apostles we can be confident that the Spirit will be muted, grieved, and withdrawing. That is a terrifying prospect for any Church, any Christian. We are called to His truth through the Apostolic Gospel (v.14). When we ignore that Gospel there can be no expectation of salvation or sanctification.

If ever there was a mandate to immerse ourselves afresh in the full teaching of the Apostles, inspired as they are by the Holy Spirit, it is our confession of the Apostolic Church.

Questions:

Read II Cor.11:13-15; II Tim.2:16-19; II Peter 2:1-3; I John 4:1 (and other similar passages you may be aware of). Do you think this is still a problem in the Church today? How would you recognise such false teachers? How should we relate to such people in the Church today?

How grateful are you for the Church (II Thess.2:13)? What does Paul think should be in place before such thankfulness is legitimate? Do you follow the Apostle’s example in this sense of overwhelming gratitude for those who are in the Church with you?

How do you feel about being chosen by God (2:13)? What is Paul teaching us here? How would feel about someone disagreeing with Pauls use of such language, and the ideas about God it communicates (see also: Rom.8:33; Eph.1:4 & 11; Col.3:12; I Thess.1:4)?

Do you think Paul (and other Apostles e.g. I Pet.1:2; II John 1:13) reflect the teaching of Jesus here? can you think of passages from the Gospels where Jesus uses the same kind of language?

Paul says we are saved ‘through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and belief in the truth’ (II Thess.1:13). What is this sanctifying work? ...and what would the impact and effects of this work be? Could you be ‘saved’ without it? What about someone who says they are a Christian, but who doesn’t believe the ‘truth’?

How comfortable are you with Paul talking about ‘our Gospel’ (2:14, see also Gal.1:6-12; I Thess.1:5)? What do you think that Gospel is... and how does it differ from ‘gospels’ you may have heard elsewhere?

Do you think MIE is a Church that holds fast to the Apostle’s teaching (2:15)? How important is it to you that we do that? What does it look like for you personally to ‘stand fast and hold fast’ to that teaching?

What does it mean for you to have received eternal encouragement and good hope (2:16) Through God’s love and grace? How does that motivate and shape our discipleship as we are strengthened in every good work? What sort of ‘good works’ do you think Paul has in mind here?