The Apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:12, “I know whom I have believed.” Paul explicitly declares that he knows something without any doubt, that he knows something by faith without any doubt, and that cognitive faith is in a particular person.
Paul does not waver. He exudes no ambiguity.
Paul is very confident. There is not “if” in his statement; not even an “I hope so” or “I am sure but I could be wrong.” Instead he says, “I know something without any doubt. I know by faith. And I know that my faith is in a person.”
When I read what Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:12, my heart sings:
“On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand.”
On the other hand, Emergent Movement leader Tony Jones says that he wakes up everyday and “wonders if this whole thing (God and the gospel) is a total crock.”
Tony Jones and the Emergent Leaders see spiritual ambiguity as a virtue. Everyday they wonder if the gospel is a hoax. On the other hand, the Apostle Paul expressed complete confidence in God, the gospel and His Word without any doubt.
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Jason Robertson is a husband and a father and a pastor. He is dedicated to leading and equipping his the Church with God’s word and biblical theology for life ministry, using a combination of pastoral, church planting and evangelism experience. He holds a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is experienced in church planting, evangelism, missions, and the training of pastors and Bible teachers.
Jason has been preaching the gospel since 1985, serving the first ten years of ministry as a Southern Baptist itinerant evangelist out of Milldale Baptist Church in Zachary, LA which ordained him in 1993. He has preached in hundreds of churches in over 30 States and 4 countries. He planted churches in Siberia, Russia in the summers of 1993 and 1994. He founded Murrieta Valley Church in California, which he planted in cooperation with the SBC NAMB in 2001. He also teaches ministry students at California Baptist University.
You can hear his sermons and read his manuscripts on sermonaudio.com. Just follow the link to "sermons" at the top of this page.
Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing–as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.
(Colossians 1:5-8 ESV)
The gospel is the word of truth, and it bears fruit in faith, hope and love.
2 Timothy 2-3, also give the truth enough credence for Christians to be certain and to correct inaccurate theologies. To doubt that it is to doubt truth that is Christ.
Who ordained this guy?
Everyday they wonder if the gospel is a hoax.
…which proves that it is Tony Jones that is the hoax and the total crock.
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. (Ephesians 4:11-14)
Jason, my brother, I understand your concern and compassion. But let me ask you to consider a few things.
You say, "I think there is merit in tempering our comments" but all I see in the comments is the quoting of Scripture. So how do you suggest they "temper" their comments? In fact, the Scriptures that are quoted aren't even about believers who are struggling with sin but are about the positive power of the gospel. Again I ask, how should you suggest that be 'tempered." And please explain "why" the commenters above should not exhort one another with God's Word — especially when they are using the Word accurately.
Consider Hebrews 3:13 But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. 15 As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” 16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to enter because of unbelief.
Concerning the believers who are struggling with sin, I think the best thing they could hear is that confidence is possible and is gained through the continual washing of the Word. I think the worse thing they could hear is someone like Tony Jones who thinks that his doubt is virtuous, beautiful and good. And you, my friend, need not be afraid to exhort the "many believers" you must know who are doubting. I have dealt with such believers for 29 years and I have never met one who really wanted any of us to "temper" our exhortations. Instead, they longed for shepherds who relentlessly spurned them unto righteousness.
Consider this brother. God bless.