A Charge to Lead

 

 “A Charge to Lead”

Spiritual Leadership in the Church Series

1 Tim 1:1-4

THEME: Faithfully fulfill the ministry committed to your charge.

RELEVANCE: discouraging and difficult tasks should not be permitted to force us to abandon the ministry committed to us.  We must be steadfast and faithful to our charge to keep the faith by teaching sound doctrine, proclaiming the Gospel, and defending the Faith.

INTRODUCTION:

Paul wrote the letter we call 1 Timothy to encourage Timothy, to explain how a local church should be managed, and to enforce his own authority as a servant of God. In 1 Tim 1 Paul explained the three responsibilities of a pastor and people in a local church.

MESSAGE:

I.  Teach Sound Doctrine (1 Tim. 1:1-11)

From the very greeting of the letter, Paul affirmed his authority as a servant of Jesus Christ.

A.  BY REMEMBERING DIVINE CREDENTIALS.  (1Tim. 1:1-3)

   5.  The Responsibility of Leadership. (1 Tim 1:3-4)

1. Appointed Responsibilities.  “As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus”

1)     “It seems probable that after Paul’s first imprisonment at Rome, he visited Ephesus with Timothy. When Paul moved on to Macedonia, he instructed Timothy to stay in Ephesus for a while to teach the word of God and to warn the believers against false teachers. From Macedonia, Paul apparently traveled south to Corinth, and it was perhaps from that city that he wrote this first Letter to Timothy. In verse 3, the apostle is saying in effect: “Just as I previously instructed you to stay in Ephesus when I went into Macedonia, so I am repeating those instructions now.”   ---William MacDonald

·       This is a temporary mission of charging certain men in the assembly not to teach doctrines contrary to the Christian faith or supposed additions to it. The principal false doctrines in question were legalism and Gnosticism.

·       Just in case Timothy was tempted to run away from these problems, Paul is telling him to stay on the job. Note that Paul had to urge Timothy to stay at Ephesus.

2)     Endurance grows out of commitment to Jesus Christ. Paul knew that Timothy would be severely tested by those teaching other doctrines. Times of trial serve to sift true Christian motivations from false or selfish ones. When you are pressured to give up and turn your back on Christ, don't do it. Recommit yourself to standing firm, and continue to live for Christ.

3)     Persistence in doing God’s work is a rewarding strength. 

·       Matthew 7:7-8, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: [8] For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

·       Jesus tells us to be persistent in pursuing godly goals. People often give up after a few halfhearted efforts and conclude that God cannot or will not bless their efforts.

·       But persisting in God’s work takes faith, focus, and follow-through, and Jesus assures us that we will be rewarded. Don't give up in your efforts to seek God’s will in the ministry. Continue to ask him for more knowledge, patience, wisdom, love, and understanding. He will give them to you.

2. Necessary Responsibilities. “other doctrine”

1)     False teachers teach a different doctrine.  False teaching is so serious a matter that it has to be handled immediately when it raises its ugly head. Therefore, Timothy had to remain in Ephesus so that he could charge the church to stop the false teaching.

2)     One reason Christian workers must stay on the job is that false teachers are busy trying to capture Christians. There were teachers of false doctrines in Paul's day just as there are today, and we must take them seriously.

3)     These false teachers have no good news for lost sinners. They seek instead to lead Christians astray and capture them for their causes.

4)     The church was in trouble because false teaching had seeped in, and the church needed Timothy. Apparently, Timothy felt incapable and wanted to join Paul until Paul could return to Ephesus and handle the situation himself.

3. Leadership Responsibilities.  “that thou mightest charge some”

1)     Paul used military language to help Timothy and his people see the seriousness of the problem (1 Tim 1:3).

a)     “Charge” means "to give strict orders from a superior officer."

b)     Paul used this word (sometimes translated "commandment" and "command") eight times in His two letters to Timothy (1 Tim 1:3,5,18; 4:11; 5:7; 6:13,17; 2 Tim 4:1).

c)     “Charge” is a military word that means to pass commands down through the ranks. Timothy was to give orders and charge the false teachers to stop teaching false doctrine, and if this did not work, he was to order and charge the church to handle the false teachers.

2)     He was conveying this idea: "Timothy, you are not only a leader in the church in a difficult city. You are also a Christian soldier under orders from the King. Now pass these orders along to the soldiers in your church! "

3)     This says several things about the church at Ephesus.

·       The leaders had not heeded the word of Paul when he had met with them earlier (Acts 20-17-38).  He had warned them about false teachers.

·       "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears" (Acts 20:28-31).

·       The leaders had not insisted upon the purity of the gospel as Paul had done and taught. They had allowed the Word of God to become corrupted.

·       "But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God. shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God" (Acts 20:24-27).

·       "And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified" (Acts 20:32).

·       "For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ" (2 Cor.2:17).

 

Elijah's Great Victories....

 

 “Elijah’s Great Victories….”

1 Kings 18:41-46; 19:1-9

 

SUBJECT: DEPRESSION                                                                      

THEME: Proper rest is found in Jesus Christ even during bouts with Depression.

Matthew 11:28, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

INTRODUCTION:

I recently read about a successful businessman who was battling deep depression. He called his pastor and informed him of what he was going through.  He said-with a note of desperation in his voice-"I'm in deep trouble. I feel as if I'm living with a heavy; wet blanket over my head. I can hardly breathe. I don't want to get up and face the day's activities. My motivation is at an all-time low. I can't even think clearly. I'm feeling immobilized. I can't even function properly in my business." (Dr. Gene Getz)

It didn't take long to discern that this gentleman was terribly depressed.   The struggles he'd gone through over the past several years, no doubt brought this on.  The pastor’s diagnosis was confirmed by a Christian counselor; exactly as the pastor had anticipated.  His friend was plagued with chemical depression--an imbalance of our body's own chemicals, brought on by extreme stress.

The good news is that he responded quickly to medication and counseling—and was able to once again cope with the challenges he faced in life. It also helped him to establish some new spiritual goals.

Depression is A Common Human Experience

1 Cor. 10:13, There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

All Christians face times of depression even some of God's choicest servants. Elijah certainly demonstrates this reality. What may be surprising is that Elijah's bout with depression came after his greatest spiritual victory.  It happened suddenly and seemingly without warning. But in retrospect, it was predictable.

MESSAGE:

I.  ELIJAH’S EMOTIONAL HIGH.

1 Kings 18:39-44, And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, The Lord, he is the God; the Lord, he is the God. [40] And Elijah said unto them, Take the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape. And they took them: and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there.

    [41] And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain. [42] So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees, [43] And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times. [44] And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.

GREAT VICTORIOUS EXPERIENCES.

   A.  ISRAEL’S REPENTANCE.  18:39-40

        1. Through Their Words.  

Following Elijah's great spiritual victory on Mount Carmel, he had great hopes for revival in Israel. Understandably so! The people responded in masse and acknowledged that the Lord was the one true God (see 1 Kings 18:39).

       2. Through Their Works.

Their punitive  actions against the prophets of  Baal also indicated their desire to turn from their idolatrous ways (see  vs. 40).

    B.  AHAB’S RESPONSE.   18:41

Ahab's response encouraged Elijah the most.

       1. Ahab’s Humility.

The king's heart appeared soft and humble before the Lord. Following his utter defeat, Ahab's countenance must have reflected horrible dejection and weariness.

Rather than condemning the king, Elijah encouraged him to return to his royal tent and regain his emotional and physical strength. "Get thee up, eat and drink," Elijah said, "for there is a sound of  abundance of  rain" (vs. 41). In other words, Elijah was telling Ahab to cheer up! The drought was over.

      2. Elijah’s Hearing.

What Elijah actually "heard" at that moment was in his heart. With the "ear of faith" he knew  rain was on its way, even though there were no visible clouds, no thunder, and no lightning. But Elijah knew there would be! His knowledge of God's will enabled him to "hear" things others couldn't hear. God had spoken, and the fire from Heaven was just the beginning of what God had promised would happen. (Dr. Gene Getz)

    C.  ELIJAH’S RAINS.     18:42-46

As Ahab went off to “eat and drink," Elijah once again made his way to the top of Mount Carmel to pray and wait for God to send rain. From that vantage point, he and his servant could look over the vast expanse of the Mediterranean.

          1. His Prayers      Vs.  44

1 Kings 18:44, And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.

 Elijah instructed his servants seven times to climb to a lookout point to see if there was any evidence of the coming storm. The seventh time, the servant returned with a positive report. He had seen " a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand." (v.44).

          2. His Proclamation.   Vs 44

This was all the visible evidence Elijah needed. He told Ahab to get his chariot ready and to head for Jezreel before the rain became so intense it would be impossible to travel (see v.44). Suddenly, "the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. (Vs. 45).

II.   ELIJAH'S MARATHON RUN.

1 Kings 18:45-46, And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. [46] And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.   

As Ahab rode off to Jezreel in the blinding rainstorm, a strange thing happened! The power of the LORD came upon Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel (v.46). 

A.  WHERE WAS AHAB’S RUNNER?

Ahab's security team had probably vanished. A key member of that team was Ahab’s personal runner-a man who ran out ahead of his chariot to make sure the road was clear. Considering the shocking events that had just transpired on Mount Carmel as well as the mass execution of the prophets of Baal, it's understandable why the designated runner went into hiding.

Imagine Ahab's surprise when Elijah suddenly became a part of his security team. Though the king could barely see through the blinding storm, he no doubt caught glimpses of Elijah-head bowed low and his cloak flapping in the wind as he braved the elements and led the king's chariot over winding, muddy roads back to Jezreel. (Dr. Gene Getz)

B.  AN IMPOSSIBLE FEAT

Keep in mind that the distance from Mount Carmel to Jezreel-where Ahab had his summer palace-was nearly twenty miles. In view of Elijah's age, this was an impossible feat for an old man. The Lord had suddenly shifted His presence and power to Elijah, not to harm Ahab, but to help him! This must have been very reassuring to Ahab at this moment in his life. 

C.  IMAGINE FACING JEZEBEL

Another reason the Lord enabled Elijah to run ahead of Ahab's chariot relates to what the king would face when he returned to his palace. Jezebel would be waiting! Ahab would need all the emotional support he could get to stand up to this wicked woman and her four hundred prophets.

III. ELIJAH’S DEVASTATING DISAPPOINTMENT.

1 Kings 19:1-2, And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. [2] Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time.          

A.  AHAB’S REPORT.

Things did not turn out as Elijah had anticipated. His hopes were dashed. When Ahab reported on the Mount Carmel experience, Jezebel was livid (see 1 Kings 19:1-2)! Ahab— weak man that he was-would not stand up to his wicked queen.

B.  JEZEBEL’S RESPONSE.

Imagine how Elijah felt when he received the following message from Jezebel: "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time." (v.2).

Elijah was hoping for a positive report that Jezebel had listened to Ahab, and had humbled herself before Almighty God. But not so! Like the pharaoh of Egypt, she hardened her heart. She only became more entrenched in her pagan ways and more steeped in her idolatry. Flying into a rage, she threatened to kill Elijah!

In the midst of her intense anger, Jezebel did not lose complete rationality. To unleash her fury on Elijah would put her own life in danger. She knew that the children of Israel had responded positively to what had happened on Mount Carmel. She was well aware of what they had done to the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. Emotions were running high. Consequently, she knew she had to give Elijah a way out. This is why she gave him twenty-four hours to get out of town! (Dr. Gene Getz)

 

The Spirit Sets Us Free 2

“The Spirit Sets Us Free 2”

Gal. 5:13-14

SUBJECT: GRACE AND CHRISTIAN LIVING

THEME: Living the Christian life in freedom involves receiving Christ’s real-world uprightness by faith and not by mere mechanical obedience to rules. We are set free from the curse and the control of the law to liberty that does not warrant permission to sin, but rather to mature responsibility and holiness before God. To live by grace, through faith, gives us a free and satisfying Christian experience, and the Holy Spirit is the secret to “everyday life.”

INTRODUCTION:

1. Freedom from our Sinful Nature Results in Service to our Lord and Others. 

2. Legalism Does Not Positively Influence our Wicked Nature.

3. The Holy Spirit Does Impact and Conquer our Sinful Nature.

This paragraph is perhaps the most crucial in the entire closing section of Galatians; for in it we discover three ministries of the Holy Spirit that enable the believer to enjoy liberty in Christ.

MESSAGE:

The Spirit Enables Us to Fulfill the Law of Love (Gal. 5:13-15).

We are prone to go to extremes. One believer interprets liberty as license and thinks he can do whatever he wants to do. Another believer, seeing this error, goes to an opposite extreme and imposes his laws on everybody. Actually, something quite different from license or legalism results in true Christian liberty.

A.  THIS IS OUR CALLING.  Vs. 13, For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty;”

B.  WE MUST HEED A CAUTION.  Gal. 5:13

This is where we need to pause and clarify to avoid confusion.  

C.  WE MUST NOTE A CONTRAST.  Vs. 5:13

Galatians 5:13, For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

     1. A Warning to Heed.  

A warning about falling again into slavery (captivity, compulsive behaviors, feeling trapped, and frustrated), in this case the warning is changed into the demand not to allow this freedom to become an excuse for sinful self-indulgence. Here the contrast is between self-centered indulgence and the serving of one another in love.

1. Compulsive behaviors are repetitive actions that you feel driven to perform to relieve anxiety. You might feel like you “have to” do them, even if they do not make sense. Common examples include excessive hand washing, checking locked doors, or arranging items in a specific order. (See Mayo Clinic)

2. People living with obsessive behaviors often describe feeling trapped in a frustrating cycle. These actions rarely bring satisfaction but rather act as temporary tools for managing overwhelming stress or intrusive thoughts. (See Mayo Clinic)

3. Compulsions are generally driven by fear or anxiety. They feel urgent and hard to stop. This is partly why the Bible addresses this problem so often offering solutions to compulsive behaviors by addressing the root emotional pressure, renewing the mind, and relying on Christ’s power rather than self-reliance. These verses provide practical steps to break free from these cycles. (See Gal. 5:1; Phil. 4:6-7)

The life of legalism includes not only the Ten Commandments, but a set of regulations that Bible believers follow today. They tell you where you can’t go, and what you can’t do. ^[a]

     2. A Paradox to Understand. 

It is ironic that, having discouraged the Galatians from becoming slaves to law, Paul should now encourage them to become slaves of one another--for that is what the word "serve" means. It is a paradox, but the paradox is instructive. The Galatians are to be slaves of one another, though this slavery is not at all like the first. In fact--this is the paradox--it is the Christian form of being free. (Dr. W. W. Wiersbe)

The Bible teaches that real freedom is freedom from sin’s control, not freedom to sin. When people use freedom to do bad things, it is called license. These are ways we may apply these ideas of liberty to daily experiences: 

• Focus on others: Instead of just doing what you want, you should care for your fellow church members, your neighbors, or coworkers.
• Avoid bad habits: Do not let your selfish desires, like being mean, ‘sassy’, or egotistical, control you. A craving or goal where your primary focus is on your own gratification, often without considering the impact on others will naturally trigger conflict. Carefully distinguish between healthy self-care and harmful selfishness by whether your actions build up or harm those around you.
• Do godly good: You put love into action. That is loving others by doing good deeds instead of just using words or using them for certain outcomes—transactions. It means showing kindness, serving people without expecting a reward, forgiving others, and helping those in need. Such love is like a circle: God gives love to you, and you share that love with others.

Christian liberty does not permit sin; it rather encourages loving service. Love is seen as the motive of all Christian behavior, whereas under law, the motive is fear of punishment. Findlay says: “Love’s slaves are the true freemen.”^[b]

      3. A Slavery to Avoid.

Slavery to sin is involuntary and terrible; a person is born into sin (Ps 51:5) and cannot escape it on his own (Rom 7:18). Slavery to law, which comes by choice, is foolish and burdensome. On the other hand, slavery to one another is voluntary and a source of deep joy. It is possible only because Christians are delivered through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit from the necessity of serving sin in their lives.

1. “Slavish behaviors,” however, in modern churches refer to practices where members blindly obey leaders or follow unwritten rules out of fear, rather than out of genuine faith or freely and willingly. This creates an environment where control and dependency replace healthy spiritual growth.

2. In contrast, healthy churches promote love, freedom, and mutual respect. But slavish behaviors turn the ‘churches’ into places of work, debt, and control. Much like a cult uses fear to keep members compliant, these toxic behaviors abuse religious trust to manipulate people.

3. They may welcome you in with loving arms and excitement. But as you become more regular a new expectation arises that is not grounded in biblical ideas. There is more focus on the ‘church,’ the buildings and its structures. It becomes less about a place to celebrate our faith in Christ and building one another up in the Lord to more focus on ‘raising money’ and the ‘facilities.’ Membership classes, expectations that you will bring in new people, more financial gain for those few in power, and increased loyalty to the ‘church’ are typical features of such ‘ministries.’ Child of God this is not what Jesus started and is a part of today!

Members are afraid to express personal concerns regarding issues with leaders or resolve conflict due to fear they will be ostracized, shunned, gaslit, or mistreated by the ‘church.’ Again, this slightly resembles ‘commitment’, but it is actually enslavement.

D.  HERE IS OUR COMMANDMENT. Gal. 5:13

This leads to a commandment: “By love serve one another” (Gal. 5:13). Beloved, this is the imperative of service to Christ!

    1. Liberty is Expressed by Love.

The key word, of course, is “love.” The formula looks like this:

• liberty + love = service to others
• liberty - love = license (slavery to sin)

Use your spiritual freedom not for selfish desires, but to humbly and sacrificially care for one another.

ILLUSTRATION: “I have an extra day off this week,” Carl told his wife as he walked into the kitchen. “I think I’ll use it to fix Donna’s bike and then take Larry on that museum trip he’s been talking about.” “Fixing a bike and visiting a museum hardly sound like exciting ways to spend a day off,” his wife replied. “It’s exciting if you love your kids!”

Real care for others is an action, not just a feeling, and helping others should be motivated by genuine compassion rather than an obligation or a desire for personal gain, manipulation, notoriety, competition, money, or some perceived advantage. 

     2. Law is Fulfilled by Love. Gal. 3:14, “For all the Law is fulfilled in one word….”

The amazing thing about love is that it takes the place of all the laws God ever gave. “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” solves every problem in human relations (see Rom.13:8-14). If you love people (because you love Christ), you will not steal from them, lie about them, envy them, or try in any way to hurt them. Love in the heart is God’s substitute for laws and threats. Whether harsh laws established by mere human leaders, or ancient Old Testament laws that seem unfair to us today. God condemns leaders who create bad, oppressive laws. However, ancient Old Testament laws that modern readers find morally difficult or overly severe show how everything is summarized by genuine love for Him and our fellow man.

“When our children were small, we lived next to a busy highway, and the children knew they would be spanked if they went near the road. As they grew older, they discovered that obedience brought rewards. They learned to obey not only to escape pain but to gain pleasure. Today they live in different metropolitan areas and all of them drive. But we neither threaten nor bribe them in order to keep them safe. They have a built-in discipline of love that regulates their lives, and they would not deliberately hurt themselves, their parents, or other people. Love has replaced law.”—Dr. W. W. Wiersbe

1. On a much higher level, the Holy Spirit within gives us the love that we need (Rom.5:5; Gal. 5:6, 22). Apparently, the Galatian believers were lacking in this kind of love because they were "biting and devouring one another" and were in danger of destroying one another (Gal. 5:15). The picture here is of wild animals attacking each other. This is proof that law cannot force people to get along with each other. No matter how many rules or standards a church may adopt, they are no guarantee of spirituality. Unless the Holy Spirit of God is permitted to fill hearts with His love, selfishness and competition will reign. Both extremes in the Galatian churches—the legalists and the libertines—were destroying the fellowship.

2. This mentioning of the word “law” is most instructive, because it shows that despite all Paul has said, there remains a sense—a principle—in which the requirements of the law are a proper concern for Christians. This does not mean that the Christian is to make progress in holiness by once again setting up a system of rules and regulations. No…nothing in the last half of Galatians or any other part of the NT suggests this. Still, it means that the essential ends of the law will be met in those who, being called by God and being filled with the Spirit, allow God to produce the Spirit's fruit in our character. The foundational goals, purposes, or destinations of the “law”—the core goals that guide us, the primary purposes of a legal stipulation—is personal spiritual growth.

Paul quoted Leviticus 19:18 and stated that the entire Law was summarized in this single command to love their neighbors. Jesus affirmed the same truth (Matt. 22:39; Luke 10:25–28). But Paul also wanted to show that Christian love is the “fulfillment” or “the carrying out” of the Law. The apostle developed this point in Romans 13:8–10.^[c]

CONCLUSION:

Beloved, the Holy Spirit does not work through emptiness or nothing. He uses means like the Word of God, prayer, worship, giving and the fellowship of believers to build us up in Christ. The believer who spends time daily in the Word and prayer, and who yields to the Spirit’s operations, is going to enjoy “liberty” and will help build up their church. The Glory of God will be manifested through our lives, and it need never fade nor be suppressed. The more we develop our relationship with Christ, the more we reflect His glory.  The more we study the Scriptures the more His image should be reflected. And the more we allow the Word of God and the Spirit of God to change our lives, the more we will be transformed into the men and women God wants us to become. Yes, the light of Jesus Christ should shine through our lives every moment of every day! (See Dr. W. W. Wiersbe)

So, the great evidence of our walking by the Spirit or being filled with the Spirit is not some private mystical experience of our own, but our practical relationships of love with other people. Since the first fruit of the Spirit is love, this is only logical. But it is easy to talk about “love” in an abstract and general way; it is much harder to get down to concrete, specific situations in which we really demonstrate our love for one another.

Charles Spurgeon warned that unholy churches are a disaster to the world. He famously declared that avowed atheists are less dangerous than pastors who subtly promote false teachings. He believed this compromises the Bible and destroys the true Gospel. In 1887, Spurgeon led the “Down Grade Controversy”. He strongly criticized churches that traded orthodox beliefs for worldly, modern ideas. He called these shifts “downward.” He left the Baptist Union when many leaders tolerated or promoted this spiritual drift. (See Puritan Board)

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^[a] J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible Commentary, electronic ed., vol. 5 (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1997), 187.

^[b] William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, ed. Arthur Farstad (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), 1892–1893.

^[c] Donald K. Campbell, “Galatians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 606.