" . . . And so I ordain in all the churches."
This little phrase (above), written by Paul, stood out to me this morning. The Apostle did not teach one thing in one church, and another thing in another church. There was uniformity and order to his instruction. The various churches had different needs, challenges, and even giftedness--but they all received consistent doctrinal and practical teaching.
So it is to be, even today. Though there is room for variation in the churches, with regard to non-essentials--there is no room for deviation from the cardinal truths of the gospel. Regrettably, of course, this uniform commitment to core values is not being practiced today, (as it was not totally the case in Paul's day, either). But still, the most faithful churches must, and will, take the lead.
[Puritan quote of the day: "Men are by nature utterly careless of the glory of God. They have no degree of concern for it. A natural man never does any one thing out of true concern for the glory of God."
--Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon entitled, "It is Well for us that God is Not as we are"]
