"The Pattern" Devotion by Pastor Fred Snider

“What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 1:13

Paul is such an amazing teacher. Here he is so tactful in encouraging discipleship by suggesting adherence to his teaching and understanding of the gospel, but making sure to also season that with faith and love in Christ Jesus. The human tendency to become legalistic is so strong. We are attracted to a desire to have everything be so exact so we can judge. Of course at the other end of the spectrum is the desire to not have anything exact so we can do exactly how we please. Oh how to find balance.

Paul does in this gentle admonition to copy the pattern of the sound teaching, but always remember our faith and love in Christ Jesus. This balance is not a 50/50 balancing act. It is more a caution of not allowing our freedom in Christ Jesus to cancel our standards according to His Word. Conversely we cannot allow our doctrine to nullify His love and our faith in His grace. We must study and seek Him, never doing either at the expense of the other. Of course again our balance should not mire us down in spiritual mediocrity. It is like good parenting. There must be discipline with grace and mercy. The rules and principles are standards, some without flexibility, but the love those are administered with must be constantly monitored.

I hope your experience as a Christ follower is both grounded in the Word and also exercised with compassion and care. May His grace abound in you as you grow closer and closer to Him. I pray we grow in faith and love as we study His Word and live with love for Him and those He loves.

With careful concern,
Pastor Fred

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