Patience In Learning by Nkem Odiaka (Engr.)

Patience In Learning

Learning takes time. In Acts 19, Paul began his ministry in Ephesus. He met a handful of men, got them filled and began teaching in the synagogues. Unfortunately, resistance came. They did not accept what he taught! That must've seemed like a huge setback, especially after making headway with the disciples of John initially.

However, Paul did not give up. He separated these former disciples of John, and for the space of two years, taught them day and night. Yes, he did that for TWO years! Uh-huh! Night and day! Morning and evening.

It's not a surprise that after this intensive teaching period, mighty miracles broke out in Ephesus. The same city that had once rejected his gospel two years before, were now beneficiaries of what he preached. Not long after, a church was established in Ephesus, with those former disciples of John appointed as Church leaders. It is to this church that the letter to the Ephesians was written.

What do we learn from this? 

Teaching takes time. Ministry takes time. It's not an overnight thing. The key is persistence. Convictions are birthed over time. Click to tweet

It took Christ THREE years to establish the apostles in the truth. Not until His resurrection did they truly believe and come to understand the reality of Christ.

It took me three solid years to believe that all sins are forgiven as a gift of grace, and not based on my works. Within those three years, I was a very vocal opponent of that teaching. But when the truth comes, it comes. Only the dishonest will deny it.

There are foundational truths and practices I once opposed vehemently, and today when I look back I can't imagine how ignorant I was to do that. But it happens often amongst us and even to the best of us.

Jesus' teachings were vehemently opposed and regarded in His day as extreme. In fact, He was killed precisely because of what He taught. 

Paul himself opposed the faith to the point of committing murder. Yet, afterward, we all know the story.

When Paul began to teach after he believed, he was called a heretic and an extremist. He was eventually beheaded precisely for what he taught. 

That one teaching is unpopular does not make it untrue, neither does it make it true. On the other hand, a popular doctrine is not true because it is popular or widely accepted.

Jesus' doctrine was NOT popular. Paul's explanation of Christ was NOT popular. Yet both were right. How do we know? Because they spoke accurately from scriptures! The scriptures establish truth not opinion sampling of the majority. 

Whenever I hear a doctrine, no matter how weird it may sound, my first approach is never to find out who said it or how many people preach it. First of all, is to found out what the scriptures say about it. If the matter is not even mentioned in the scriptures, then it is not the business of our faith. The scriptures are sufficient. Over a millennium of scriptural records from Moses to John is more than sufficient for our faith.

So, bottom line? Be patient. Be slow to speak about something you have not studied. Else, you risk attaching emotions and personal ego to doctrine. And when the truth eventually stares you in the face and you realize you are wrong - you start to "balance" truth, so that you don't appear to be wrong. Often times, these "balancing acts" are another shade of error. It must be said, truth requires no balance. What is true is true. Emphasis might be an issue, but not an "unbalanced truth" (I hope that's not confusing). Let's leave the digression.

So, stick with the Word. Ask yourself, "Is this doctrine explained with the scriptures?", “Does it hold up in the scriptures?", "Any contradictions?" "Can these contradictions be properly explained?" "Does this truth reflect Christ?", "Does this truth edify me as a believer?", "Does it make me self-centered or selfless?", "Self-focused or God-focused?", "Does this inspire service in me or complacency?", “What did Jesus say about this?", "What did the apostles say about this?" Paul? Peter? John? If they all said nothing about this, why should I hold on to it?

These are just some questions that should help to test what you hear. But most importantly, stick with the Word and with prayer! The Spirit gives understanding.

Bless you.