Pastor, how's your spiritual life?

Is your congregation's witness as consistent as it could be?

Would you like to improve your preaching?

Openings are currently available for personalized training in each of these areas. In addition, mentoring opportunities are available to aid in understanding and leading worship and doing the work of shepherding.

Fellowship of Ailbe mentoring programs involve intense personal interaction with an experienced pastor, webinars and phone consultations, tools for assessment and planning, and resources to equip the people in your church with what you're learning.

Visit our website, www.ailbe.org, and click on the "Grow, Serve, Equip" section for more information. Or write me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and I'll be happy to set up a time to discuss your interests and needs.

T. M. Moore, Principal

Spiritual growth begins in desiring to grow.

Where will we take our stand?

I hate to sound so cynical.

Jesus’ vision of the proximity of the Kingdom was a threefold vision.

Are you the finest Christian you know?

What about us? Are we worthy of Christ?

The British Royal Society is greatly concerned about climate change.

A Sincere Faith--A “sincere faith” is, literally, a faith without hypocrisy, a faith informed by true teaching, motivated by a pure heart, and freely chosen as the path on which we choose to walk. A sincere faith reflects the sincere truth of God and the work of His Spirit, bringing these to expression in our lives in the form of love.

Uses of the Law: To Promote Sound Doctrine (7)

T. M. Moore

The aim of our charge is love that issues in a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 1 Timothy 1.5

A “sincere faith” is, literally, a faith without hypocrisy, a faith informed by true teaching, motivated by a pure heart, and freely chosen as the path on which we choose to walk. A sincere faith reflects the sincere truth of God and the work of His Spirit, bringing these to expression in our lives in the form of love.

Sound doctrine is not complete until it is lived doctrine. While teaching and professing sound doctrine are important, they are incomplete unless doctrine is also lived. We have been redeemed unto good works, as Paul explains (Eph. 2.10). And the specific good works for which we have been redeemed are those which were before ordained by God and encoded in His Law.

The Law of God, which reveals the righteousness of God, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, thus provides the template through which we should expect Jesus to bring His righteousness to expression in our lives (Rom. 3.31). The better we know the Law, the better able we will be to walk in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, and thus to show ourselves to be His disciples indeed (1 Jn. 2.1-6) by completing the jewel of sound doctrine in lives of love for God and men.

The Law of God is thus indispensable for sound doctrine, doctrine that keeps us in the way for which we have been redeemed and guards us against swerving into vain speculations and self-serving ways.

For a practical guide to the role of God’s Law in the life of faith, get The Ground for Christian Ethics by going to www.ailbe.org and click on our Book Store.

A Good Conscience--The third facet of sound doctrine is a good conscience. The conscience is that aspect of the soul that nurtures and houses our values and priorities. It is thus the seat of the will. If our values, priorities, and will are good, then it follows that our walk will express that which is pleasing to the Lord, Who is good.

Uses of the Law: To Engage God’s Spirit (6)

T. M. Moore

The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience… 1 Timothy 1.5

The third facet of sound doctrine is a good conscience. The conscience is that aspect of the soul that nurtures and houses our values and priorities. It is thus the seat of the will. If our values, priorities, and will are good, then it follows that our walk will express that which is pleasing to the Lord, Who is good.

The Law of God, being holy and righteous and good (Rom. 7.12), is thus a valuable resource for the reformation and nurture of our consciences. By an abundance of examples, promises, and warnings, the Law teaches us to value what God values and to make obedience to His will the priority of our lives. We would not be able to know that God deplores coveting – or even what it is to covet – without the Law of God to instruct us (Rom. 7.7). The same is true with everything else that is necessary to foster sound doctrine in the form of love for God and neighbor.

We will not be likely to bring love to expression – no matter how well we understand it nor how pure our motives and desires may be – if our will is not shaped for goodness as God intends. Exposure to the Law of God, by which we learn the character of God and understand the magnitude of Christ’s mercy and grace, can help to ensure that our values will be the same as God’s, so that, mind, heart, and conscience working together, the fourth facet of the jewel of sound doctrine can be achieved, and we will be firmly established in the true teaching of our Lord.

That fourth facet is a sincere and unhypocritical walk of faith.

For a practical guide to the role of God’s Law in the life of faith, get The Ground for Christian Ethics by going to www.ailbe.org and click on our Book Store.

A Pure Heart--The first facet of the jewel of sound doctrine is right understanding of the Word of God. Knowing God’s Law is absolutely crucial to achieving this first facet. So also with the second: a pure heart. Since the Law of God both defines and exposes sin and is a primary resource of the Holy Spirit for reforming our hearts, we can readily understand that it is lawful to use the Law to aid in achieving this second facet of sound doctrine.

Aimed at Love--Jesus taught that all the Law and the Prophets found their proper expression in the two-fold commandment of love for God and neighbor (Matt. 22.34-30). Thus, is it inconceivable that we could study the Law of God, read it through the filter of the Prophets and our Lord Jesus Christ, and expect that the Apostles would come to any other applications of the Law than these. At the same time, we should also be able to see that it will not be possible to fulfill the “aim of our charge” apart from careful reading and study of the Law of God.

Uses of the Law: To Promote Sound Doctrine (4)

T. M. Moore

The aim of our charge is love… 1 Timothy 1.5

Jesus taught that all the Law and the Prophets found their proper expression in the two-fold commandment of love for God and neighbor (Matt. 22.34-30). Thus, is it inconceivable that we could study the Law of God, read it through the filter of the Prophets and our Lord Jesus Christ, and expect that the Apostles would come to any other applications of the Law than these. At the same time, we should also be able to see that it will not be possible to fulfill the “aim of our charge” apart from careful reading and study of the Law of God.

Sound doctrine is not just a matter of abstract theology reduced to arcane definitions and mind-boggling terms. Doctrine is only sound when it issues in love on the part of those who are learning it. And such doctrine, to be sound, must come to expression in the form of good works set forth in the Law of God. The Law thus contributes to our understanding of sound doctrine by providing an abundance of concrete examples to guide our thinking concerning how we should love God and our neighbor.

We shall return to this theme on Sunday. Sound doctrine is, as Paul explains it, is a jewel with four facets. The first facet consists of achieving a right understanding of the teaching of God’s Word, and we have been addressing this during the first four installments in this current series. We must have our minds rightly grounded in the Word of God if we are to be able to keep from swerving away from sound doctrine. The Law of God, as we have seen, provides the intellectual cornerstone for the rest of Scripture. We will not have a mind for sound doctrine if we neglect the study of God’s Law.

For a practical guide to the role of God’s Law in the life of faith, get The Ground for Christian Ethics by going to www.ailbe.org and click on our Book Store.