Hold Fast To Sound Doctrine

 There are many 'patterns' in the Word of God that are there for our learning which act as illustrations of godly living. Christ's life was one such pattern, and His life was lived in the way that God desires all His children to live - a sacrificial life of dependent trust in the Lord for all things, a holy life that is prepared to say, "Thy will, not mine be done," to the glory of God.
 Paul used his own life as an example of how to live in spirit and in truth - how to live by faith and not by sight. He demonstrated a life that had died to its own desires and lived for Christ alone.
 The teachings of Paul are a healthy outline of sound doctrine. Paul's words should not only act as a model of teaching  but care should be taken that the truth of the gospel of God, which is recorded in Scripture, is not watered-down or discarded as being old-fashioned. Neither should its message be 'softened' in order to become socially accepted or politically correct.
 Not only are we to stay true to the never-changing written Word of God, which was inspired by the Spirit of truth, but this glorious gospel of God is to be delivered with faith and shared in love and should remain our benchmark for truth.
 Without faith it is impossible to please God and love, alone, comes through Jesus Christ our Lord. Faith must never be compromised but the truth must always be delivered in love. Similarly, the truth must never be compromised BUT the truth should always be shared by faith and in love.
Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your written Word. We pray that we may retain the standard of sound words that was delivered to the saints by the apostle Paul. We pray that we would share the whole counsel gospel of God and hold fast to the truth without compromise. Enable us, we pray, to deliver the truth in faith and in love, to the glory of God the Father. This we ask in Jesus' name, AMEN.