Reflecting on what Paul says, we must recognize the black and white nature of the gospel. When it comes to the good news of Jesus, we are not dealing with preferences, neither are we indulging in a hobby. We are talking about the truth from God—truth that has eternal consequences for those who believe and those who do not. This is not truth that can be played or tampered with. It must be preserved, it must be protected, it must be clearly proclaimed.

Preserving God’s truth is one of the reasons that a church confession is so important. It is not enough to say we believe the Bible and we believe in Jesus. What do you believe about his person and work? What do you believe about the place of the law? If you cannot clearly define and articulate the gospel, it will be lost and distorted. The distinction between justification and sanctification—those are not just words we learn for the sake of it; they are key concepts that help us to guard the gospel, to preserve God’s truth for our children and the generations to come. When it comes to choosing a place of worship, a church in which to serve and learn, it makes sense therefore to begin with their confession. When you find a body of believers that unite around the truth, a place where the gospel is faithfully proclaimed, it makes sense to join that body, to travel thirty or forty minutes on the road if need be. It makes sense to move into the area, find a home nearby, a job not too far away. If the gospel is about life and death, no earthly expense can be too great.

On the topic of confession and preaching, it goes without saying that we need to be very circumspect about who we listen to. As Paul will confirm in the book of Romans, the gospel alone has the power to save (Romans 1:16)—the implication being that we must listen to those who preach the gospel. Ministers who had been trained and vetted by a true church are much more likely to fall into this category than self-appointed preachers or leaders of megachurches. When reading books, we are also wise to consider an author’s church background before we allow him or her to influence our mind. This is also one of the reasons that we should be careful to guard the pulpit. Those who come to preach in the church must be those who share our confession in all its parts, and also someone who has been tested and vetted. If someone is still being trained for ministry, it is better to have him write a sermon together with a more experienced minister or have him preach a sermon that has been written by a faithful minister rather than have him write his own sermon. Such a practice might seem restrictive and limiting, but it is necessary if we want to hold fast to the gospel. It is not a foolproof means of avoiding error, but a wise practice.

One final comment in this line of thought concerns the training of ministers. Not only is it good for them to learn something of the original Bible languages so they can thoroughly exegete a text; they also need a certain level of academics so that they can engage with and respond to contemporary challenges and errors. They need to know some of the common ways in which the gospel gets distorted in our day and age, so that they can address those distortions in public. The so-called New Perspective on Paul is one example—the idea that we become part of God’s people through grace and then we remain in God’s favour through our works. If we leave academia in the hands of others, if we ordain ministers that have not been adequately equipped, we open the door to lots of new gospels to enter and influence the church.

The black and white nature of the gospel has many implications for our life together as church of Jesus Christ, our structures, our liturgy, and everything we do as church. It has even more implications for those who stand outside the folds of the true church. A pearl of great price (Matthew 13:45–46): there might be many who claim to know Jesus and his Word, many who call themselves Christians in the places where we live, but there are not many true churches. Gospel distortions are rampant and rife. The biggest Christian gatherings are often led by self-appointed preachers who are captive to the health and wealth or the social gospel. Let us be committed therefore to helping others find and join a true church. Let us join Paul in his passion for Christ by praying regularly for theological students and professors, sharing faithful resources with fellow ministers/believers and petitioning our Lord to bring false teachers to repentance and if not, to shut their mouths.