“Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” John 6:12
I have a Bible in my library that I prize very highly. It belonged to my grandfather, Reverend Alexander B. Anderson, and he inscribed his name in the front of the book, both in Greek and in English. He signed it in Greek because he was born and raised in the tiny Greek village of Mabria, close to Megalopolis. He also pasted a label on the front piece with the words from John 6:12 printed in Greek, “Sunagagete ta perisseusanta klasmata, ina ma ti apolatai.” Translated, it means, “Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.” Above this scripture he placed the title, “This Precious Truth.” He was referring to the message of the Mighty God in Christ, the revelation of the name of Jesus and full salvation through the birth of water and Spirit. His Greek background gave him an insight into the language that most others lacked, and he became absolutely convinced of the Apostolic doctrine. I have met few people who are as passionate about the doctrine as he. He believed we ought to cherish this truth above anything else in life.
Knowledge of the truth is one thing, but loving the truth is equally critical. One grants us understanding. The other governs our attitude. We cannot afford to handle the precious truths that God has graciously revealed to us carelessly, disrespectfully, or trade them in for mere opinions.
- The oneness of God is a precious truth, not simply an alternative view. “For in him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” Colossians 2:9. While we do not preach condemnation, neither must we preach compromise. This message is too important to be minimized.
- The message of full salvation is a precious truth. Repentance, water baptism in the name of Jesus, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost, with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues are non-negotiable doctrines. To preach less that this would be to deny people the experience of true salvation and would represent a gross dereliction of duty.
- Living a separated and holy life, close to God, is a precious truth. Our cultural environment exerts a constant drag on every individual in the church and exerts pressure to conform to the world’s standard of life. “… do not be conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so you may prove the good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” Romans 12:2.
- Our insistence on doctrinal propriety comes from 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12. “Because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason, God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” These are sobering words that set the importance of truth in sharp relief.
- Loving one another is a precious truth. John 15:12 “This is my commandment, That you love one another, as I have loved you.” Relationship purity is as important as doctrinal purity. This truth received Jesus’ highest commendation. Maintaining doctrinal truth grows best out of love. We work harder to help each other if we are motivated by love.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski developed a philosophy that made him one of the best basketball coaches in America. He said that, as a player, when he went after a loose ball, as far as he was concerned the ball did not have the name “Wilson”, or “Spalding.” He saw the name of Krzyzewski written boldly across it. “I dove for every ball like it was my own personal property.”
Let us look at this precious truth as our own personal property. We must not let anyone steal anything away from us. Let’s look at each other the same way. If God brought you into the church, he considers you as a precious possession. He will not let you go! Neither should we. “Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.”