The Duty

[Anthony Pritchard]

The Duty

The Duty To Tell, To Teach, To Contend For The Truth, And To Stand Against Error

[Note: I told several members that I would post infrequently, and that when I do post, I will discuss what I have written until the conversation is exhausted or becomes circular.]

There is a duty laid upon every believer, a calling that does not change whether we stand in a pulpit or sit at a kitchen table, whether we speak in private or write in public. We are commanded to tell the truth, to teach the truth, to defend the truth, and to contend for the truth. This is not a suggestion. It is not a matter of personality or preference. It is the charge given by God to His people.

We write articles, books, reviews, and apologetics. We post on various platforms. We participate in forums. We do so to invite discussion. We do not shy away when challenged. We engage. Some will say that we will never convince certain people of their error or lead them to the truth. That may be correct, but it is also irrelevant. Convincing is not our job. Persuasion is not our responsibility. The results do not belong to us. The responsibility that belongs to us is obedience.

We are commanded to preach the Word of God. We are commanded to reprove, rebuke, and exhort. We are commanded to contend for the faith. The Word of God carries its own power. It does not return void. It does not return empty. It accomplishes the will and purpose of God, even if that purpose is simply that "they are without excuse", as Romans 1:20 declares. When we speak the Word, when we write the Word, when we defend the Word, we are instruments through which God works. The outcome is His. The obedience is ours.

Paul wrote to Timothy with clarity and urgency. The command is unmistakable.

2 Timothy 4:2
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

This is not limited to pastors. It is not confined to church offices. It is the posture of every believer who bears witness to Christ. We preach the Word when we speak it. We preach the Word when we write it. We preach the Word when we defend it. We preach the Word when we stand firm in the truth even when others resist it.

Jude wrote with equal force, reminding the saints that the faith is not merely to be believed, but to be defended.

Jude 1:3
“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.”

To contend is to stand. To contend is to speak. To contend is to resist error and uphold truth. It is not a quarrelsome spirit. It is not pride. It is fidelity to the revelation God has given. The faith was delivered once. It is not ours to reshape. It is ours to guard.

We do this work to invite discussion. We do this work to spark debate. We do this work so that the Word of God might be preached. We do this work for the glory of God and for the furtherance of the cause of our Lord, our God, and our Savior, the only Begotten Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is no higher calling. There is no more noble purpose in this life. To speak the truth of God is to stand in the stream of His eternal work. To teach the truth is to shine light into darkness. To defend the truth is to honor the God who gave it. To contend for the faith is to join the saints of every age who held fast to the Word that cannot be broken.

We are not responsible for the harvest. We are not responsible for the reaction. We are not responsible for the outcome. We are responsible for the sowing, the faithfulness, and the clarity. The Word of God will do what God intends. Our task is to speak it.

Closing Reflection

The believer who stands for truth does not stand in ease or comfort. The world is not friendly to the Word of God. The age is not welcoming to the voice of Scripture. Yet the Lord has never sent His people into friendly fields. He sends us into places where truth is resisted, where error is celebrated, where darkness is called light and light is called darkness. He sends us into the midst of wolves, yet He does not send us alone. He gives us wisdom. He gives us gentleness. He gives us the strength to stand and the grace to speak.

Our purpose is not to dominate, but to shine. Our purpose is not to overpower, but to be faithful. Our purpose is not to imitate the world, but to imitate Christ. We stand with courage, but we walk with humility. We contend with conviction, but we speak with grace. We defend the faith, but we do so with the character of the One who saved us.

The Lord Himself gave the pattern for our posture in this world.

Matthew 10:16
“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.”

And so, having said all that to say; What are your thoughts on this matter?

~Tony

© A.K. Pritchard 2026 -

Free to use with proper attribution.

 

[JonC]

I would add that "iron sharpening iron" is not a pleasant process. It involved holding one's own understanding at arms length. One must listen to the opposing view, and go to the biblical text.

Too often people want to correct by others by pointing to Scripture but are unable to accept the possibility they may have exceeded the limits of the biblical text.

Understandings may differ, and we live with that in this lifetime. But the biblical text is limiting. As such it limits errors if not ignored. God's words set a boundary or guardrails that we should never cross. To do so is to lean on one's own understanding.

 

[Anthony Pritchard]

I would add that "iron sharpening iron" is not a pleasant process. It involved holding one's own understanding at arms length. One must listen to the opposing view, and go to the biblical text.

Too often people want to correct by others by pointing to Scripture but are unable to accept the possibility they may have exceeded the limits of the biblical text.

Understandings may differ, and we live with that in this lifetime. But the biblical text is limiting. As such it limits errors if not ignored. God's words set a boundary or guardrails that we should never cross. To do so is to lean on one's own understanding.

The believer who stands for truth truly does not stand in ease or comfort, ever really. The world is not at all friendly to the truth of the Word of God.

 

[JonC]

The believer who stands for truth truly does not stand in ease or comfort, ever really. The world is not at all friendly to the truth of the Word of God.

I see this applying to both evangelism and teaching fellow believers, but in different ways.

Your post made me think of evangelism. We are all called to witness, to share the gospel. I think the reason we often hesitate is our own discomfort.

With teaching I think that this a reason why Paul cautions those desiring to teach. It is easy to confuse trafition with God's words, and very hard to remove oneself from tradition. That is a stand that will be uncomfortable. Every denomination has its own ideas, and sometimes they are additions or changes to the biblical text. But in the end our business is simply teaching what God has said.

Here is a sad example of how denominations cling to tradition. A church is currently facing a possible split. They have a new music leader. The reason for the hostility towards one another? The music leader faces the congregation instead of the choir when singing.


Reading your article, I come to the conclusion that although uncomfortable at times simply standing on God's words and applying those words to our lives is the easier yoke.

 

[Anthony Pritchard]

I see this applying to both evangelism and teaching fellow believers, but in different ways.

Your post made me think of evangelism. We are all called to witness, to share the gospel. I think the reason we often hesitate is our own discomfort.

With teaching I think that this a reason why Paul cautions those desiring to teach. It is easy to confuse trafition with God's words, and very hard to remove oneself from tradition. That is a stand that will be uncomfortable. Every denomination has its own ideas, and sometimes they are additions or changes to the biblical text. But in the end our business is simply teaching what God has said.

Here is a sad example of how denominations cling to tradition. A church is currently facing a possible split. They have a new music leader. The reason for the hostility towards one another? The music leader faces the congregation instead of the choir when singing.


Reading your article, I come to the conclusion that although uncomfortable at times simply standing on God's words and applying those words to our lives is the easier yoke.

There is value in letting God vindicate, and Scripture teaches that in many places. Yet I am persuaded that it is unbiblical and ungodly to be a quietist, to step back from conflict when truth is at stake. Jude writes, earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints in Jude 3. That command is not isolated. It is the clearest expression of a principle that runs through the entire Word of God. From Genesis to Revelation, the people of God are called to stand, to speak, to confront, to uphold, and to contend for truth, never with ego, never with vengeance, and always with courage.

 

[JonC]

There is value in letting God vindicate, and Scripture teaches that in many places. Yet I am persuaded that it is unbiblical and ungodly to be a quietist, to step back from conflict when truth is at stake. Jude writes, earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints in Jude 3. That command is not isolated. It is the clearest expression of a principle that runs through the entire Word of God. From Genesis to Revelation, the people of God are called to stand, to speak, to confront, to uphold, and to contend for truth, never with ego, never with vengeance, and always with courage.

I agree.

Having been on this board for over two decades I have come to realize many do not realize what the "faith once delivered" means.

I think you put it best when you explained that the biblical text is limiting. People get caught up in "isms" and it is difficult for them to make a break in order to stand on God's words.

One of my pastors (when I lived in TN) talked about how difficult it was to break from Catholicism. He had been raised a Catholic, went to Catholic schools, his friends and family was Catholic. But he knew first and foremost he had to be faithful to God.

Listening to him tell his account made me realize the courage it took for him to leave his tradition. But, also, that he had no choice in the matter (except disobedience).

We are called to stand.