Reading Irenaeus (part 2)--On Being Thankful for Irenaeus' Boldness

As I've been reading Irenaeus' Against Heresies I have often been moved to prayers to God, thanking him for Irenaeus and for using him to protect Jesus' church.  I was recently perusing J. Gresham Machen's Christianity and Liberalism and came across these lines:

“Indifferentism about doctrine makes no heroes of the faith.”  p. 51

“In such times of crisis, God has always saved the Church.  But He has always saved it not by theological pacifists, but by sturdy contenders for the truth.”  p. 174

Or consider this from another angle: what if, instead of Irenaeus, the early church had to rely on Rob Bell to defend the Christian gospel.  Scary isn't it!  Be thankful, be very thankful for Irenaeus.