“If anyone comes to your meeting and does not teach the truth about Christ, don’t invite that person into your home or give any kind of encouragement. Anyone who encourages such people becomes a partner in their evil work.” (2 John 10-11 NLT)
There are those in our churches and who attend our gatherings who not only don’t believe the Truth of God’s Word, they are radically opposed to it, and I say, “Praise the Lord!” Where else will they learn the Truth? However, when they become “evangelistic” in spreading their lies, it’s time to take action.
Alistair Begg wrote: “The Word of God is the means employed by the Holy Spirit to transform us into the image of Christ.” Only the Holy Spirit can penetrate the barriers sin has erected in our heart that keep us from God, from learning His holy Word, and from applying His Truth to our lives. No one anywhere in any time has or will know everything the Bible teaches except the Lord Jesus Himself.
Every believe is lacking when it comes to the knowledge of God’s Word. But having said that, it should encourage us to a life-long mission to learn as much as we possibly can and apply it rightly to our lives.
It doesn’t take long when we’re talking with someone about the Christian Faith to find areas of disagreement. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? Very likely both parties are lacking in one area or another.
Preston Perry made an interesting observation when he wrote: “Judgmental Christians have a lack of understanding of God’s grace. Which is why they should be given grace even more.” Just because someone has walked with the Lord a long time doesn’t in and of itself make them more knowledgeable or a better “Christian.”
Anytime we try to more sharply define “Christian” we lessen it and cheapen it. How so? Anytime we add a descriptive term such as “carnal,” “fully committed,” “Spirit-filled,” “growing,” “backslidden,” “Calvinist,” “Wesleyan,” “Armenian,” “Baptist,” “Pentecostal,” or any of a thousand other denomination “tags,” we’re driving a wedge between believers.
The early church knew none of those divisive “titles,” and the Church grew quickly and harmoniously. Yes, of course they had their issues, but nothing to be compared with what we have to deal with today. Bob Goff nailed it when he said: “We won’t be distracted by comparison if we are captivated with purpose.”
Having traveled to other countries and made new friends who are believers, I’ve never been asked about what kind of Christian I am. We embraced one another in love recognizing we all belonged to the same Christ. That’s one of the things I love about the family of God I’m a part of now. We don’t talk about titles or tags, we accept and welcome one another based on our mutual love, acceptance of and mission for our only risen Savior. Jesus IS our unity!
Corky Calhoun wrote: “There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance and humility is the filter.” We’re sinners saved by grace – period, end of story! But I’m not naïve. Just as there were in the first century, we have rascals who seek to infiltrate and divide churches today. Hello! That’s how Satan works, but God gives His people who are filled with His Spirit discernment that enables them to recognize and deal with heresy. However, heresy isn’t what someone says or does that violates what we believe, it’s what they do or say that violates God’s Word.
Please, I know this is a sensitive subject, but even in light of all the bad press the term “Christian” receives, can we just decide that our oneness is in Christ alone, by faith alone, and let our titles die a quick and painless death?
Food for thought.
Blessings, Ed 😊
Walking With Jesus 