Not So Famous…

I ask the question for a more practical reason than I often do.  Sometimes, I want to know theory behind the why’s of human behavior.  Recently, however, I have come under fire by some people whom I care about deeply for attempting to eradicate inconsistent and erroneous beliefs about the Word of God and the right worship of the Most Holy God. I’m not angry with my loved ones, but I AM angry.

First off, let me say that I believe it’s ridiculous to offer the argument that, “we could be wrong about many doctrines in which we believe” to counter that a doctrine is wrong.  When I point out a wrong doctrine, I do not believe that the people that subscribe to the incorrect doctrine are necessarily not Christian. What I am saying is that I believe that something they believe is wrong, and I can support that with Scripture, or logical inference of Scripture.  Allow me to explain.

Recently, I was pointing out that the belief that whatever is not prohibited is permitted is completely flawed…and I had Scripture to back me up.  The people with whom I was discussing this then attacked the Scripture, and I defended that as well.  Ultimately, I rendered these people without any argument, and their final argument was that, “You know, Chris…we could be in error about doctrines in which we believe.”  I ask, does that really matter??  I mean, if I have proven that a doctrine which I once believed was faulty, and that I have eradicated that doctrine in my own life, of what possible value can this argument hold for me? I have already shown that I am willing to say that I was wrong.  I have shown that I examine my own belief set for inconsistencies when I am made aware of them.  My answer to this person is that yes, our doctrinal beliefs can be wrong…but that is the point of this discussion isn’t it?

Maybe this person didn’t know that I had once held this belief.  Of course, they have been completely ignorant over the last 7 or so years, if that is the case, but maybe they think that I’m more interested in proving everyone else wrong than examining my own doctrines.  If their willful ignorance of the reality of my changed doctrinal position over the years is the cause of this argument, then no problem!  :)  All I need to do is let them know that I speak about this from experience.  That I once believed that anything not expressly prohibited by the Word was permitted.  I no longer believe that.

However, I think it infinitely more likely that this is indicative of the mainstream evangelical church’s unwillingness and increasing inability to be definite about anything regarding the Word of God.  The broad evangelical movement is characterized by a profound lack of knowledge of the Word of God as it pertains to its authority, as well as a lack of understanding of what the great Protestant Reformers believe.  Many of the things mainstream evangelicals believe are either heresy, or else they border heresy quite closely.  At the very least, the Reformers would have completely disagreed with them and disabused them of their favorite notion that the Scripture is of a private interpretation.

Do you belong to the broad evangelical church?  Are you offended by what you have just read?  Do you feel as though I am attacking you?  I am not, gentle reader.  I have merely stated that your beliefs are wrong.  Get used to that, my friends. The world will hate you because of Whom you represent to them, so they are continually going to be calling your beliefs wrong.  They are continually going to tell you that you believe a lie.  You had better be able to defend yourself.  I am not attacking you, personally.  I am telling you that what you believe is wrong.  You cannot play fast and loose with the Scripture.  You cannot make the Scripture mean other than what it means.  If I had to choose a position here, I think I would rather just take the Scripture and believe what it says concerning the doctrine of election (predestination.) I think I would rather play it safe and say that whatsoever the Lord commands me to do in worship, that will I do.  I will not add to or take away from it.  (That’s a verse in Deuteronomy…paraphrased, but that’s what it says!)  Why be so cautious?

1. The Lord is a jealous God, and He has commanded us to worship is very clear ways.  He commands that we should neither add to or take away from the ways in which He has commanded us to worship!  When 2 of Aaron’s sons offered a different type of incense before the Lord, He killed them!  They died because they offered an incense other than the incense that God commanded them to offer.  Think and meditate on that, gentle reader.

2. When we try and do things our way, things get ugly.  Think of the man who put out a hand to steady the Ark of the Covenant.  He died too.  He thought the Ark would fall, and that was abhorrent to him.  However, the Lord killed him because he was not supposed to have touched the Ark.  THAT is how serious God is. I think the guy had good intentions.  That doesn’t go far with God.  Bad methods can never produce good results, no matter what your intentions.

This is serious stuff, people.  We are to honor the Lord, and we cannot do so if we play fast and loose with His scripture.

Ultimately, yes…I think it’s important to continually examine our belief systems.  We need to make sure that what we believe is what the Bible teaches.  Ignore your beliefs about God unless they are taught in the Bible.  For example, yes, the Lord God is loving.  That is clearly taught.  However, the Bible also clearly teaches that the Lord has chosen His elect out of the world.  That’s taught all over the place in Romans.  People say, “I don’t see how that fits with my concept of a loving God.”  Well let me ask you this.  Which is more likely to be wrong?  What the Bible teaches, or your concept of a loving God?  If I had to bet, I know which one is the safer bet.  Think about that.