Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!sun-barr!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: pgaughan@nmsu.edu Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Taking God Seriously Message-ID: Date: 13 Oct 89 06:59:49 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 43 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu [... However sometimes I wonder. There are a number of fairly obvious steps God could take if he wanted a single, unambiguous viewpoint in the Church. So from time to time I find it interesting to consider the possibility that for some reason God finds it acceptable, or maybe even useful, to have a diversity of ideas. C.S.Lewis suggests in the Screwtape Letters (after making the appropriate reversal of viewpoints) that it provides an excellent opportunity for Christians to practice charity and forbearance. If there were a single church with a single authoritative doctrine, it would be very easy to confuse the institution and its doctrine with God.] I am not suggesting that every Christian should have the same views on every point of belief -- there must be room for opinion in some matters. But, I think the set of beliefs open to opinion is fairly limited and that the scriptures teach boldly against false teaching and warn us to be ever vigilant against following such. The tendency in the denominational world today is to gloss over all differences in belief except the acknowledgement that Jesus is the Christ. I do not believe this is the only doctrine that we need to believe and understand to be saved. In Galatians 1:6-9 Paul pronounces the judgement of eternal condemnation on anyone who would change the gospel. Specifically, he refers to binding circumcision to salvation. This change in the gospel seems almost insignificant when compared to some of the strange doctrines I understand are being taught in the name of Christ today. Christ said "Enter by the narrow gate...Because narrow is the gate and difficult the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matt 7:13). My main point is this: We need to examine the differences that exist in doctrines. We need to realize that ALL of these separate bodies of believers cannot be right before God. In short, we cannot take the easy way out by saying, "we're all right". We need to take the difficult path of studying the scriptures for ourselves to find the narrow way that leads to life. Pat Gaughan