It doesn’t matter where you are. If a discussion or argument breaks out, some well-meaning, peace-loving soul will doubtlessly chant, “Can’t we all just get along?”
Getting along is great…to a point. There comes a place, however, when we simply cannot get along. That place is disagreement on fundamental beliefs that are the basis of truth for a cause or movement.
Imagine you are a baseball player. Most of the teams in the league play by the rules and games are played with ease. Some teams win and some teams lose. No biggy.
Now, a few teams come along who do not play by the rules. They believe that a batter should have 5 strikes before being called ‘out’. They also believe the game should be over in 6 innings instead of 9. They play 6 people in the outfield instead of three, and so on. The league commissioner does not want there to be fighting during the games with those teams so she mandates that there be compromise. Now teams must play by different rules depending upon who their competitor is and the rules change each time a new game is played… The league falls into turmoil because no one knows exactly what the standards are and teams make up their own rules to fit their wishes and the league rule book is no longer used as the authority. Chaos is the outcome. Baseball is no longer being played.
So, now let’s look at the Church that was designed and powered by the God of the Bible back in the first century AD. It has a rule book that God wrote Himself (yes, ECers, God wrote it by inspiration of the Holy Spirit). Some of the churches do not wish to follow some of the rules, other churches do not wish to follow many of the rules, and many churches just make up their own rules based upon what they desire to be true instead of what is true.
Along come well-meaning ‘evangelical leaders’ who say, “Hey, man. Stop the quarreling. Let’s not worry about the things we disagree about, let’s just focus on what we can agree on”… and so forth. Eventually the rule book (Bible) is no longer seen as valid. Churches believe and do anything they want and feel justified in doing so. One day the supreme league commissioner (God) says to those who have strayed from His authoritative word, “you’re OUT!”
Return to the Bible. It has all of the information that God wished to communicate to man. “Four Keys to Prosperity”, “Seven Prayers to Get Everything You Want”, “How to Enjoy This Life NOW”, and other such nonsense will get you nowhere with God.
“Repent ye therefore and be converted so that your sins may be blotted out.” Acts 3:19
