In asking: Should we not, out of love, and the commission that has been laid upon us by God, teach those who have submitted theirselves to our authority as clergy, desciple them in the truth? Is not idolatry vile to God? Is not a repetitious recitation of a mantra-like prayer that is sold to the the congregants of said denomination as a moden day indulgence offensive to His very Word warning of of such “vain repetitions”?

My comments are made as a wake up call for all of those who call themselves Christians. Ecumenism/”unity” for the sake of unity, is IMHO, a danger to the American church in particular. Because of the current ecumenical trend, American churches are on a path to liberalize their doctrine to suit man, rather than teach the unadulterated truth of the Bible. All this in order to keep more people coming and tithing in the seeker friendly tradition. This is the trend, not the rule. The American church, evangelical as well, will far more easily liberalize doctrine to suit societal trends and simply “tickle ears”, rather than teach the unadulterated truth of the Bible for fear they might offend a few sinners who need saving, congregants who need teaching, and all who might come to conviction and repentance by simply being taught the Word of God.

I know that the Lord in His grace has true born-again believers in all denominations, who are sold out, on-fire, in love with the Lord. I have no doubt of this. I do not in anyway shape or form even intimate that the congregants of churches who have habitualized their soft-selling of Christianity are evil, and should be shunned because of differences. Nor should these churches/denominations themselves be shunned. My point is that if there are differences, we do need to discuss them, and expose in love where any particular denominational doctrine or teaching is off track with scripture. Let the Word define the truth, not our interpretations or opinoions, and let us unite in the TRUTH, not just for the sake of unity or ecumenism. We cannnot unite simply for the sake of calling the church united, when there are core doctrinal issues that do not line up with scripture. We cannot be unevenly yolked.

We are told in scripture that we should be instructing righteousness, and that the Word is given for 3 things: Doctrine, reproof and correction (2 Timothy as well). Two out of three of those are for bringing people from false-doctrine to truth. Correction and Reproof. We correct their doctrine, and yes, even admonish them in love for teaching such false doctrine, when they should have known better. This is 100% biblical. If we do not do this, in love mind you, no matter how painful it may be to our flesh, we are not fulfilling our calling as ministers of the Gospel of Christ.

As the saying goes, we must always hate the sin, but love the sinner. We should not, and I do not, go out of my way to “bash” other churches or denominations, but we must, we MUST make known to those people who seek the truth, where any church or denomination goes astray in salvational doctrine. Calling what is vile and offensive to God, vile and offensive, is not loving like a rattlesnake, it is loving like the caring overseers we should be.

I do apologize with all sincerity if my comments have oofended. This is not my intent. Education, introspection, and perhaps a little conviction by the Holy Spirit was my desired intent. I have devoted my life to my Lord and Savior. And if He is to ne my Saviour, I must first allow Him to be my Lord, and direct me me, and command me. Paul spent much of his time in the ministry correcting what was accepted into Christian lifestyle and doctrine. We must be careful not to become a church, or even person, who in accepting what is vile and repulsive to God, simplyt in the name of “loving”. This is my main point.

Mr. JCondon, you have my most sincerest of apologies for any offense or mis-understanding.

You ask a good question! In answer, I believe every area of difference is an opportunity for discussion, clarification, and growth. When I sit with the group of pastors to pray (which happens again tomorrow at noon), we gather around as leaders of congregations united by a common faith to pray for our respective churches. But we still discuss doctrine.

The other items I mentioned likewise are important, albeit tertiary. And there are certainly opportunities to discuss these as well. However, as I believe Paul’s letter to Timothy infers, the best way to see what a person believes is to get to know them. Relationship goes a long way!

For instance, the Bereans, we find in Acts 17, seem to be commended for looking into the claims of Paul – searching the Scriptures. But guess what, they did that with Paul – not in discussing what they thought Paul may or may not believe through papyrus drafts or carrier pigeons. In our day, too frequently “debates” are carried out with ad hominems, broad statements, guilt by association, public and personal accusations, but rarely are attempts made to clarify positions directly – and often no biblical case to the contrary is presented.

At least the pastors know how to develop and defend their case – of course it helps that we know one another as well.

The Internet is a great tool but, like all tools, it can be (and often is) misused.

Please tell your family hello for me!

Thank you for a wise and timely admonition. We are certainly living in a time when it takes no effort at all to slander/libel one another, all in the name of some figment of duty to set the world straight. How it must grieve the Holy Spirit to see us bite and devour one another, in the name of the Lord!

The Word is always fresh and alive, and cuts right to the heart of the matter. Thanks again.

Dan and Bonnie Frodge
in Florida

I respectfully disagree with Joe and side with James on this issue.

The trouble in today’s religious marketplace if you will, is that “Christian” no longer means the same thing to everyone, even among those professing Christianity. What scripture tells us we are to be united in, is not “Christianity” as is the current ecumenical focus, but to be united in CHRIST, and the TRUTH of His gospel. This, in a great many cases, puts denominations as odds.

When a mainstream denomination blatantly opposes Christian doctrine by ordaining gay and female clergy, supporting same sex unions, endorsing gay clergy as long as they are not “practicing” (all subjects that can be easily ruled as unbiblical with even a cursory study of scripture), than it is time that we part ways from serving along side these denominations. To not do so, is to be unevenly yolked.

When we dig below the surface of other mainstream denominations whose advertised “statement of faith” or church “doctrine” seem to follow Christ’s gospel message and dogmatic Christian doctrine, only to find that they in fact endorse abortion in cases of “extreme duress” or two or three other “reasons”, and also cannot speak out in condemnation of a homosexual lifestyle because in this day and age we “fail to see the social relevance” or “societal acceptance” of this lifestyle, we must part even further.

When you have a mainstream denomination that states that only their magically gifted clergy can physically change a piece of pastry into the physical body of Jesus so that we may eat it as a cannibal, and can physically change, through their vile and repetitious recitations and mantra-like incantations change a goblet of wine into the actual blood of Jesus so that we can drink it, and that these things MUST be done in order to be saved, and that since only their magically ordained clergy can do such, that they are the only true church, and therefore the only means to eternal salvation (a fact recently reiterated by this churches highest ranking official), than we must part even further.

We unite in Christ, and if I have to look past the list of the things above to “unite” with someone theologically, how much can there be left to unite in?

The second Timothy verses listed above apply so truly here. We are to disagree in a Godly way. We are not to cause strife, and argue, but to present the truth in love, “able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth”. If we are not teaching the truth, and citing falsehoods when we see them in the described methods of 2 Timothy 2, we have become as much of the problem as those who teach it.

Like Christ said, you are either for Him or against Him. We are either part of the gospel “solution”, or we are part of the satanically driven worldview “problem”. Ecumenism, as it is expressed by the RCC and others, will be the downfall of Evangelicalism.

Actually, since I believe doctrine to be important (John 7:16, Acts 2:42, 1 Tim 4:6, 2 John 9, etc.), denominations are inevitable. We should vigorously debate doctrines and even tertiary issues such as those I reference in my article. However, the point I was trying to make was to debate in love – sticking to the issues, presenting a biblical case in defense or in opposition, while avoiding personal attacks, sweeping statements, et al.

Does this make sense?