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Where In The Bible Will I Find... The True Way To Religious Unity? (No. 3)
Gary Colley |
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The reason we do not have religious unity today has to do with a wrong attitude toward the Bible. Many are not convinced that the New Testament is complete (Jas. 1:25), that it is authoritative (2Pet. 1:3), or that it is powerful (Rom. 1:16; Heb 4:12). This constitutes an improper attitude toward the inspired Scriptures (2Tim 4:1-4). Whether they admit it or not, too many have the attitude of a young man with whom we spoke for several hours about his sinful lifestyle of sodomy. When asked if he respected the Bible, he responded, "I don't give a hoot about the Bible!" If the word of God is not the final standard for religious unity, there can be none! Without the New Testament being the final answer to every religious question, unity simply cannot exist (Matt. 17:1-6). Unity does not have a heartbeat of a chance where men add to the Bible their Prayer Books, Catechisms, Disciplines, Book of Morman, and Confessions of Faith. Jesus clearly states that the path to true unity is to come together in the love and on the authority of His Word (1John 1:7). That demands that each of us love the Lord more than we love self, kinfolk, or our own opinions (Matt. 10:37). "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you" (John 15:14). Churches of Christ agree in these sentiments of the Lord. We have contended for these sentiments through the years, but we have been looked upon by enemies of the cross as narrow. Sometimes, we've even been branded as a group of bigots. But this is still our plea to every honest soul. |