“Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people.” Jude 3
“Keep reminding God’s people of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen.” 2 Timothy 2:14
Shortly after I was ordained, a friend of my dad gave a set of biblical commentaries to me. It was a generous gift designed to help me as I worked to prepare my sermons each week. I don’t remember the author of the commentaries or even if they had a name or not. But I distinctly remember being shocked when I read the introductory comments on the book of Hebrews.
The author of the commentary gave a brief history concerning the debate over the authorship of Hebrews who in most scholars’ minds is shrouded in mystery. But not this guy. He argued passionately that Paul was the author of Hebrews. Not only was Paul the author of Hebrews, but those who disagreed with him were destined for hell. I promise you that I’m not making this up. In this author’s mind, the unpardonable sin appeared to be the questioning of Paul’s authorship of Hebrews.
In contrast I remember reading a religious cartoon that depicted a depressed pastor sitting behind his desk. A large chart on the wall behind him showed a history of declining church attendance. A lay leader in the church who was standing in front him gave this insightful commentary: “Maybe it would help if you didn’t end every sermon with ‘But then again, what do I know?’”
Therein is the dilemma. On the one side there is the danger of being so dogmatic about every single biblical/theological issue that no room is left for legitimate debate or differences. On the other side is the weak-minded position of having no convictions at all as if there is nothing that is essential in Christian doctrine. How does one solve this dilemma?
In response some would suggest that you need to focus on the essentials. In the essentials there should be unity and in non-essentials, charity should reign. It seems like a great idea until you start trying to define what is essential. Most of us have come to find out that what is essential in matters of faith is often determined by the one who’s making the decision. As a result, little is resolved.
Recently, I was grappling with this issue and learned that it is often helpful to categorize matters of faith in terms of how primary they are as seen throughout church history. At the top would be matters which are so foundational to the faith that should a person reject them, it would render him or her no longer Christian by any meaningful definition of the term. Such matters are typically found in the historic creeds of the faith which express core teachings on the nature of God and the life and ministry of Jesus. These are the teachings that have stood the test of time and have shown themselves to be the very bedrock of Christian doctrine.
That would include such things as the triune nature of God, Jesus being fully God and fully man, the efficacy of the atoning work of Christ along with His bodily resurrection. No doubt there are other matters that we could add to the list. But again, they are historically foundational which are evidenced in the scripture and reaffirmed again and again by believers through the centuries.
Of lesser importance would be matters where sincere believers differ in viewpoint while still being under the broad umbrella of Christian belief. This would include such things as modes of baptism, approaches to church government, understanding of final things and more. Here we may have a sense that we rightly understand some matter of faith, but we can acknowledge that other brothers and sisters in Christ think differently. We may congregate with those who are more like-minded, but we still view those who differ with us in a positive light.
Below that level are matters that are purely issues of preference. Days and times of worship, orders of service, approaches to discipleship and more fall under this category. In this level believers need to learn to stay together and be more accepting and tolerant of their differences knowing that in most cases there isn’t a right or a wrong – just a difference of viewpoint.
I found this categorizing approach to be very helpful and disturbing at the same time. It’s helpful in the sense that you see where the true non-negotiables are. Holding fast to these foundational truths is something that cannot be abandoned. The disturbing part centers around the fact that most of the uproar and disunity in the church today center not on the matters of primary faith but on secondary matters.
We may hold very carefully considered viewpoints on any number of theological/ethical issues. And it may be that we have the right perspective on them. But does that give us permission to demonize our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who disagree with us? I don’t think so. There is a wrong way to be right. Being dismissive and condemnatory are just two examples of such a wrong way.
For that matter, humility demands that we admit the possibility that we may actually be wrong about something even if we don’t think we are. That’s especially true when the religious culture around us has shaped our understanding more than a careful study of the scripture. I know that my viewpoints on any number of things have evolved over time as I’ve given them more careful consideration through an unfiltered and honest desire to see what the scripture really does teach.
Certainly, we must reject any hint of disunity over silly matters like the color of the carpet in the sanctuary or when the offering is to be taken in the worship service. I could fill a book detailing the tragic stories where believers dug in their heels about matters that in all reality didn’t really matter.
To be clear, this rigidity isn’t a conservative or liberal issue. Rabid fundamentalism can be found on both edges of the theological spectrum. Such persons see those who differ with them as the enemy who must be exposed and destroyed. How such an attitude squares with the heart and mind of our Lord is beyond me. But it’s sadly alive and well.
So yes, we need to have strong convictions about our Christian beliefs. We just need to make sure that they are Christian in the fullest sense of the word.