"When evangelicals are willing to depreciate doctrine and when they're willing to set aside unpopular convictions, and when they're willing to stay silent on biblical teaching that offends people in error and sin, opposition will disappear and we could all get together. I believe that. I could start a unity movement...eliminate doctrine, set aside unpopular convictions, don't say anything that offends and we'll all get together. That isn't any surprise. But you know some other things are going to disappear too along with doctrine, like truth, conviction, discernment, righteousness, holiness, discipline, true love and spiritual maturity. They're all gone too and then God will disappear, Ichabod. That price is too high. That will produce a church victimized by hell's deceptions. "
-John MacArthur
Since the very moment I became a Christian, the first thing I realized was the lack of discernment among those who call themselves Christians. It makes one wonder when talking to them, whether they are unconverted or just very very immature in their faith. Either way I point the blame at the modern church. Their lowing view of doctrine and exalting of feelings and personal ideals in place of it.
Today I attempted to witness to someone in my Lab class. She being a very nice individual allowed me to ask her what she thought would happen after she dies. She said she was a Christian. So I began asking questions about her faith, like what do you believe, why I should believe, and how does one become a Christian. I told her I was interested in the topic of religion(a true statement, though she did not know I was a Christian yet). Her response was... all over the place, saying sin is something that separates us from God. And when I asked more about sin, I was told that there is no black and white just shades of grey. I dug and dug to see if she would call herself good or bad and whether there was repentance and trust in how she became a Christian. All I got was "I'm not good, cause I'm not perfect. But I'm not bad or evil."
I asked her if I didn't follow her faith and died, where would I go. All I heard was "I don't know, cause I haven't seen how you've lived." She wouldn't say that those not redeemed by Christ would end up in hell as the Bible clearly says.
I eventually after holding in some tears, revealed to her I was a Christian and that I was concerned with her faith. I walked her through the law to show that it isn't grey but black and white and that the law shows us we aren't good at all.
I told her "the heart is deceitfully wicked, who can know it." It just didn't seem to click, she didn't really see a difference. I eventually just shared the gospel with her by sharing my testimony and explained how God saved me with use of the law and Christ, using myself as an illustration. Being a false convert for 18 years of my life, I left her with that thought. That many that call themselves Christians my not really be saved. I plead with her to take 2 Corinthians 13:5 and to check her self with 1 John.
It also turns out she is part of IV(intervarsity) The social gospel 'christian' group that also heads up the "christian unity" group on campus that after attending one meeting(at the request of a friend) I cried over a few weeks after. They lower doctrine and theology as things that divde, making claims like God must cry when he sees us being divided over 'small' things.
Theology is not small. Theology defines how we see the character of our God, and that defines how we live.
They also make claims about how friendship EV is the only way we are to do it, or else people won't listen. That me must befriend people and wait for them to become interested and ask us questions.
What garbage, that is not loving!.(Even Penn Jillette gets it more! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JHS8adO3hM& )
They also were saying theology is useless when explaining whey there is pain and suffering in the world. And that instead of saying "The world is fallen due to sin. And that a taste of the effects of sin is allowed to spur us to repent and trust in Christ. And then use that to explain why Christ had to die."(I was actually mocked for suggesting that) to tell the person that we don't know why and to ask them do they want to suffer alone or together with someone else so they should join christiainity to suffer as a group...
That doesn't work, we can find any religion to suffer together, none other saves.
There was so much more that broke my heart, I can't help from moarning over those who saw no problem with what was taught.
This all made me think of a GTY sermon my John MacArthur.
http://www.gty.org/Resources/Sermons/52-32
I've declared war on false doctrine that like leaven poisons the whole batch.
