In the section on which bible, I mentioned a pastor who preached heart attitude. I asked this pastor, as well as others, why we had to call ourselves Baptists or Methodists or Congregationalists, etc.. If we are all Christians, then shouldn't we all be like minded and of one accord? The common answer I was given was something like this: "Yes, you are right, we should all be like minded and of one accord; but we need the label of Baptist or whatever so people of like faith can join with us and find a comfortable environment.". Pardon me? Did I hear correctly? To accept that and believe that God wants that, seems to imply that they are saying that God is fickle and doesn't really care what the church should be. I can't accept that. Is God fickle or are we? Is God hypocritical or are we? I have heard statements such as: "Good Lutheran boys don't go out with Catholic girls.", or "Don't let Church of Christ people in your door, they believe you can lose your salvation, and will corrupt you.". How about, "The Baptists think that they are the only ones with the answer.", or "I am Catholic and I can't come to your church, because they have congregational singing of hymns.", or how about, "Those people at Four Square talk in tongues, look out.". I am sure that just about everybody has encountered these or similar statements aimed at a denomination that is different from the speaker's. Enough of that! The diversity in churches seems to follow similar lines of the diversity in Bibles, but with further refinements in diversity. That further diversity can be found in interpretations of the interpretations. If we all are guided by the Holy Spirit, how can each church get something different from the same text. Let's look at some scripture. Even in Psalms 119:103-104 we see a struggle with Satan's deceptions, "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.". If that was all we saw, we could find justification in condemning any one who didn't understand the Lord's precepts as we did, and likewise they could do the same, just as in which bible. Then if verses 105-107 are added to our reading for understanding, we begin to see 143 _______________________________________________________________________________ that for the proper understanding, we need to look outside of ourselves to the Lord, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgements. I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O Lord according unto thy word.". The prayer for guidance in dealing with false things continues in verses 124-128, "Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes. I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies. It is done for thee, Lord, to work: for they have made void thy law. Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.". Satan's attack is seen also in Psalm 120, "In my distress I cried unto the Lord, and he heard me. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper. Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar! My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.". Kedar was a son of Ishmael, son of Hagar, who was Sarah's hand maiden, and had Abraham's son (Ishmael) for her. Even though there are numerous places in the Old Testament that talk about false prophets, I will only cite Ezekiel 13:1-9, as being representative of the continuing activity of Satan in the spiritual battle going on around them then and even around us today. "And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord God; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! O Israel thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The Lord saith: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word. Have ye not seen a 144 _______________________________________________________________________________ |
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