The Same...Only Different

The Same—Only Different

“The assurance has grown upon me that here, in the Scriptures, at the very heart and core of our faith, Christians are far more at one than their outward divisions would imply.” J B Phillips

This statement is true only as long as those professing Christian are grounded in the Scriptures; only if they are Bible believing, Bible guided and Bible studying people are they indeed close to what that statement describes. I would agree that they are closer to the whole family of Christ, than what their particular church choice’s doctrines would indicate.

Unfortunately, many “Christians” that we come into contact with do not meet that simple litmus test. Oh, they might meet one or two points of what describes a Christian, however, sadly, many do not meet all three of that simple criterion. Believe; be guided by; study. Many of them know the Bible inside and out. However, when in conversation with them about its basic principals, you will find some room for doubt.

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in out lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.” II Timothy 3:16 NLT

False doctrine is not just something that is going on in the un-churched; it is prevalent in many of our churches and Christian groups. In each gathering, there are those who read the Bible then pick and choose which parts to believe and which parts not to. There are those who take a hold of those portions that support their personal preferences, supplying fuel for the argument in support of bias, prejudice, division, or excuses for un-Godly behaviour.

These people, for all their cranial knowledge of the Word, are not taking their responsibility as Christians as seriously, as they need to. Theirs is a selfish faith. They use their Christianity and the Bible with a personal agenda being their sole purpose for studying, or quoting. They will debate, quote, and use any form of connivance to sway those who are seeking into their way of thinking and belief.

If you are in conversation or association with a Christian and find yourself feeling that something is not quite right—or something they are sharing does not ring true, use your Bible as the litmus test. Check the facts. Whenever something comes to you that you either have not heard before, or are hearing in a different way, it is always good to go to your Bible and check it out. Sometimes, reading a verse in the context of the entire Bible chapter, or book, will put things into a better perspective.

A good Bible Concordance is an invaluable tool for this kind of research. It will help you narrow your search down to those passages that are relevant to the subject at hand. Strong’s concordances are very user friendly and are quite affordable.

One thing is certain, the Bible will either confirm or increase your understanding, or it will show you what is false and protect you from being led down the wrong path. When in doubt, check your facts. A fact that you can count on as true: 2600 statements in the Bible affirm that “God said” or that Scripture is “the Word of God.”

God has made himself known in many ways throughout Scripture. Still, there are those who have their doubts. Having doubts is not a sin. Taking those doubts and structuring a personal version of Bible truths, then preaching them in order to sway others to your way of thinking, is. It is dishonest, and selfish. In addition, it is my personal belief that it is cowardly. Delving into Scripture and allowing it to honestly minister to you and in your life, can be a scary thing. Many of us would rather not have that particular mirror held up to us.

Thankfully, God is merciful and He constantly works to teach, guide, and repair our lives toward the Truth. One of our tools of defense is the teaching and accountability of Bible Studies. In this venue of personal sharing, one can ask questions and gain a clear understanding and consensus on the lessons and truths of the Bible. They can also learn how to apply these lessons and truths to their lives.

The more you know, not only of what the Bible says, but what the Bible means, the better protected you are against false teachings.

“It is a wonder God did not loose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us. Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, He embraced us. He took our sin—dead lives and made us alive in Christ.” Ephesians 2:3-5 MSG



Remember, when we are unsure, God knows. He gave us the Bible, his Word, for a reason. READ IT. STUDY IT. BELIEVE IT.

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man [woman] of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” II Timothy 1:14 MSG