Have you noticed how some Christians hold to Biblically untenable positions and, when questioned, defend them with an attitude something to the effect that: "You are entitled to your beliefs; I have mine," or, "I've prayed about it and believe it is okay"? I have recently come across information that, while distressing, sheds light on how this can be. A survey by Christian pollster George Barna indicates that two thirds of those surveyed (who claim to be born-again), believe there is no such thing as absolute truth. The first thing that popped into my mind on reading this was: "How can they be absolutely sure they are saved?" Tragically, they cannot—and probably, many of them are not!
But how about you and me? Are we, and those to whom we minister, wrestling with Scripture toward coming to a mature faith in "unity" (Ephesians 4:4-6,11-16)? Are we encouraging one another to remember that Scripture, because it is God's Holy Word, can have only one accurate interpretation? Are we exhorting one another to remember that we will all one day stand before our holy and righteous God and give an account of those things we have done since the blood of Christ was applied to our lives—an account that He will compare with that one interpretation of truth? If we are not so wrestling and encouraging, we should be!
This is not to say that we can or will agree on all points, but we should invest ourselves in His Word, coming to unity around that word (Philippians 1:27). As stewards, we should become able to contend for the faith, lovingly yet earnestly. Moreover, we must contend for the entire body of faith (doctrine/truth) delivered to us in the Scriptures (Jude 3).
Foundational to reestablishing Biblical "belief" and "faith," which, by the way, are the same word (pistis) in the Greek, we must acknowledge that there is only one truth, that we have no inalienable right to believe what we will, and that we must apply ourselves toward understanding and living that truth (II Timothy 3:16,17). Basic to all is a willingness to cling to the literal accuracy and absolute authority of the Bible (the whole counsel of God). If we are not firm on this point, we have nothing reasonable on which to base our faith.
We thank our gracious Lord for your standing with us as we, together, hold forth God's life-changing truth!
