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COMMENTARY • July 2005 |
The mark of a true Christian: to love one another
By Paul McGuire
CHRISTIAN EXAMINER- Opinion |
Lately I have been hearing of recent arguments among Christian leaders, radio talk shows hosts and individual Christians declaring a theological holy war or jihad against one another. This time the issue is over subjects like the rapture, preterism, pretribulationism, and amillenialism. The rhetoric has been mean spirited, angry and certainly violated Christ’s commandment for us to “love one another.”
I have been a Christian for almost 30 years and I have seen theological pride, hatred and arguments come and go. I had the privilege to work closely with the Francis Schaeffer family, and Francis Schaeffer remarked that nothing was more vicious than Christians arguing over who is right theologically.
Please don’t get me wrong. I believe it is very important for Christians to debate vigorously, Scripturally and aggressively on matters of doctrine, and in areas such as eschatology. I am all for an aggressive and healthy debate on radio, in seminaries, and in print. Without question, there is serious apostasy, false teaching, and widespread heresy in our time within the evangelical church, which must be called for what it is, and confronted. Spiritual error and apostasy should not be allowed to spread without strong scriptural confrontation.
Teachings which undermine the inspiration or inerrancy of God’s Word, New Age or humanistic teachings being re-packaged as Christian, and false doctrine must be challenged with boldness. We have Christian ministers on television preaching openly the heresy of universalism, and no one is willing to hold them accountable. This is not only wrong, but it is not biblical.
However, on the other hand we have strong disagreements over peripheral areas in the Bible. It is not that these areas are not important, because they are. But, acceptance or rejection of these teachings are not on the same level as salvation by grace, the virgin birth, the trinity, and Jesus Christ being the only way to God.
In recent years I have heard strident, hateful and proud arguments in the area of eschatology or Bible prophecy. Instead of speaking the truth in love, and conducting aggressive and necessary debates on subjects like pretribulationism, the rapture, preterism, amillenialism, and other areas of Bible prophecy, I hear true Christians waging war against one another, and dividing the body of Christ, and churches over issues that are not essential to one’s salvation.
In addition, I hear an increasingly strident criticism of ministries, churches and ministers mentioned by name because one does not agree with their approach, or how they teach the Bible. Again, I am not saying that these debates are not necessary.
Under the Lordship of Christ, brothers in Christ are supposed to exhort, challenge, confront and hold accountable ministers, teachings and methods of ministry based on the standards of God’s Word. It is perfectly acceptable to hold a public figure accountable or challenge them for teaching, preaching or living in a manner that appears to violate God’s Word.
Yet, some of these areas are very clear either scripturally or morally, and there are other areas that may fit more into a disagreement over ministry style, methodology and approach. It is possible to rebuke, challenge, hold accountable and exhort in love.
True biblical love is not a “sweeping under the carpet” approach to the issues. It is not as Dr. Adrian Rogers said on my syndicated radio show recently, “being squishy on the issue.”
Make no mistake about it there are false prophets, false teachers, false doctrines, heresy and apostasy all over the evangelical church and in many so-called evangelical seminaries today, which should be challenged aggressively. To fail to do so is being unfaithful to Jesus Christ.
But, there are a host of topics that are areas of strong disagreement of among true believers in Jesus Christ. Ministry methodologies in the “seeker-friendly movement,” “the timing of the rapture,” “pretribulationism,” “amillenialism,” “the baptism of the Holy Spirit,” and many other areas are of vital importance. But, acceptance or rejection of these teachings does not constitute apostasy.
Jesus Christ said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know if you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:33-35). When our peripheral theological disagreements reach the level of hatred and name-calling we have violated Christ’s command.
On the Paul McGuire Show I have had Christian leaders such as Dr. Pat Robertson, Dr. Tim LaHaye, Dr. Jack Hayford, Dr. Adrian Rogers, Dr. John MacArthur, Dr. James Kennedy, Dr. David Jeremiah, Dr. James Dobson, Dr. David Hocking, Chuck Smith, and Rick Warren talk about many different issues. Many of these men have significant disagreements about ministry methodology, and strong disagreements about eschatology. Yet, all of these men are faithful men of God who love Jesus Christ.
We are all serving the same Lord Jesus Christ. In the final analysis, it is possible to have strong disagreements about the meaning of Scripture (as long as it does not enter the area of heresy and apostasy) and love one another in Christ. As Dr. Francis Schaeffer said, “this is the mark of a true Christian.”
Paul McGuire, is the syndicated radio talk show host of the Paul McGuire heard on KBRT in Southern California, KCBR in Colorado and other stations. He is the author of 14 books and a regular guest commentator on Fox News Network and CNN. He can be contacted at paulmcguire.com
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