WESTSIDE — This week's column is somewhat in response to the recent letter of Sheila Martin of Gravette commending three Gravette churches for putting aside their doctrinal differences to work together in ministering to children through a joint vacation Bible school. I won’t challenge the points she makes or criticize the churches because I do not know just where these three churches now stand in regard to doctrine.

What I would like to do here is simply present another side of this issue which people seldom consider. It is my hope that readers will set aside any attached emotion and consider the matter on the basis of Scriptural teaching.

While I would love to see churches be able to unite in doing the work of Christ's Great Commission, that commission includes teaching people to observe all things that Christ taught and commanded. Jesus said to His followers, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:19-20).

Also to be considered are Jesus’ own words regarding false prophets who come in sheep’s clothing - they appear as good Christian people. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves...” (Matt. 7:15ff.).

It would seem, then, that the way for churches to unite is not to forget and put aside doctrinal differences - basically agreeing to disagree - but to return to the Scriptures with a submissive heart and accept, believe and teach all that Christ taught. That is not an easy thing to do because all too often people come to the Bible with preconceived (or pretaught) notions and ideas which they let get in the way of simple acceptance of the plain and clear words of the Bible. Instead of letting Scripture interpret Scripture, they bend and twist the words of the Bible to fit their own ideas and beliefs or those of some teacher or church body.

The Bible says that “no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:20-21). Thus, it is not OK to have varying interpretations of the Bible. There is only one correct interpretation of the Scriptures, that which the Holy Spirit intended when He moved men to write and guided their choice of words so that what they wrote was nottheir own word but God’s inspired Word.

This, of course, raises the question as to why there are so many different churches and denominations in the first place. The answer almost always comes down to individuals, somewhere, departing from Biblical doctrine and teaching their own interpretation and opinion rather than the clear and plain words of the Bible. In some cases, new churches and denominations formed because the existing (and sometimes mainline) denomination departed from the truth in one or more articles of Christian doctrine. In other cases, a new group formed because a teacher and followers adopted a new teaching in addition to or contrary to the Bible.

The Bible warns against departing from Biblical doctrine in no uncertain terms, “You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you” (Deut. 4:2).

May I, then, for the sake of outward unity, compromise the teaching of Holy Scriptures? Can I simply overlook and ignore doctrinal error or not speak the entire counsel of God for the sake of working together here in this world? I have to answer that in the negative.

Why? The doctrine is not mine; it is God’s. I have no right to change it or compromise it. The work is not mine; it is Christ’s. Therefore, too, I have no right to choose any other way to do the work of discipling the nations than the way in which Christ commanded and commissioned me to do it; namely, going out, baptizing in the name of the Triune God and teaching them to observe all that Christ has commanded and taught.

Again the Bible says, “Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful” (1 Cor. 4:1-2). As a steward of the mysteries of God revealed in God’s Word, God expects me to be faithful. I can believe and teach no more and no less than what Godhas revealed in His Word.

So should we seek unity among the many churches and denominations? Most certainly! But should we give up and compromise Biblical doctrine in order to do so? Absolutely not!

To take this even a step further, doctrinal unity - perhaps better described as concord - is not something we can achieve by agreeing to disagree. Rather it is a creation of God as He teaches and leads us into a knowledge of the truth through the study of His Word, the Bible. The way to unity, then, is not to ignore the truth and pretend to be united. Rather, it is to seek and hold to the truth revealed in the Holy Scriptures. It is to hold fast to Christ, the Head of the Church, and to be submissive to His Word (cf. Eph. 5:22-33).

[Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by per

mission. All rights reserved.]

Randy Moll is the managing editor of the Westside Eagle Observer. He may be reached by e-mail at rmoll@ nwaonline.com.

Opinion, Pages 6 on 08/10/2011