THE GREAT DIVIDE
There are many, many denominations within the Lord’s Church. Yet for all the different names and doctrines, there is really only one great divisor. We may not agree on how belief, repentance and confession affects the salvation of a soul, but we agree that they are necessary. We may not agree on how or when or why immersion is done, but we agree that it is commanded. The real test is whether a denomination believes that the Word of God is inerrant.
It never ceases to amaze me that someone would profess to be a Christian and yet not believe that the Bible is true and correct. I will allow that there are errors in translation, but the Word is inerrant, true and correct. In the 1960's a poll was taken of ministers of churches within the National Council of Churches. Over eighty percent of those ministers did not believe the Bible was inerrant. Why are they ministers in the Church if they do not believe the Word is true??
Brother Donald Wildmon of the American Family Association sent a letter to sixty-one leaders of different denominations asking if they would be interested in meeting to discuss how the Church could unify and address declining moral values in our society. Four of these leaders said they would participate in such a meeting. Two said they would not. The remaining fifty-five simply did not respond.
May I assume that if church leaders do not believe the Bible is true and correct, then perhaps their justification for being ministers is to further moral values within their community. But their lack of response to a Brother-in-Christ regarding moral values shows that not to be an accurate assumption.
Again, I point out the survey in which a majority of “Christians” indicated that there could be more than one way to achieve salvation. If the ministers and leaders do not believe in the Bible, they do not pass any belief on to their congregations. The Revelation seems to indicate that at the end of the Church Age there will be two Churches; the faithful Church, Philadelphia, and the apostate Church, Laodicea. The Lord Jesus is pictured standing outside the door of the apostate Church, knocking and asking to be allowed to enter1.
If there was ever a time in our nation’s history that called for prayer, it is now. Our nation is in dire need of divine assistance and guidance.
If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. - Second Chronicles 7:14
May the healing begin in the Lord’s Church. Please pray for the Church and our land.
1 - The Revelation 3:20