Today's readings are Joshua 3.1-17 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Josh.+3.1-17 ) and Acts 9.1-22 ( http://www.gnpcb.org/esv/search/?q=Acts+9.1-22 ).
"Deeds, not creeds," right? "Doctrine divides." In this modern comfortable version of Western Christianity that we see all so often, many Americans will blithely assume that purity of doctrine is not very important. As long as you have "the basics" everything is fine. And what are "the basics"? Sometimes it's awfully hard to see what those might be. Every Christian group seems to have its own version of what is basic. Every Christian group seems to have its own standard for whether the things on their "basic" list are necessary for fellowship with other Christians or not. Yet while we look at these distinctives as defining ourselves we pass off theological distinctives as unimportant.
Not so in the early Church. Saul went out looking for people who were following what he saw as incorrect doctrine. The goal was to imprison them and bring them to death. This is no gentle religious pluralism. And when he was converted, while we can see that the early Christians did not pursue unbelievers to death, it is crystal clear that your doctrine does matter. It's tremendously important. Genuine believers are called to repentance over doctrinal distinctives.
Where are we going to draw the lines today? We have a very wide variety of groups going by the name "Christian." What are the essentials? I pray that we may all pursue genuine answers to those questions. May we be changed by the Scripture as we seek the truth.
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