|
 At
Freed-Hardeman College (1934) President Hardeman made a chapel
talk on Psm. 1:1-2. He said “walk not” by the pool room, nor
“stand” there, nor “sit” and watch the players. In
typical Hardeman fashion, he was telling us to avoid the “first
steps” to a life of delinquency. The Latins have a proverb for
it: “Obsta Principiis,” or, “resist the beginnings.”
Changes in our life, and in the church, come gradually. They
often develop with little opposition because we do not recognize
the “fatal steps” to error.
It
has been charged that there are. “Religious Steps to Atheism”
but this obviously cannot refer to genuine Christianity. Truth
does not lead to error. One must acknowledge, however, a
correlation of Heresy, Sectarianism and Denominationalism
(abuses of true religion) to current rejection of the “church,”
and to subsequent infidelity and atheism. We seek to define
these developments, and determine the “fatal steps” that
lead to each.
HERESY
is doctrinal opinion that departs from orthodoxy; automatically
assuming a standard. The Jews called Paul a heretic (Acts 24:5,
14) and Christianity a sect — using Judaism as the standard of
orthodoxy. But heresy is more than honest difference in
religious matters. Vine says it, “Denotes a choosing, choice;
than that which is chosen; and hence, an opinion, especially a
self-willed opinion which is substituted for submission to the
power of truth...“ There will always be differing conclusions
drawn by honest men as they “grow in knowledge,” and this
alone is not heresy. But babes and adults in Christ must have
identical attitudes: be of “one spirit… one mind” striving
for the
|
|
faith of the gospel (Phil. 1:27). When
one forgets that God is master of all and allows personal
preference or the prospect of advantage (see Vine) to dictate
his conclusions, he is soon trapped in heresy. The “fatal step”
is taken when one becomes opinionated and self-willed — loses
his “cool” if he is questioned, or crossed. Heresy is best
tested by open Bible study.
SECTARIANISM
is kin to heresy, and comes from the same word. It is the “party”
spirit; and a SECT is formed when self-willed and opinionated
people are drawn together and allow their conclusions to form
the boundaries of their fellowship. This is a cunningly
deceptive step, so easily taken. We reason: the true church is
that body of people who accept and obey the truth — right? We
accept and obey the truth, therefore we are the true church —
right? Then, only those who do as we do are members of the true
church!! The switch from divine to human standard is made so
smoothly that even members of a group called “Church of Christ”
may not recognize its presence. “We” couldn’t be wrong!
Since
we must act in keeping with our convictions (Rom. 14:5, 22-23),
and honest convictions may differ, some think this is a dilemma.
It is not. A true Christian acts, and fellowships, in keeping
with his convictions, but remains open for further
enlightenment. The “Fatal Step” toward Sectarianism is taken
when we “measure ourselves by ourselves” (2 Cor. 10:12-f);
when “the way we do it” is substituted for honest Bible
study. (continued on next page)
[Previous
Article] [Next
Article]
|
