Church of God Faith of Abraham

Gatesville, Texas

Does It Really Matter

For most churchgoers today, hearing the word "argue" or "debate" conjures up bad thoughts. Most churchgoers endeavor to "keep the peace" with other Christians who may not agree with their theological views by just saying,"It doesn't matter what we believe, so long as we're sincere." But nothing could be further from the truth.

Jude wrote something in his short letter which gives us an idea of what our attitude should be towards the many unbiblical doctrines which are out there: "Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" (v.3). Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words says the Greek word for "contend" (epagonizomai) "signifies to contend about a thing, as a combatant... to contend earnestly... The word 'earnestly' is added to convey the intensive force of the preposition."

Apparently in Jude's day many of the Christians were showing the signs of apathy; so much so that he had to postpone his writing about the glorious salvation offered to us in order to admonish his readers to contend for the original faith!

Now it seems a very strange thing that neither Jesus nor the apostles ever took the passive road in their own lives, nor did they teach others to do so. Rather, as Jude so admirably shows us, the attitude of the first Christians was one of intolerance to unbiblical and foreign teachings. But today we think of it as only a trivial matter that there are hundreds of different denominations and groups, each teaching something different from the other! And what is even more startling is that there are people sitting in these churches who disagree on many points with other members of the same church! What has happened to the great zeal and enthusiasm Christians are supposed to have towards firstly learning the truth then contending earnestly for it? Why have we grown into people who simply lie back and say, "Well, everybody believes differently, that's just how it is"?

Satan has capitalized on apathy in the past. The doctrine of the Trinity and "heaven-going" are two fine examples of how unbiblical teachings can be slipped in when there are only a few, if any, zealous Christians out there working to preserve the original faith of Jesus and the apostles.

The Abrahamic Faith movement began with the zeal for contending for the original faith. I fear, however, that the "apathy disease" is beginning to creep into our ranks. I suppose that, being a small group which is often persecuted by the larger denominations for our beliefs, we often feel that we should simply try to get along - keeping the pease. However, it has always been that only a few find the truth (Matt. 7:14); and it has always been that these people are the ones who receive the hard lashes of persecution by the majority. Certainly, Jesus didn't use the word "overcome" in Revelation 3:12 for nothing - we must literally endure and overcome all the hardships that come with having and proclaiming the truth.

We read a parable given by Jesus in Matthew 25:14-30 about the three servants and the talents. The first two servants, when their master entrusted them with their talents, went out and gained more talents with those they had already. Thus, when the master returned from his journey, they were able to present him with the original number of talents they had received and more. These servants were commended and rewarded for their faithfulness and wise handling of that with which they had been entrusted. The third servant did something else with that which he had received. No, he didn't go out like the first two and try to increase the one talent he had; instead, he buried it. Here is what this servant said to his master about the matter: "Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed. And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground; see, you have what is yours" (vv. 24-25). Here is what the master had to say to his servant: "You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I scattered no seed. Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the talents... [and the worthless slave was] cast out...into outer darkness" (vv. 26-28,30a).

What will you do with the truth? Will you simply say that "It doesn't matter what we believe, as long as we're sincere," and thus bury that glorious truth we have been given by our Master? Or will we take the truth to the world, earnestly contend for it, and, if need be, die for it?

This article taken from The Restitution Herald, April- May 1997 issue, page 4.