Subtitle: Did God intend to establish a fractured landscape of competing theologies in non-core beliefs… where no man can be dogmatic?

Excerpt: Did God intend to establish a fractured landscape of competing theologies in non-core beliefs… where no man can be dogmatic?

Author: Jeff Hilles

One of our readers made a comment on an earlier post offering the thought that we have historically discussed the issues of predestination, foreknowledge, and free-will (detail here). My expressed view was that the final answer may be delayed until the other side of the grave. Further, it should make no difference in the need for Christians to share the Good News of Jesus Christ to the lost … because we, as human ambassadors, are never sure when or how God will open opportunities for a divine appointment.

Her questions/comment was:

“Jeff, this is probably one of the questions I get asked most. I appreciate your words on predestination versus free will.”

My response was:

Sadly, pastors are trained in their seminaries to distinguish the fine lines between their theology and other denominations who are also headed to Heaven. Since, for Biblical Christians, these differences fall outside of core theology, they are based on controversial Biblical topics … like predestination vs free-will, infant baptism, or speaking in tongues. Since pastors land in competing communities for their unique brand of Biblical Christianity, they self-limit themselves to their own click or group (denomination). This gets transferred down to their flocks as an underlying caution and prejudice.

Conclusion

Many believe the growth of non-denominational churches is a direct result of this protectionism.

These silos of Biblical Christian denominational differences that fall outside of a core understanding of salvation, inerrancy of Scripture, and the Trinity are not part of the Lord’s plan. In God’s economy, the Christian religion started with one theology … Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. The splintering of theology comes from the freedom we have to establish our own, unique subset, our poor understanding of the nuances within the Bible (God is omniscient and we are not), and our sin nature which corrupts our worldview.