So What’s the Difference?
Forty years ago, Fritz Ridenour wrote a little book by the same title as above. It was a guide to the key differences in the world religions that one was bound to encounter in the walk and witness as a Christian. Nowadays, perhaps we need another such book to tell the differences between denominations or perhaps even between the factions within them. Better yet, we should have a guide to identifying the sources of errors versus sources of truth in the church of the world today. Oh wait. That guide is the Bible.
Essential to Christianity must be the virgin birth and the resurrection. But what good are these, unless original sin is also an historical fact? If there was no Adam, and he did not sell out our race, then why did Jesus have to die? If there are “many ways to God” or “ways to Heaven,” then why did Jesus say that He was the only way? Or is the biblical record of the words of Jesus false?
All of these are important questions, exactly because they define the tenets of the faith. But now, most churches and/or their members have rejected at least one of these essentials. Now is not the time for the Church to cave on the Gospel (which is the power of God unto salvation) when the world is burning and our race is dying. What race? Adam’s race. The human race. There is no other but this one. And it comes in all skin colors. (I’m not talking about a “rainbow.”)
All old-earth positions of compromise against a straightforward read of the Bible involve a denial of the doctrine of original sin. They include death as a part of the world but before sin came into the world. This goes exactly against the instruction of Jesus and the teaching of Paul. Time was, these heresies might have merited little more than a chuckle. Now they have become “bedrock” of many an anemic faith. Meaningless, powerless, and without the authority of God, these errors have robbed the church of her power (the Gospel) and many believers of their joy (yes, and even of their salvation!). I won’t mince words now, since the last battle has begun (just watch the news).
So, what do you do? “The Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible, so help me God” is still a pretty good mighty fortress against this toxic tide. So stick with what has worked as effect against the devil and his lies for thousands of years before our time.
Keep thinking and keep reading, DrJ
