Buff Scott Jr.
Sophomore
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2023
- Messages
- 278
- Reaction score
- 96
- Points
- 28
Will Doctrinal Defects Keep Us
Out Of Heaven?
Out Of Heaven?
I will recognize and embrace any brother who has experienced the new birth and is honestly striving to serve his Lord as he understands His will—yes, in spite of his doctrinal defects. He may be aligned with a sect, a cult, a religious party, or not aligned with any of them. If he’s a born-again believer but caught up in some divisive splinter group or sect, I will try my utmost to “show him a more excellent way.” I would suggest to him: Reform your walk with the Lord by ousting all shades of sectarianism and grasping true freedom in Jesus.
As one reader asked, “Can a man believe and accept false doctrine and still be saved?” Allow me to reverse the question. Must a man be flawlessly indoctrinated in all areas before he can be saved? If yes, as my brother seems to imply, none of us will be saved, for not one of us has reached an absolute level of doctrinal excellence—not even when we initially came to the Lord for salvation.
So, yes, I accept those brothers in error. I have no other kind. To one degree or another, all of us are doctrinally defective. Perfection is, or should be, our goal. But we will never attain such a high level of excellence as long as we remain in this old earthly tabernacle. This is why God’s grace is so vital in each of our lives, for without His grace to balance things out, we would be lost creatures, wandering in an evil world with no hope of rescue. Paul emphasized this truth to the Ephesians, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” [Eph. 2:8].
No one is saved, initially, by believing and accepting false doctrine. He is saved by trusting in and accepting Jesus as his Lord and Savior. The messenger may be as defective as they come and steeped in error all the way up to his neck. That makes no difference, insofar as a man surrendering his life to the Lord—so long as the messenger points his listener to the Man Jesus.
The candidate may even believe some of the fallacious doctrinal concepts of the messenger, yet this should not affect his initial obedience. When I came to the Lord for salvation, I had been taught, and truly believed, that only within the borders of the church [sect] I joined could salvation be attained. I believed a false concept prior to accepting the Lord. Did that alter my primal obedience? Absolutely not.
In conclusion, let us not reject those the Lord accepts. For when we do, we become as sectarian as those we criticize. If their walk with the Lord is in need of reform, help them; if they need further enlightenment, instruct them; if they are weak in the faith, strengthen them. And to God be the glory. If rejection be our thing, let it be the Religious Establishments and their Hierarchies that have enslaved God’s people for centuries.
As one reader asked, “Can a man believe and accept false doctrine and still be saved?” Allow me to reverse the question. Must a man be flawlessly indoctrinated in all areas before he can be saved? If yes, as my brother seems to imply, none of us will be saved, for not one of us has reached an absolute level of doctrinal excellence—not even when we initially came to the Lord for salvation.
So, yes, I accept those brothers in error. I have no other kind. To one degree or another, all of us are doctrinally defective. Perfection is, or should be, our goal. But we will never attain such a high level of excellence as long as we remain in this old earthly tabernacle. This is why God’s grace is so vital in each of our lives, for without His grace to balance things out, we would be lost creatures, wandering in an evil world with no hope of rescue. Paul emphasized this truth to the Ephesians, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” [Eph. 2:8].
No one is saved, initially, by believing and accepting false doctrine. He is saved by trusting in and accepting Jesus as his Lord and Savior. The messenger may be as defective as they come and steeped in error all the way up to his neck. That makes no difference, insofar as a man surrendering his life to the Lord—so long as the messenger points his listener to the Man Jesus.
The candidate may even believe some of the fallacious doctrinal concepts of the messenger, yet this should not affect his initial obedience. When I came to the Lord for salvation, I had been taught, and truly believed, that only within the borders of the church [sect] I joined could salvation be attained. I believed a false concept prior to accepting the Lord. Did that alter my primal obedience? Absolutely not.
In conclusion, let us not reject those the Lord accepts. For when we do, we become as sectarian as those we criticize. If their walk with the Lord is in need of reform, help them; if they need further enlightenment, instruct them; if they are weak in the faith, strengthen them. And to God be the glory. If rejection be our thing, let it be the Religious Establishments and their Hierarchies that have enslaved God’s people for centuries.
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A TRIPLE AMEN TO THIS— “Yes, I’m a Christian. Yes, I make mistakes. Yes, I fail. Yes, I struggle. But I’m God’s mess, and my God can turn a mess into a masterpiece.”—Selected.
