(please read these Reformation articles in numbered order)
Pick any of the dozens of “doctrines” that separate Christians and churches, and you will find stacks of “proof texts” that are supposed to absolutely prove the particular view or belief.
And you will find stacks of “proof texts” that are supposed to absolutely prove the opposite view or belief.
At the very least, this is a huge turnoff for many people looking in, considering Christianity.
And those who do sign up for following Jesus are expected to also endorse the positions that make that church different.
Some churches keep Jesus the main thing, but most emphasize their distinctives and become known for what makes them different.
Many claim exclusive rights to the truth, and think they alone are destined to protect the pure Word of God.
When a church or organization locks in to a position on an issue, it usually becomes necessary to hold on to that view more tightly and spend more time and energy defending it than telling people about Jesus.
For individuals and for groups, it is so easy to focus on what makes them different from other Christians, more than what is supposed to make all Christians different from the world.
Churches need to be aware of the actual message they are sending to the outsider, who needs Jesus.
Churches need to encourage their people to read and study their Bibles, to find all the passages impacting their lives on any issue.
The purpose of Bible Study is for Christians to find out if what they are being taught is true, and then find out what they are supposed to do with it.
The purpose of Bible Study is not to defend and maintain any organization.
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