8/23/10  The more I read in the Bible, the surer I become that God has deliberately left many, many things unclear, to prove whether we are true Christians or not. For Jesus said that people could tell his true followers by the love that they have among themselves. And the test we have been given is differing opinions about Bible doctrines, and yes, even wording.

It always amazes me that “Christians” can get into heated arguments and even dislike each other over minor differences... Like whether Jesus died on a cross or a stake, for example. What difference does it make? Historians are divided, so we really don’t know. What really matters is that we don’t WORSHIP the stake or cross... Right? So, why argue?

Unfortunately, assuming that we are always right and that anyone who disagrees is “an Apostate,” makes us very much like others whom we have known and who don’t meet the test of true Christianity.

If we were to consider what history proves to be true of those who are surely the “Anointed” in the past — men such as Huss, Tyndale, and thousands of others who died horribly for their Christian faith — many of them may have believed in the Trinity, the immortal soul, Hell Fire, etc. Yet, surely such men of faith must have been found worthy, despite their misunderstandings about doctrines. For, the true test of a Christian is our love of God, our neighbor, and other faithful Christians, not our doctrines.

My point? We don’t always have to agree, and being wrong about some doctrine doesn’t override a good heart before God and Jesus. So, let’s (yes, even me) make room and cut everyone who disagrees with us a little slack. —Contributed 

Perimeno adds: Jesus' disciples did not accurately know everything, albeit their worship was “without spot from the world.” (John 16:12-13; James 1:27) Over the centuries many sincere disciples and slaves of Christ—such as Huss, Tyndale, plus countless others—rejected doctrines of men in favor of what they understood the Scriptures to teach. For their uncompromising stand they were condemned as heretics (known today as “apostates”), yet many of them willingly suffered martyrdom rather than recant. What matters to Jehovah is our "obedience to the truth," which primarily includes that we "love one another intensely from the heart." (1 Peter 1:22, NWT; John 13:34-35; 1 Cor. 8:2; 1 John 4:20-21)

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