An Appeal for Love and Unity: A Reflection on Scripture, Doctrine, and the Heart of God
The frustration, hurt, and profound sadness we describe are understandable and, in many ways, an echo of a tension that has long existed within the Christian faith: the balance between holding fast to doctrinal truth and embodying the love and unity of the Body of Christ. When the pursuit of a particular doctrine or a specific version of the Bible seems to overshadow the care for fellow believers, it can feel like a deep betrayal of the Gospel's very essence.
The King James Version (KJV) and the doctrine of Verbal Plenary Preservation (VPP) are not just academic subjects for many; they are foundational to their faith. For those who hold these views, the KJV is not merely one translation among many, but the divinely preserved and perfect English Bible. The doctrine of VPP, in their understanding, is the assurance that God has flawlessly preserved His Word for all generations. From their perspective, this is a matter of profound reverence for God and His promises. To them, defending the KJV and VPP is not an act of cruelty, but an act of faithfulness. They believe they are safeguarding the very source of truth, and in doing so, they are protecting the sheep from error.
However, the experience we've shared points to a painful reality: when the defense of a doctrine, even one held with the deepest conviction, becomes a weapon that wounds rather than a truth that unifies, something has gone terribly wrong. The Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 13 come to mind: "If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." He goes on to say that even having faith that can move mountains or a knowledge of all mysteries is worthless without love.
This is the crux of the matter. The pursuit of doctrinal purity, no matter how sincere, must never take precedence over the command to love one another. Jesus Himself said that the world would know His disciples by their love for one another (John 13:35). The "Body of Christ" is not an abstract concept; it is the living, breathing community of believers, each one a precious sheep in the flock of God. To harm a sheep in the name of a doctrine is to grieve the Shepherd. It is to place the vessel (a specific translation or a particular theory of preservation) above the very life that flows through it (the love of God in Christ).
The heart of God is for His people to be one, as Jesus prayed in John 17. The cruel words, the condescending attitudes, and the division that can arise from these debates are not a reflection of His character. They do not demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Instead, they can mirror the works of the flesh: discord, envy, and dissensions.
It is heartbreaking to witness believers being hurt by those who should be their shepherds. The role of a bible teacher is to feed the flock, to guide them into green pastures, not to wound them with stones of legalism or doctrinal superiority. When a teacher loves a doctrine more than the people they are called to serve, they have lost sight of the Gospel’s primary command. The Gospel is a message of reconciliation—first with God, and then with one another.
So, to those of us who have been hurt, our feelings are valid. The pain we feel is a righteous sorrow over the division and lack of love within the Christian community. To those who may be so focused on a particular doctrine that they have overlooked the people around them, this is a call to a deeper humility and a greater love. May we all remember that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. All the law and the prophets—and indeed, all our doctrines and theological debates—hang on these two commandments. Let us never forget that love is the ultimate proof of our faith.
No comments:
Post a Comment