Managing Editor Anthony Cook’s theology is not off track, but the Rev. Chris Thomas’ may be.
Most Christian denominations believe those “five fundamentals” Cook wrote about, which are substantiated by other Scripture in the Old and New Testaments, not just in Paul’s writings. Thomas seems to believe that the Gospel writings carry more authority than Paul’s.
The Gospels were written by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; Jesus never wrote anything. They are all testimonies of our Lord and carry the same authority. Jesus never said anything directly against homosexuality, but from other Scriptures we know it is an abomination to God, so we need to let other Scripture explain a problematic passage.
It is important to be a “good Christian” and to rebuke those who are not being a “good Christian,” which is set down in Matthew 18, Corinthians, Timothy and Titus, among others, unless, of course, the Christian doesn’t care about the church, his fellow Christians, the lost or anyone else.
The Scriptures say that by their fruits others will know if those claiming to be Christians are Christians, and the Bible teaches clearly that sin is to be rebuked, especially among God’s people. The doctrines taught in the Bible are there for our instruction to help us grow spiritually and are vital in helping us live the Christian life.
To follow the instructions in the Bible does not make anyone a Pharisee, per se, but if the person is clean on the outside but evil on the inside, cares more for the law than for people or the truth, inflates his own importance and interpretations in the church, gossips and backbites, then that person could be a Pharisee, a whitewashed tomb full of dead men’s bones.
Let’s obey all the Scriptures and test every interpretation with many different biblical passages, then there will be no muddy waters.
Judy Lovejoy Elliott
Alexandria
