Know What You Believe!
Ask the average Christian of any denomination what they believe and they will probably look at you like a deer in headlights. Sure, they might be able to profess the basic doctrines of Christianity, such as the resurrection, Christ being the savior, etc., but how many can tell you what their specific denomination believes? Or even how their denomination compares to others?
I believe it is essential for ALL Christians to be able to profess what they believe! How can you believe in something you don't know about? What if your beliefs are different than that of your denomination?
I was talking with someone once who mentioned that he was a Presbyterian. Then I said, "Oh, so you believe in pre-destination!"
To which he responded, "No I don't. Why do you say that?"
Christians should also know, at the very least, their denominations history! I can't tell you how many Methodists have been shocked when I tell them that John Wesley never left the Anglican Church. He start the Methodist movement as a reform within the Anglican Church. He never intended on leaving, and he never did. It was his brother, Charles, who broke away and started the Methodists as a separate entity than that of Anglicanism.
This is a call to the average Christian (and even the above average) everywhere. Read, study, and learn what you believe and the history of why you believe it! How can you profess your faith if you don't know what your faith is?
2 comments:
I agree with your post. I think the problem is that people are Methodist or Presbyterian or whatever not because they love the heritage of these churches, but because it is close, or has a good daycare, or the worship is exciting, etc. Of course, folks are Catholic for the same reasons, and often because of an ethnicty, something a convert like me doesn't always get, lol. Still, it is sad.
I would add too that knowing about other people's faiths helps too. A Catholic lady I knew was putting down Methodism because John and Charles Wesley were "ex-Catholic priests," proof Methodists were really, really bad. Well, they were current Anglican priests when they died, and were never Catholic. Her ignorance hurt her argument (plus her approach was hardly charitable).
Anyway, cool blog.
I agree with you. In order to tell how one faith differs from another, one must be familiar with all of them.
Glad you like my blog!
Danny
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