Who in his right mind thinks that he will be saved because his THEOLOGY is better than the next person? (Barring moral issues).
WHY do so many Christians think having the right to dictate what another thinks and believes is Christianity? When BOTH sides have a history soaked in blood and corruption?
The spirit of debate can get the best of the participants and debaters can easily fail in regard to letting “your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Col 4:6). We don’t have the right to dictate what another thinks and believes in the way that you mean; You are right! But we do have the obligation to speak the truth in love (Eph 4:15), “always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame” (1 Peter 3:15-16).
And doctrine is of great importance. Embracing false doctrine can kill the soul, and for this purpose [Jesus] had come into the world - “to bear witness to the truth” (John 18:37). “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed” (Gal 1:8-9). Even the beloved disciple who tells us that God is love asked, “[w]ho is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, he who denies the Father and the Son” (1 John 2:22).
Being concerned about right doctrine and being able to communicate it graciously is a delicate balance and we must always run to “the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth” so that we may effectively “declare the mystery of Christ,” praying “that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel …] that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” (John 1:14; Col 4:3; Eph 6:19-20).
May God bless you!
“Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Tim. 4:16).
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