Defending the Faith
Iâm currently reading Wiersbeâs Prayer: Basic Training. I have found a lot of good information in it, much of it unexpected in a book on prayer. In particular, I found this quote most enlightening: âThe best way to defend the Bible is to practice it.â Can anyone put it any better? This statement was the conclusion of the following illustration:I sometimes get the impression that some zealous Christians today are so concerned about guarding the Word that they forget to obey it. They think they are serving God by their “holy crusades” of accusation and attack, crusades that are not always based on truth or motivated by love. I recall with a sad heart a young man who used to stand at the steps of our church building and pass out literature that condemned certain schools and preachers. I asked him why he didnât pass out gospel tracts to lost sinners. When we asked him to go away from the church building, or else to come in to worship, he shouted: “Iâm a fighting Fundamentalist and I donât care who knows it! You people are not preaching the truth!” I appreciate any believer who wants to defend the faith, but his belligerent attitude made a mockery of the faith. The best way to defend the Bible is to practice it. Wiersbe, W. W. (1988). Prayer : Basic training. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale.Many have differing opinions, and I would love to hear yours. I find myself agreeing completely with Wiersbe here. I think we spend too much time in study and never put anything into practice. Look at all the people who call themselves Christians but are known by the evangelical community as âSunday Christians.â Look at all those evangelicals who focus of the love of God over his wrath and whom the fundamentals call âwatered-down gospel teachers.â Look at all the fundamentalists with their walled-garden churches and signs proclaiming the facts that they are KJV, pre-trib, pre-millenial, etc. Everyone is so focused on doctrine that we have our own versions of Pharisees and Sadduceesâpeople who think they have it but have completely missed Christ in their midst.
Now, I like to think of myself as an equal opportunity offender. I tried to pick on everyone above, but if you are upset that I missed you, please comment, and Iâll throw your group into the mix. 
Seriously, though, Iâve noticed that when you work through serving together with someone who may not see things eye-to-eye with you, a lot of the academic details fall away and you find yourself not so far away from agreeing with your once-nemesis. Itâs the label (e.g. denomination, political party, doctrine name) that divides more than it is the truth.
So letâs begin to get back to the practice of the gospel and take a holiday from arguing our fine doctrinal points. Certainly, continue to study and to learn the truth of God. Never cease from that precious duty, but donât let it alone define your faith.
Julie Riley is discussing.
Julie Riley
4:50 pm on April 19, 2008
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Great post, Ryan! The concept of what faith truly looks like and is seems to be (thankfully) a constant conversation. I agree with your conclusion – we cannot limit the amazing gift faith is to our menial rules and logic, rather we must just walk, trusting His power, persevering to the end. Since this inherently takes out the checklist of rules and expectations (as a rules-follower, this is quite challenging for me), we are forced to communicate with Him directly. Developing our relationship with Him as a product of our perseverance, not a product of our well-intentioned logic.
It is definitely humbling that at the end of the Luke passage, Christ asked in question form, “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?â. I know it is a question I should consistently ask myself…