Fundamental Differences

As the presidential campaign winds to a close in the next month, you have probably noticed that there are some “fundamental differences” between the two candidates. These “fundamental differences” are seen in about every issue that the candidates debate about.
Fundamental differences can be seen in:
· Abortion
· What constitutes a family
· War in Iraq
· Economy
Some of these issues are not simply matters of opinion, but fundamental! Take the issue of abortion as an example. One candidate believes that life begins at conception and the other believes that during the pregnancy the mother has the choice about what to do with her body. (I won’t tell you who to vote for, but FYI, the Bible teaches, and agrees with science, that life begins at conception). Fundamentally different!
One more example: what constitutes a family. One candidate believes that a marriage should only be between a man and a woman and the other believes that the same privileges and benefits, including marriage, given to the traditional husband and wife relationship should be extended to same sex relationships. (Again, I won’t tell you who to vote for, but FYI, the Bible teaches that homosexuality is a sin and an abomination, and those that practice it will not enter into the kingdom of God). Fundamentally different!
You can watch the rest of the debates and distinguish between the fundamental differences of the candidates. Then on November 4, you can go to the polls and vote for the candidate that holds the same fundamental ideas as you do. The purpose of this article is not to talk about politics, though, but rather some of the fundamental differences in the church.
The church of our Lord Jesus Christ has teachings that are fundamentally different than those taught in the world, and often times, in the religious world. All one has to do is ride around town and see all the churches—each holding to a different doctrine. And many of these teachings are fundamental differences.
I am glad that our ladies class here at South Side is going through a study on denominations in our world. My wife, who grew up here at South Side, said that she was taught lessons like this as she attended Sunday School here in her teenage years.
In many churches of Christ, though, this type of teaching would not be allowed because the thinking is that “we are all heading in the same direction anyway”. Hopefully as the ladies go through the study they will see that there are fundamental differences between what the New Testament teaches and what these different denominations are teaching.
These differences go beyond simply matters of opinion. Many of them are matters of faith!
The New Testament is fundamentally different than a church teaching communion is something offered at any other regularity than once a week on Sunday (Acts 20:7).
The New Testament is fundamentally different than a church teaching a person inherits sin and must be sprinkled as a baby to be saved (any conversion account in Acts teaches otherwise).
The New Testament is fundamentally different than a church teaching “faith only” is what saves, when the Bible teaches the exact opposite (James 2:24).
The New Testament is fundamentally different than a church teaching once a person is saved, they can never fall away (Hebrews 6:4-6).
The New Testament is fundamentally different than a church teaching immersion has nothing to do with our salvation (I Peter 3:21).
The New Testament is fundamentally different than a church supporting missions that do not promote New Testament Christianity when the Bible warns against this (II John 1:9-11).
The goal of South Side Church of Christ is to be fundamentally the SAME as the New Testament. And it does not matter how unpopular it may be—and believe me, it is unpopular to hold strong to the New Testament principles! When an outsider looks at South Side, we want them to realize that we are a Bible believing church!
Striving to be fundamentally sound!