Is it possible to contend for the Christian faith without being contentious? Is it even necessary to refute theological errors? Would it not be better for the world if people downplayed doctrine and emphasized ecumenical unity? Is it not mean-spirited to emphatically teach the truth of God’s Word when other people disagree with you? These questions are being asked by many people in this day of political correctness and ecumenicalism. People are being led to believe that doctrine divides, and therefore, must be minimized. People are being taught that to be an insistent believer in orthodox Christianity is to be hostile and insensitive to those who hold to a different belief.
Truth by its very nature is defined and definite. Truth about the nature of Christ is the very heart of Christianity. Christianity, if it is anything, is Christ. There can be no room for compromise on the biblical affirmations of Scripture. The Christian faith rises or falls on the doctrine of Christ. Just as heretics are willing to tirelessly work toward the promulgation of their error, so must believers work for the promulgation of truth. Contending for the faith is not a mean-spirited thing to do. On the contrary, it is the loving thing to do. What other option is there for the one who loves God supremely and who loves the truth? What other option is there for the believer who loves lost humanity and who longs to share with them the life-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ? There is no other Gospel but the Gospel of Scripture, handed down to us through the faithful teaching, preaching, and defending of the truth.
The Apostle Paul sounded a clear call for orthodoxy in Galatians 1:8-10. "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ."
