by Steve Higginbotham
Several weeks ago, a brother in Christ sent me a book he had written and asked me to review his book and share my thoughts on it. As I began reading his book, it didn’t take long until I closed it with the intent to never open it again.
This brother, who attended two Christian universities and attained a Master’s Degree in Theology, took the position that Jesus was a sinner. Not that he habitually sinned as a way of life, but stumbled into sin periodically, just like all Christians do. I was stunned as I read 12 pages designed to convince the reader that Jesus was a periodic sinner.
After putting the book down in disgust, my mind went back to Paul’s words to the elders of Ephesus, “For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch…” (Acts 20:29-31).
There are many cultural battles taking place in our nation over a host of moral issues (i.e., abortion, homosexuality, transgenderism, marriage, evolution, etc.), but this is to be expected. The world is the world and has always been the world. The child of God will always be at odds with the world, having been called out of it (John 15:19; 1 Peter 2:9; James 4:4).
But what is more disturbing to me are the myriad of “uncertain sounds” (1 Corinthians 14:8) from within our brotherhood. How often have we read statements from elderships stating that after careful study, they have changed their minds and have begun permitting mechanical instruments to be used in worship and have dropped any gender-based role distinctions in the church?
In the Knoxville area, there are at least two congregations that have recently opened up leadership positions to women in the public worship assemblies. When will it stop? It will stop when we put men in leadership of congregations who are committed to Scripture and cannot be moved by the winds of cultural influences.
May God help us to remember that the danger we face is not only from without but can be from within.