Is One Faith As Good As Another?

Irvin Barnes

Is one faith as good as another? Does God want all those who profess faith in Christ to be united? Is it possible for all believers to agree on the meaning of the Scriptures’?

The idea that --- “it does not matter what one believes and that God really doesn’t intend for everyone to see the Bible alike” has gained great popularity in our time.

Is a doctrine correct when it is finally accepted by the majority? What if every religious person on earth became convinced that Jesus’ resurrection was a hoax’? Would it be any less true? What if the majority came to deny the virgin birth of Christ?

Our purpose here is to make an honest investigation of scriptures and find out what God thinks about the idea of religious differences as opposed to the unity of all believers. How do the scriptures read on the notion, “we need not understand the Bible alike,’ or as some say, “it is impossible to understand the Bible alike???”

My purpose here is not to anger those who may read this, but to awaken people to the fact that the Bible does not teach much of what we hear in religion today.

What is written in the following pages will probably be regarded as antagonistic by many. If by my antagonism some are awakened to the truth of the Bible then I gladly suffer the accusation.

What Does the Bible Say?
There is absolutely nothing in the Bible that indicates that one faith is as good as another. There is no premise whatsoever in the scriptures that seems to indicate any impossibility of people understanding the scriptures alike. These ideas are nothing more than religious fables! They are nothing more than the philosophies, doctrines, and commandments of men. God has never indicated that He intended for his people to divided into denominational groups.

“Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints..”(Jude 3, NKJV).

Concerning “the faith once delivered” the NIV renders it, “the faith once for all entrusted to the saints.” The passage in our modern language could just as well be translated “the faith once and for all times and ages delivered to the saints.”

If we believe the Bible, then we have no choice but to accept this part of the scriptures as we would any other. The faith is singular. This passage will not allow “faiths”. It will not allow the concept of “more than one faith” or “the faith of your choice.” There is but one faith. This faith was delivered one time and therefore it is sufficient for all ages.

Prior to His ascension into heaven Jesus commanded the apostles to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. On the first Jewish Pentecost day after Christ’s resurrection the apostles received the Holy Ghost in the city of Jerusalem. They went forth preaching the gospel and people obeyed, becoming partakers of “the faith once delivered.” There was but one Christian religion. If you will follow the work of the apostles and the history of the church through the book of Acts you will find no denominations, no different churches, wearing different names and worshipping in various ways. It took several centuries for the doctrines of men to take hold and introduce the new and different religions in the world.

When division in the church occurred it was condemned and the people were rebuked for their divisive practices. For example, the church at Corinth was plagued with division over various matters. Paul commanded them to be of the same mind and the same judge-ment (1 Corinthians 1:10). He told them that as long as they were divided, they were carnal and still in sin (1 Corinthians 3:1-3).

“The faith” of Jude 3 is the aggregate of all things believed by the Christian or the total contents of one’s faith. This faith is delivered in the singular sense. There is but one faith.

“Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all” (Ephesians 4:3-6, NKJV).

The word faith is used in at least 2 ways in the Bible. Faith sometimes refers to one’s own personal belief. This faith comes from the heart. Romans 10:17, says “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.” This faith is a convicting faith that leads one to obey the will of God.

Faith sometimes is used to refer to the entire embodiment of things believed, the total contents of belief, the aggregate of all things believed, or a system of faith. This is the way the term is used in both Ephesians 4:5 and Jude verse. 3. This is the way people use the term in a modem vernacular when they ask, “What faith are you?” In other words what system of religion or what denomination are you a part of? It is in this sense that people say that one faith is as good as another.

Before I comment further on the one faith of Ephesians 4:5, please allow me to take a closer look at the statement that “one faith is as good as another.” Let us break this down, so to speak, and see if we can expose some of the prejudice contained in this religious fable. This statement, I believe, encourages people to close their minds to the truth.

“As good” is the key to understanding how this statement incites prejudice. “Good” usually is used in the sense of moral purity or wholesome living. Most religions that. claim to follow Christ do not vary too much in the area of morality. Some exception is in order because some religions now accept homosexuals contrary to Romans 1, along with other liberal attitudes toward certain sinful conduct. But for the most part, morally speaking, most of the mainline denominations stand together against adultery, fornication, lying, stealing, murder, etc.

When some one points out that the Bible does not teach that one faith is as good as another those who bold the notion become quickly offended because they are reflecting on the moral nature of the statement. Those who claim this belief sometimes act as if their moral purity is being questioned.

When we say that one faith us or is not as good as another we are not talking about the moral character of individuals i.e. one person being as good or not as good as another, but rather whether one system of faith is as acceptable to God as another. It is likely that people who are morally good can be found in almost every religion. This is not the issue.

The issue should be clarified. Is one faith as doctrinally good, as good in the manner of worship as is another? To disagree with the notion that one faith is as good as another is not to indict the morality of those who are in that faith unless that religion teachings something immoral. If some immoral doctrine is held such as was mentioned above then the church that overlooks such behavior is not as good as the church that teaches against it.

On the other hand, there are things that God commands in the doctrinal sense such as church organization, worship, and salvation of the alien sinner. I submit to you that in these matters --- one faith is not as good as another.

In fact, the Bible never mentions more than one faith. Since the Bible says there is “one faith” how can we decide that there are many different faiths and that one is as good as another?

Let us go back to Ephesians 4:5, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Often times when people disagree on religious matters the matter of interpretation comes up. Folks have told me, “that is your interpretation of the scriptures.” Can the “one faith” of Ephesians 4, be left up to interpretation? How can you possibly mis-interpret the Word “one”? Surely, we can all agree on what the word “one” means.

Ephesians 4:4-6, teaches one Lord, one God, and one faith. If I can preach more than one faith, then I can preach more than one God or more than one Christ.

The doctrine that one faith is as good as another serves only to further divide the religious world. If people are convinced that it doesn’t matter what you believe, then they feel comfortable, they feel at liberty, in serving God however they choose. They will feel at liberty to preach anything they want to preach, establish any kind of church they might wish to establish.

There is yet another very presumptuous and ungodly feature to the fable that says, “it doesn’t matter what you believe, because one faith is as good as another.” The fable that says, “God never intended for all people to see the Bible alike,” holds this same ungodly feature.

These ideas lowers God’s plan for redemption to human standards. Sinful man decides for himself how to serve God. These doctrines, in so many words, say, “It is in man that walks to direct his own steps. It doesn’t matter what you believe, do what you want to, serve God however you please.”

Do such notions come from the scriptures? Have you ever read anything like this in the word of God? Much to the contrary, you can find in the scriptures, “It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps,” Jeremiah 10:23. Again, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” Jeremiah 17:9.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8-9).

The Old Testament is replete with examples of individuals who have fumbled, failed, and ended up in self destruction when they turned each to his own way in the rejection of God’s will. We must learn to be totally dependent upon God and never depend upon our own understanding. The idea that it doesn’t matter how we serve God , scoots God aside, pushing Him out of the picture and in so many words, says, “God, I know you sent Jesus to die for my sins, you have promised eternal life, but, now God, you just step aside and let us design our own religion our own way, and let us serve you how ever’ we please. After all, we want to believe that one religion is as good as another.”

Are you aware that the denominations that exist today can trace their beginning back to some man who started that particular religion because he wanted to emphasize some point of doctrine?

Jesus promised to build His church. He promised it in the singular sense. He never promised to build “churches.” The kingdom of Christ is always mentioned in the singular sense. The church is called the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23, Colossians 1:18) and the Bible says, there is ONE body (Ephesians 4:5).

When You Read You Can Understand
How can we be sure we are in the right church? How do we know that we believe the right doctrine? The answer is to study the scriptures. If we cannot find our practice, our church, our worship in the Bible, then let us abandon our present religion and seek out a church that follows only the word of God.

“How that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already, by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ)” (Ephesians 3:3-4, NKJV)

“These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:13, NKJV).

Are we in the dark’? Is it possible for us to know what God expects of us? Can we understand God’s word. The apostles Paul and John explain how that we can “believe, know and understand” by the things that are written.

When we say that it is not intended for us to see. the Bible alike, then we are excused from any responsibility and obligation to try to see the Bible alike. This eliminates any need to admit we were ever mistaken on any point or that there is any need to make a change. This is why the doctrine is so popular. No need to study, no need to worry, no need to change, because after all, we can’t all see the Bible alike any way!

To say we cannot see the Bible alike is an indictment of God and the Holy Ghost. This is to say that God doesn’t have the ability to reveal a plan that people can read and under-stand alike. Do you believe God has told us to walk by the same rule and mind the same thing (Philippians 3:16) yet, God has all but made it impossible for us to obtain unity? Does God require the impossible? Certainly not! We can be one, we must be one. Let us go back to the Bible, let us be united on a “thus saith the Lord”!

Bible Study Quiz
If the statement is in harmony with the scriptures please circle the T for True. If the statement is not in harmony with the scriptures, please circle the F for False. Please write down verses you find to support your answers.

1. T F The Bible speaks of “the faith.”

2. T F The Bible speaks of “the faiths.”

3. T F The faith was once and for all times delivered.

4. T F The faith delivered in the time of the apostles is too old fashioned and out-dated for the present time and circumstances.

5. T F The Bible mentions denominational difference as a good thing, acceptable to God.

6. T F Jesus promised to build only one church or kingdom.

7. T F There is one body.

8. T F The church is called the body.

9. T F Since there is but one body, then there is but one church recognized by God and approved of in His word.

10. T F What man devises for himself in religion is as good as what God has revealed in His word.

11. T F God’s ways are higher than man’s ways and God’s thoughts are better than man’s thoughts.

12. T F It is not in man that walks to direct his own steps.

13. T F God has left it up to man to direct his own steps.

14. T F By reading the scriptures we can know we have eternal life.

15. T F Man can know he has eternal life only if he feels it in his own heart.

16. T F
By reading the scriptures we can understand God’s will.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
You can accept the authority of Christ by doing what He commanded (Matthew 7:21; John 14:15; 15:10-14; Luke 6:46). Notice the pattern for becoming a Christian as revealed in the Scriptures. The Gospel was heard, resulting in faith (Romans 10:17). Repentance of (turning away from) sin (Acts 17:30) and confession of Jesus as the Son of God followed (Romans 10:10). Believers were baptized INTO Christ for the remission (forgiveness) of sins (See Galatians 3:27; Colossians 2:12; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Mark 16:16; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Peter 3:20-21), and added to His church (Acts 2:47). Christians were taught to be faithful even to the point of death (Revelation 2:10).

WE WELCOME YOU
Following the instructions of the Scriptures, members of Christ’s body assemble as congregations for worship, encouragement, and Bible study. The congregation in your community welcomes you to investigate the Bible with us. With a spirit of brotherly love we would seek to reconcile our differences by following the Bible ONLY. We recognize the Bible as God’s inspired word, the ONLY reliable standard of faith and practice. We desire the unity for which Christ prayed and which the Bible emphasizes in the expression, “one Lord, one faith, one baptism.” Together we seek to maintain “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

A friendly welcome awaits you. We do not wish to embarrass you in any way. You will not be asked for contributions. We assemble for Bible study and worship each Sunday morning and we welcome you to meet with us. I would be happy to talk to you about your comments or questions, or give you the location of the nearest congregation belonging to Jesus Christ to your home.

Contact Dennis Crawford at BibleTruthsToU@gmail.com, or 253-396-0290 (cell)