Sunday.....Christianity.....I Analyze Therefore I Am?

When our son was studying for his LSAT tests for admission into law school, I would try to help out by timing him on the practice questions. If I remember correctly, he had an average of three minutes on each question. He gave me one example of the type of questions he would have on the test. I worked on it for many days! He wanted to give me the answer after a few minutes but I have this thing about me where I enjoy a challenge. So I enjoyed working on it for it was a good mind exercise. I wasn't thrilled when I found out that there really wasn't one correct answer to the question but that the test was to give some insight on where the student's thinking process was going. Mine was going to infinity...and beyond! I enjoy a difficult crossword where I might only get a dozen answers, more than those that I could complete. I'm still studying the JFK assassination and if I lose something, it becomes CSI Western Pennsylvania as I scour the scene, go over the evidence and develop theories. I'm an expert at finding things because I'm an expert at losing things. I have analyzed the fact that I am an analyst many times, and I have even analyzed why I analyze that I analyze. Enough said! So I write this blog hoping that there are some out there who take my thoughts and go from there. Today's blog is simply one of those thoughts. The church today has many differences. We differ on baptism, the Lord's Supper, evangelizing, worship, the meaning and interpretation of prophesy and on and on. There are people who recognize this army of differences and therefore reject any attempt to find truth. This is so unfortunate. How can anyone expect anything but differences in a church formed in a world a seven plus billion people. The differences go further than the above into much more serious divisions, and this also is all too predictable. The church in America (and the world) differs in teaching how one is redeemed. There is no room for error here. Scripture is very clear on this. We have differences on how a Christian fits into this world and each nation they belong to. We differ on how we hear from God, and logic and common sense would say that one had better be on the side of wisdom here. I'm asking you not to become discouraged with this; to on the one hand, be above the fray of factions and on the other hand, humble yourself and realize that you will have to be taught, and to make matters more strenuous, you have to work hard at first just to find out who should be the primary teaching source. This is not a typical Christian blog for I'm not spouting dogma, rather trying to encourage you to stay the course for truths will become evident in time. I take this course in this blog because I have met so many people who demand an answer right now and at the first sign of difficulties in defending what they have come to believe, they cease and desist in dealing with the endeavor at all and end their pilgrimage. I have always felt confident in recommending Christian teachers, R. C. Sproul (http://www.ligonier.org/) and John MacArthur (http://www.gracetoyou.org/), two who have differences amongst themselves but none on the essentials of the gospel. One is a Presbyterian and the other a Baptist. The folks at the White Horse Inn (http://www.whitehorseinn.org/) are another organization I encourage you to visit. If you are Lutheran, Issues etc. (http://www.issuesetc.org/) is a wonderful ministry. Obviously, this blog is aimed at those who are currently being overwhelmed by a desire to cling to Christ. I have been there and know what it is like to need answers as I needed oxygen.