You'll sometimes read about protestants, when pressed about how to tell what is the right thing to believe, or how to interpret the bible, fall back on an unscriptural, unhistorical, unsupportable, illogical notion:
While we may disagree on certain things, those which are truly important and necessary to salvation are clear.
Really?
You don't agree on so these aren't important:
Communion:
Symbol that can be celebrated every so often - memorial to be celebrated every week - quasi-sacrament of unknown spiritual important - body and body of Christ with or without bread and wine mixed in.
Baptism:
True baptism happens when God send the holy spirit upon you and cleanses you and water baptism is just a profession of faith which may be very important or completely unnecessary - baptism is somewhat important but God cares more about what is in your heart - you should get baptized but its no an important part of your journey to God - baptism is a sacrament or isn't and you need it to be initiated into the fiath
Church:
Having a faith community is totally unimportant, all I need is my bible - church is good and all not really important - church is kinda important - church is very helpful if not essential for developing as a community, such as those early churches
Trinity
Trinity doesn't matter - Father, Son, and HS are all the same person just different hats - they are different persons of one substance - (all kinds of other bizarre beliefs)
Jesus
Jesus is a demigod - Jesus just appeared as human - Jesus was God's puppet - Jesus was the Son of God in true flesh
Free will
There is no free will personal choices are really God's - There is free will and personal choices are your own
Salvation
Salvation is permanent - Salvation is kinda permanent - Salvation must be continually worked on to be saved forever in the end
Marriage
If you remarry anyone (also except for such and such reason), you are committing adultery - you can remarry all you want for anyone reason
I suppose I could go on and on... but in the end, there is nothing that is agreed upon.
While we may disagree on certain things, those which are truly important and necessary to salvation are clear.
Really?
You don't agree on so these aren't important:
Communion:
Symbol that can be celebrated every so often - memorial to be celebrated every week - quasi-sacrament of unknown spiritual important - body and body of Christ with or without bread and wine mixed in.
Baptism:
True baptism happens when God send the holy spirit upon you and cleanses you and water baptism is just a profession of faith which may be very important or completely unnecessary - baptism is somewhat important but God cares more about what is in your heart - you should get baptized but its no an important part of your journey to God - baptism is a sacrament or isn't and you need it to be initiated into the fiath
Church:
Having a faith community is totally unimportant, all I need is my bible - church is good and all not really important - church is kinda important - church is very helpful if not essential for developing as a community, such as those early churches
Trinity
Trinity doesn't matter - Father, Son, and HS are all the same person just different hats - they are different persons of one substance - (all kinds of other bizarre beliefs)
Jesus
Jesus is a demigod - Jesus just appeared as human - Jesus was God's puppet - Jesus was the Son of God in true flesh
Free will
There is no free will personal choices are really God's - There is free will and personal choices are your own
Salvation
Salvation is permanent - Salvation is kinda permanent - Salvation must be continually worked on to be saved forever in the end
Marriage
If you remarry anyone (also except for such and such reason), you are committing adultery - you can remarry all you want for anyone reason
I suppose I could go on and on... but in the end, there is nothing that is agreed upon.