Whether it's eternal security or some other basic truth of scripture how come no two Christians will agree with the Bible? I mean there are Christians out there that dont even believe that belief is good enough for salvation when the Bible clearly says "believe in Christ and you will be saved" in multiple spots. I mean its extremely difficult to get the truth out of scripture because everyone will interpret a particular verse differently. Why isn't there just one huge believe all belief that one can pick and say "Okay I believe that. Yay! I am saved now!"? Why all the divisions in the church and among Christians? What is the truth about scripture?
The answer to this question involves several different things. First, it was intended by God that people would be tested by God to see if they actually have a heart to know him. Second, there is the issue of the perspicuity of the scriptures. Last, many of the doctrines are actually agreed upon by those who hold a high view of the scriptures. I intend to comment on each of the three areas that related to the above question.
THE SCRIPTURES WILL TEST A PERSON TO SEE IF HE LOVES GOD
Deut 13:1-4 If there arise in the midst of thee a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and he give thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or unto that dreamer of dreams:
for Jehovah your God proveth you, to know whether ye love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after Jehovah your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him.
When Israel made their covenant with God, one of the stipulations that is frequently repeated in the Covenant literature of the OT is the phrase "
and obey his voice." If one obey's his voice, it will demonstrate that such a person "love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul (another concept repeated many times in Deuteronomy).
The prophets of the OT were called the "mouth" of God. They gave God's word. However, many false prophets arose and this tested the people of Israel if they actually had a heart for God.
God did not stop testing his people to see if they have a heart and soul to obey him. While there were false prophets in the OT, there are false teachers in the NT. ----->See 2 Peter 2:1 "
But there arose false prophets also among the people, as among you also there shall be false teachers, who shall privily bring in destructive heresies, denying even the Master that bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction." Later, Peter would say in 2 Peter 3:15-16
And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also, according to the wisdom given to him, wrote unto you; as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; wherein are some things hard to be understood, which the ignorant and unstedfast wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.
Scriptures are taken out of context by some. With some it is merely a subtle error, with others it is an outright false teaching that is dangerous to the soul. According to the last verses, it seems Paul's writings were very much abused in the early Church.
PERSPICUITY OF THE SCRIPTURES
There is another doctrine that relates to this discussion. It is called "perspicuity of scripture." This teaching states that many of the doctrines of the scripture are in fact clear. This does not mean that each and every of the smallest details are obvious. It allows for some more difficult doctrines that are more difficult to grasp and understand. I am not going to comment allot on this issue. I would recommend reading some others on this issue. You can start with wiki
Clarity of scripture - Wikipedia
The Perspicuity of Scripture by Burk Parsons
THE NATURE OF THE SCRIPTURES
What I mean by the nature of the scriptures concerns doctrines such as infallibility, inerrancy, inspiration, sola scriptura, etc. Here different denominations and their views of scriptural authority come into play. Denominational views of the authority of scripture often determines the views of how to understand the teachings of the scriptures. Those who take the bible as only one of several authorities will not come up with the same result as those who take the view of sola scriptura.
THE BOTTOM LINE----------> The bottom line is that it is not necessarily the scriptures fault that there are so many views of what the scriptures teach. The problem is what baggage to we bring with us when we come to the scriptures. The heart that seeks to know God, will find him. Such a heart, only God can give.
