Before we label or declare exactly what percentage of truth is needed we should ask, needed for what? For salvation, to get into heaven, or how much truth is needed in our walk with Christ?
In reading the book The Force of Truth by Thomas Scott(1747-1821) it is interesting to note that for many years he pastored a church, preaching every Sunday while continuing a life of sin, unrepentant. After coming to know John Newton and observing his selfless ministry to others he became convicted of his life and pursued correspondence with Newton, not to learn from him but to dispute with him and when he waived controversy the correspondence was dropped. He became progressivly hungry for truth and was an avid reader, comparing all authors to the word of God.
Studying the scriptures and praying that God would bring him to His whole truth he states "the word of God informs us that true wisdom, the saving, practical and experimental knowledge of Divine things is not to be acquired without earnest diligent seeking." He said, " My constant prayer to the Lord was to be delivered from pride and prejudice, blindness of heart, contempt of the truth, obstinacy, enthusiasm, ignorance and error; and that the Lord would give me wisdom and knowledge, guide me to the truth as it is in Jesus, open my understanding, take away the veil from my heart, and make known unto me the way of salvation which is revealed to sinners in his Holy Word."
"In the sight of God I am sensible I have abundant cause to be humbled, and ashamed of my frequent remissness, and the continual defilements of my prayers, but as surely as I believe his promises to be faithful, as surely as I believe him to be a God who hears prayer; so surely do I believe, that 'blesh and blood hath not revealed' to me the doctrines I now preach, but God himself by his Holy Spirit."
I dont believe there are many kinds of truth and/or doctrines. I believe when one truly prays and asks God to keep them in his truth that He will do exactly that. We must discern what we read, comparing it to scripture always and pray often, as the Bereans to be kept in truth. However, sound doctrine as declared in scripture does not allow for many and varied beliefs, that is man made fallacy. The truth is found on your knees and in scripture and is available from God Himself to your heart if and when you get that serious about it. We who are serious about truth know that we are in a state of learning and growth and that is the beauty of iron sharpening iron here in our discussion but still our heart must want it more that anything on earth!
Such a great and timely book!! How much error is allowed into our doctrine and accepted? I ask, when making a cake how much poison would be an acceptable amount and still be considered safe for consumption? Our doctrines must be pure, scripturally sound!
We cant decide that we believe A,B, C, and D and so we're o.k. but we must be 'always reforming' and seeking His truth!
