In the last article, I discussed “does eschatology matter”? Conclusion: it could if someone believes that Jesus’ predictions of an imminent 2nd coming failed to come true, and if that caused someone to lose faith in Jesus and the Bible. But for most Christians, they rationalize those predictions and still believe in Jesus and are faithful Christians. For them, eschatology does not matter. Even the failed 2nd coming dates set by many false prophets and teachers doesn’t bother them. I do think it is an important subject since so many false teachers are leading believers astray on eschatology.

So what does really matter? I came to my acid test for what really matters as I studied Paul’s teaching on the circumcision of Gentile Christians. The Judaizers (legalistic Jewish Christians) were making Gentile Christian circumcision a test of fellowship and salvation. Paul said circumcision is a matter of choice for Gentiles, but you have fallen from grace if you make circumcision a test of fellowship (Galatians 5:4). He said the same thing about eating meats and observing days (Romans 14). He clearly taught that a Christian can eat meats, so he gave the correct doctrine on that. But he said that believers should not make that issue a test of fellowship with those who disagreed. Agree to disagree and don’t judge the one who disagrees with you.

That led me to the belief that I am not going to make any doctrine, teaching, or issue a test of fellowship unless the New Testament clearly makes it a test of fellowship. So issues like instrumental music in worship, frequency of taking the Lord’s Supper, organization of the local churches, women praying or even preaching, tongue speaking, churches supporting orphan homes out of the treasury, eating in the church building, how the Holy Spirit dwells in believers, worship on Saturday or Sunday, and many, many more should not be made tests of fellowship. Follow your conscience and be a part of a church that doesnt make such issues tests of fellowship. Other issues like Calvinism, infant baptism or believer baptism, sprinkling or pouring in baptism, the pope as the head of the church, etc. are, like eschatology, important and could matter but don’t really matter for most Christians. I’ve always said, “if Mother Teresa (who was probably baptized as a baby and never baptized as an adult) doesn’t make it to heaven, there’s no way I will make it”. God’s grace will surely be sufficient for those who believe in Jesus and bear the fruit of the Spirit. Most Calvinists are faithful Christians even though they might believe that one can’t fall from grace (which could cause someone to think that he/she is saved even if he/she lives in sin).

So what does really matter? The only NT book that really spells that out is 1 John. In that letter, the apostle John gives 3 tests of “walking in the light” and being in fellowship with the apostles and with Jesus and the Father. 1 John 1:3 ³ that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ”. 1:⁶ If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” So here are the 3 tests of fellowship. These 3 are repeated in 3 cycles, but I will just give the core tests.

1. Belief in Jesus as God’s Son, the only Savior of our sins. 1 John 5:⁹ If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. ¹⁰ Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. ¹¹ And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 4:² By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, ³ and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.” No one has perfect faith in Jesus. We all have our moments of doubt, but faith in Jesus must be a daily continual trust in HIm.
2. Love. 1 John 3:¹⁴ We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death. 4:⁷ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” That love would include love for one’s brothers and sisters in Christ and love for all men. No one will have perfect love, but love must be an obvious fruit of the Spirit in the believer.
3. Obedience to God’s moral commands. 1 John 3:⁹ No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. ¹⁰ By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.” Of course, that means that we must allow the Bible to tell us what God considers to be morally right or wrong, what is sin in His eyes. There are obvious black and white moral commands, such as those given in Galatians 5:¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Or 1 Corinthians 6:⁹ Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, ¹⁰ nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.” Or Romans 1:²⁸ And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. ²⁹ They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, ³⁰ slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, ³¹ foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. ³² Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” Many claim to be obeying God’s moral laws and yet practice adultery and homosexuality, claiming that those things are not sinful. As Isaiah said, some “call evil good and good evil”. No one can obey God’s moral commands perfectly. God’s grace will cover our sins if we are sincerely trying to obey His moral commands. But we must sincerely try b/c one can fall from grace if he, in God’s eyes, has gone too far. 2 Peter 2:²⁰ For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. ²¹ For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. ²² What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”

Perhaps this passage sums up the 3 tests of fellowship: 1 John 5:1Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. ² By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. ³ For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. ⁴ For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. ⁵ Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” 1) Love God and the children of God; 2) belief in Jesus as the Christ and the Son of God; 3) obey His commandments (which would include His moral commands).

So I don’t want to make these 3 things to be a legalistic test b/c no one can practice and believe these 3 things perfectly. God’s grace will more than cover our sins and doctrinal error. But at the same time we should examine ourselves to see if we are “passing the test” in these 3 areas. 2 Corinthians 13:⁵ Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! ⁶ I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test.

So now I need to get off the eschatology discussion and examine my heart, mind, and life in these 3 areas. That’s a never ending task of trying to believe and practice these 3 essentials that really matter. Again, I am thankful for the grace of God that covers us but at the same time I am fully aware that I could fall from grace if I don’t believe and practice these 3 things. As Paul said, “I hope that you pass the test”. At least get a 65 grade which is a passing grade in our school. Some of us are weak and will barely pass the tests with C’s and D’s. Some of us are doing good, not great with B’s. Some of us are “super-Christians” making all A’s. God’s grace covers all equally as long as we pass the test.