Come Let Us Reason Together

Yesterday afternoon I rode a bus from downtown Tampa after doing some street evangelism. I was getting hungry and thought of an area in the northern part of town with many restaurants. While getting off by the intersection of Fowler and Nebraska Avenue, I noticed a gathering that included a man preaching over a loudspeaker. One thing that caught my attention was a large banner quoting Isaiah 1:18 but misspelled “saith.” By the time I walked over there, I forgot about the misspelled banner because of seeing other signs. I also noticed the group consisted of well dressed African-American men (I don’t recall seeing any women). I asked who they were. One of the men handed me a flyer that resembled a church bulletin. 

I started looking at the flyer minutes later after getting seated at Denny’s. I realized the flyer was their church's version of a gospel tract. However, there were parts of it I don’t agree with. Despite their sign encouraging people to “reason together”, I wasn’t in the mood to walk back to this group. After eating lunch, I took a different bus that got me home sooner. This morning, I felt inspired to write a response to that flyer.


The first page of the flyer asked this question, “Are You Saved? Or Have You Been Deceived By False Religion? Open this booklet and take the following quick quiz; examine yourself to see if you are in the faith or if you have been led astray by false religious teachings.” The next page asks these four questions: 


1. Do you believe that we are all sinners saved by grace?

2. Do you believe in the Holy Trinity?

3. Do you believe that you can divorce your spouse and remarry?

4. Do you believe that all religions basically serve the same God?


Then the flyer claims, “If you answered ‘Yes’ to one or more of these questions, then you are under false religious teachings and you need to repent.”


I agree one should answer “No” to questions 1 and 4. The phrase “sinner saved by grace” is a contraction in terms. As the flyer correctly states, “you are either a sinner, or you are a son of God.” I also agree that all religions do NOT serve the same God. The flyer correctly stated Jesus is the only way to God (John 14:6).


However, I must take issue with their responses to the two other questions. Their answer to question 2 claims, “There is no such thing as a ‘Trinity’, God is one, not three persons in one.” There are Scriptures that mention God manifesting Himself as three distinct entities. One obvious example is what Jesus said in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 13:14 says, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.”


The flyer answers question 3 by claiming, “There is no such thing as 'Divorce and Remarriage.’ You cannot divorce your spouse and marry again. True Religion teaches us that once you are married God sees you as one and only physical death can separate you!” I agree it’s God’s best for every married person to remain with their spouse “till death do us part.” Unfortunately, we live in a fallen world where not everyone honors their marriage vows. I’ve gone through two broken marriages. Both my ex-wives (one of whom died last year) were unfaithful to me and remarried other men. The flyer didn’t mention adultery as Scriptural grounds for divorce. 


The flyer also claims, “If you belong to any one of these religions; Catholic, Baptist, Protestant, Lutheran, Jewish, Adventist, Jehovah Witness, Episcopalian, Methodist, Mormon, Muslim, Buddhist, Scientologist, Orthodox, Yahweh, Krishna, Fundamentalist, and many, many more man-made religious cults then you are under false religious teachings and you need to repent.” Just because a Christian doesn’t share all of a church’s or denomination’s doctrinal beliefs doesn’t mean they are part of a cult.  Romans 10:13 (KJV) says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Over the years, I’ve met believers who happened to attend Catholic, Baptist, Protestant, Lutheran, Adventist, Episcopalian, Methodist, and Orthodox churches.


It would be helpful if that flyer had a sinner’s prayer or at least quoted Romans 10:9-10. Most nonbelievers need to be guided into receiving the gift of salvation. Perhaps one purpose of the flyer is to entice people to visit their church (which had their address and other information on the back). However, their church is located miles away in the southern part of Tampa. Unless they offer transportation to visitors without a car, I can’t imagine many flyer recipients making the effort to go there. Personally, I’d rather attend a fellowship that emphasizes the love and mercy of Jesus Christ instead of religious doctrines that don’t determine a person’s eternal destiny.


“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” - John 3:16

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