In this next to last sermon in our series on The True Faith we come to a subject within the Church that has been a source of conflict for most of this century. The motivation for this one hundred year's war is the injunction of Jude three: "Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt I had to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints."

Certainly we have this obligation, but I believe that in John's first letter we have this responsibility put in its proper context. Do you see the division in chapter four in most bibles? The NIV makes this division clear: verses one through six encourage us to test the spirits and verses seven through twenty-one remind us that we are to continue in love! Well ought God's elect to have remembered this admonition in the spiritual battles of this century! Time after time, in denomination after denomination those who would defend the fundamentals of the faith have lost almost every spiritual battle.

In the two cases where the fundamentalists have "won" the winners have proved not to be a winsome crowd to which people are attracted. Now, we know that Luther and Calvin and the others have recorded harsh words in the midst of their spiritual warfare. We ought also to remember that the Reformation years were filled with wars for many years thereafter. Protestants, Catholics and Ana-baptists all enjoyed the spilling of each other's blood. Even in our time have too many enjoyed the spiritual conflict. Well ought we to ponder the implications of our passage today.

Now, what are these fundamentals which we must hold to and be held accountable when Christ returns? Let me briefly summarize three collections of foundational truths which have been the point of conflict these last hundred years.

One author, an Australian by the name of Gabriel Hebert, would tell us that a series of twelve booklets printed between 1909 and 1915 were the intellectual source for the then proud term of fundamentalist. These small books of 128 pages were sent to every pastor and Christian worker in the entire English speaking world free of charge. The articles in these booklets may be classified in six areas.

1. The fundamentals of the faith: essential Christian doctrine.
2. Attacks on Biblical Criticism.
3. Concerns with contemporary scientific theories.
4. Attacks on contemporary cultic heresies.
5. Personal testimonies.
6. Missions and evangelism.

A Baptist theologian at Cedarville College would encourage us with three principles of protestantism. These include in their reformational Latin: sola Scriptura, sola gratia and sola fide. Translated into the common tongue of our day it would read: "Scripture only, grace only and faith only." These essentials first hold high the biblical claim that the sacred texts are the very Word of God.

Second, based upon those sacred texts we are instructed that sinful man has no hope for salvation by his own efforts because as Paul tells the Ephesians (2: 8-9) "It is by grace you have been saved, through faith _ and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God _ not by works, so that no one can boast"

Third, once we affirm the Bible as our only authority and grace as the only means of salvation the only remaining question is how a person may receive this salvation? We certainly may remember how Martin Luther wrote in the margin of Habakkuk 2:4 the word "alone" to emphasize the fact revealed there: "the just shall live by faith." And that faith is given graciously by God alone through the Holy Spirit. It is these principles that Professor McGoldrik would have us cling to as long as we have life and breath.

A Presbyterian journalist by the name of Harold Lindsell has highlighted five fundamentals in one of his books which I could not lay my hands on. These five fundamentals were the focus of the theological battles in American Presbyterianism during the 1920's. From memory I am certain that these included the inspiration of Scripture, the virgin birth, and the deity of Christ. I might be able to guess two more, but I will be cautious in taxing my memory today. In that book Dr Lindsell voiced a concern that our present generation of neo-fundamentalists have added considerably to the "canon" of fundamentals. Today, it is very common for some denominations to insist upon pre-millennialism, dispensationalism, baptism by immersion and other points as equally fundamental doctrines necessary to properly define Christian life and belief. All of this is very well and we can certainly appreciate the essential nature of most of these foundational fundamentals.

However, and with that little word "however", I intend to part company with very many in the Fundamentalist camp. I remember well the reception that I as a Presbyterian follower of Jesus Christ met in the evangelical churches in my area. The fact that I had providentially grown up in a denomination that had gone liberal canceled out any possibility that my salvation was real. In order to justify the reality of my new found faith I would have had to undergo another mode of baptism, or I would have had to accept pre-millennialism or dispensationalism as a matter of dogma.

In second area of concern I wonder at very many of the conservative churches where the women adopt a standard dress and the young people stifle their imaginations and entertainments to meet the demands of a biblical code of behavior. Christianity is thus reduced observing a fundamental list of no-no's! No television, no dancing, no card playing, no games. There also the men become overconfident in their spiritual prowess to manage everyone under their authority and humility and prayerful dependence on the God of heaven takes a back seat. Very many of these fundamentalist groups may well become the personal empire of charismatic or dominant characters.

A third area of concern is with what the spiritual struggles of this century have done to those involved. This is what I mean. When I was in the Army and for six months or more after getting out, my character and attitude were affected by the military manipulation for hard service. You see, preparation for combat requires specific mental as well as physical competencies. Sherry will certainly confirm that the transition back to a normal civilian life was time consuming. This transition for many in my generation had tragic consequences. Unlike previous wars when it would take weeks or months of shipboard boredom and relaxation to return home, Viet Nam veterans were often lifted directly out of combat and set down three days later in their home town. Adjustment was difficult.

In a similar manner, once conservatives were pushed out of their own traditional churches they adjusted to new found peace and spiritual quiet badly. In the Presbyterian struggles of the twenties - hatred and abuse was multiplied. The orthodox losers treated each other as badly as they had treated the liberals. Then they wandered why the worldly were not attracted to their churches which held high the orthodox standards of the fundamental truths contained in the Bible.

You see, they missed the second half of our text for today. This standard of love is absolutely essential. Yes, in love, we can hold high essential doctrines. In the last six months at least six visitors have questioned our doctrines and encouraged me to make the Church more acceptable so that they could feel comfortable. They all missed the point of what it means to follow Christ! This is not a Burger King franchise _ you can't have it your way. And neither can we insist on expanding the basic menu that has been entrusted to us.

And if we consider the fundamental truths of Christianity, they all point to a person. No, its not Colonel Sanders, Ronald McDonald, Carl McIntire, Jimmy Swaggart or any other human. The fundamental truths that must be upheld point to the person and purpose of Jesus Christ.

Yes, we may well love the doctrines and confessions of the Church. We may also love our Bibles or our experience of salvation. But the only fundamental we should treasure is the fact of the Christ set before us through the love of the Father.

Yes, we must be very careful in our theological definition of the Christ. Also ought we to be equally careful to demonstrate the love of Christ so that those who belong to Christ are attracted to the fellowship of His Church. May we by God's grace be given this fundamental love for one another so that the world may marvel in the same manner recorded in Scripture: "See how they love one another." May this be our common goal and our common experience. Amen.