βWherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fallβ (I CorinthiansΒ 10:12).
Heard a story told by a Grace Believer who met another Grace Believer in the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge:
βI was standing in the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge admiring the view when another tourist walked up alongside of me to do the same. I heard him say quietly, as he took in the beauty of the view, βWhat an awesome God.β
βI turned to him and said, βYou a Christian?β
βHe said, βYes, I am a Christian.β
βI said, βSo am I,β and we shook hands. I said, βAre you a liberal or a fundamental Christian?β
βHe said, βI am a fundamental Christian.β
βI said, βSo am I,β and we smiled and nodded to each other.β I said, βAre you a Covenant or dispensational, fundamental Christian?β
βHe said, βI am a dispensational, fundamental Christian.β
βI said, βSo am I,β and we slapped one another on the back.β I said, βAre you an early Acts, mid-Acts or late Acts, dispensational, fundamental Christian?β
βHe said βI am a mid-Acts, dispensational, fundamental Christian.β
βI said, βSo am Iβ and we agreed to exchange Christmas cards each year. I said, βAre you an Acts 9 or 13, mid-Acts, dispensational, fundamental Christian?β
βHe said, βI am an Acts 9, mid-Acts, dispensational, fundamental Christian.β
βI said, βSo am Iβ and we hugged one another right there on the bridge. I said, βAre you a pre-trib, or post-trib, Acts 9, mid-Acts, dispensational, fundamental Christian?β
βHe said, βI am a pre-trib, Acts 9, mid-Acts, dispensational, fundamental Christian.β
βI said, βSo am I,β and we decided to exchange kids for the summer.βI said, βAre you a 12 in or 12 out, pre-trib, Acts 9, mid-Acts, dispensational, fundamental Christian?β
βHe said, βI am a 12 in, pre-trib, Acts 9, mid-Acts, dispensational, fundamental Christian.ββI said, βYou heretic, and I pushed him off the bridge!ββ β Author Unknown
The above is sad but all too true, with the exception of being pushed off a bridge, although some may have even considered that! Of course, the shoe could have been on the other foot; that is, the weary traveler might have held the 12 out position β heaven forbid! The point is, no matter how deeply our convictions may run on secondary issues, they should never disrupt our fellowship together. Issues such as: Are the 12 in or out of the Body of Christ? Was Paul the author of Hebrews? Should we observe holidays? Was Paul in or out of the will of God in Acts 21? Where did the Church begin β Acts 9, 11, or 13? And on and on we could go.
Our Fellowship in Christ must rest solely on the Fundamentals of the Faith and the Doctrines of Grace found in Ephesians 4:4-6. There is no room for further discussion on these matters. On other areas of the Word of God where we may find ourselves in disagreement, let us βagree to disagreeβ in a Christ-like manner. This will help maintain the unity of the Spirit among us and glorify God in the process. source