John 17:25-26 "O righteous Father! The world has not known You, but I have known You; and these have known that You sent Me. And I have declared to them Your name, and will declare it, that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them."

The scientific world has had recent controversy over labeling Pluto as a planet or a dwarf-planet. Yesterday, learned men and women of the scientific world passed down the final decision that demoted Pluto from its previous status of planet. It is interesting to me to note that nothing has changed about Pluto other than the way those of scientific knowledge have chosen to view her. Pluto is still Pluto.

Theologians and believers interested in theology often behave in the same manner in regards to Salvation in Christ Jesus. The most recent theological controversy is that of the Calvinist view and the Arminian view of Salvation. The first insists upon election alone and the second views salvation as a choice made by man. Christians in each camp however, are saved by faith in the same Jesus and just as Pluto is still Pluto, Jesus is still Jesus. It is not our theological view of Him that imparts to us eternal life but faith in the person of Jesus Christ. Our doctrinal view may change drastically and do so several times during our life but Jesus will always be Jesus and nothing we learn can ever change or add to what happened in us the moment that we accepted Christ.

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John 15:8-11 "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be my disciples. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

There is nothing that can cause my heart to sing Jesus more joyously than when He reveals to me a new truth from His word. There is also nothing that can squelch the beauty of that song in my life than to run head on with another believer who does not share my newly found prize. Christians are called out of the world to glorify God and that is not accomplished through our intellect, through high-minded theology, or perfect doctrine. To glorify God as we have been called to do, we must abide in Jesus and we must love others as we love ourselves. We must love others with the love of Jesus.

John 15:12-17 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are my friends if you do whatever I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father In My name He may give you. These things I command you, that you love one another.

Jesus is my friend and I did not win Him as friend through correct theology or doctrine. Jesus became my friend because He first loved me. He loved me so much that He laid His life down for me. Then He took His life up again that He might impart eternal life to all who call upon His name. This was all accomplished through love by the One True Living God Who is Love. If I am to glorify God, that love must flow through me and that is not accomplished by following perfect Biblical doctrine, it is accomplished by my abiding in Christ. Sound doctrine helps me to know Him better that I might love better but sound doctrine without Him is useless and lifeless. Theology and doctrine are tools in the hands of the Potter as He molds me to be exactly like Jesus. When that has been accomplished the tools will be set aside. I must not cling to those tools but to Jesus Himself.

I have passed through many doctrines in my life as a Christian. Those that I no longer hold to now seem false as I have become more mature in Chirst. However, each was a useful tool in the hands of God as He used them to mold me toward Christlikeness. That which once seemed true to a more Pamlike creature is known to be false to a more Christlike creature but Jesus is the constant and knowing Him and learning to love that I might glorify Him is the goal of all that has occurred in my life. God works all things to the good of those who are in Christ Jesus.

Father in Heaven, fill me with your love that I might glorify you in the world so that others might come to know you and know your love. I pray, Father, that through me and other believers in Jesus, like me, that all men could come to repentance and accept Jesus as their savior and know Him for the friend that He is to sinners. Help me to remember that we are all sinners, most particularly me, and that when I must contend for the faith, let me not be contentious but loving. Help me to remember that the faith is Jesus Himself and not my doctrine nor my theology. Help me never to trust in my knowledge of the Bible but in Jesus alone; for it is Christ alone that saves sinful men and women. Help me not to despise those who still hold to truths that I have grown to find untrue. Help me to recognize in others He that is Truth. May I always trust Your work in the lives of my brothers and sisters by remembering the work You have done and are doing in me. Lord Jesus, Love through me. Amen.