Related to "thorny ground Christians."
The professing Christian who says, "Let's agree to disagree" over major Bible doctrine is really a dangerous person.
Usually the person who says "let's agree to disagree" or "we just understand differently" when it comes to plain bible doctrine, is simply saying that he doesn't believe the bible is true.
Understand: I'm not talking about small matters of tradition in a church, or such.
I'm talking about tentpoles of the Christian faith. I'm talking about professing Christians defending sodomy and trying to use fractured scripture to back it up. I'm talking about self-labeled believers using Bible folks like Deborah or those prophesying daughters in the New Testament to justify women in the pulpit. I'm talking about the falsely so-called seasoned believers who are gray-haired baby Christians, shutting their ears to the truth and being hardened to correction. They've already put in their time in the pews, so they feel they've got it all figured out. God help me not be like that! Lord, please keep me under conviction and knowing that anything I know is from you anyhow.
And then, professing Christians who defend things that the Bible specifically calls abominations and vile, will look at you with a smug look and say: We just agree to disagree.
They will say, with this oh-so-spiritual expression: you and I, brother, we understand bible truths differently.
What they really mean is that they disagree with plain scripture and simple commands from God through the Bible. In my imperfect way, I am bound to agree with God. If I disagree, then I'm wrong. If I don't understand, I need to get with the Holy Spirit and get understanding.
This whole things of: "We all have different interpretations of scripture" being used to put anything at all forth in a New Testament church, is straight evil. It is pretty looking evil, because the things put forth like women pastors and sodomite pastors and Hollywood affirming preaching, are said in soft, sweet ways.
But it is still evil.
Understand, that this is about what the words of God, the Word of God, says. Not about me versus you. Understand that this is you saying to me: "You are trying to walk by the King James Bible, and I don't believe that is necessary or even what God really wants from Christians." I know that is what you are really saying even if you don't. I respect the unapologetic atheistic humanist, who openly mocks the Bible, more than the churchfolk who claim Christ, and who open fifty different bible versions trying to find some deeper understanding that they never find, instead sinking into unbelief. At least I know where the lost person stands, who admits he's lost and doesn't want anything to do with the Lord Jesus Christ. The church veteran who is like a sopping wet sponge and who cannot take any more instruction, correction, is someone I'm going to avoid. At least when it's anything past a general goodwill and fellowship. God bless you, I'm glad you're professing Christ, I'm happy to hear you speak some Bible verses you've memorized over decades sitting in the pews... but your attitude toward what God wants is toxic. Your cafeteria style Christianity will poison me and my family.
Matthew chapter 24 is an amazing, awesome, scary chapter. Look at verse 49. "smite his fellowservant." This is talking about Christians, some of who are really saved, but who are striking, or backbiting, or disdaining their fellow Christians which really take the Bible at its word.
I heard a lot of men in the church preach about this. These men of God stood up and said, "when you truly start walking for God, your fiercest enemies are usually NOT the unbelieving evolutionists, but those who claim to call on Jesus and who want to walk in the spirit of the world." I heard them and read them about this thing, of professing Christians coming after me when I stood on the Bible without wavering. I believed them when they said it. But I was not prepared for how fierce and unrelenting that opposition was.
Again, when someone hates God and mocks me because I strive to love God, I expect it.
It's different when Christians and professing Christians do it.
The thorny ground Christians and Disciples in name only Christians are opposing your stand for God on what they consider to be spiritual, and sometimes even biblical grounds. That is deadly. That is partly why so many people in and out of the faith don't believe the bible, and don't respect the church and the preacher and the churchfolk: Because of professing Christians who defend the world over Jesus Himself. You don't think lost people recognize hypocrites? Sometimes they see it better than the fifty-year church vet. "this MY chair. I'll knock your bible on the floor if you sit where I always sit."
The question: Why can't people just say they don't believe the Bible? Why parse it and cut it all up? Some professing Christians would be more respectable in the faith if they just gave it up altogether. Now we know that God doesn't want you to turn your back on Him. But He is just as angry at double-minded believers who were either never really born again, and at those who truly are saved yet walk like the world. Those who walk WITH the world.
The Bible commands the true believers and followers in Christ to separate from people like that.
It is possible to tell the truth in love, and then walk it out, without constantly lowering the standards of Jesus as the world does.