[OBW]

Tough topic. No obvious answer. Yet an issue that we grappled with about once a year on the old Bereans site.

My opening answer (or more correctly, statement of uncertainty) is a definitive "I'm not sure." I figure there are extremes that we can discuss that would clearly be a "different Jesus." But at the same time, there are differences in understanding that are still the same Christ.

If our only concern is whether true modalism (beyond Lee) or even true tritheism is a different Jesus, then my starting point (from which you need to argue to change my thought) would be "same Jesus." As long as that is the only thing in question, I might argue that some positions may not be as "right" as others, but they do not necessarily seeing Jesus differently. They just differ on how to read this collection of names and characteristics to "know" what it is (if anything) that God is telling us about himself. It could be that He really didn't care if we got "the Trinity" right as long as we were following Jesus.

Now some others argue that Jesus is not God. Just the Son of God. (Isn't that, in human terms, a little like saying I am not human, just the son of a human?) I have a harder time with that. Yet, if they believe that faith in Jesus, the one who died on the cross and rose again, is the way, then I'm still not entirely sure. I would try to persuade them to understand differently. But if that is the only thing, then I would at least leave the rejecting to God.

For me, the nearest thing to a line between "in" and "out" would be whether you actually put your faith in Jesus. And actually follow and obey him. If those are correct, then not understanding the parts that seem not to have been spelled out that clearly does not cause me to want to simply reject them as not Christian.

Now those who replace faith in Jesus with something else are a different story. Like certain cult that has "Jesus Christ" in their name yet have almost cut him from their teaching and belief. Just another prophet?

Or those who sort of claim to believe everything. (The ultimate Pascal position. Don't just say you believe in Christ because if you are wrong, then there is no harm. Say you believe in all of them. Cover all the bases.) To believe in everything is to believe in nothing.

I would never suggest that those who believe in Jesus in a way that is more "orthodox" simply be silent concerning what you think is an error. Otherwise, you may inadvertently be allowing some who don't actually believe to die thinking they do.

Having said all of that, I do not believe that we are called to simply allow anyone to to believe just about anything just because they do believe in Jesus. There are systems of error that rob many of the joy of the Lord. That keep them in different kinds of bondage that they should be free of.

And the "we are superior," know-it-all, say it in a better way, but do little with it system of error that is the LRC could use some breaking of chains.

Chains be broken
Lives be healed
Eyes be opened
Christ is revealed