"If you believe what you like in the Gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself."
Saint Augustine of HippoA former pastor of mine used to call that "Piccadilly Religion". Some people think Christianity is like going down a food buffet line at the Piccadilly Cafeteria. They'll take a little jello, strawberry pie, maybe a piece of chicken, maybe a roll, but they'll leave the liver and onions. They don't want any spinach, broccoli, etc..They'll pick and choose what they like and leave what they don't like. Everybody's happy.
The problem is, Christianity is not like that at all. It is either all or none. Either you believe all Scripture, or you don't really believe any of it.
2 Timothy 3:16 (ESV)Do you believe the Gospel, or yourself?
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
Augustine nails it with this one, short and to the point.
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