A Clarification on Secondary Matters

When I say I deny the evangelical paradigm of primary and secondary doctrines and practices, I don't mean that there are no ideas of a secondary nature, but that I do not see anything that the Scripture teaches as primary and secondary. That is not a paradigm that the Scripture places any theology or ethics within itself. Anything that is not important or of secondary importance should be viewed as having to do with things that are not theology and ethics (i.e., eschatological timelines, amoral created things like wine or meat or holidays, etc.). I heard the other day a homosexual activist who argues that Christianity allows for full participation in both the church and gay lifestyle, and that this should not be elevated to a primary or essential issue. Indeed, any disputed matter is relegated to the category of "secondary" these days.

What should be done in place of this practice is to make sure what the Bible teaches and what it does not. This includes any doctrines or ethics made off of supporting arguments made by a biblical author while he is making his case about a particular teaching, ideas assumed by a biblical author but not argued for or intrinsic to the theology or ethic for which he is arguing, etc.

Along these lines, a tolerance that does not come from the evangelical version of relativism and its adoption of a Satanic philosophy, but rather from love and patience should be adopted. We don't need to syncretize Christianity with Enlightenment ideas in order to stop religious wars. We simply need love and patience on the end of those who already know the truth and humility on the end of those who are still learning it. As I have always said, we all become Christians as heretics and we do not stop being heretics for quite some time. It is a slow process of sanctification in the truth that brings us out of our heresies, and any teacher of God should be tolerant and loving toward those who are teachable for such reasons.