THE SLIPPERY SLOPE

A popular analogy is that of the novice on the ski slope who stands nervously a the top of the run.  Not quite sure of himself or what lives ahead of him, he takes a little step, then another, testing the pack.  Suddenly gravity takes control and down he goes to an uncertain fate. While there is a remote chance he might make it safely to the bottom, it is far more likely that disaster awaits him.

So it is in Christianity.  Apostasy is a slippery slope with spiritual ruin its final destination. To see this in bold relief, one need only look at the history of the great Protestant churches that surround us. Once bastions of conservatism, Methodist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Episcopalian and Congregational churches now bear only faint resemblance to their past or to the Christianity of the Bible. The Disciples of Christ are an even more pertinent example for us. Their complete and total drift into apostasy and the extremes of liberalism took them little more than 100 years.  In 1849 the first of our spiritual forebearers stepped upon the slippery slope of departure.  It all seemed so harmless, just an organization to coordinate mission work of the churches.  They called it the American Christian Missionary Society. The second step was easier.  As they relax their grip on the necessity of following the Bible in all things, the introducing instrumental music into their worship. Then in quick succession came women preachers and elders, open membership, participation in the Federal Council of Churches and the full agenda of theological liberalism. Today it is gay rights, a rejection of Biblical authority and the concept of restoration

We now see many congregations of Churches of Christ standing at the slippery slope of apostasy.  Large numbers of preachers and elders, unaware or uncaring, are testing the icy pack of change. Some are testing new forms of expressing worship. The traditional ways of worship seem drab and boring compared to those of Neo-Pentecostalism.  It is exhilarating for them to lift up the hands, or have an unseen choir.  Some are testing the ice on the matter of salvation.  Having fed on the sweet tasting doctrine of salvation by grace and faith alone, they are gingerly testing these teachings on their listeners.  They aren't quite ready to boldly repudiate the need for baptism, but they have downgraded it to a "maybe" status.

Others on the slope are toying with the role of women in the leadership of the church. They are not strongly wedded to the Biblical limitation that forbids women to teach or have authority over men (I Tim. 2:12).

Some are slipping on the uniqueness of Christ's church in a world of denominationalism.  Although Scripture knows nothing of denominations, but these men are heard speaking of our brotherhood as a denomination or sect. If that we are, we stand in competition with the church that Christ built and in shame should close our doors and disband. This certainly is not what our fathers believed.  Once you start down the slippery slope, just where does it end.?

These are but a few of the examples before us. Some are already plunging headlong down the slope to certain destruction.  For them there is little hope. Others are yet flirting with the ice at the crest of the slope. 
Perhaps by God's mercy they can be snatched back before they are lost beyond recovery (Jude 21-22).  Those elders and preachers who are wise will avoid the slippery slope by planting their feet firmly on the plainly revealed truths of the gospel.