When it comes to marriage with my wife, some things are negotiable, and some are not. We can negotiate about who waters the plants on the deck, whose turn it is to wash the dishes, and, even, whether or not a new plasma television for watching sports is in the budget.
What is not negotiable is whether I brush my teeth and bathe daily...and who I make love to. Those things we have agreed are non-negotiable.
In my faith there are some things that are negotiable as well. We can debate about what the Bible says about the chronology of events in the "last days" (we could even debate about whether or not these are the "last days"). We can argue about whether or not all the gifts of the Spirit are for this day and age, or, whether or not some of them ended with the apostolic age.
But, again, some things are not negotiable...and at the top of that list is the authority of the Word of God.
We are living in times where everything is considered negotiable and everything has to be accepted in the name of tolerance. What some describe as the postmodern age of the church is often characterized by the words, "Let's talk. Let's dialogue about our faith. There is nothing that is not potentially negotiable..." It may not be couched in those words, but when hard-pressed some of today's emergent church spokesmen suggest it is arrogant to assume that any theological position we hold to is non-negotiable.
If the authority of God's Word is up for grabs, what truth is there that we can utlimately come to to test the validity of our faith?
My wife is unwilling to negotiate who I am intimate with...and I am counting on the same commitment from her. It's what keeps our trust of one another firmly in place, even during the rocky times of life.
My faith is built on an unserving commitment to the authority of God's Word...and that's what holds me steady whenever everything else seems uncertain. It's not negotiable.
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