The first critical error which the church at large seems to be making again and again is that respectability equals authority. Because of a lack of clear thinking on this issue, Christianity is rushing headlong into trying to gain credibility and respectability before the world, thinking that this will give the church the authority it needs, and consequently, everyone will listen. But what is at work here is a failure to define our terms. What is respectability? What is authority? Are they the same thing? If not, does the one result from the other? If we ask and biblically answer these questions, we will go a long way to avoiding this critical error.

The first critical error which the church at large seems to be making again and again is that respectability equals authority. Because of a lack of clear thinking on this issue, Christianity is rushing headlong into trying to gain credibility and respectability before the world, thinking that this will give the church the authority it needs, and consequently, everyone will listen. But what is at work here is a failure to define our terms. What is respectability? What is authority? Are they the same thing? If not, does the one result from the other? If we ask and biblically answer these questions, we will go a long way to avoiding this critical error.