Came across the following while reading D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ book Studies in the Sermon on the Mount. Given all the discussion recently about the Manhattan Declaration, I thought this a timely word:

We are all talking about ecumenicity, and the argument is put forward that, because of a certain common danger, it is not the time to be arguing about points of doctrine; rather we should all be friendly and pull together. Not at all, according to our Lord. The fact that the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches are called Christian is no reason why we should not expose the corruptness and the dangerous errors of their systems.

My own position on the Declaration has shifted some. While I more or less agree with the concerns of the document (I would differ from the emphasis in the document that the purpose of marriage is procreation), I share the concern of others who believe it does us no good to stand arm-in-arm with Catholics and Orthodox and risk undermining clear gospel presentation. I also sympathize with the somewhat snarky tweets from Abraham Piper and Jared Wilson. Anyone can sign a document. Living it out is both the more vital and the more difficult task.