Standing up for Truth

While reading many comments on some of my favorite blogs, I have noticed a recurring thought or belief of some of my fellow conservatives which I find very wrong. It's the idea because a church or diocese is losing money and parishioners that their theology is flawed or wrong. The popular church is the right church. I can tell you right now, that belief is very wrong. Look at the early church. It was very small and definitely not popular. If our early Christian forebearers believed this, they certainly would not have taken up their cross and followed Christ. Theology is not a popularity contest. If you truly believe in something with your heart and mind, you will be willing to suffer ridicule and even hate for that belief. I pray that I would have the courage of the early martyrs of the church. Thank goodness that I am not faced with that choice. I do not know that I could face death for Christ. I don't think any of us really will ever know until faced with that choice. I would like to think I could accept God's help and have that courage to face that trial. If we choose our beliefs by numbers, we would have to all convert to Roman Catholicism. It is the largest Christian denomination according to Adherents.com. We each need to listen to hearts and minds to help us tell us what is right and wrong but temper it with scripture and the historic faith. However lying about growing numbers and hiding deficits in budgets is another matter. That would definitely be an indicator that a person subscribes to the aforementioned belief. If someone were to do this, then they certainly are not in the right. I wonder if their faith would hold up to the same test.