I have never watched the television show “Can of Worms”, but I have seen commercials for it.  Some of the topics look extremely interesting, but I know I just could not stomach the arbitrary ‘pooling of ignorance’ so common in such panels (which can be seen even in the commercials!).  One the other hand, I know I could not stomach the duplicitous ‘denunciation’ of all dogmatism, then hear them state their opinions with extreme and utter dogmatism!

We have been opening plenty of “cans of worms” in our Ethics series at night!, and I have been thinking that Christians desperately need to avoid both those extremes.  On the one hand, arbitrary ethics (based on “feeling” or “opinion”) make a mockery of God’s character and law and mandate to the world. His Church is not to be “tossed to and fro by every changing wind” (Eph 4:14). On the other hand, we want to be very sure when we are dogmatic, that our dogmatism is based on the clear teaching of Scripture.

One contributor to a book on Ethics wrote that in the Church,

“If anyone wanted to start an argument, they only had to mention one of three topics for a sure fire hit:  predestination, evolution, alcohol”

There are many more that could be added to the list, but after my study & sermon last week, I would add one other “sure fire hit” – the topics of babies and heaven.  ”Do all babies go to heaven?”…

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