Isn’t it strange how things repeat themselves?
“What, in particular, do you have In mind?”
The way a movement or cause surges ahead, only to have some of those who benefit most from it, later in rising to leading positions, begin to reject, transform and set forth their own ways of pursuing it.
“Yeah. That often happens. Do you think it’s deliberate?”
Only partially so. They soon think they can refine, modify for the better, and so forth, only to emerge from the process espousing and teaching something quite different from that which brought them to the place that enables them to do so. This confuses many people who don’t understand what’s happening. They received much help from the original theses which they adopted and put into practice, and are now told that these were simplistic, or outmoded, or something of the sort. Times have changed. But if the cause is Scriptural, it matters little how the times go—or come—for that matter.
“What then?”
Quite frequently, what is supposed to be refinements, improvements, maturation and the like, simply turn out—as I said—to be something else. Now, that’s the factor that is of great importance to those who are still practicing what they learned originally, need to grasp. For them, what it really boils down to—if they recognize what is happening—is making a choice. Of course, the “new way” may, indeed, be better—or (perhaps) it may not. That’s what they must decide for themselves. The key thing is not to be swept along with the current—ever running faster—without recognizing what is happening to them. Of course, they only have the new proponents to read or listen to, since the old are fading away.
“What happens if they can’t?”
Usually, as I said, confusion. They begin to mix two or more things that are actually incompatible, and wonder why it doesn’t work. Then, they either throw in the towel, go back to what they learned before the new ideas appeared, or float with the new tide.
“Which is the best way for them to go?”
It all depends.
“On what?”
On who, if anyone, is right.
“And that’s something they must decide?”
Yes, unless they want to hide their heads in the sand.
“Not a comfortable position.”
Certainly not.