Taking the heat - Defending the Faith

Pastor DTSalaz · #1 07-13-2008, 02:43 AM

In response to a challenge to anyone as to why they watch television when they once preached against it. Not developed fully just summarized. I hope it helps both sides of the isle understand each other better.

I am not afraid to stand up for what I believe is truth and can give substantiated evidence for it from the Word of God. I can say that I grew up Apostolic and am a third generation Apostolic. It was preached then as it is now in some circles against Television. The Principle that much evil is being propagated is understood though no scriptural evidence can be given as there was no way to speak out against what was unknown. This same thing was preached in regards to radio. For the only thing that was aired was worldly music and programs. This then began to be used a a tool to propagate the gospel and soon the preaching subsided. Now almost everyone who drives a car has a CD player and radio in it.

I can even recall a time when some Brother was so full of Zeal he went and broke a Sisters antenna and prayed over her car because she had a radio in her car. Kind of reminds me of some sisters whose Pastor preaches against ladies wearing short sleeve blouses, when they saw a sister who was wearing short sleeves to the middle of her upper arm, ran over to her in Wal-Mart and began praying her through the Holy Ghost. She decided to move to another church in Northern California after this incident.

We could laugh about those things now that radio is accepted. Then it was a hell fire and brimstone issue. The same thing applies to television we can use it as a tool to reach the lost. What matters most is what is in your heart. If your heart is unrepented and unconverted you will seek evil wherever it is. The exterior can be a facade covering what is on the inside. I watch Television and control it. It does not control me. The same thing with the computer that you are using. If your heart is wrong you and I will hide late at night when our children and wives go to bed we will see things that we ought not to be seeing. This tool is in your hands use it for work, communicating, study, research, and even for chatting. The evil is when it begins to control you and you should be doing something else for the Lord, your family, witnessing and you are drawn back to try and prove how righteous you are by way of the AFF. To him that knoweth to do right and doeth it not to him it is SIN!

Pro 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
Pro 6:17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
Pro 6:18 A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
Pro 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Money is a tool. In the right hands it can be used to buy food for a family, tracts, bible study material, good gospel music, DVDs for your monitor (haha), or to build a church. The same money in the wrong hands can be used to buy alcohol, drugs, illicit sex, weapons, worldly music and every evil imaginable. The object is not what is at fault it is the individual. Shall we stop using money because It is used for so much evil? Then get rid of your car too. It can take you to work, service, the store, vacation and be enjoyed. It can and does lead somebodies feet swiftly into evil. God gave us this earth to enjoy this is my garden of eden and my Kingdom of God. I will enjoy its every resource so long as it does not offend my God. Our example is when God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden he did not remove the tree of knowledge from it ,this was placed there to try the heart. He told them to dress and keep it, subdue and have dominion over it. The potential for evil was there but love for God keeps us from doing what offends Him. I have the potential to drink, take illicit drugs, commit adultery, lie, steal, and cheat and who is there to stop me. I have free will. In order to prove my love (not to be or remain saved) I voluntarily abstain from doing those things. My faith saves me not all the external things you think save you. All that we do in order to show our love, our works in other words, only prove that our faith is real. As I draw closer to God he reveals to me as I mature what things I must leave behind. There are not only sins but weights that I cast off in order to please him.

This does not preclude My need for repentance, baptism, and Holy Ghost infilling. If my faith is real and genuine then the evidence for my faith must be shown by my action. My actions do not now or ever save me they only reveal that my profession of faith was real. I cannot now or ever trust in a deathbed repentance because I am not God to know if the confession was real. As an Apostolic my only recourse is to to watch the life to see if what was professed is possessed. Perfection in a believer, No. No Just as in a marriage an earnest desire to get to know my partner and as it is revealed over time what pleases her will change my pattern of behavior to reflect my love for her.

I hope this answers your question of why I am able to watch television without guilt and condemnation. My motto

1Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Pastor DTSalaz · #2 07-14-2008, 03:40 PM

Rom 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
Rom 14:14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.

hometown guy · #3 07-14-2008, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pastor DTSalaz

In response to a challenge to anyone as to why they watch television when they once preached against it. Not developed fully just summarized. I hope it helps both sides of the isle understand each other better.

I am not afraid to stand up for what I believe is truth and can give substantiated evidence for it from the Word of God. I can say that I grew up Apostolic and am a third generation Apostolic. It was preached then as it is now in some circles against Television. The Principle that much evil is being propagated is understood though no scriptural evidence can be given as there was no way to speak out against what was unknown. This same thing was preached in regards to radio. For the only thing that was aired was worldly music and programs. This then began to be used a a tool to propagate the gospel and soon the preaching subsided. Now almost everyone who drives a car has a CD player and radio in it.

I can even recall a time when some Brother was so full of Zeal he went and broke a Sisters antenna and prayed over her car because she had a radio in her car. Kind of reminds me of some sisters whose Pastor preaches against ladies wearing short sleeve blouses, when they saw a sister who was wearing short sleeves to the middle of her upper arm, ran over to her in Wal-Mart and began praying her through the Holy Ghost. She decided to move to another church in Northern California after this incident.

We could laugh about those things now that radio is accepted. Then it was a hell fire and brimstone issue. The same thing applies to television we can use it as a tool to reach the lost. What matters most is what is in your heart. If your heart is unrepented and unconverted you will seek evil wherever it is. The exterior can be a facade covering what is on the inside. I watch Television and control it. It does not control me. The same thing with the computer that you are using. If your heart is wrong you and I will hide late at night when our children and wives go to bed we will see things that we ought not to be seeing. This tool is in your hands use it for work, communicating, study, research, and even for chatting. The evil is when it begins to control you and you should be doing something else for the Lord, your family, witnessing and you are drawn back to try and prove how righteous you are by way of the AFF. To him that knoweth to do right and doeth it not to him it is SIN!

Pro 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
Pro 6:17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
Pro 6:18 A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
Pro 6:19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Money is a tool. In the right hands it can be used to buy food for a family, tracts, bible study material, good gospel music, DVDs for your monitor (haha), or to build a church. The same money in the wrong hands can be used to buy alcohol, drugs, illicit sex, weapons, worldly music and every evil imaginable. The object is not what is at fault it is the individual. Shall we stop using money because It is used for so much evil? Then get rid of your car too. It can take you to work, service, the store, vacation and be enjoyed. It can and does lead somebodies feet swiftly into evil. God gave us this earth to enjoy this is my garden of eden and my Kingdom of God. I will enjoy its every resource so long as it does not offend my God. Our example is when God placed Adam and Eve in the Garden he did not remove the tree of knowledge from it ,this was placed there to try the heart. He told them to dress and keep it, subdue and have dominion over it. The potential for evil was there but love for God keeps us from doing what offends Him. I have the potential to drink, take illicit drugs, commit adultery, lie, steal, and cheat and who is there to stop me. I have free will. In order to prove my love (not to be or remain saved) I voluntarily abstain from doing those things. My faith saves me not all the external things you think save you. All that we do in order to show our love, our works in other words, only prove that our faith is real. As I draw closer to God he reveals to me as I mature what things I must leave behind. There are not only sins but weights that I cast off in order to please him.

This does not preclude My need for repentance, baptism, and Holy Ghost infilling. If my faith is real and genuine then the evidence for my faith must be shown by my action. My actions do not now or ever save me they only reveal that my profession of faith was real. I cannot now or ever trust in a deathbed repentance because I am not God to know if the confession was real. As an Apostolic my only recourse is to to watch the life to see if what was professed is possessed. Perfection in a believer, No. No Just as in a marriage an earnest desire to get to know my partner and as it is revealed over time what pleases her will change my pattern of behavior to reflect my love for her.

I hope this answers your question of why I am able to watch television without guilt and condemnation. My motto

1Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

And how does the tool of a TV work

Pastor DTSalaz · #4 07-14-2008, 11:41 PM

Kind of the same way that so called conservative churches would not allow TVs yet do the same thing through the internet such as streaming VIDEO.

Pastor DTSalaz · #5 07-15-2008, 12:01 AM

We use television to play video we purchase at conventions whether VHS or DVD. I order material over the internet and use it for instruction. I do not have to place a false sense of piety by saying lets play this on a monitor or project it from the computer. It is still video recording being replayed. I don't have to only listen to the preaching on a CD I can see it too. The best thing is that I don't feel guilty for doing it.

Now if you watch it, it will be wrong because your conscience will condemn you because of what you have been taught. So I am not advocating that you watch it, just don't condemn somebody who has the freedom to watch it.

Pastor DTSalaz · #6 07-15-2008, 12:22 AM

How many of you watch YouTube and see all your favorite preachers. Don't have a TV though.

I have family who belong to a church that doesn't allow Televisions. They do not get off the internet watching preachings, then maybe some funny videos, finally some news clips. When they finished with that got on the chat rooms everyones connected and my space. When they finished using the computer they finally put on a netflix video on their computer. But mind you they don't have a TV. They watched so much more than just preachings on youtube. I love them too death but cannot fathom how they see a difference.

hometown guy · #7 07-15-2008, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pastor DTSalaz

How many of you watch YouTube and see all your favorite preachers. Don't have a TV though.

I have family who belong to a church that doesn't allow Televisions. They do not get off the internet watching preachings, then maybe some funny videos, finally some news clips. When they finished with that got on the chat rooms everyones connected and my space. When they finished using the computer they finally put on a netflix video on their computer. But mind you they don't have a TV. They watched so much more than just preachings on youtube. I love them too death but cannot fathom how they see a difference.

I don’t break any of my convictions on the internet.

Pastor DTSalaz · #8 07-15-2008, 02:22 AM

God Bless you Good Answer

Keep up the good practice

I don't break any of my convictions on the television

RandyWayne · #9 07-15-2008, 03:00 AM

I even worked at a TV station for several years..... A local FOX affiliate.

Now someone keeps sending me cheesy movies. The worst they can find.....

Pro31:28 · #10 07-15-2008, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pastor DTSalaz

How many of you watch YouTube and see all your favorite preachers. Don't have a TV though.

I have family who belong to a church that doesn't allow Televisions. They do not get off the internet watching preachings, then maybe some funny videos, finally some news clips. When they finished with that got on the chat rooms everyones connected and my space. When they finished using the computer they finally put on a netflix video on their computer. But mind you they don't have a TV. They watched so much more than just preachings on youtube. I love them too death but cannot fathom how they see a difference.

Pastor,

I have said for a long time that one of the problems with preaching "specifics" T.V., sleeve length, etc. is that, if someone decides to go against the preaching by watching "a little" tv, they are that much more apt to go a long way off.
My opinion is to teach principles, whatsoever things are good,... etc. leave the specifics to the conviction of the Holy Ghost.