How To Go To Hell: An Observation of Cons and Libs

[Carpenter]

Great thread.

While I agree with your overall premise, I disagree with some of the details...

Nevertheless you have captured our human situation which has been influenced by religious thinking and conditioning.

The Apostolic church, and you even said this yourself, is a society of separation. Most of, if not all of us have come from that culture, background, etc.

Therefore, I believe there is an uncompromising idealism that has been bred into our hearts and minds that makes it difficult to consider an opposing side.

Because the foundation of religious thinking and logic is the exact same, the way we defend ourselves is exactly the same.

Separation has been pounded into us from the begining of the time we first stepped into the church...and it could be the condemning element for both ends of the spectrum.

Separated FROM or Separated UNTO?

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by Carpenter

Great thread.

While I agree with your overall premise, I disagree with some of the details...

Nevertheless you have captured our human situation which has been influenced by religious thinking and conditioning.

The Apostolic church, and you even said this yourself, is a society of separation. Most of, if not all of us have come from that culture, background, etc.

Therefore, I believe there is an uncompromising idealism that has been bred into our hearts and minds that makes it difficult to consider an opposing side.

Because the foundation of religious thinking and logic is the exact same, the way we defend ourselves is exactly the same.

Separation has been pounded into us from the begining of the time we first stepped into the church...and it could be the condemning element for both ends of the spectrum.

Separated FROM or Separated [I]UNTO[/I]?

Both, Carp.

Both.

The Bible is clear that we are to be a separated people.

[Carpenter]

Originally Posted by Coonskinner

Both, Carp.

Both.

The Bible is clear that we are to be a separated people.

Separated from whom and separated unto whom and to what degree?

Seclusionism, isolationism, elitism?

Here are some synonyms...
afar, alone, aloof, aside, away, by itself, cut off*, disassociated, disconnected, distant, distinct, divorced, excluded, exclusively, freely, independent, independently, individually, isolated, lone wolf*, separated, eparately, singly, special, to itself

We can never be as separated from the world as some think we could or should be and we are never as separated as some think that we are.

[AGAPE]

I believe that to be saved we must be sure to follow the great commandments.
1. LOVE the LORD thy GOD with ALL....
2. Love thy neighbor as thyself
on these 2 hang all the Law and Prophets.


That being said,
There are times that men have to be cut off from fellowship. I have had to cut men off. Was it fun? NO WAY! Was it necessary? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT!
I have cut off men who are conservative and I have cut off men who are liberal. Let me tell you this. THERE IS NO WAY THAT A MAN CAN HAVE A RIGHT SPIRIT AND ALLOW SIN TO SHOWCASE ON HIS PLATFORM!!!!

[Coonskinner]

Originally Posted by Carpenter

Separated from whom and separated unto whom and to what degree?

Seclusionism, isolationism, elitism?

Here are some synonyms...
afar, alone, aloof, aside, away, by itself, cut off*, disassociated, disconnected, distant, distinct, divorced, excluded, exclusively, freely, independent, independently, individually, isolated, lone wolf*, separated, eparately, singly, special, to itself

We can never be as separated from the world as some think we could or should be and we are never as separated as some think that we are.

Jhn 15:18 ¶ If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before [it hated] you.


Jhn 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Rom 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called [to be] an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,


2Cr 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?


2Cr 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?


2Cr 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.


2Cr 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you,


2Cr 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

[Coonskinner]

1Pe 2:9 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:


1Pe 2:10 Which in time past [were] not a people, but [are] now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.


1Pe 2:11 ¶ Dearly beloved, I beseech Unregistered as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;


Hbr 11:13 ¶ These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of [them], and embraced [them], and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.


Hbr 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.


Hbr 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that [country] from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.


Hbr 11:16 But now they desire a better [country], that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.



Rom 16:17 ¶ Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

Rom 16:18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.


I could go on...but the concept of being a separate people is clearly marked out in the Scripture.

What was the first thing God said to Abraham?

Gen 12:1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will shew thee:

Gen 12:2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:


This shows us that we must be separated from before we can even think about being separated unto.

It has never set well with those who love this present world, but the Church is a counter-culture, and was never ever desgned or intended by God to fit in with the mainstream.

Read the Gospels.

[Coonskinner]

How will we be hated for His name's sake if we are fitting in perfectly with this corrupt world?

This is why the push for "relevance" is off course, at least as it is generally defined by those who use that buzzword.

[SDG]

Nothing like balance.

[Hoovie]

Originally Posted by Daniel Alicea

Nothing like balance.

Favorite language of the compromising moderates!

[Hoovie]

Good thread and warnings.

I do have a question for Steadfast.

"allows some liberal Pastors to have affairs"

"allows some conservative Pastors to have affairs"

Are we talking here specifically about "affairs" as in sexual imorality?