The Myth Of Orthodoxy?

[Amanah]

Originally Posted by votivesoul

I have met and personally know several different people who, having taken offense at something that happened in and through their church, tossed away their understanding of truth as they left.

To me, that is a sad mistake. If someone has come to have core convictions about a doctrine, that contradicts the view of the local body, he or she is left with three choices:

1.) Stay and learn to live with it, but keep it quiet.
2.) Stay and try to discuss and bring about change
3.) Leave

When I see people leave their church, many times I see them leave the very Lord of the church who saved them. I suspect the issue is they had more of a relationship with the Bride than the Bridge-groom, although I do know of a few situations where someone was hurt so badly by some really messed up stuff, that even though their heart still longs for the Lord, their wounds have left them a heap of ruins.

All told, there are probably 100 different, possible reasons why 100 different people left their local assembly to congregate elsewhere.

And being transparent, I do think there are times when the leaving is orchestrated by the Lord, to remove His elect from a situation that would otherwise eventually destroy them if they stayed.

A lot of people seem to have the view that if you've walked away for the tradition church model, that you've left the Body of Christ, but that just isn't true. We have received the adoption of sons and daughters. We are not disowned and orphaned by the Lord as no longer His, unless reprobation occurs, which is rare, even almost never heart of, and is something He, and not us, gets to decide whenever and wherever it may be necessary.

thanks Aaron, good response.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Esaias

There are and have been oneness pentecostal house churches longer than the UPC has existed.

[Amanah]

how do you feel about this statement on Orthodoxy?

http://www.theopedia.com/modalism

Modalism, also called Sabellianism, is the unorthodox belief that God is one person who has revealed himself in three forms or modes in contrast to the Trinitarian doctrine where God is one being eternally existing in three persons. According to Modalism, during the incarnation, Jesus was simply God acting in one mode or role, and the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was God acting in a different mode. Thus, God does not exist as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at the same time. Rather, He is one person and has merely manifested himself in these three modes at various times. Modalism thus denies the basic distinctiveness and coexistence of the three persons of the Trinity.

Modalism was condemned by Tertullian (c. 213, Tertullian Against Praxeas 1, in Ante Nicene Fathers, vol. 3). Also known as Sabellianism, it was condemned as heresy by Dionysius, bishop of Rome (c. 262).

Modalism is probably the most common theological error concerning the nature of God (i.e., who God is). "Present day groups that hold to forms of this error are the United Pentecostal and United Apostolic Churches. They deny the Trinity, teach that the name of God is Jesus... modalist churches often accuse Trinitarians of teaching three gods.

This is not what the Trinity is. The correct teaching of the Trinity is one God in three eternal coexistent persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

[votivesoul]

Originally Posted by Amanah

how do you feel about this statement on Orthodoxy?

http://www.theopedia.com/modalism

Modalism, also called Sabellianism, is the unorthodox belief that God is one person who has revealed himself in three forms or modes in contrast to the Trinitarian doctrine where God is one being eternally existing in three persons. According to Modalism, during the incarnation, Jesus was simply God acting in one mode or role, and the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was God acting in a different mode. Thus, God does not exist as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at the same time. Rather, He is one person and has merely manifested himself in these three modes at various times. Modalism thus denies the basic distinctiveness and coexistence of the three persons of the Trinity.

Modalism was condemned by Tertullian (c. 213, Tertullian Against Praxeas 1, in Ante Nicene Fathers, vol. 3). Also known as Sabellianism, it was condemned as heresy by Dionysius, bishop of Rome (c. 262).

Modalism is probably the most common theological error concerning the nature of God (i.e., who God is). "Present day groups that hold to forms of this error are the United Pentecostal and United Apostolic Churches. They deny the Trinity, teach that the name of God is Jesus... modalist churches often accuse Trinitarians of teaching three gods.

This is not what the Trinity is. The correct teaching of the Trinity is one God in three eternal coexistent persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

I would say that whoever wrote that doesn't understand the Oneness view of the Godhead and the related Christology that goes with it.

It appears to be mere anti-Oneness rhetoric designed to smear and make light of those who hold to the Oneness view. As such, it is a straw-man argument, and thus, fallacious, and not worth attempting to discredit for its many flaws.

[Raven]

Originally Posted by Godsdrummer

I am not sure what point the two of you are on this road to enlightenment, (I use that word sparingly". It seems both of you are just starting down the road. Counting back it is now close to 25 years for me.

One of my son-inlaws made a statement about a month ago, he said, "dad you are so far ahead of us in understanding we are running to catch up". Thing is I don't want anyone to catch up, just to catch up. That is the problem with Christianity, as I see it. One sees a new truth and expects everyone to conform to that so called truth or be damned. I don't believe that is how God intended things to be. Because 90% of the so called truths, are one persons convictions and not true bible doctrine.

These so called bible doctrines range from the essentiality of water baptism, to whether a women can put on makeup or cut her hair. (putting myself out on a limb on that one) The only thing these things have done is cause division in the kingdom of God, we have become neo-Pharisees shutting up the kingdom of God that those that would come in cannot.

All because we are chasing the Myth of Orthodoxy!