Maybe if Demas had cared more for Jesus than the present cares of the world he would have stayed with Paul and Jesus.
Having an open mind, one that is willing to search out the truth is not a bad thing. We are told to try the spirits, that doesn't seem like something a closed minded individual would do, does it?
"Try the spirits" doesn't mean take them for a test drive.
It means line them up to the Word, to see if they are from God, the enemy, or humanity.
Matt, you're one of my favorite posters here because of your wisdom.
I thought of the same thing after I posted that. If we know the word then we will be able to discern truth from error. I don't need to learn all about the Trinity to refute it.
close-mindˇed (klōs'mīn'dĭd, klōz'-) or closed-mindˇed (klōzd'-)
adj.
Intolerant of the beliefs and opinions of others; stubbornly unreceptive to new ideas.
Not tolerant of the beliefs or opinions of others, for example: bigoted, hidebound, illiberal, intolerant, narrow-minded. See accept/reject.
The bible is clear that we are to rightly divide the WORD, not somebodies false doctrine. We are not to give heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. I know you THINK you are able to take garbage in and not come out stinking, but that is not the case. You do not oppose false doctrine with its faults, you oppose it with the truth found within the Word of God.
You're wrong on this point Matt. Taking garbage in (false doctrine) to try to understand its error is dangerous if you're not grounded in truth. I thought I was unmovable in what I believed on salvation and who God is, but I almost found myself becoming "open" to a false doctrine because of confusion that entered my mind by talking to Trinitarians. God kept me.
As for opposing false doctrine with the truth of God's word, that's what I try to do.
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His banner over me is LOVE.... My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
To be a servant of God, it will cost us our total commitment to God, and God alone. His burden must be our burden... Sis Alvear
Matt, you're one of my favorite posters here because of your wisdom.
I thought of the same thing after I posted that. If we know the word then we will be able to discern truth from error. I don't need to learn all about the Trinity to refute it.
Lord help me!! I am the least of these!!
I have an acquaintance that is big into post-trib. But all I ever read of his is trying to prove everything else false. I asking him once if he had written anything that actually taught what he believed, and he said no. I wonder sometimes about folks (Apologist's is I believe the term) that spend all their time defeating everyone else's views, but never spend time laying out the truth that is found within the Word to show biblical Truth.
You're wrong on this point Matt. Taking garbage in (false doctrine) to try to understand its error is dangerous if you're not grounded in truth. I thought I was unmovable in what I believed on salvation and who God is, but I almost found myself becoming "open" to a false doctrine because of confusion that entered my mind by talking to Trinitarians. God kept me.
As for opposing false doctrine with the truth of God's word, that's what I try to do.
at what point can one say with assurance that one is "grounded"??
and by the way, how can I be wrong if you yourself state that you almost got messed up. It is only because of Gods grace that any of us stand. You are what you eat. If you spend time eating false doctrine, it will eventually begin to effect your thinking.
I have a problem called curiosity. I'm interested in knowing what others believe, why they believe it, and what the word of God says about it. I think I'm too open minded in that respect, but....I have a feeling I'll be arguing with Dan A till the Lord comes back on the necessity of water baptism.
So maybe I'm a little bit of both.
__________________
His banner over me is LOVE.... My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
To be a servant of God, it will cost us our total commitment to God, and God alone. His burden must be our burden... Sis Alvear
at what point can one say with assurance that one is "grounded"??
I guess when nothing can shake us from our foundations, like you said, those found in Heb 6:1-2
My pastor spoke today how a few years back he had examined everything he believed. And the things he ended up holding on to were the things God revealed to him personally....One God and the new birth message found in Acts 2:38. (There were those around him after he left the UPC and was looking for ministerial fellowship who were telling him baptism didn't matter, speaking in tongues wasn't the initial evidence, etc.)
__________________
His banner over me is LOVE.... My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
To be a servant of God, it will cost us our total commitment to God, and God alone. His burden must be our burden... Sis Alvear
at what point can one say with assurance that one is "grounded"??
and by the way, how can I be wrong if you yourself state that you almost got messed up. It is only because of Gods grace that any of us stand. You are what you eat. If you spend time eating false doctrine, it will eventually begin to effect your thinking.
You said, "I know you THINK you are able to take garbage in and not come out stinking,"
That is what I meant by you being wrong. I know I can't take garbage in without coming out a little worse for the wear. I was wrong to think I was so grounded that I could not be shaken. It was a scary time for me.
__________________
His banner over me is LOVE.... My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
To be a servant of God, it will cost us our total commitment to God, and God alone. His burden must be our burden... Sis Alvear
"Try the spirits" doesn't mean take them for a test drive.
It means line them up to the Word, to see if they are from God, the enemy, or humanity.
Well of course we are required to test everything by The Word. And if we know the Word and are inhabited by the Word many ideas are automatically judged as false, because we have the truth.
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Psa 119:165 (KJV) 165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
"Do not believe everthing you read on the internet" - Abe Lincoln
My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. 
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