Originally Posted by HeavenlyOne
For Mother's Day, I attended church with my grandmother, who has been Methodist all her life. I'm not too fond of their scheduled and programmed services and repetitions, and even told her they should put a set of drums on the platform for a little excitement...LOL!
Anyway, the pastor preached on the above passage, and it really spoke to me.
In that passage, Paul and Barnabas are on their way to Jerusalem after a great outpouring of salvation among the Gentiles, and they are telling of the wonderful things that happens to those people.
But there were some who didn't consider it to be a great thing. There were certain Pharisees who stood up and said those people weren't saved, because they hadn't obeyed the law of Moses in regard to circumcision.
Paul's response to them was that the Gentiles were saved just as they were, and that they shouldn't put a yoke on those people that they themselves couldn't bear. He also admonished them not to put a difference between the Gentiles and themselves for it.
Paul said that God knows their hearts, and gave them the Holy Ghost. He also said 'we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.'
The pastor mentioned that a colleague of his once spoke during a seminar or conference and was speaking about how a nearby Vineyard church was full of unsaved people because of the fast growth of the church. The pastor said he isn't one to keep his mouth shut, so he spoke up and asked that man how he could say that and with what authority. He told that colleague that he was wrong for judging those people just because they didn't do things like the Methodists, but the salvation they had in God was valid (I don't totally agree that Methodists are saved because they haven't obeyed the gospel of Jesus Christ, but that's another thread...but I won't be starting that).
I got to thinking, why do Apostolics do this among ourselves today? Why do we gauge salvation in one another by what we feel they should do or not do that the Bible doesn't discuss. I mean, yes, preach against sin and such, but don't judge one another's salvation by the length of their skirt or if they even have one on because they are wearing pants instead. It's also sad that most of the gauging of salvation has to do with women, rarely men.
We make the grace and salvation of God, and the gifts He gives us of none effect in denying the salvation of another. When we judge one another's salvation based on how they dress (and before someone mentions immodest apparel, I think it's clear to all what my meaning is in mentioning the outward appearance), we are denying the power of God and His gifts.
Why don't we take this passage to heart in ourselves and among each other? Why do we grieve God by fighting among ourselves as the Pharisees did with so many in the Bible? Why are most discussions and disagreements within the church standards related? There are so many more important things to discuss and learn about relating to the power of God and His awesome love for us, yet we discuss non-Biblical issues ad nauseum as if they matter.
Anyway, I thought it was a great message. I was disappointed that I had only had heard it preached in a Methodist church.
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