"Beards are sin!" False doctrine?

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Aquila

n David... the Bible is your everything. You need that Word more than the air you breathe. And you think you must add to it as though it is insufficient or incomplete in and of itself? And in addition, you defend the very men who have perpetuated these foolish traditions of man and added to the council of the Holy to the division of the body and the loss of souls? You should tremble and return with bated breathe to that which is the only sure foundation, the Word of God.

You can't straddle the fence.

You are either a man of the Word, or you are not.

Chris, you obviously aren't considering what ndavid is saying in its context. Chris, make your words soft and sweet, for in some day you may have to eat.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Aquila

We're talking about the Bible elder. Not Omnicorp's code of conduct on appearance.

Do you have any Scripture warranting not allowing those with beards to serve in the church, or to warrant casting them out completely???

Do you have Bible for not allowing cigarette smokers to not serve in the church?

[n david]

Originally Posted by Aquila

So, who causes the "quarreling"? Those who are adding to Scripture and enforcing an unbiblical standard that NEVER existed in the church of Scrpiture... or those who are standing for the Word and arguing that there is no such standard and that this is only a tradition of man???

Are we to blindly accept any unbiblical tradition of man they wish to set us in bondage to? Or are we to DEFEND the Word of God?

As in every post, story, etc ad infinitum - YOU are right. You know it all. You are the hero. You are the liberator. You are the poor, oppressed beardo on a mission to right the wrong done by Pastors everywhere.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Chris, you obviously aren't considering what ndavid is saying in its context. Chris, make your words soft and sweet, for in some day you may have to eat.

What I'm getting from ndavid is that a pastor can arbitrarily establish any unbiblical standard he desires predicated entirely his personal preferences. And we dare not question him.

Am I mistaken?

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Do you have Bible for not allowing cigarette smokers to not serve in the church?

I wouldn't forbid smokers from serving in the church. I'd admonish that they quit for the sake of their health. Same with those who drink coffee and eat fast food every day.

3 John 2
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by n david

As in every post, story, etc ad infinitum - YOU are right. You know it all. You are the hero. You are the liberator. You are the poor, oppressed beardo on a mission to right the wrong done by Pastors everywhere.

I'm still waiting on Scripture, smoothie.

[n david]

Originally Posted by Aquila

What I'm getting from ndavid is that a pastor can arbitrarily establish any unbiblical standard he desires predicated entirely his personal preferences. And we dare not question him.

Am I mistaken?

You added a bit to it. But yes, a church and its Pastor can establish guidelines for ministry based both on biblical principles and other norms and preferences.

I never said you weren't allowed to question it.

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by n david

You believe Pastors are sinning for having a set of ministry guidelines?

I believe they are sinning in making a guideline against:

1. Something God created and designed into a man.
2. He commanded his Covenant people to not mar.
3. He himself had in his earthly sojourn.
4. Something his Apostles (Apostolics) had.
5. He never once in scripture changed his mind about it.

So yes a strong case is made that they are in sin over it. And it ABSOLUTELY proves to those outside the Oneness faith that they are not interested in ALL truth. They see Oneness Pastors MAKING UP THEIR OWN LAWS and forcing them on others with NO SCRIPTURAL JUSTIFICATION.

[Michael The Disciple]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Do you have Bible for not allowing cigarette smokers to not serve in the church?

How is that the same when God never commanded men to do it? He is not recorded as doing it?

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by Aquila

What I'm getting from ndavid is that a pastor can arbitrarily establish any unbiblical standard he desires predicated entirely his personal preferences. And we dare not question him.

Am I mistaken?

No, no, again no.

Look, ar·bi·trar·i·ly, adverb, on the basis of random choice or personal whim, rather than any reason or system. 2. without restraint in the use of authority; autocratically.

Why does everything on this forum get filtered through some sort of ecclesiastical spiritual abuse PTSD? Listen, we all didn't get tied up in the pews and get the soles of our feet burned with lit cigarettes. One man didn't come up with the stuff on a whim, be it mandatory beards or no beards. Everyone wanted it! Everyone who walked through the door at any point in time understood what was going on. I know that everyone wants to believe that everyone is a mindless Stepford Wife and at times that is the case. But, at times it isn't the case. People are enjoying themselves, they are living for God with their beards down to their belt buckles or the overalls buttons. It is cool with them who are neophytes because the neophytes first noticed that all the men had beards. Same goes for the no beard church. No one has this stuff sprung on them.