so confused in what he believes, there is probably no peace for him.
Actually, this is very relevant to me right now. Having just begun to attend church again in more than a decade, I find myself examining every doctrine I grew up with and weighing it and studying it to prove it to myself. Some, I still firmly and strongly believe. Some, I do not find to be issues of salvation. Some, I find to be moral issues applicable to all of God's children and others personal convictions applicable to a person with an area of weakness. I have examined myself, my beliefs and my personal convictions. When I was a teenager, I simply believed my elders and didn't look for myself. Now that I am grown and raising children of my own, I have a strong desire to teach them what *I* believe, not what was handed to me by generations before me because it was "always done this way".
Perhaps, our wandering Brother is seeking for himself the truth and the whole truth. He may make many turns only to end up right back home. (However, I think this kind of spiritual journey is best undertaken privately, with perhaps one or two close spiritual advisers to guide you. Publicly taken, a journey of this sort certainly gives others ammunition should they later have some need of it.)
Actually, this is very relevant to me right now. Having just begun to attend church again in more than a decade, I find myself examining every doctrine I grew up with and weighing it and studying it to prove it to myself. Some, I still firmly and strongly believe. Some, I do not find to be issues of salvation. Some, I find to be moral issues applicable to all of God's children and others personal convictions applicable to a person with an area of weakness. I have examined myself, my beliefs and my personal convictions. When I was a teenager, I simply believed my elders and didn't look for myself. Now that I am grown and raising children of my own, I have a strong desire to teach them what *I* believe, not what was handed to me by generations before me because it was "always done this way".
Perhaps, our wandering Brother is seeking for himself the truth and the whole truth. He may make many turns only to end up right back home. (However, I think this kind of spiritual journey is best undertaken privately, with perhaps one or two close spiritual advisers to guide you. Publicly taken, a journey of this sort certainly gives others ammunition should they later have some need of it.)
Best post I have read tonight. Course, there are those who say we shouldn't question- we shouldn't examine our beliefs... leave well enough alone, they say. Trust the pastor...
I agree with that. Trust the pastor. As someone said "trust, but verify". Its not only okay to question and examine things, but we are told to do so. God wants us to have faith, but not blind faith.
__________________
"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him...." -Psa. 37:7
Waiting for the Lord is easy... Waiting patiently? Not so much.
Actually, this is very relevant to me right now. Having just begun to attend church again in more than a decade, I find myself examining every doctrine I grew up with and weighing it and studying it to prove it to myself. Some, I still firmly and strongly believe. Some, I do not find to be issues of salvation. Some, I find to be moral issues applicable to all of God's children and others personal convictions applicable to a person with an area of weakness. I have examined myself, my beliefs and my personal convictions. When I was a teenager, I simply believed my elders and didn't look for myself. Now that I am grown and raising children of my own, I have a strong desire to teach them what *I* believe, not what was handed to me by generations before me because it was "always done this way".
Perhaps, our wandering Brother is seeking for himself the truth and the whole truth. He may make many turns only to end up right back home. (However, I think this kind of spiritual journey is best undertaken privately, with perhaps one or two close spiritual advisers to guide you. Publicly taken, a journey of this sort certainly gives others ammunition should they later have some need of it.)
Bill's "journey" is far beyond a spritual one. It is an out of control roller coaster.
To try and describe his theological journey as some sort of normal or reasonable spiritual quest is just absurd. Obviously you don't know his history.
Saying what he is on is a spiritual journey is like saying a paranoid schitzophrenic is a little mentally ill. It is like saying I need to "lose a couple of pounds", like saying "Steve Epley is somewhat conservative".
__________________ "I think some people love spiritual bondage just the way some people love physical bondage. It makes them feel secure. In the end though it is not healthy for the one who is lost over it or the one who is lives under the oppression even if by their own choice"
Titus2woman on AFF
"We did not wear uniforms. The lady workers dressed in the current fashions of the day, ...silks...satins...jewels or whatever they happened to possess. They were very smartly turned out, so that they made an impressive appearance on the streets where a large part of our work was conducted in the early years.
"It was not until long after, when former Holiness preachers had become part of us, that strict plainness of dress began to be taught.
"Although Entire Sanctification was preached at the beginning of the Movement, it was from a Wesleyan viewpoint, and had in it very little of the later Holiness Movement characteristics. Nothing was ever said about apparel, for everyone was so taken up with the Lord that mode of dress seemingly never occurred to any of us."
Quote from Ethel Goss (widow of 1st UPC Gen Supt. Howard Goss) book "The Winds of God"
Actually, this is very relevant to me right now. Having just begun to attend church again in more than a decade, I find myself examining every doctrine I grew up with and weighing it and studying it to prove it to myself. Some, I still firmly and strongly believe. Some, I do not find to be issues of salvation. Some, I find to be moral issues applicable to all of God's children and others personal convictions applicable to a person with an area of weakness. I have examined myself, my beliefs and my personal convictions. When I was a teenager, I simply believed my elders and didn't look for myself. Now that I am grown and raising children of my own, I have a strong desire to teach them what *I* believe, not what was handed to me by generations before me because it was "always done this way".
Perhaps, our wandering Brother is seeking for himself the truth and the whole truth. He may make many turns only to end up right back home. (However, I think this kind of spiritual journey is best undertaken privately, with perhaps one or two close spiritual advisers to guide you. Publicly taken, a journey of this sort certainly gives others ammunition should they later have some need of it.)
Well said. You, One Accord and a few others apparently actually understand grace instead of just talking about it. The most shocking attitude(s) on this thread are not Price's.
Bill's "journey" is far beyond a spritual one. It is an out of control roller coaster.
To try and describe his theological journey as some sort of normal or reasonable spiritual quest is just absurd. Obviously you don't know his history.
Saying what he is on is a spiritual journey is like saying a paranoid schitzophrenic is a little mentally ill. It is like saying I need to "lose a couple of pounds", like saying "Steve Epley is somewhat conservative".
No, dear one. I know absolutely nothing of Bill Price. I've neither met him, nor read any of his writings, nor have I heard him speak. It doesn't change the fact that the loving, merciful, Christ-like thing to do would be to place him in God's hands. We can't fix him. He is in spiritual chaos. It is certainly not Christ-like to tear him apart.
Let's use an example. "You" need to lose weight. If I were your physician, I would tell you that. I would tell you frankly that your obesity would lead to a number of health problems that would eventually place you in a grave long before you should be there. But, I wouldn't be able to force you to change. This man's closest spiritual mentors should do exactly the same. Advise him. Admonish him. Be honest with him. Afterwards, all they can do is place him in God's able hands until such time as God stops dealing with him.
Grace, mercy and forgiveness are beautiful theological principles we all preach and teach and read about. When the rubber hits the road, where is the grace one to another, mercy for our opposers and forgiveness for those who have wronged us? As part of my own spiritual soul-searching, I've had to wrestle with leaving the concept on paper or living it in my life. I came to the decision that it's not just a nice thing to read about. You have to live it, breath it, speak it and walk it. I keeping coming back to the meaning of the word Christian - Christ-like. Can the world see Jesus when they look at me?
And yes, I struggle daily. I stumble. I fall. I make mistakes. My heart grieves each time I fail. But I know it's not the falling that defines me. It's the getting up and pressing on daily.
(Please note: "You" is general and does not refer to a specific poster. I am not implying nor inferring that any one here has a weight problem. A poster above me used that as an example and it was an applicable example with which to make my point. And if we're talking about folks who need to lose weight, we can put me on that list too. )
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