Would you stay in a church if...

[Lafon]

Kept, I agree with you.

I've occasioned to speak personally with some of the leaders in the "upper echelons" of a renown Apostolic Pentecostal ministerial licensing organization, voicing to them the intimate details of some things which they publish as truth that are not scriptural, even receiving their acknowledgement that what I had disclosed to them was true, yet they continued to "parrot" the same things as always.

One of these even informed me that if he taught the things I revealed to him, his integrity would demand that he relinquish his license, but that he wasn't ready to do that. Immediately the words penned by Paul to the Galatian church came to mind:
"For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10).

THIS is why I am extremely hesitant to give my allegiance to any mortal man, regardless of the love, respect, or admiration I might hold towards them, yes, if such a man were my own Dad!

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Lafon

Mike Blume



Not yet, Mike, BUT that's not saying that there could not be something in the future you might disclose that would cause me to alter/change my beliefs about a matter. I've always maintained that a "good teacher is one who remains teachable," and I try to adhere to that slogan.

Have I attained "perfection" in the things I embrace as truth regarding all of the elementary principles of the doctrine of Christ (as listed in Hebrews 6:1-2)? Although I would like to think that I always strive toward achieving that goal, I must admit that I might not yet have attained it. But I do try, daily! And I suspect that the same can be said of you.

As we would both agree, and this I have no doubt about, it is the writings of the sacred Scriptures which MUST be the final Arbitrator when it comes to whose beliefs are right, for none are so pious that they're beyond the ability of the enemy to deceive. And that includes you and I both! So we simply must "keep on keeping on," continually striving for that state of spiritual perfection that our Lord commanded (Matthew 5:48).

Exactly. So, please do not confuse my rejection of some of your thoughts as evidence I feel superior to you. That is no more the case than you not feeling superior to me just because you do not agree with some thoughts I presented.

I write terse and short simply to save time, and it can appear to be smug and proud, but I sincerely am not doing that. We just disagreed with some of each other's points and that does not mean either of us feel superior to the other.

[Lafon]

Originally Posted by mfblume

Exactly. So, please do not confuse my rejection of some of your thoughts as evidence I feel superior to you. That is no more the case than you not feeling superior to me just because you do not agree with some thoughts I presented.

I write terse and short simply to save time, and it can appear to be smug and proud, but I sincerely am not doing that. We just disagreed with some of each other's points and that does not mean either of us feel superior to the other.

[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Lafon

No.

lol

[Truthseeker]

Originally Posted by Esphes45

you did not believe 100% of what is being taught is truth?

I do that now

[good samaritan]

The gospel of Jesus Christ(death,burial,resurrection). repentance(lifestyle change), Jesus name baptism,and Holy Ghost infilling(daily walking in what we have received). These are the fundamentals of the body of Christ. the church should be 100% on the gospel. There are many personal convictions being preached that is hurting the effort to spread the gospel.

Pre or post trib? probably don't matter if don't agree, but we must respect others. The adversary is the author of confusion.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by KeptByTheWord

Paul was always careful to mention the difference when he was writing whether he was writing the commandments of the Lord, or his own personal preference. Shepherds over the flock should be very careful as to what they try to enforce or bring forth over the pulpit as the word of God, when it may just be their personal preference.

Paul's writings in the Scripture were inspired of God. Therefore they are not merely his personal, non-authoritative opinions. (And even if they were his personal opinions only, they would still have binding authority due to his position as an elder and apostle...)

See here:


http://magazine.biola.edu/article/08...sonal-opinion/

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Paul's writings in the Scripture were inspired of God. Therefore they are not merely his personal, non-authoritative opinions. (And even if they were his personal opinions only, they would still have binding authority due to his position as an elder and apostle...)

See here:


http://magazine.biola.edu/article/08...sonal-opinion/

There is another angle. God may have allowed Paul's personal opinions and advice to be recorded in holy Scripture as precedent for, and an example of, seasoned personal guidance from the ministry. Thus, while something might have indeed been Paul's personal opinion on how to address a specific issue in that specific context, it illustrates how elders might approach similar issues in any other context they might face.

[Esphes45]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Paul's writings in the Scripture were inspired of God. Therefore they are not merely his personal, non-authoritative opinions. (And even if they were his personal opinions only, they would still have binding authority due to his position as an elder and apostle...)

See here:


http://magazine.biola.edu/article/08...sonal-opinion/

I don't mean any harm but that is just one instance being noted. That has been beaten to death. I thought about what I wrote last night and was trying to find instances to prove my point. You could argue that the apostles did not give their personal opinions too much because they knew that salvation is an individual thing.

To Aquila's point
My wife has pointed out to me many times, Psalms 37:37 - Mark the perfect man NOT Mock the perfect man. Take note NOT Copy.

[Esphes45]

Originally Posted by good samaritan

The gospel of Jesus Christ(death,burial,resurrection). repentance(lifestyle change), Jesus name baptism,and Holy Ghost infilling(daily walking in what we have received). These are the fundamentals of the body of Christ. the church should be 100% on the gospel. There are many personal convictions being preached that is hurting the effort to spread the gospel.

Pre or post trib? probably don't matter if don't agree, but we must respect others. The adversary is the author of confusion.

I agree totally!