Genesis 14 and Psalm 110

[Matthias]

Here we can come to an agreement, Matthias. Let me know how you feel about this:

It is a mistake to think that Theology has no influence at all on our daily life.

I‘m able to agree with you on that.

It is also a mistake to think that Theology determines all our daily life.

I‘m unable to agree with you on that.

We have partial agreement. I always look for areas of agreement and I’m always pleased when I find it.

If we agree with that in principle, our differences are perhaps a matter of grade.
Perhaps you value Theology much more than I do for matters that result in salvation.
Perhaps I give importance to a lower number of doctrines for salvation, say, 3 or 4, while you give it to 9 to 12.

I think we have been able to hold this friendly conversation because in the end of the day you also think that mere theological knowledge without love has little or no value, and I also think that some theological concepts matter a lot, and deserve to be refuted or cultivated.

I agree that it is a friendly conversation, and your point about love in relation to theology hits the mark dead center.

 

[Pancho Frijoles]

We have partial agreement. I always look for areas of agreement and I’m always pleased when I find it.

This may be a very interesting topic to discuss. I've opened a new thread. Please come and share, Matthias.

 

[Matthias]

My contention is that most theological errors and most theological ignorance does not lead to an unholy life.

Would you provide some examples of theological errors and theological ignorance which do lead to an unholy life?

 

[Pancho Frijoles]

Would you provide some examples of theological errors and theological ignorance which do lead to an unholy life?

Good morning Matthias.
Here are some few examples that come to my mind:

• Believing that you must abandon your job and family and the interaction with society because they are a source of spiritual corruption, as some Gnostics did.
• Believing that you cannot commit sin any more, as some other Gnostics did, and then indulging in orgies and drunkness.
• Believing that your leader or pastor is free of sin and can abuse sexually of you or other people because he has got that mandate from God is a good example. It happened recently in a very popular church of Mexico: "La Luz del Mundo".
• Accepting collective suicide as a way to enter heaven in the face of difficulties, as in the Jim Jones "Church of the People" in Guyana
• Believing that you must take many other wives without the consent of your first wife, because God has said so, as happened in the early days of the Mormon Church.
• Executing witches and heretics in the pyre, as this was good for their soul and the soul of those who were going to be spared from their bad influence.
• Believing that the New Testament should be taken literally regarding Paul's references to slaves, to maintain slavery for centuries.
• Believing that Jews deserve all suffering inflicted by governments or society because they are collectively guilty for killing Jesus, so that they will not protest against such treatment, nor try to protect Jews in any way. This is complicity with murder.
• Believing that it is a good thing that Jews and Muslims fight in the Middle East, because it will accelerate Jesus Coming (or church rapture) and therefore, not moving a finger to stop war because it is "inevitable", and praising all things Israeli government does, because it is led by God.