Christian Forums....Why did you join?

[mjrhealth]

But that surely can't mean division between believers/disciples, otherwise it would completely conflict with his prayer to the Father that they might be one, even as we are one.
Peace be with you, not as the world gives but .......

We can never be one in agreement until all men go to Christ and all men learn from Him, the fact that so few believe they actually can, doesnt help, but than religion, too much study mens efforts are a hinderance to all, or as was written, Are you of Paul are you of Apollos, is Christ divided.

 

[Mike Waters]

We can never be one in agreement until all men go to Christ and all men learn from Him.

But we can be (and hopefully are) one in a faith that is efficacious to salvation.

 

[Hidden In Him]

But foolishly I sort to expand the membership by using ‘Google Adwords’ to ‘buy’ first page inclusion to anyone searching for ‘Christian Forum membership’.

First mistake. The wisest move is to let the Lord draw whomever He wills.

I have since learned to accept that when Christian come together in Forum “There will be divisions among you; and there must be also heresies, that they which are approved may be made manifest” (1 Corinthians 11:19).

Absolutely. This is the way they operated in New Testament times, and still the way we should operate today. So long as moderators can still give the left foot of fellowship when someone is clearly violating forum rules and the commands of scripture, any forum that lets believers themselves sort things out is going to be a good one.

 

[2 Chr. 34:19]

But that surely can't mean division between believers/disciples, otherwise it would completely conflict with his prayer to the Father that they might be one, even as we are one.
Peace be with you, not as the world gives but .......

Definitely... assuming everyone is a Christian believer/disciple

 

[Joseph77]

Definitely... assuming everyone is a Christian believer/disciple

Definitely do not ever assume anyone , let alone more than a few, are true Christians ....
that would directly oppose what God Says Himself.

 

[Joseph77]

any forum that lets believers themselves sort things out is going to be a good one.

Maybe... I've only seen one forum (out of hundreds), well, there may be more than one (I did not visit all of them),
but I've only seen one that restricts membership/ posting/ replying to those who agree ahead of time that they are of the same belief as the forum originators, and that they will always comply with the rules of their faith - nothing allowed derogatory or contradicting the Bible or the tenants they all hold steadfastly to. It is a peaceful forum, without allowing anti-christs, false gospels, or false teachings.... It is the only forum I've seen that does not have more false than true, in terms of faith and God's Description of what is not true and what is true in Scripture.

 

[Helen]

@Heart2Soul

I have only just seen this...it did show up in my Alerts ...not even with your tag.

10 pages already...so far I have only read through two of them. Will go back and read the rest.

I joined forums about 20 yrs ago... so some people I have 'known' that long, from many other forums ...
30 yrs ago my old mum and dad lived with us ..( for a decade) I was kinda house bound because of their ages...so about 1998 my older brother told me about a forum he was on...UKChristianWeb long gone now... so I joined there and got hooked on chatting with other members.. @Giuliano and @Mike Waters were on there at that time ....we had many chats on Site and Inboxing.

I basically joined Christian forums to receive blessing and encouragement to others...and to hopefully be an encourager and blessing to others.

Like Christian in Pilgrims Progress...we should be here to encourage each other along the road Home to the 'Celestial City'...
Sadly that often does not happen...one could often think by some posts , that we are enemies and a threat!

We all ( denominations) have different coloured glasses on, and filter our personal belief system through all the teaching we have received over the years....as we keep some and throw out others...we end up having 'on our plate' that which we believe that God has spoken to us.

As we keep on keeping on toward the fullness of God...He will at the end show us all truth...until then...like it or not, we all see through a glass darkly.

But Oh how that angers and annoys all the- " I have everything right, and you are totally wrong" members

 

[Helen]

Maybe... I've only seen one forum (out of hundreds), well, there may be more than one (I did not visit all of them),
but I've only seen one that restricts membership/ posting/ replying to those who agree ahead of time that they are of the same belief as the forum originators, and that they will always comply with the rules of their faith - nothing allowed derogatory or contradicting the Bible or the tenants they all hold steadfastly to. It is a peaceful forum, without allowing anti-christs, false gospels, or false teachings.... It is the only forum I've seen that does not have more false than true, in terms of faith and God's Description of what is not true and what is true in Scripture.

But if everyone is totally compliant and has to bury or hide some of what they really believe...where is the discussion and where is the fun in that?

 

[Heart2Soul]

@Heart2Soul

I have only just seen this...it did show up in my Alerts ...not even with your tag.

10 pages already...so far I have only read through two of them. Will go back and read the rest.

I joined forums about 20 yrs ago... so some people I have 'known' that long, from many other forums ...
30 yrs ago my old mum and dad lived with us ..( for a decade) I was kinda house bound because of their ages...so about 1998 my older brother told me about a forum he was on...UKChristianWeb long gone now... so I joined there and got hooked on chatting with other members.. @Giuliano and @Mike Waters were on there at that time ....we had many chats on Site and Inboxing.

I basically joined Christian forums to receive blessing and encouragement to others...and to hopefully be an encourager and blessing to others.

Like Christian in Pilgrims Progress...we should be here to encourage each other along the road Home to the 'Celestial City'...
Sadly that often does not happen...one could often think by some posts , that we are enemies and a threat!

We all ( denominations) have different coloured glasses on, and filter our personal belief system through all the teaching we have received over the years....as we keep some and throw out others...we end up having 'on our plate' that which we believe that God has spoken to us.

As we keep on keeping on toward the fullness of God...He will at the end show us all truth...until then...like it or not, we all see through a glass darkly.

But Oh how that angers and annoys all the- " I have everything right, and you are totally wrong" members

Those are the ones IMHO that are still on the "milk" and haven't matured yet. Like teenagers who are entering the age of knowing more than their parents! Lol.

 

[Joseph77]

But if everyone is totally compliant and has to bury or hide some of what they really believe...where is the discussion and where is the fun in that?

Remember the warning from God:

Romans 16:17 Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for ...
[Search domain biblehub.com/romans/16-17.htm] Romans 16:17 Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them.
Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people's faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. English Standard Version I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
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One of many , many, serious warnings:
What Does the Bible Say About Causing Another To Stumble?
www.openbible.info/topics/causing_another_to_stumble
Luke 17:1-4 ESV / 253 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. And he said to his disciples, "Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.
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to the nations (usa, britain, germany, russia, japan, et al all?) (Egypt ~~ the world )
Isaiah 30-32 NIV - Woe to the Obstinate Nation - "Woe to ...
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+30-32&version=NIV
Woe to the Obstinate Nation - "Woe to the obstinate children," declares the LORD, "to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin; who go down to Egypt without consulting me; who look for help to Pharaoh's protection, to Egypt's shade for refuge. But Pharaoh's protection will be to your shame, Egypt's shade will ...
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The worst sin - causing someone ..... (or allowing?) ....
For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience,
you sin against Christ.

 

[Heart2Soul]

Remember the warning from God:

Romans 16:17 Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for ...
[Search domain biblehub.com/romans/16-17.htm] Romans 16:17 Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them.
Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people's faith by teaching things contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. English Standard Version I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
One of many , many, serious warnings:
What Does the Bible Say About Causing Another To Stumble?
www.openbible.info/topics/causing_another_to_stumble
Luke 17:1-4 ESV / 253 helpful votes Helpful Not Helpful. And he said to his disciples, "Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
to the nations (usa, britain, germany, russia, japan, et al all?) (Egypt ~~ the world )
Isaiah 30-32 NIV - Woe to the Obstinate Nation - "Woe to ...
www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+30-32&version=NIV
Woe to the Obstinate Nation - "Woe to the obstinate children," declares the LORD, "to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin; who go down to Egypt without consulting me; who look for help to Pharaoh's protection, to Egypt's shade for refuge. But Pharaoh's protection will be to your shame, Egypt's shade will ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The worst sin - causing someone ..... (or allowing?) ....
For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience,
you sin against Christ.

What are people here being compliant to when discussing their beliefs?

 

[Joseph77]

What are people here being compliant to when discussing their beliefs?

< shrugs > ask Helen....
it was in her post:

But if everyone is totally compliant and has to bury or hide some of what they really believe...where is the discussion and where is the fun in that?

 

[Heart2Soul]

< shrugs > ask Helen....
it was in her post:

That was in response to your post...which I reread and realize that you were talking about the rules of the forum..

 

[Joseph77]

But if everyone is totally compliant and has to bury or hide some of what they really believe...where is the discussion and where is the fun in that?

THIS is what I was replying to.... fwiw....

 

[Heart2Soul]

THIS is what I was replying to.... fwiw....

Post #188.....includes your post that she replied to.

 

[2 Chr. 34:19]

Definitely do not ever assume anyone , let alone more than a few, are true Christians ....
that would directly oppose what God Says Himself.

I don’t anymore. In fact, I assume the opposite. As ‘even the demons believe and tremble...’

 

[Helen]

That was in response to your post...which I reread and realize that you were talking about the rules of the forum..

I am getting confused , and it doesn't take much lol

I was saying that on some forums where the members are muzzled under the threat of banning ..if they dare to post something that is not what the Site owner and Admins personally believe.

I appreciate this Site because members are free to speak from their own hearts about what and why they believe what they believe.

I nice lady ( and I did warn her before) left this site just recently because "the Admins and Mods dared to allow posts which she deems to be error. "

She wrote to me saying -" Maybe I am on the wrong Site if blah blah blah is allowed to be posted. " Sadly I told her that maybe she is right and it was not the place for her if she got so upset at some posts...I told her that others too have joined here in the past, and also got very indignant ...when the Mods didn't immediately ban, delete, or suspend a person that believed differently to them.

Obviously, as I have done myself , we are free to report any posts that we find disturbing or totally off the wall. If our report is ignored , we just have to move on...because we have 'done our bit' by drawing attention to the post.

Ive been on many forums...but I don't stay on Sites which have a heavy hand and control what can be posted and what can't.

 

[historyb]

I've often thought that if I ran a forum I would probably do so with a heavy hand.

We had to, it got way out of control and I see that happened here over time.

but whatever happens in the future I'm thankful for what we have here right now.

That makes one of us

 

[historyb]

But we can be (and hopefully are) one in a faith that is efficacious to salvation.

As much as that sounds nice and like Shangri-La but truth is we are not.

 

[Joseph77]

But we can be (and hopefully are) one in a faith that is efficacious to salvation.

Do you know of and remember in Scripture where this was actually done/ true/ accomplished ? (in Jesus)
Do you know of and remember in or from Scripture where others who follow another voice are not in Jesus ?