If You Believe Your Denomination Is...

[amadeus]

Not sure if this is a spanking, affirmation, a little of both, or neither, but coming from you I'll take it and like it regardless.

Probably a little of both, but also as I said, "testing the waters" as you are a newby here.

I generally try never to give 'spankings' from or for myself as most of the time I am not a parent or other person allowed or qualified to give one. I used to spank my own natural children periodically. I only remember spanking a grandchild once... when it was needed badly and no parent was available. That's rendering to the flesh. Spiritually, which is closer to where we are here is quite another thing.

"And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?" Heb 12:5-9

Do we, any of us, ever stand in the place of God in the role of Father to spank a child or children of God? I believe so when we are called by God to give a message and that message amounts to chastisement. That I know has been done to me and I have done it. Remembering when it was done to me is certainly up front in my memory. Me doing to someone else, but remembering the specifics is not so easy. God will recall it if and when it needs to be recalled...

Give God the glory!

 

[Pearl]

AT my church we are always encouraged to check out anything that is preached in scripture.

 

[amadeus]

word
stay in one house while you are there
eat what they feed you
you will not run out of towns before i come

Who was it that said you were not a Christian?

I remember one man, who had been my nominal pastor during some really bad times for me, left town after he had driven away all but two members [myself and my Mexican friend who died earlier this year] of a medium sized assembly. His wife was the instigator, but he was the one, who seemed to have the responsibility. He said in effect before he left that that town had no one left in it who was serving or would serve God. He did not run out of towns but of people. Personally, I liked him. As a pastor his best accomplishment was not blaming his wife for causing all of the trouble. She really did for the most part, but he never lifted a finger to stop her or that I could see to help her. Not everyone that left was without fault, but nonetheless they were driven away. He was never really a pastor, but he did carry the title... until he left too.

Now he is in another state with another church. I visited once many years ago shortly after he left the one in my state. He really wanted some of his old members to follow him to the new place. Not one ever did.

 

[BarneyFife]

Hi HIH,

I have learned that a lot of ‘home church’ Christians have the same thought process as your statements above. They accept the doctrines they have taught themselves and disregard the “falsehoods” of the denomination they left. They reject the authority of the denomination they left and accept their own authority. I have never been able to figure out how those ‘home church’ Christians have determined that their teaching is not a falsehood and the teaching of the church they left is a falsehood....

It's really quite simple. The Bible foretells that one day we will all come together in the unity of faith. I believe that. The Holy Spirit is due to be poured out on Christ's sheep and concurrently withdrawn from the goats. It is already happening. The problem is the devil is always ready with a counterfeit and, as we all know, the best counterfeit is the one that most closely resembles the genuine. So only those who have received the love of the truth will discern the deception. The love of the truth is the love of the Truth (Jesus), the love that comes from God, and commensurately goes back to Him. The Barna research group estimates that only about 5% of churchgoers and those who identify primarily as Christians are devout or devoted and believe the Bible is the inspired word of God. And there are no great outliers/anomalies among denominations. My own church believes that in the end, a large majority of us will leave. When the Holy Spirit is poured out in "latter rain" (the counterpoint of the "early rain," Pentecost) measure, the faithful from all four corners of the earth, so to speak, will be united fully. They will have all things common as in Acts 2:44 and Acts 4:32. Teachers and preachers are gifts from God (Ephesians 4"11), but in the end, the Holy Spirit and the Word is all we've got, and all we'll ever need.

 

[mjrhealth]

Hi HiH,

Hmmm, i would suggest rather, that all denominations teach the truth in as much as they hold to the teaching of the Church, the 'pillar and foundation of the truth'.
Sadly they mix in their own errors and the traditions of men with which they were founded..

The way out of that land of confusion, is to enter into the community that Christ established through His apostles.
The one which He promised would be led into all truth.
The one which He promised He would not leave orphaned, but rather would be with them till the end of the age..
The one that cannot teach error, for 'we have the mind of Christ'

It can be a hard thing, to submit ones own understanding to the correction of the Church, but to do otherwise?...

Peace be with you!

What makes you think mens churches have the truth, only Christ does but so few are willing to submit to Him.

 

[amadeus]

Hi HiH,

Hmmm, i would suggest rather, that all denominations teach the truth in as much as they hold to the teaching of the Church, the 'pillar and foundation of the truth'.
Sadly they mix in their own errors and the traditions of men with which they were founded..

Sounds good and really is good insofar as God agrees with it.

The way out of that land of confusion, is to enter into the community that Christ established through His apostles.
The one which He promised would be led into all truth.
The one which He promised He would not leave orphaned, but rather would be with them till the end of the age..
The one that cannot teach error, for 'we have the mind of Christ'

Again your words sound good at least on the surface. But I suggest that you see that "community" as being centered or located in particular and the physical church group you call the Church. I guess it misses on me because a few points don't fit my understanding. Am I right while you are wrong? It it necessary to agree precisely in order for both of us to please God?

It can be a hard thing, to submit ones own understanding to the correction of the Church, but to do otherwise?...

And if what you say is so, how does one know when it is that the "Church" is doing the correcting rather than some man or group of men?

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:" II Tim 3:16

But as we know lots of people have access to Bibles containing what most people will agree is scripture. In spite of that they, as we have seen on this very forum, often disagree in when or what to reprove, to correct or to instruct.

 

[BarneyFife]

We're losing our cohesion...seems it's been that way more and more since day one. "Love of many has waxed cold..." The lions share of Christians have become "weary in well doing". "Lukewarm"...

Could something other than a denomination cause this as well?

 

[BarneyFife]

Of course most everyone here hate me for one reason or another if it's not for my stance on mask it's hatred for my Traditional Christianity. sigh.

I couldn't help but notice that roughly 75% of your posts are liked. That doesn't seem much like hate.

 

[BarneyFife]

for they, of course [in their own minds, hearts] already are certain that their answer is the correct answer so for them there is no further need to ask...

Ooh, that sizzles...

 

[BARNEY BRIGHT]

If you believe your denomination is teaching something that is closer to the truth than others, does that necessarily mean you are narrow-minded or elitist or, worse yet, look down on those of other faiths?

When you talk to people of different denominations each individual in a different denomination think the same as you, "that their denomination teaches closer to the truth than others. The question you should ask yourself is, "does what you believe truly agree with the scriptures which is the truth.

 

[BarneyFife]

But for me, it's a matter of deep reflection on things. I don't come to my conclusions quickly or flippantly, nor do I come by them through the instruction of men 19 times out of 20

I've had to revise my view on many things. Two that instantly come to mind are women's ordination and the human nature of Christ. For the longest time I saw so much in-fighting and mean-spirited appeals that I refused outright to take sides. In a way I haven't moved very far from that position. Nevertheless, my mind is now settled on both matters for good, I think.

 

[Hidden In Him]

I've had to revise my view on many things. Two that instantly come to mind are women's ordination and the human nature of Christ. For the longest time I saw so much in-fighting and mean-spirited appeals that I refused outright to take sides. In a way I haven't moved very far from that position. Nevertheless, my mind is now settled on both matters for good, I think.

I've revised a few things, too. It's only natural. I had a friend in college tell me one day something that has stuck with me my whole life. She knew I studied the New Testament from the Greek, and I think I was mentioning how because of the versatility of Greek words, many verses can be translated and interpreted in different ways. She replied that she had a professor who is known worldwide as one of the greatest translators of Beowulf, yet even he sometimes still goes back and re-translates certain lines and passages a different way, because of new things he is learning.

Once I heard that, I realized that even scholarship at the highest levels means remaining in a continual state of learning. You never reach a point one day where you can think you have finally "arrived."

 

[BarneyFife]

I've revised a few things, too. It's only natural. I had a friend in college tell me one day something that has stuck with me my whole life. She knew I studied the New Testament from the Greek, and I think I was mentioning how because of the versatility of Greek words, many verses can be translated and interpreted in different ways. She replied that she had a professor who is known worldwide as one of the greatest translators of Beowulf, yet even he sometimes still goes back and re-translates certain lines and passages a different way, because of new things he is learning.

Once I heard that, I realized that even scholarship at the highest levels means remaining in a continual state of learning. You never reach a point one day where you can think you have finally "arrived."

Indeed, the more you age and study, the more you realize how little you actually do know.

 

[Nancy]

Could something other than a denomination cause this as well?

Well, I would think a whole lot of things cause this. Especially how the "world" has creeped into the Church, "many false prophets/teachers who deceive many, apathy, the great apostasy...and so on, not to mention evil forces.

 

[historyb]

You might try a slightly less spammy signature. Just an idea. I don't think I'm going to hate you. Nah; no way.

I have to have it just to explain myself because many here make up all kinds of things about me. I am Floyd I think or Ernest T. Bass

 

[historyb]

I couldn't help but notice that roughly 75% of your posts are liked. That doesn't seem much like hate.

Likes are one thing. My beliefs are hated here in evangelical land

 

[Hidden In Him]

I have to have it just to explain myself because many here make up all kinds of things about me. I am Floyd I think or Ernest T. Bass

We already have an Earnest T Bass.

But you could try Goober, or maybe Gomer...

How about this guy right here?

 

[Hidden In Him]

He looks he might have been the one who built that car One Piece At A Time in the Johnny Cash song.

 

[BarneyFife]

Likes are one thing. My beliefs are hated here in evangelical land

Was Tony Palmer CEC? I heard he was charismatic around the time he died. Episcopalian is more or less the American branch of the Anglican church, no?

 

[historyb]

Was Tony Palmer CEC? I heard he was charismatic around the time he died.

No, had to look him up.

Episcopalian is more or less the American branch of the Anglican church, no?

Yep