Molehills

[aspen]

let’s discuss some personal and popular molehills debated with fervor, within Christian circles today. I am interested in topics of contention for many, which you really could care less about. Why are they not important to you? Do you ignore them or give your opinion?

Also, can we actually have this discussion without starting a fight? Can we decide to not take people's molehills personally?

For me, the winner of Molehile of the year has to be which day we should celebrate the Sabbath - it seems to me to be an issue designed to create division, which has absolutely nothing to do with salvation. I usually ignore it.

I am not interested in defending my molehill because it is a molehill so please no attacking or defending the sabbath day here.....plenty of threads for that molehill.

What is your molehill?

 

[farouk]

A different way of saying that some ppl major on the minors and minor on the majors...

When people have a different view of ultimate truth, however, I guess this is inevitable.

 

[amadeus]

Perhaps discussions with regard to a generalized timing for the Church or for a Great Tribulation are molehills. After all each of us has our own allotted time, so why should any general time or times matter to us?

 

[aspen]

Perhaps discussions with regard to a generalized timing for the Church or for a Great Tribulation are molehills. After all each of us has our own allotted time, so why should any general time or times matter to us?

Yes. This definately bores me to tears.....escatology and the state of the church in the end times seems like reading tea leaves without a nice warm cup of tea.

Celebration of salvation, however really excites me.....i am so looking forward to eternity.

 

[Enoch111]

...so why should any general time or times matter to us?

If it matters to God and Christ, it should matter to us.

 

[farouk]

Yes. This definately bores me to tears.....escatology in general is reading te leaves without a nice warm cup of tea.

Celebration of salvatio, however really excites me.....i am so looking forward to eternity.

I reckon I do wonder from Scripture about what exactly I am looking forward to... the answer: 1 Corinthians 11.26.

 

[farouk]

If it matters to God and Christ, it should matter to us.

Well, exactly, especially if many in professing Christendom turn out to be jogging along obliviously in the wrong direction...

 

[aspen]

If it matters to God and Christ, it should matter to us.

Can’t we just let it unfold instead of speculating and then, over-identifying with our speculation?

 

[amadeus]

If it matters to God and Christ, it should matter to us.

Wrap your mind around time?

"And sware by him that liveth for ever and ever, who created heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be time no longer:"Rev 10:6

The important times are ones for which God gives us something to do. For me that will lie in my little world of me and Him... if I have allowed Him in...!

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace." Ecc 3:1-8

 

[Enoch111]

Can’t we just let it unfold instead speculating and then, over identifying with our speculation?

Since prophecy (eschatology) is a large portion of Scripture (perhaps 2/3 rds), it should be evident to every Christian that along with all the essential Bible doctrines (pertaining to salvation and Christ), Christians need to have a proper understanding of God's future plans for (1) the Church, (2) redeemed and restored Israel, and (3) the ungodly.

God has in fact given us a broad blueprint of His plans, but they are not presented as within a textbook of theology. They are scattered throughout, and are to be studied and properly harmonized, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

The sad fact is that almost none of the evangelical and fundamental churches are teaching their members how to actually study the Bible, using all available and legitimate Bible study tools (concordance, lexicons, and everything else as found in, say, Bible Hub). The mechanics of Bible study. And thus too many Christians have a very sketchy understanding of even the most fundamental truths about salvation -- justification, sanctification, and glorification, let alone Bible prophecy (which is generally ignored).

 

[farouk]

The sad fact is that almost none of the evangelical and fundamental churches are teaching their members how to actually study the Bible, using all available and legitimate Bible study tools (concordance, lexicons, and everything else as found in, say, Bible Hub). The mechanics of Bible study. And thus too many Christians have a very sketchy understanding of even the most fundamental truths about salvation -- justification, sanctification, and glorification, let alone Bible prophecy (which is generally ignored).

Instead, even among "evangelicals", psychology, "feeling good", and lots of music, instead...

 

[aspen]

Since prophecy (eschatology) is a large portion of Scripture (perhaps 2/3 rds), it should be evident to every Christian that along with all the essential Bible doctrines (pertaining to salvation and Christ), Christians need to have a proper understanding of God's future plans for (1) the Church, (2) redeemed and restored Israel, and (3) the ungodly.

God has in fact given us a broad blueprint of His plans, but they are not presented as within a textbook of theology. They are scattered throughout, and are to be studied and properly harmonized, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

The sad fact is that almost none of the evangelical and fundamental churches are teaching their members how to actually study the Bible, using all available and legitimate Bible study tools (concordance, lexicons, and everything else as found in, say, Bible Hub). The mechanics of Bible study. And thus too many Christians have a very sketchy understanding of even the most fundamental truths about salvation -- justification, sanctification, and glorification, let alone Bible prophecy (which is generally ignored).

Biblical literacy is well and good for the vast majority of Christians. Biblical scholarship, which you seem to be advocating for is not necessary for understanding the simple message of the gospel. It is important for me to emphasis here, that doctrine is important, but it is not going to save you.....loving our neighbor because Christ loves us is our sanctification and our justification and our salvation. Studying doctrine is a noble hobby.

 

[aspen]

Ok, back to Molehills

 

[Hidden In Him]

Since prophecy (eschatology) is a large portion of Scripture (perhaps 2/3 rds), it should be evident to every Christian that along with all the essential Bible doctrines (pertaining to salvation and Christ), Christians need to have a proper understanding of God's future plans for (1) the Church, (2) redeemed and restored Israel, and (3) the ungodly.

Absolutely. No offense to Apsen, but people would have had an extremely hard time telling the New Testament saints that the watching of end-time events and the expectation of Christ's imminent return were a molehill.

let’s discuss some personal and popular molehills debated with fervor, within Christian circles today. I am interested in topics of contention for many, which you really could care less about. Why are they not important to you? Do you ignore them or give your opinion?

Also, can we actually have this discussion without starting a fight? Can we decide to not take people's molehills personally?

For me, the winner of Molehile of the year has to be which day we should celebrate the Sabbath - it seems to me to be an issue designed to create division, which has absolutely nothing to do with salvation. I usually ignore it.

I am not interested in defending my molehill because it is a molehill so please no attacking or defending the sabbath day here.....plenty of threads for that molehill.

What is your molehill?

Interesting thread. Honestly, I would probably say debates over water baptism; not that it isn't a commandment, but I don't view it as essential to salvation.

If this thread were about what types of threads bore me, works vs. faith debates, such as are discussed around James 2:14, would take the cake. I rarely get the feeling anyone truly knows what they're talking about when it comes to that.

 

[aspen]

If this thread were about what types of threads bore me, works vs. faith debates, such as are discussed around James 2:14, would take the cake. I rarely get the feeling anyone truly knows what they're talking about when it comes to that.

I totally agree.

 

[aspen]

It might be a good idea to use this thread as a resource to form new threads.....for example; “why is bible literacy important?” Or “why is eschatology something we must study?”

 

[Enoch111]

It is important for me to emphasis here, that doctrine is important, but it is not going to save you...

Correct. Salvation is in Christ alone, and without salvation nothing else would matter.

 

[aspen]

Correct. Salvation is in Christ alone, and without salvation nothing else would matter.

What is your molehill Enoch?

 

[marks]

I have a molehill, Covenent vs. Dispensational.

That debate bores me to tears!

I mostly ignore them, sometimes give my opinion, but it's always the same arguments over and over and over and I'm not sure I've ever seen anyone change their mind.

 

[Enoch111]

What is your molehill Enoch?

I would agree with you. Sabbatarianism.