The broad spectrum of Christianity VERSUS the narrow-minded view

[Dan Clarkston]

Wait. What's going on with the hospital stuff? Are you gonna be alright?

Well everyone is going to croak eventually... at least once.

 

[Ritajanice]

That's certainly a symptom. The cause is more disturbing. IMHO
Built into the evangelical mindset is this singular route to "heaven". (whatever that means)
If you don't do it their way, you are still "lost". (whatever that means)
This means the condemnation of every Christian outside of evangelicalism.


I think in addition to what I stated above, the church has used fear tactics cement their control of members.
Believer = heaven
Unbeliever = hell

You either accept EVERYTHING they provided for doctrine, or you are toast.
This is why so many on the forum think that salvation is through doctrine.

Doctrinolatry - tribalism and division in the Body of Christ

A follow-up to my Bibliolatry topic. Doctrine becomes an idol when it is used to support tribalism and cause division in the Body of Christ. Since doctrinal unity is impossible, allowing others to hold their own doctrinal opinions may be the only way to prevent division. ]

www.christianityboard.com

Doctrine has became a god of salvation to them.

[

I agree, some just want to fear monger and play God....been there done all that, thoroughly embarrassed ...now, imo, the Spirit goes before me....leading the way, ..I’m not saying I won’t at times unknowingly lead the way, out of ignorance, we just need to be self aware of “ self” it’s a pain in the neck...

God will get us there,Brother, we just need to keep him at the forefront ...easier said than done, I know..

We never stop growing and maturing in Gods Spirit/ knowledge, all the time we focus on him...all the time imo we stay focused on “self” that’s where we will stay, speaking from my own experience...

 

[quietthinker]

Having been raised Protestant Evangelical Christian, there was always this perspective
that we had it right and those outside our mindset had it wrong.

As an adult I discovered things that led me to re-evaluate that mindset.

Catholics had a completely different way of approaching Christianity.
But I couldn't deny that they had a relationship with God. Even though it dismissed
some of the core tenets of Protestantism. Things that previously led me to
the conclusion that they weren't "saved". (whatever that means)

Similarly, liberal and progressive Christianity were viewed with skepticism.
As were those with the Protestant liturgical tradition. Barely distinguishable from Catholicism.
And I had yet to encounter anyone in the Orthodox tradition. Those in groups
considered to be religious cults were another issue.

All this has led me to a rather open position about what constitutes Christianity.
How have you dealt with this issue? A broad view, or a narrow view?

[

If you've married because your hormones got the better of you or you married because it was arranged, maybe out of the feeling of obligation? it probably makes little difference if you didn't love or trust. The relationship, if it lasted, would no doubt be one consisting of the feeling of obligation and emotional distance.

My situation is one of learning, yes, to love and trust. This never happened when a head full of theology was my MO.
My awareness of being drawn as well as reciprocating to that drawing has enabled me empathise with the weakness we all struggle and suffer with.....even those pesky sinners.

Identifying THE LIE which had so cleverly concealed itself, was indiscernible for many years. It was because I thought a theological understanding qualified as love. It generated the constant 'how to be saved' narrative. It hide behind advising others and 'having a mission to get, whoever, to my way of seeing God and the World.
Today, I love to introduce my lover.....oddly though, I find little conscious interest out there.

 

[Dan Clarkston]

If you've married...

I got married (over 2 decades ago) and it was one of the worst mistakes of my life... I found out later that just because someone claims to be a Christian... does not mean they are!.... my bad

 

[St. SteVen]

Doesn't help if one doesn't understand the scriptures or if they're reading bad translations.

There is something to that. But God can use any means to communicate with us.
The means and our abilities matter less than we would think.

I often use the example of the Potter's house. (Jeremiah 18)
Jeremiah was the only one to get that message when God gave it.

[

 

[St. SteVen]

There's an irony in saying just that, as shown here

Job 9:20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me:
if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.

And then as evidenced here

James 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word,
the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

That's an interesting contradiction.
Should we be perfect, or not?

[

 

[St. SteVen]

Identifying THE LIE which had so cleverly concealed itself, was indiscernible for many years. It was because I thought a theological understanding qualified as love.

Right.
People know when we view them as a project rather than a human being.
We were taught to knock the dust off our feet as we walk away, if they aren't interested.
As if they only get one chance. How many chances did we get?

[

 

[St. SteVen]

My AF has returned , due to very high serum calcium level, I’ve had scan after scan , test after test, they thought it was an over active parathyroid gland, it’s not, my heart she told me (Endocrine Doctor) is very unhappy, it’s a very long story, Brother, thank you for your concern, she nearly admitted me yesterday to hospital as the calcium level is high, no point she said, as the hospital cardiologist would have said, her calcium level needs to be sorted first, that can be done at home, they prescribed me medication immediately, called Cinacalcet ..which should get this calcium level down, I had a great nights sleep last night after only taking the first tablet,..no AF and no heart beats pounding in my chest, ..Praise God, His presence was with me all day yesterday...it was very heightened , if that makes sense, you just know that you know that the Spirit is with you, anyway, 2 weeks time back to hospital and another blood test to see how affective the medication has been lowering my calcium..Praise God!....

Glad to hear that you are on the mend.

This scripture came to mind for some reason. (out-of-context, but whatever...) - LOL

Proverbs 4:23 NIV
Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it.

--- COMPARE ---

Philippians 4:7 NIV
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

[

 

[Marvelloustime]

The church used fear tatics
What about JESUS . who warned them to rather Fear HE who has power to cast both body and soul into
what was that word again , OH YEAH HELL . you all want to preach a false version and refuse to behold
the severity of GOD , which in trun has produced a false version of goodness , a fake love
that wont correct sin , wont correct unbelief , but rather strengthens the hand of the wicked
by promising them life . NONE does return from his wicked false religoin
for pope francis and interfaith has promised them life as IS .
They all cliam to preach GODS words , HIS LOVE
but they lie . FOR HAD THEY PREACHED HIS WORD this people had REPENTED of their evil , NOT FELT SAFE AND SECURE IN IT .

@amigo de christo

 

[Lizbeth]

Have you not read Hebrews chapter 11?
How many in the Faith chapter had received Christ?

[

Oh dear, don't you know that was before Christ came and before He was revealed? That's why it says, "They without us would not be made perfect." (And those earlier saints were saved by faith much as believers are in this age - the earlier ones had faith in God before He was manifest in the flesh.)

And the bible also says, “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now commanding all men everywhere to repent"

Understand...it's a new covenant/age/dispensation/paradigm now. It's the LORD who decides/ordains what He will accept and not accept at any time. And in this age He declares that He only accepts faith in Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately you do what so many do. Instead of letting the scriptures teach and inform and correct you, the whole counsel of God, you first form a doctrine in your mind and then try to find isolated scrips that support it. That is not being led and taught by the Spirit, that is being led and taught by you.

 

[St. SteVen]

It's the LORD who decides/ordains what He will accept and not accept at any time. And in this age He declares that He only accepts faith in Jesus Christ.

I agree that it is "the LORD who decides/ordains what He will accept and not accept at any time."
But I reject the idea that you bookend the end of that time the way you do.
Especially as it relates to the end of a human life who has never even heard of Jesus.
These things will be sorted out in an Age of restoration.

Acts 3:21 NIV
Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything,
as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.

[

 

[David in NJ]

Good Morning @Johann @Lizbeth @amigo de christo

Good Night @Brakelite (Australia)

Point to ponder - the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, will speak in and thru us to bring Praise and Glory to the LORD Jesus Christ
If we are not doing this, but rather speaking against the Divinity of the Word/Son/YAHshua then what spirit is speaking???

I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
All things that the Father has are Mine.
Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

 

[David in NJ]

Oh dear, don't you know that was before Christ came and before He was revealed? That's why it says, "They without us would not be made perfect." (And those earlier saints were saved by faith much as believers are in this age - the earlier ones had faith in God before He was manifest in the flesh.)

And the bible also says, “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now commanding all men everywhere to repent"

Understand...it's a new covenant/age/dispensation/paradigm now. It's the LORD who decides/ordains what He will accept and not accept at any time. And in this age He declares that He only accepts faith in Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately you do what so many do. Instead of letting the scriptures teach and inform and correct you, the whole counsel of God, you first form a doctrine in your mind and then try to find isolated scrips that support it. That is not being led and taught by the Spirit, that is being led and taught by you.

Good Morning @St. SteVen and @Lizbeth

JESUS is the incarnate WORD that was God in the beginning = the WORD became flesh = Immanuel, God with us

the OT saints who BELIEVED the WORD were Born-Again by the Spirit but they could not receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

 

[amigo de christo]

Oh dear, don't you know that was before Christ came and before He was revealed? That's why it says, "They without us would not be made perfect." (And those earlier saints were saved by faith much as believers are in this age - the earlier ones had faith in God before He was manifest in the flesh.)

And the bible also says, “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now commanding all men everywhere to repent"

Understand...it's a new covenant/age/dispensation/paradigm now. It's the LORD who decides/ordains what He will accept and not accept at any time. And in this age He declares that He only accepts faith in Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately you do what so many do. Instead of letting the scriptures teach and inform and correct you, the whole counsel of God, you first form a doctrine in your mind and then try to find isolated scrips that support it. That is not being led and taught by the Spirit, that is being led and taught by you.

inclusivity has become their doctrine , its love their meat and doctrine .
THEY can only see the scrips THROUGH its light and woe unto the many who heed that light
for it be darkness that has come to DENY GOD , CHRIST , the TRUE GOSPEL
and to rather merge the lost as one under what they all believe to be GOD , LOVE and loving . THIS delusion
is a monster sister because they who have brought it in have done so under the guise
IT is OF GOD , OF CHRIST and they will CLAIM a solid truth that JESUS IS THE SAVOIR of the world
BUT THEN the LIE that because HE is even unbelievers are okay . satan is a real sneak sister .
HE can use the very name of JESUS and even quoate a scrip , but then TWISTS it to mean and imply A FAT LIE .
HE has done so since the beginning .

 

[amigo de christo]

Good Morning @Johann @Lizbeth @amigo de christo

Good Night @Brakelite (Australia)

Point to ponder - the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, will speak in and thru us to bring Praise and Glory to the LORD Jesus Christ
If we are not doing this, but rather speaking against the Divinity of the Word/Son/YAHshua then what spirit is speaking???

I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
All things that the Father has are Mine.
Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

Work while it is day my friend for the night cometh wherein no man shall work
WHEN once the master of THE HOUSE has risen up and CLOSED the door
and all outside shall wail .......................With upmost urgency and a pure true desire to see souls saved
let us speak all truth , expose all error , and edify all by putting them in remembrance
OF THE HOLY WORDS left to us in that bible .

 

[amigo de christo]

Oh dear, don't you know that was before Christ came and before He was revealed? That's why it says, "They without us would not be made perfect." (And those earlier saints were saved by faith much as believers are in this age - the earlier ones had faith in God before He was manifest in the flesh.)

And the bible also says, “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now commanding all men everywhere to repent"

Understand...it's a new covenant/age/dispensation/paradigm now. It's the LORD who decides/ordains what He will accept and not accept at any time. And in this age He declares that He only accepts faith in Jesus Christ.

Unfortunately you do what so many do. Instead of letting the scriptures teach and inform and correct you, the whole counsel of God, you first form a doctrine in your mind and then try to find isolated scrips that support it. That is not being led and taught by the Spirit, that is being led and taught by you.

Notice a key thing about the serpent at the tree .
HE NEVER ONCE said OH THERE IS NO GOD
no Rather HE implied that they misunderstood what HE said
and that they would not die and then quoated a truth that ye shall become as gods knowing good and evil .
What was his desire , to cause them TO NOT BELEIVE GOD , and to BELIEVE HIS LIE .
SO marvel not when the serpent and his men
will use a truth like JESUS IS the SAVOIR of the world and that if one believes not Surely they will not perish
YET JESUS said they would .
JUST LIKE the FATHER said they would die when they too ate of the tree . many are heeding the voice of the serpent
who has come in with his lie and used the word love to imply HIS LIE IS TRUTH and the TRUTH OF GOD is a lie .

 

[Lizbeth]

I agree that it is "the LORD who decides/ordains what He will accept and not accept at any time."
But I reject the idea that you bookend the end of that time the way you do.
Especially as it relates to the end of a human life who has never even heard of Jesus.
These things will be sorted out in an Age of restoration.

Acts 3:21 NIV
Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything,
as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.

[

God will reveal Jesus to hearts if they are truly seeking Him and seeking the truth and if they open to Him when He comes knocking. And the human race is without excuse not to seek Him....since what may be known of God can be seen in creation.

I don't think you understand what restoration looks like........it is the removal and destruction of all that is temporal....every thing and every one that is not of God. "Everything that can be shaken will be shaken until only what can't be shaken remains."

Mat 13:41-43
The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

That is the restoration, that I see in scripture. Not an earthly utopia. But the removal of what is temporal and locked into death/corruption. And a new creation of what is incorruptible (ie, heavenly) heavens/earth wherein dwelleth only righteousness. The Spirit is LIFE (eternal). See why one must have the Spirit of Christ to inherit eternal life/incorruption? Christ IN us, the hope of glory. We must have incorruption in us.

And Jesus bookends the time, not we. No man knows the day or the hour. This world as well as this life for everyone is coming to an end sometime.

 

[St. SteVen]

God will reveal Jesus to hearts if they are truly seeking Him and seeking the truth and if they open to Him when He comes knocking. And the human race is without excuse not to seek Him....since what may be known of God can be seen in creation.

That is a flawed apologetic in my view. ("the human race is without excuse")
Where is Jesus and the gospel seen in creation? No one seeks Jesus in a knowledge vacuum.
Countless billions have gone to the afterlife with no knowledge of Jesus whatsoever.
What will become of them? Your doctrine says they are toast.

[

 

[David in NJ]

That is a flawed apologetic in my view. ("the human race is without excuse")
Where is Jesus and the gospel seen in creation? No one seeks Jesus in a knowledge vacuum.
Countless billions have gone to the afterlife with no knowledge of Jesus whatsoever.
What will become of them? Your doctrine says they are toast.

[

JESUS is the LIVING Word of God

Ponder this - "HE gives light to every man who comes into the world"

It is the Word of God that saves us!!!

The Word was God in the Beginning.

 

[St. SteVen]

That is the restoration, that I see in scripture.

I'm talking about what you would call the Judgement.
What I call an evaluation, with the purpose of restoration and redemption.
Every nation, every leader (both government and religious/church), every tribe, every individual.
The wood, hay, and stubble will be burned away, revealing the precious stones.
And even those with a total loss will "yet be saved."

Malachi 3:2 NIV
But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears?
For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.

[