Featured Fundamentalists abstaining from the appearance of evil?

That sounds like California Governor Jerry Brown may be the head of it. (for those that may not know Jerry Brown is known as "Moonbeam") That offends me.

 

Amen

 

There is but One Body/One Bride/One Church, and that would be all of the saved of the Lord!

 

Institutionally there is ONE and only ONE! As a simplistic illustration there is one MacDonald's yet in many locations and there are other places to get burgers that are not under the authority of MacDonald's. All locations operate under the LORD the one head and have under-shepherds that may be likened to the manager that answers to the Lord (owner and founder) for doing things His way and is not to Lord over but is a servant of the Church also. Serving the Church by feeding them the Word and helping them to understand the Lord's ways. Just what does an invisible church do? It doesn't and cannot meet or gather or assemble together as commanded. It can't gather for fellowship or worship. It can't send out a missionary. It can't ordain a preacher. It can't ordain a deacon. It can't baptize converts. It can't exercise discipline on "a member" its "members" do and believe whats right in there own eyes. It can't receive tithes and offerings. It can't observe the Lord’s Supper. It can't agree on doctrine. It can't do any of the things churches (plural in location) in the New Testament did do. It can do nothing. An invisible church can do nothing. An invisible "assembly" that never meets together and never even knows it's "members" let alone is able to do what the LORD instructs his Church to do is a foreign teaching that was made up by man to counteract the teaching of the Universal "visible" (Catholic) church that was made up by man. All believers are saved and in the family of GOD but need to be added to the Church near them.
Ephesians 4:5 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

 

One body/one bride/one church!

 

You underestimate the number of idiots in this world. Never underestimate the foolishness of fools.

Marty

 

While I know one beer won't even begin to intoxicate me, as I'm not a small man, I believe that if I were to drink one in fronta anyone else, it would be the APPEARANCE of evil & that I was saying in effect that drinking alcohol is OK. How am I to know that someone having a strong conviction against drinking alcoholic beverages sees me drinking beer & knowing I'm a Christian, would not say to him'herself, "If it's OK for him, it's OK for me, despite my beliefs"?

That's what I believe about the "appearance of evil". - that it's anything, while not evil in itself, is believed by others to be evil, and seeing me do it might make another "stumble".

Now, I'm not speaking about such things as man-made rules of worship, which I flatly refuse to follow or endorse for any reason, such as mens' hair length or style, pants or makeup on women, refraining from politics or saluting our flag, etc etc. I'm speaking of drinking alcohol, gambling, etc.

 

My late dad added the Roby corollary to P. T. Barnum's saying, "There's a sucker born every minute"...

"THERE'S AN IDIOT BORN EVERY SECOND!"

And...

"Nothing is idiot-proof! Some could ruin a steel ball with a rubber hammer!"

 

My understanding of Christian Liberty, and at times reserving its limits, would be if my wife and i went out to supper with another couple adament against alcohol, so would be wrong fro me to have a glass of wine. If they knew though that we like a glass of wine from time to time, if invited over to our house, should now yell at me if I choose to have wine at our own table.

 

As a Pastor or even as Church members or family of God I think we should teach/help others to learn what we believe to be wrong in our conscience and according to the Word, but not impose our own conscience on others. In things that are clearly sin according to the Word deal with it as such, and in matters of conviction let the Holy Spirit convict. I will abstain from a questionable behavior, and teach others that they should too id it is questionable to them, I try not to expect others to do it for me. No-one sins against me, if something is a sin it is against God. If something is offensive to me then I think I should forgive and pray for them and the situation and those whom it effects. Our actions good and bad will effect others and we should care enough to consider the effects. Mankind has an evil imagination and there is no way we can avoid all perception or imagination of evil, "appearance" is in the eye of the beholder. I believe I should impose the highest standard on my self first and teach others to do the same with their own selves.

 

The stronger (the one who allows him/herself wine) is to be VERY sensitive to the weaker brethren.

Behave accordingly.

 

Yes, but the Lord would also want the weak in their faith to grow up more, and was just saying that if the other party came over to visit us, and know might have a cup of wine, they shoudl not try to knock the cup out of my hand!

 

Yes, but also think paul would allow me the freedom to do the wine if chose to in my own house...

 

Well, that would never happen if you didn't have the cup in your hand in the first place.

You couldn't do without a cup of wine for an hour or two?

 

I rarely ever drink, but so see the other party in this case to extend to me the grace to do such, as they know our feelings ion this!

 

I would show the other party freedom to refrain from having a cup of wine if in a restrurant knowing that he does not think any alcohol is allowed, but since he accepted dining in at our home, knows wine might be served!

 

I would do that without any concern, but just think that at times Chrsitians shoudl grow up a bit, as in judging others for going to see a movie, having a drink, having cable tv etc!