Born Again Baptists

What question's do we ask those, other than coming by letter? What are they required to believe to be saved in order to join His church ? What then do we require them (with or without letter) to believe to join our church founded in Him? Do we stipulate they must attend this church at least a certain number of times yearly to prove they are saved?

Can we count on them? Maybe not, but can they count on us that hold out to them the Love of God? Can we go back on our word of what we are to preach? It is Jesus Christ that paid the price of admission for that one (if they believe it is He that saves them) which then joined our church founded by Him. How can we, without guilt, discard those that have a "lousy church attendance record" lumping them in with those we rightfully "cut-off"? We may attribute this great sin to be equal to adultery, and fornication, but this is our judgment we will have to live with. From where do we get the authority to discharge one who for all we know is actually in the "Body of Christ"? I personally do not look on these as "lost sheep", but free in the liberty we find in Christ Jesus.

Don't you believe there is at least one of the following in your church, and they come every Sunday, and give to the church? (WNT) Romans 1:28-31, "And so, as they did not approve of fully recognizing God any longer, God gave them up to minds that He did not approve, to practices that were improper;
29. because they overflow with every sort of evil-doing, wickedness, greed, and malice; they are full of envy, murder, quarreling, deceit, ill-will;
30. they are secret backbiters, open slanderers, hateful to God, insolent, haughty, boastful; inventors of new forms of evil, undutiful to parents,
31. conscienceless, treacherous, with no human love or pity.
32. Although they know full well God's sentence that those who practice such things deserve to die, yet they not only practice them but even applaud others who do them." Let's find these among us and "kick them out", Is that the answer? If it were, then there would not be one church left on this earth. We are sinners, guilty of every one of those listed, and more, but this is not what God sees. God sees Jesus Christ of whose Body we are in.

I believe the gospel that Christ Jesus revealed to us from heaven, where those in the "Body Church" are destined. "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
2. Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
3. Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
4. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
5. Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved
6. And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
7. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.
8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" Ephesians 2:1-8.

 

When we (the church leadership) purged our church rolls a while back, we sent letters to all the MIA church members notifiying them that they would be removed from the membership unless they returned to church and sought restoration through repentance and renewal.

About a third of them came to church the next Sunday. Unfortunatley, only a couple of them came back to renew fellowship. The rest came back to curse us out for being "pharisees".

 

I'd like for some of you pastors to share the contents of the letter you send to MIA members. Are they personalized? A standard cookie-cutter letter? Do you cite the church's policy regarding non-attendance and non-support, and the authority for disfellowshiping. Do you offer them a chance to respond other than to show up for church?

Do you ask them if they still want to remain on the church roll?

What about deadlines?

Do any of you send a letter saying, in effect, since you have not attended or supported the church in one year (for instance), you are being removed from the church roll. Would you outline how such fellowship may be restored?

My church is about to embark on revamping our by-laws and procedures, and any input will be helpful.

 

Whatever the demands your church requires of its members should be followed "religiously", giving little for error to any. I'm not saying a church covenant is a good or bad thing, and it must be upheld. If your "church covenant" is made known to the person that accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior, and that person agrees to obey what is contained in that "covenant", then they should be held accountable. If your church has a list of "does & don'ts", I would hope the new member fully understands what they are agreeing to, and they agree before being accepted into your church founded in the name of Christ Jesus. I commend you and your church for living in your faith.

If however in a church the new member finds out only after acceptance into the membership on the basis of their belief in Christ Jesus, they have now a covenant of man to agree to (some perhaps know before, but not all), I would say they have right to reject the "covenant" in whole or part for the "church" was not forthcoming, and may or may not wish to continue to associate with that church. This doesn't mean the "new member" is lost, and it doesn't mean the "church" is not founded on the "foundation of Jesus Christ". It means both are compatible with Jesus Christ, but perhaps on different "foundations".

God asked His people to make covenant with Him. They did but we know the "covenant" was broken. God today doesn't ask us to make covenant with Him, but offers us His free gift. We then work out our own salvation, which we know differs from others that accepted the free gift.

Yes I agree and understand, but yours below points out we can sin whether we attend, or do not attend church. Going to church will save no one, and it will not prevent any from sinning.

In my early 20's I was being groomed to be a deacon, however I found I did not agree with the doctrine of that church (always been a Baptist), and I could not in all good conscious have my name put forth to become a deacon in that church. Most Baptist churches hold to the doctrine I would have to adhere to (some that were deacons did not obey their vow), and I refused to take any vow, oath, or covenant put before me. It did not agree with His Word, so I did not agree with the church on a specific matter.

Fully agree, taking into account the small intimate church vs. the large impersonal church. I'm with you 100%, and most that read your post would like to be in your shoes. Only 8 souls out millions or billions in the day of Noah, and God always has a remnant. Hold fast to what you have, and I will also. His Word reveals two (2) foundations laid on the foundation of Jesus Christ. For some reason I was moved by Him. I fought, but He prevailed. It is His will, and not mine that will be done.

You are right for that is in His Word, along with the churches covenant.

Amen

 

In two parts

I'm taking the baptism from your "If they were saved they do need to be rebaptized, if they had been saved and the discipline worked then they just need to be re-accepted." Perhaps I'm misreading as I see the original baptism is linked to salvation (part of it)? If the sinner that left, and then comes back, to be forgiven they must be baptized again to be made clean, again?

Scripture is needed to verify we uncircumcised are commanded to attend church. I'm not advocating any don't attend, but we know some Christians hardly ever attend church. Hebrews tells us some of the Jews do not, but they are not condemned. I can find no command directed toward a Gentile, that is in the Body of Christ, they are out of the will of God if they don't frequent the church on a regular basis. We can or not, otherwise we are back into bondage.

Then the Methodist that believes in the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation is lost because they have not been baptized into a Baptist church? Perhaps I read wrongly, as I see you saying being correctly Water Baptized is what saves us?

On the subject why is it that Paul says Christ revealed to Him there is One Baptism, and it is done without hands. Why does our One Apostle say Christ didn't send him to water baptize? Baptist's in our faith can water baptize if we wish, and so can the Methodist, the Catholic, and all the rest, but they all do it for different reason's, and all Baptist churches do not believe that water baptism saves.

Hebrews is written to those of the circumcised gospel. Will you also apply Matthew 18:19-20 to we Gentile's then, or today?

God says a main purpose for a church is to encourage each other? If a Christian needs to be propped up every week of our life to live for and in our Lord Jesus Christ, I say there is something wrong in our Christian life.

"Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days", Colossians 2:16. This tells us we are not of the Jewish faith, but of what Christ Jesus reveals to us from heaven. It says we can eat what we wish, drink what we wish, and no one can judge us as to any day held up to be holy; or any statute of Israel under Law of ordinances, or the feast days of holiness. The Old has passed away, and New is now here.

Going to church every Sunday is Good. Does that automatically make others in Christ Bad?

Bedtime, and chores in the morning. Will finish this afternoon, Lord willing.

 

I agree completely, Martin.

 

Part Two

How can we know what God has chosen those in Him to do? If the person believed on the Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation, can we make them unsaved without knowledge of what Christ may wish them to do?

Is One with Christ not a church, the head and the body? It was only God and Noah for Noah found Grace in the eyes of the Lord. How much more so now as we are now in the Lord. Is a man and a woman with Christ not a church? Who is the church anyway? God got Paul isolated, and out of churches in order to write the Epistle's to the churches, the individuals that make up the Body of Christ. Does God reside only at your church? God is where we are, where ever we are.

A number of places advises this Book is for the physical seed of Abraham, starting with the name of the book. To whom is the book addressed? To whom does James address his book? Does Peter write to you. If he does, and James, and John, their handshake with Paul and Barnabas, and perhaps Titus, is worth nothing for they agreed not to preach the gospel of the circumcised to the uncircumcised. If we can't believe James, Peter, and John, shouldn't we believe Paul our only Apostle? It is Christ Jesus from heaven that commissioned him as such.

We do need those books, and all of the Bible but the whole of the Bible is not written to us, but it is all for us. Many things in the gospel of those justified by faith are in our gospel of justification through faith, but our Apostle tells us we need to be careful in applying some of the things in the circumcision gospel to oursleves, for they are not in our gospel. (KJV)"I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: 7. Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. 9. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. 10. For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. 11. But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. 12. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." Galatians 1:6-12.

There is a reason for Damascus Road. If not we Gentiles would have no Apostle, and could only be proselytes to the Jewish religion, which is the "Kingdom Church". By revelation Paul was sent to Jerusalem to have the Pentecostal Jewish church to keep the troublers away from his Gentiles. They were preaching another gospel, which was really not another gospel, to the wrong people. They no longer had the authority as the Book of Acts reveals the old covenant dieing out and the new coming in. The Body of Christ, the Body Church as such is unknown until circa 57-60 A.D. some 20 odd years after Pentecost.

The gospel that the Pentecostal church preaches is on the foundation of Jesus Christ, of the Kingdom Church of the circumcision. Their "kingdom" was at hand.Paul's gospel is built on that same foundation of Christ Jesus, of the Body Church, of the uncircumcised and today also a small portion of the circumcised. The rest of Israel are blinded.

But don't you say the only acceptable "results" are that we must attend church on a regular and timely schedule? I can't find in His Word that our salvation is proved by "going to church", or having to, to make ourselves approved. Jesus gave us no Law, or ordinances of Law that we must now do, but only one request He gave to Paul to pass on to us. (WNT)"This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in memory of me.""

Then why insist those that don't, need to get back so they can be saved (??again??) In your first paragraph you say scripture demands this of us.

Is this Christian love and understanding. We are of Christ and not of this world of not forgiving to those we believe have gone astray. We today are sealed into him, and try as we may, we cannot get away.

I can't fight that for I know you are right, in your understanding. I have and understanding also. I know of no two Baptist's that believe exactly alike. I see we are to have the Pastor, the Preacher, the Elders, Deacons, and Teachers in our churches. They are there for those that need them, the "babes" and all the others, some will wish to assist them, and will congregate (some all the time, some not so often, some on occasion, and some hardly ever).

The saved are all part of His Body. I see Christ is One Body, and in this Body Church are many "parts". All parts are to have Love not puffed up, and thinking no evil. We are to bear all things, believe all things, hope, and endure all things.

The body is connected to the head, and the body has extensions, our arms, hands, and fingers; also our legs, feet, and toes. If I happen to be in the toe, and you are in the chest, I can see you are in the center of the church, always there. But the toe is crucial so the center does not come toppling down. How often do you see your toes? They are there but out of sight doing their job for the whole Body of Christ (and probably not just the Baptist that are in His Body). Many are affiliated with an earthly church, doing the work of His Church, with many not knowing - Mark 9:40. How can we judge of things unknown to us?

We are not perfect, our church down here, or any other, is not perfect. But we are in the perfect that will come. [/quote]

 

In three parts

Two questions. Why do we also baptize, or re-baptize the adults?
Why do we baptize, or re-baptize the infants?

Hebrews 3:9-12, "When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. 10. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. 11. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) 12. Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God." Is this the message we preach? Must we endure until the end in fear of leaving God like they that are justified by faith? Those justified by faith need to come together and exhort each other, as they don't have the joy of their salvation.

With equal astonishment I must say, are we of the Pentecostal church of the Jews? There were some that weren't going to the Temple to worship, or a church. Can you point to a verse that we Gentile Christians are "commanded" to attend? We go to church to be with others of like faith, but are we under some "law" to do so? We are no more commanded to go to church than we are to tithe.

As we can find no scripture basis that we are commanded to attend, what would be the purpose of advising, "don't go to church". It is open to go, or not to go. What about the vocations of Doctors, pilots, train engineers, truck drivers, astronauts, nurses, etc. Some could change their hours or days of work. Do we believe we are the nation of God where everything is to stop and go to the Temple, worship on the Sabbath, make blood sacrifice (as the Apostles continued to do), and be circumcised as they? We are not as those of the nation of God. What do the Hebrews, James, Peter, John and the rest say is necessary for we who are not of them. The advice they give to we Gentile is we will do well not to eat meats offered to idols, don't ingest blood, or eat things strangled, and don't fornicate. Good sound advice.

They know we are not of their gospel. Should we not take note of them? They agreed with Paul, that they had another gospel, yet it is not another gospel. Shouldn't we agree with them that Paul is our Apostle? II Corinthians 11:2-5, "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. 3. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. 4. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. 5. For I suppose I was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles." Our salvation is simple, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and we will be saved. Compare that with the "Kingdom Church" of the Jew.We are told earlier in II Corinthians 5:16-18 we are New creatures in Christ, as all things are New. Jesus never spoke to the Gentiles while He was on earth. He speaks to us from heaven.

O.K.

Antinomianism is theological doctrine of any religious group and is not biblical if it does not agree with biblical truth. Please witness and understand Galatians 4:1-6, "Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; 2. But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. 3. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: 4. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5. To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." We are to worship God in Spirit for in Spirit we were circumcised thus can have no confidence in the flesh, as do/did the Jew. We do not live in their religion of we must do this or that to maintain our salvation as shown in Philippians 3.

Then what do you believe about "water baptism" if it is required? What church or churches are given authority to baptize, and who within that church is authorized to baptize?

Ah, now starts the name calling, just as those that gave name to the Christians. Please show where Christ from heaven appointed another Apostle to the Gentle. The Book of Acts shows none of the appointed Apostles by Jesus while on earth endeavor to go against God's direction to not preach their gospel to a Gentile.

If we believe all that Jesus said while on this earth, then are we not proselytes into the Jewish faith? How in the world can we "dogs" get into the inner court of the Temple? Only through Christ Jesus, and look where we can be. In the Most Holy Place, the Holy of Holies.

Please look at what you said, "Baptism is a requirment for those who have been saved. It is not a condition of salvation but the saved are to be baptized." If Baptism is a requirement, does that not mean we had better "or else". There are other denominations that require this "religious rite" also in order to be saved. It is like an "attachment" on an e-mail. The e-mail is useless, or incomplete, unless the "attachment" is attached to the e-mail with a subject. Does this not make the Catholic church correct in their understanding of how they are saved through joining their church?

Can you honestly say one can be saved without being "water baptized"? Or must we be "water baptized" in order to complete our salvation?

 

Aren't you then saying it is necessary for the Apostles did it? Did all continue to do so? Is it water baptism Paul speaks of after He quit baptizing? We notice John and James do not mention baptism in their books.


I also believe the Bible, and the Apostles did baptize. But did not all finally come to the knowledge that "water baptism" is no longer required. We can still do it, but it is not required. As long as we understand this, we can continue this practice. But Paul came to understand it, as did the "earthly Apostles". John certainly did.

We have no writings from John that even mentions "water baptism" after the Crucifixion, and all John's books are written over thirty years after all the other books had been written. The Old was gone, and the New is in. Why would John not even mention Baptism? He had read all of Paul's Epistle's, including Hebrews.

Chapter 6 to the Jew should prove interesting and required reading by every Christian. Verses 1-3, "Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2. Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3. And this will we do, if God permit." Verses 4-6 show these have received the Power of the Holy Ghost as at Pentecost, and received the gift of tongues, of healing, of ingesting anything with out adverse effect.These are those Jews that are justified by faith, and must endure until the end worrying about that contained in verse 1-3. Where is the joy and surety of their salvation. What can be done for the Jews? They can be justified just like we Gentiles, and that justification is through faith as explained in verse 12.

Not believing the Word of God is dangerous. We have thirteen Books written to Jew and Gentile by Paul, and one addressed specifically to the Hebrew. Tradition of man is the danger.

Yes, the "Kingdom Church", those that will have their own kingdom. The "Body Church" is unknown at this time. If you look closely at your reference you will see there is no Gentile in that group. Jesus never preached to a Gentile of salvation, and certainly did not give them the power to remit sins, as the Catholic church believes.

I thought it would help to see I wasn't making up, or using what is not written in the Bible, and would hope you would read again what His Word says. I have read all the verses you have, and I reject none. I just know (when) someone is talking to me, (what) they are saying, (who) is talking, (where) it happens, (why) they are talking, and (how) it is to be applied. Where have I misquoted His Word?

Are we saved as the Jew, or are they now saved as we? We must make distinction between them (when God was still dealing with them), and we today, both Jew and Gentile. When we begin reading and see what Christ from heaven tells us, it begins to get quite scary, at first, when we find He wants to move us from the "Kingdom church", to the "Body Church.

We can still be Baptist, for we Baptist "believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation". I believe those in the "Kingdom Church" will go through tribulation, and those in the "Body Church" will be raptured.

Yes, and it is in the Spirit that we are baptized, and in Spirit we are to worship. We saved are predestined, and I believe we can choose our church to gain entrance into the "Kingdom of God". Once in the "Kingdom Church", we can then, if we wish join the "Body Church". These are the two foundations built on the foundation of Jesus Christ. I believe one of those will go through the "tribulation period". We see that in those that are not Pre-Tribbers

Agree the truth is to be believed, and not add commandments He did not make. The Lord commanded Paul and Barnabas to be a light of the Gentiles to preach the salvation gospel of believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation to the whole world - Acts 13:47. In Acts we are commanded to turn to God (repent), in Romans we are commanded to love, and of faith and found also in Timothy; in Corinthians we are commanded to stay married, and other commandments. In Ephesians we are commanded to do no commandments contained in the ordinances of law, but we are in the Law (10 commandments) of God. In I Thessalonians we find the command concerning fornication as given to Paul by Christ Jesus, and to not associate with the disorderly, and any that won't work, should not eat.

John an Apostle to the circumcision preaches to the Jew, just as Paul preaches to them, and to we Gentiles. John has no command for any to be baptized, and in John we see things not found in the other gospel's, for they were not for publication or to be remembered until later. We know the Apostles didn't understand the many things Jesus told them. The sayings of Jesus, that included the Gentiles through faith justification while on earth could not be understood until Christ Jesus revealed them to Paul, which preached and wrote over 30 years before God allowed John to write his books. If we believe Christ Jesus in heaven we must believe God hid certain things from man until after Damascus Road - I Corinthians 2-7.
I believe all scripture, correctly divided. It does not contradict when this is done. I just cannot find scripture that commands us to be "water baptized" except in the Old Testament to Israel, and in the "great commission" the Jew was to preach to the whole world? We never see this gospel for the remission of sins preached after Acts 10.

 

Yes I know, but to form a church it needs a purpose, and all types of people start churches, and some churches purpose is for the called-out Homosexuals, as is one right across the street from our church. Agree we come together to form a church, a Baptist church where Baptist's can congregate. The Catholic's do the same, as do the Methodist, Christian, Lutheran, Latter day Saints, Scientologist's, Christian Scientists, and you name it. I can't believe every one of these is the "elect" of God because we call a building a "church".

We are in the "Body of Christ Church", and He is the Church. When we go to church, we take the church with us. If we don't, it stays at home or goes elsewhere. We are the Temple, and some building is not. If we go to church we bring Holiness into the building, and not the other way around. You and I are now conversing. Is this not where the Holy Spirit is, at this very time? The Spirit speaks what it has written.

The church down here can kick the Spirit out, but God won't, as we are in His Church.

These are "special people" to God, and we were not included in His gospel to them. Agree many things apply to us, but not all, for God is not speaking to Israel today, other than through His Word that God directs to us, of which He has given we Gentile's our gospel as presented to us by our Apostle Paul.

Your words, not mine. You misunderstand for you do not believe verses 11 and 12. Christ gave to Paul, Paul's gospel. Jesus gave to Peter, Peter's gospel. Peter is on the foundation of the "Kingdom is at Hand Church", and will have his own Kingdom. Paul's gospel is on that same foundation but is of the "Body of Christ Raptured Church". Paul tell's he will not build on another man's foundation, viz. Peter's. Peter obeyed, and Paul obeys. I don't say what you see. You err in your unfounded judgment that the scriptures show Peter is under God's condemnation.

Agreed. But don't the most devoted and most religious - the Scribes, Pharisees, and High Priests - tell us something. It is more than what we show man come Sunday. We live the changed life everyday, for He is within us.

But you fail to see or say what we are to do. John in verses 14-18 gives us the answer. Isn't this the gospel that Christ gave to Paul? Yes Jesus said these words while on earth, but do you see the "light" of these words that He spoke to His earthly Apostles before Jesus gave the "gospel of light" to His only appointed Apostle, Paul? Only God can remove the "blinders" for us to see, and He did that only after Damascus Road. As said, John is confirming the Apostleship of Paul, for John is repeating what Jesus said while on earth, but not understood until Christ Jesus revealed this truth to Paul, "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved". We work out our own salvation after this fact, and are to study to show ourselves approved.

Peter and John are "bookends" for the Epistle's of Paul. Peter in II Peter 3:15-16 tells they had better read and understand the Epistle's of Paul, and John props up so the Word of God will stand in John 3:16. Jesus told John he would "tarry". This is the reason John was allowed to "tarry". We have no excuse if we do not believe the beloved disciple of Jesus Christ, for this Apostle closes not only the Book of Revelation, but also the Books of Salvation of which we now find the Rapture, when He comes for us (John 21:22).

Please notice to whom Paul is speaking. It is not a Gentile, as we see in verse one (1). Look at verses 6-8, and we see not a Gentile, but a Jew. This is the reason Paul tells us to study to make ourselves approved. We must know who is talking to whom at any given time. We must remember Paul is the Apostle to both the Gentile, and the Jew, but to the Jew first, and of course there were mixture of the two.

The nation Israel will again refuse the gospel of Jesus Christ, and in the closing of Acts we see Paul turns to the Gentiles for they will hear the Word of God.

However, I agree with your observation, but the man was saved as a Gentile into the "Body Church", as his Spirit will be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus as shown in verse 5. But you say "love does not over look sin", but it is love that forgives sin in scripture you present, i.e. 2Cor 2:5-11. We find the turning from sins (repentance) in 2Cor 12:21, and it is not just one person, but also many. Every church has sinners, whether they go to church all the time, or only on occasion.

 

While water baptism isn't necessary for salvation, I did it to follow my Lord's example. He was baptised although he certainly didn't need to be. If He did it, then I think His followers should if for no other reason than Jesus did it.

 

Not much help are we Tom. I'm not a Pastor, but would like to give a perspective as a member in the "Body of Christ Church". I jnoticed your post a few days ago, with no response. Perhaps some of the Pastor's here as some members should be "lumped in" with those no shows thinking they don't care about us, and we don't care about them. Just as none here care about helping you out, we know in our hearts we all do care, but we don't take the time to let you know. That doesn't make us all bad, but we just keep putting it off until a more convenient time. But it is not our salvation we are putting off; it's just that we have other things to do. We know you are capable of carrying on without us, and know those that don't have other things to do, and attend on a regular basis, will be helping you out in this matter, should you ask.

But since you sent out a mini-SOS, I thought perhaps I could be of help at this particular time. That is what comes in handy down the line, those that God perhaps has only one or two things for them to do. God always has a remnant known only to Him. Please don't get me wrong, for I am one that does go to church, so I can't be classified a "remnant" to those of our church, but I may be to others.

For what it's worth, I myself would contact those in Christ with a letter that reads something along these lines:
Our desire is to stay in contact with our members, and we do this by being with them throughout the year as they come to hear the Word of God as we preach it here at _________. It is the same gospel that you find in your Bible.

We praise God and ask His blessings to fall on you until we see you next time. If not down here we will then certainly see you in His Church up there. We know you are with Him while you are apart from us, but we desire to see and be with you. We understand this is not always possible, and we know His will, will be done, for He is where we are.

This church is not my church, or their church, but His church for a convenient place for us to come worship God, to hear His Word and raise our voice to Him in song, singing praises to Him that has Mercy, and shed His Grace on us. Some of those that hear His Word here will be saved and some won't, but they at the proper time must choose, hoping His Word they heard here was not not their last chance.

We are also here to help those with "spiritual, as well as physical needs", when at all possible.

Please know this church is established in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and is here for you, and yours, as long as it is God's will to be so.

 

I have read some of your other posts as well, and I don't agree with the way you make distinctions between Jew and Gentile.

Gal 3:24 So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.
Gal 3:25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian,
Gal 3:26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith.
Gal 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Gal 3:29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

You are preaching "another gospel".

2Co 11:3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.
2Co 11:4 For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough.

Gal 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-
Gal 1:7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

 

When I moved to Florida from Michigan I didn't bother to move my membership to the church I joined here. That is due to the fact that I probably wasn't a member there any longer since the pastor and I had a falling out over his anger and bitterness over his wife leaving him. Even if my membership is still there, I didn't want to write and ask for it to be moved. I'm sure everyone in the church got his side of why I left, and they wouldn't feel too kindly toward me. I wrote to one of them who was a friend (or so I thought), and he didn't write back. I don't feel the pastor showed a Christian attitude. I wrote to him and told him how he hurt me with his anger, and I never heard from him. I prayed with him for 3 years for his wife's return until she finally divorced him. He eventually remarried, which I'm not sure was right. However, his anger and bitterness was growing, and he was taking it out on me since I wouldn't fight back. I finally had enough of it and left since he wouldn't listen to reason and wouldn't admit to any wrong on his part.

I have rarely moved my membership and just chose to join the next church on a profession of faith. I told them how, when and where I accepted Christ, and I have been faithful in my service there ever since. I go Sunday morning, evening and Wednesday evening, and I sing in the choir and sing solos.

If a person hasn't been to a their church for a year, they should be removed as a member unless their absence is due to ill health. We have one lady in our church who is in a wheelchair and was on her deathbed a few weeks ago. The doctors gave her only a matter of days to live, but she's still with us. She is also very faithful in her church attendance and puts many healthy people to shame.

 

Praise God for your insight. You do separate yourself from some of your fellow Baptist's, in your explanation, and remove yourself from what I believe is not taught in scripture, and that is we today are "required" to be baptized. You see a "separation". You do it because you want to, and have not been commanded to so, which I believe is the correct understanding of biblical truth.

If you don't mind I'd like to show you what I have been shown. We disagree, as Baptist's are inclined to do, for I see another separation, or dispensation set apart from the "Kingdom Church" as Jesus walked on the earth, and that is the "Body Church" of which was not known until after Damascus Road. But these two "Churches" are to come together, and we are shown how. Paul tells us Christ gave to him a "dispensational gospel", and this "dispensation" was hidden in God before the beginning.

Paul tells us of two (2) foundations which are laid on the foundation of Jesus Christ. So this is the reason I have cause to believe the gospel of Paul for he happens to be my Apostle, and in II Peter, third chapter, Peter also tells his people they had better listen to Paul. It is in the gospel that Christ gave to Paul we find the secret of the foundations - Romans 16:25 in wisdom of God that was hidden even before the world (I Corinthians 2:7)

In Ephesians 2 we find The Cross, our peace, and our (Gentile) salvation on the foundation of the Body of Christ Church.

In verse 11 is the Gentile in the flesh not being circumcised by hands, then in verse 12 shown to be without Christ for we were not of the covenants of promise. If you have read any of my other posts you will notice I distance myself from those of the promise of the covenant, and the gospel that was preached to them. I believe we Gentiles can still be proselytes of that "Kingdom Church", but we remain Gentiles in "Kingdom Temple Worship", for that gospel was never preached to us (me). We see within the Baptist church, and others that still believe, and/or have doubts about Sabbath worship, and tithing, tongues and other things, clinging to promises and ordinances of the "covenant people" of God.

In Verse 13 we see we now are in Christ Jesus, coming through His Blood. It is He that is our peace we find in verse 14 for He brought the two foundations together without a wall between the Holy Place, and the Most Holy Place. We are not to enter by faith into the Holy Place as a Priest, but we are found in the Blood of the Lamb, slaughtered in the Most Holy Place. Through His Faith we have entered into the Holy of Holies.

Verse 14 shows today in this dispensation, the partition is down, the two foundations brought together, and now the Jew can be saved as we Gentiles - Acts 15:11.

In 15 we see the commandments contained in ordinances are now abolished. He Word tells me the "washings", and water rite ordinances of the nation are now and were nailed to the Cross (Colossians 2:14?)

 

Yout posting reminds me of something I once heard, "If Henry Ford were living today would he raher have one good running Ford or 1000 in the junk yard."

 

Thanks for the compliment. I thought the quotes were of Paul.

What you are quoting above and below, is it not Paul? Isn't it a different gospel of that what John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostles preached before Damascus Road? What is the gospel of the "great commission". Isn't it to the Jew of "repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins"? Isn't this the gospel that Peter preached and answered to the men of Israel in Acts 2, those men of Israel? Didn't Peter answer those men of Israel with the gospel of the Jew that those of Israel are to "repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins"? That is that other gospel of Jesus Christ. It looks nothing like our gospel.

Please notice that other gospel Paul talks about is the gospel to the circumcised. What is that gospel? Repent and be baptized for the remission of your sins. If we believe this then why are we not members of the Catholic church? This what the Jewish gospel is, is it not for it is in the "great commission", which is that other gospel.

 

Some good thoughts, thanks.