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Differences between church and individual beliefs

Reformed

Reformed

Well-Known Member
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How many on the BB are members of a local church with which they have a major doctrinal difference? I am not talking about the color of the carpet or Mrs. Johnson's cream of mushroom green bean casserole at every pot luck. I mean differences in eschatology, soteriology, pneumatology, etc. For instance, let us say you are an amillennialist but you go to a church that is premillennial, or you believe in unconditional election but your church teaches conditional election. Maybe you disagree with the choice of music in worship or the frequency of the Lord's Supper. For argument's sake, let us also say that there is no church in your area that completely shares your theological/doctrinal views, so you have chosen to compromise. How do you reconcile your deeply held beliefs in a setting in which they are not shared by the church?

First, let me state that I think it is wrong to join a church with the intention to change it from within. For that reason, I would not make an issue of my doctrinal distinctives with the hope of changing what the church believes. I will not shy away from sharing my opinion if asked, but I will not make a point of bring my beliefs up and causing dissension in the body. I understand that I am not obligated to believe what the pastor, elders, deacons or other church members believe. I have the liberty to hold to my convictions. Love for the brethren means that I do not use my doctrinal distinctives to cause offense. There is a time to remain silent and there is a time to speak. It takes wisdom to know the difference.

I am interested to learn how you handle these differences.
 
Reformed1689

Reformed1689

Well-Known Member
I go to a UMC church so YES a lot of differences with the denomination. However, the local church itself is quite aligned with me and is more like a Baptist church than UMC.
 
JonC

JonC

Moderator
Moderator
Reformed said:
How many on the BB are members of a local church with which they have a major doctrinal difference? I am not talking about the color of the carpet or Mrs. Johnson's cream of mushroom green bean casserole at every pot luck. I mean differences in eschatology, soteriology, pneumatology, etc. For instance, let us say you are an amillennialist but you go to a church that is premillennial, or you believe in unconditional election but your church teaches conditional election. Maybe you disagree with the choice of music in worship or the frequency of the Lord's Supper. For argument's sake, let us also say that there is no church in your area that completely shares your theological/doctrinal views, so you have chosen to compromise. How do you reconcile your deeply held beliefs in a setting in which they are not shared by the church?

First, let me state that I think it is wrong to join a church with the intention to change it from within. For that reason, I would not make an issue of my doctrinal distinctives with the hope of changing what the church believes. I will not shy away from sharing my opinion if asked, but I will not make a point of bring my beliefs up and causing dissension in the body. I understand that I am not obligated to believe what the pastor, elders, deacons or other church members believe. I have the liberty to hold to my convictions. Love for the brethren means that I do not use my doctrinal distinctives to cause offense. There is a time to remain silent and there is a time to speak. It takes wisdom to know the difference.

I am interested to learn how you handle these differences.
Click to expand...
Did you mean to start this thread in the
Calvinism & Arminianism Debate section?
 
Reynolds

Reynolds

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
I don't have major doctrinal differences. Where I differ is on the amount I am willing to compromise on doctrine. I don't believe in compromising any. Most there will compromise a lot to avoid a fight,
 
Reformed

Reformed

Well-Known Member
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JonC said:
Did you mean to start this thread in the
Calvinism & Arminianism Debate section?
Click to expand...
Yes. You know why. It will eventually go that way. I will not be the first to take this thread there. I promise you that.
 
Reformed

Reformed

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Reynolds said:
I don't have major doctrinal differences. Where I differ is on the amount I am willing to compromise on doctrine. I don't believe in compromising any. Most there will compromise a lot to avoid a fight,
Click to expand...

It depends on how you define compromise. I will not yield on any of my deeply held convictions. I think my posts on certain topics is proof enough of that. However, in my local church setting, I do not make my convictions a litmus test for fellowship. There are certain things that my pastor teaches that I disagree with. There are certain practices of the church that I cannot abide. I will not sing songs/hymns that I believe are doctrinally unsound. I respectfully stand and pray during those times.
 
G

Gorship

Active Member
Pretty sure my church and I agree on very few things. No intentions to try and change anything. My wife gets things out of the sermons and she didn't at our last church so that's enough for me.

Sent from my CLT-L04 using Tapatalk
 
JonC

JonC

Moderator
Moderator
Reformed said:
Yes. You know why. It will eventually go that way. I will not be the first to take this thread there. I promise you that.
Click to expand...
I know why?

I was asking because of the content of the OP (eschatological, etc.).

But I will play.

Our church speaks of tithes and offerings. I am not convinced that a "tithe" (10%) is a specific amount required by God. My reasoning is that I view the believer as dying to self. 100% belongs to God. I worry that focusing on being faithful to the 10% could lead to unfaithfulness with the 90%.
 
Reformed

Reformed

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
JonC said:
I know why?

I was asking because of the content of the OP (eschatological, etc.).

But I will play.

Our church speaks of tithes and offerings. I am not convinced that a "tithe" (10%) is a specific amount required by God. My reasoning is that I view the believer as dying to self. 100% belongs to God. I worry that focusing on being faithful to the 10% could lead to unfaithfulness with the 90%.
Click to expand...
So, how do you deal with that? In your mind is it a minor issue or a major issue? Is it something you can compartmentalize and move beyond or not?
 
JonC

JonC

Moderator
Moderator
Reformed said:
By all means, feel free to move the thread to another forum if you deem it appropriate.
Click to expand...
No. I was just asking. I was not sure if you had put it here intentionally (I didn't get that you were limiting it to Cal vs Arm from the topic).
 
JonC

JonC

Moderator
Moderator
Reformed said:
So, how do you deal with that? In your mind is it a minor issue or a major issue? Is it something you can compartmentalize and move beyond or not?
Click to expand...
I give. It can be a major or minor issue. I don't compartmentalize it. I do not believe I am the criteria.
 
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