As one man said: "Salvation (or the winning of souls) is not the most important thing in the Bible, obedience to God is.
I have obeyed God by following Him in Salvation and water baptism, and now I am following and obeying Him by spreading the Gospel and making disciples of men and women.
" Put in that context all of God's doctrines become important to us. We are commanded to Study to show ourselves approved
I have and continue to study and show myself approved before the Lord
to search the Scriptures; to be able to give to every man an answer; etc. Whether or not specific doctrines impress you is not important. They are important to the Lord. That is why God left His revelation in His book written for us. The more we know it, the more we know about our Lord, and the more we can draw closer to Him. We can only draw closer to the Lord as we find him through the Scriptures. There is a direct correlation between the study of the Scriptures and our relationship with Christ.
I couldn't AGREE more!
Not necessarily so. This particular field of study is currently the devil's playground.
As is the many different doctrines that man beholds. These doctrines have been used of Satan to divide and conquer saints and sinners and bring down churches and major denominations for centuries now. Who's to say that at this present time, with your adamant discourse over doctrines you hold near and dear, that you, yourself are not subtly caught up in the devils own follies?
The Charismatic movement is one of the fastest growing movements in our age today.
I have made it quite clear that I do not consider myself a "charismatic"
It is infected with demon possession, and ungodly error where people have put their experiences as more important than the Word of God.
No argument here. However, not all of us have thrown in with these folks. Their error filled doctrines, and false teachings. Or, lies and mass mind control (WOF movement)
Jesus said "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees." In other words beware of the false teaching of the false teachers/false prophets.
We must also beware of those who teach a stale and stoic doctrine that paralyzes and holds its followers by fear. Keeping them in the on the farm, so to speak, and not letting them seek further knowledge by moving outside the age-old perimeters set by those who drafted their own comfortable doctrine's years ago.
That exists in abundance today. Jude commanded us: "that we should contend for the faith." We must not only know what you believe, you must know why you believe what you know.
There are many doctrines (such as the importance of baptism) that will not keep you from eternity. But does that make it any less important? Obedience to the will of God is the most important thing.
And I believe I already said that I am obedient. Who are you to judge my level of obedience? What gives you license to judge my measure of obedience? I may be more obedient to Him than you who has locked himself inside the perimeters of doctrines that are long overdue for examination and updating.
Should I have fellowship with those that bark like dogs, hiss like snakes, etc., as well as those that believe that speaking in tongues is obligatory for being saved?
It is not I who sound like a barking dog and hissing snake at this very moment in this conversation. You are madly and wildly barking and hissing because I have disagreed with some of your precious doctrinal stands.
I never once claimed that because I may, or may not speak in tongues THAT the masses that follow the Christ I serve must speak in tongues as evidence of being His, or being filled with the presence of the Holy Ghost.
I have always contended that it is man's testimony of salvation and water baptism that demonstrates their being a follower of Jesus!
It is a slippery slope? Where does it end. The AOG, one of the tamest of the groups believe that speaking in tongues is evidence of being baptized in the Spirit; that it is a subsequent blessing to salvation. They also believe that everyone should have it, and if they don't have it they should seek it. If you don't have it you are looked upon as someone who is "less spiritual." Do I fellowship with people that are so deeply in error?
It is unfortunate that your strict adherence to your precious doctrines keeps you from fellowship with fellow followers of Jesus Christ. As I said, it is not that important who we claim as our teacher (Timothy, Peter, Paul or John), what is important is that we fellowship as one by the name of Jesus regardless of our doctrinal stands?
It is you who will slide down that proverbial slippery slope of life is you continue to judge those who have doctrinal differences that may not line up with yours.
Heaven will be filled with more than one kind of Baptist. Filled with Lutherans, Methodists, AOG believers (singing in their tongues), and what have you.
The cornerstone to the church is built upon the premise of Jesus being our Lord and Savior, and I feel sorry for you because you have set your mind at being inflexible when it comes to accepting those who believe differently than you!
Here is the Biblical teaching on that issue:
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. (Romans 16:17)
--Tongues is a divisive issue. I couldn't AGREE more with you. Look at how you are allowing something that YOU think I practice and say is mandatory for all believers. Your mind set has divided us, not my doctrine and differences.
There is much more. There is the matter of fellowship with those who hold to Biblical error; serious Biblical error.
Who are you to say that I am holding to Biblical error? Maybe it is, and has been you all this time, who is in Biblical error of the truth?
My heart and arms of fellowship are open to you DHK, regardless of your beliefs and differences. I offer a hand of fellowship, yet it is YOU, not me, who viciously slaps it away, with words of judgment and disdain! Now tell me who is exercising more error, you, or me?
Baptism won't keep you from eternity either. But I believe it is important, as is the Lord's Supper. Why are they so much more important than the gifts of the Holy Spirit. All of God's doctrines are important.
In conclusion, I couldn't AGREE more with you. All of the ordinances, and I include foot washing, are important doctrinal teachings. The only difference between us, and I am NOT holding it against you, is that I believe the gifts are as much for today, as they were for the days of the Disciples and apostles.
I really can't find CONCLUSIVE Scripture(s) that demonstrates to me (when it comes to the gifts, and subsequent signs and wonders), that there was an EXPIRATION date in place.
You seem to lack trust in your fellow persons to know what is good teaching and what is bad teaching.
As I've said before, WOF teachers have left a path of destruction, miles wide, in their aftermath. I have had to step in and help restore the faith of so many who were destroyed by WOF teachers and left for dead.
My ministry (Remove the Haze) is spent showing people who have been beaten up spiritually, that they are still a child of God, useful, and ready to return to that narrow, yet difficult path to the narrow door of Heaven.
I am not the enemy, DHK, but if you allow your mindset to keep you from working outside of the (doctrinal) box, you are the biggest loser because you have alienated yourself from the joy and blessing of knowing a sweet fellowship with people of different understands.
There are those in the Charismatic world who are as adamant as you, and they too lose the opportunity to be one with the entire body of Christ, which is much larger than any one denomination or set of doctrinal standards!
It's time to get yourself down from that "better-than-thou" perch and join the Jesus people of this world.
The time for judgment will be soon enough, and it really should be left up to God to tell us who is right and wrong. However, I'm sure He'll not keep many out of heaven because they may speak in tongues, or hold tightly to Calvinism.
His only criterion is that those who pass through that narrow gate is that we have the blood of Jesus covering our sin, and I know without a doubt that I am covered from head to toe with His blood.
I see a heaven where the doctrines and denominational walls that once separated us on earth are cast aside, and we all stand in awe of our heavenly Father around that throne.
