Results 221 - 240 of 11018
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: DocTrinsograce Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
221 | What shouold we fight about | Rom 1:25 | DocTrinsograce | 243464 | ||
Oh, and here are some instructions from some old dead theologians. You might not like them, of course, but yet they were careful tenders of the sheep. But after much study of the Word -- not spiritism or supra-Scriptural instruction, they offer the following according to the Word: A. Fowler offers us some guidelines for identifying heresy: "(1) Scriptural standard. In all the major communities of the Christian faith the scriptures are regarded as an objective and definitive standard for the determination of normative Christian teaching. Although Protestants have elevated the scriptures with an undue emphasis of sola scriptura that regards the Bible as the infallible word of God equivalent to the living Word (John 1:1,14), we must still recognize that Jesus declared that the scriptures 'bear witness to Me' (John 5:39), and 'cannot be broken' (John 10:35). To the Sadducees, Jesus explained, 'You are mistaken, not understanding the scriptures' (Matthew 22:29). Paul's regard for the scriptural standard is clear: 'All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness' (2 Timothy 3:16). "(2) Gospel consistency. The scriptural writings do not address every pertinent detail of every Christian subject. Christians are called upon to use spiritual discernment and sanctified common sense in determining the consistency of any teaching with gospel message of God's grace in redemption, reconciliation, and restoration. Paul anathematized the heretical false teachers who had invaded Galatia, and chastised the Galatian believers for 'so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel, which is not really another gospel, but some are disturbing you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ' (Galatians 1:6-7). "(3) Creedal formulation. We must avoid the arrogant and foolish tendency to ignore the precision with which the early Christians sought to formulate the Christian message in succinct statements of creedal orthodoxy. Jude encouraged his readers to 'contend for the faith which was once and for all delivered to the saints' (Jude 3). It is extremely important that we recognize the reliable expressions of essential truths that are found in the Apostles' Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Chalcedonian Creed, and the Athanasian Creed. Those who claim to espouse 'no creed but Christ,' fail to understand how the early saints painfully sought to explain Christ in creedal statements. "(4) Ecclesiastical consensus. The accumulated wisdom of twenty centuries of Christian tradition is not to be rejected. The past and present consensus of the community of faith must be given due consideration, for Jesus declared, 'the gates of Hades shall not overpower it' (Matthew 16:18). There is an essential and catholic, i.e. universal, confession of faith to be found in Eastern Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and Protestantism pertaining to the Trinity, the incarnation of Christ, the redemptive efficacy of the crucifixion and resurrection, the spiritual regeneration of salvation, and the importance of the church. We must align ourselves with what all Christians in all times and in all places have believed." |
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222 | Avoid the Cloistered Mentality | 2 Tim 4:13 | DocTrinsograce | 243463 | ||
“Give yourself [students of the Word] unto reading. The man who never reads will never be read; he who never quotes will never be quoted. He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains, proves that he has no brains of his own. You need to read." --Charles Hadon Spurgon |
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223 | Biblical reasons for divorce? | 1 Cor 7:15 | DocTrinsograce | 243462 | ||
Very helpful, Ed. Thank you. Here is something else that will help. Look at every reference in scripture, than work these things out yourself. Our God has been gracious to give us explicit instruction through the word and the teachings of those who have studied ALL of Scripture; Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Mat 7:15) Clearly they look like believers, but only come to steel and destroy. (See Jesus parable of the thief.) And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. (Mat 24:11) There will be lots of them, and lots of people will believe them. What they espouse is deceit. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (Mat 24:24) They will assume the identify of Christ or His words. They will be able to perform some powerful and convincing stuff. A lot of otherwise level headed believers may be caught up in their false teachings. For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. (Mar 13:22) Their teachings will be seductive and plausable. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets. (Luk 6:26) If the majority of folks are praising someone, and you hear very little criticism, watch out! This is a curse, not a blessing. But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. (2Pe 2:1) They will be throughout the world and the church. They will introduce apostacy and error. They will even deny the Lord they pretend to serve. Ultimately, they have their part with the reprobate. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1Jo 4:1) We need to be less trusting, and more skeptical. We need to question and observe, discerningly judging if a man is truly of the faith or not. False teachers generally preach to please the ears of men, rather than profit their heart. Valerian, the emperor of Rome said, "It is not bitter, but flattering words which do all the mischief." (Is 30:10, Jer 5:30-31; 23:16-17) False teachers tend to cast dispersion, doubt, discredit, and disdain upon the persons, names, or credits of God's most faithful ambassadors. (Num 16:3, 2 Cor 10:10) "He that willingly takes from my good name, unwillingly adds to my reward." --Augustine False teachers tend to offer instruction in theories of their own mind and hearts. (Jer 14:14; 23:16) False teachers disguise their deceptions in attractive speeches and golden expressions. Furthermore, they do all of this for their own gain, rather than the benefit of their pupils. (Romans 16:16) False teachers work very hard with the men's minds. Their intent is not to better men's hearts. Their intent is not to mend men's lives. In this way they are a lot like their father the devil, who will spare no pains in gaining converts. (Matt 23:15) False teachers will exploit their followers through covetousness. They seek to serve themselves, rather than save souls. They look to men's goods rather than seeking to do men good. Beware! They will hold forth principles that appeal to the flesh to make it easier for them to empty purses or pick pockets. (2 Peter 2:15) |
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224 | What shouold we fight about | Rom 1:25 | DocTrinsograce | 243461 | ||
Oh, amen and amen! Those folks, instead of standing on the entire Word of God, cut away portions to fit their own beliefs. This is just like the world, where people believe what they choose to believe, for they deem that their own reason, experience, and feelings are of higher authority than the Word itself! My two Pentecostal pastors who became Calvinists by reading, especially, John 6, 10, and Romans. Those who want to retain the belief in their own merit unto salvation should certainly avoid those passages. Better to even reject John altogether with Romans altogether. If I held those beliefs, I would also entirely avoid the first three chapters of Ephesians. It would also be handy to have a doctrine that would allow one to avoid dealing with any of the Old Testament -- maybe by calling it part of some other dispensation, with nothing to do with us. Think hard and I'm sure there could be other passages that could be rejected as "dangerous." |
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225 | Unhealthy Heart Boundaries! | Is 31:2 | DocTrinsograce | 243455 | ||
"You are not rejecting a person if you reject his words. You get to receive the person with kindness and compassion and treat him as a human being. If someone gets offended and feels rejected just because you rejected his words, then stay away from him, because he has unhealthy heart boundaries that cause him to use prophecy to control or manipulate the people around him." --Shawn Bolz |
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226 | While You Have Light | John 12:36 | DocTrinsograce | 243454 | ||
I have to admit that it is so humorous to encounter people who are more defined by what they are disavow than what they believe. These poor guys drip with such irony, yet as Paul said, they are never coming to the truth. Although I see the humor in it daily, post by post, I must admit that it is sad. I love these people, no matter how they curse and froth. I pray for them by name, whenever possible, that God would show them mercy and grace. Years ago, Hank asked me here in the forum to post on theological terms. Read some of Hank and Kalos posts over the years. God worked in their lives to transform them into the image of Christ. Now they in His presence. They brought glory to God in this world, and will continue to bring Him glory in the next. Hank, a fundamental Baptist. Kalos, a solidly Calvinistic Pentecostal. Kalos was the only Pentecostal that I had ever met who held solidly to the doctrines of grace. Only recently have I come to know Pentecostal pastors who hold these doctrines. On Facebook a Reformed Baptist Theology and Fellowship Forum with over 7000 participants. New members are required to read the 1689 LBCF, and post in harmony with it. The Pentecostal pastors evidence the fruit of the spirit in so many ways! Not only do they follow the Terms of Use for the forum, they are loving, patient, and kind. They glorify Christ alone, not a critique of everyone else.They are enthusiastic about Pentecostalism coming to the doctrines of grace. To that end they preach, teach, and live. Hank asked me years ago to present theological doctrines on the forum as a means of instruction. The need was obvious, since there were few that had even the fundamental basics of the faith. In that spirit, I thought I would post some explanations about what I believe. As you think about it, consider the many others who don't have even the most rudimentary list of what they believe. I've noticed here on the forum that most of them hide, failing to describe their fundamental beliefs in their profiles. We often see this done by Russelites, Campbelites, and Parhamites. Corner them and demand that they list their essential doctrines. They are unable to do so, as they resist being held accountable for their beliefs. Let me start with the superset of what it means to be Reformational. Of course, any that are not Romanists might be called Reformed in the broadest sense of the word. Unfortunately, they would not be able to define those concepts that allowed them the freedom to become Reformed. This isn't because they resist those things -- although you'll see them do just that -- but I would invite every one to be open and honest about what they believe. As a Historic Baptist I am fundamentally Reformed. What does that mean, to be reformed? There are five points that help us to comprehend Reformed theology. They are as follows: Sola Scriptura -- This is the root of Reformational doctrine. The Bible is the complete, closed, clear, and sufficient authority in all matters of faith, belief, and obedience. No one can bind our conscience outside of the Word itself. It has authority over all councils, opinions, doctrines, private spirits, etc. It is the final authority. We believe that all of scripture -- not just pieces of it -- must be examined on any subject. (Recently someone holding their own teaching tightly to their breast, actually suggested that Paul's didactic explanations were Satanic!) We believe that we live by every word of God, not just the ones that we prefer. Solus Christus -- Our confidence is in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. Not in Jesus Christ and our choice; not in Jesus Christ and our obedience; not in Jesus Christ and the acceptance of our church. Note that word alone. You will see it in all of these points. Our redemption is not partially our effort and partially God's. No, it is through Christ's redemption alone. Sola Gratia -- Grace secured redemption without reference to works. As Paul instructs us, works are a consequence of being a new creature. Indeed, it is for good works that we were redeemed. Nonetheless, no one ever, at any time, has been able to merit salvation by what they have done. Our wickedness, fundamental to our natures as sons of Adam, could never be compensated fro by an infinit number of good deeds. Sola Fide -- We are declared righteous by God through faith alone. Every elect human being is safed through faith alone. Yes, each of the redeemed must believe. Yet it is by their faith that God applies the righteousness of Christ to them, and their sin to Christ. Soli Deo Gloria -- Goal of creation and redemption is God's praise. God doesn't share His glory. Indeed, there is nothing in this universe that warrants glory and praise, except God Himself. His eternal purpose is all about bringing Him glory. After all, who could possibly be worthy of glory except God Himself? I will write more as time avails. |
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227 | The Word, the Doctrine of Christ | John 8:45 | DocTrinsograce | 243450 | ||
What do we mean by the word doctrine? It is nothing more than God's teaching. People earnestly try to separate God from His Word. This is an impossible task, for "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being." (John 1:1-3) Doctrine, part and parcel with God Himself, is the truth that sets us free (John 8:31-32). Only in the truth can God be rightly worshiped. Indeed, it is in truth that He seeks those to worship Him! (see John 4:24). Those who seek to separate God from the Word deny Him. In their midst a spirit does dwell, but it has nothing to do with the Holy Spirit who instructs His own in the Word (John 14:26; Hebrews 1:1-2). Doctrine, in its simplest definition is simply a teaching. When we use the word doctrine we are talking about all that the Scripture has to say on a given topic. For example, when we speak of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, we do not simply refer to an experience. There is no authority in experience, instead we look to those passages that teach us what it looks like to be Baptized in the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:16ff). We do not ever try to force the Word to say what we believe, rather we transform our minds to living, thinking, loving, believing, doing, and feeling what the Word says. We do not resist what our Lord says (John 8:45). Theology is all that the Word says about any given subject (doctrine). None of this is the teaching of men, for indeed, God has instructed us, that "we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming." (Ephesians 4:14) The apostle further says, "All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against." (1 Timothy 6:1) Holding an alien doctrine makes it quite clear that the source is something that is also alien and rebellious to the Lord. Their nature, their objective, and their works always characterize the god of this world. "If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain." (1 Timothy 6:3-5) Just as a bramble cannot bear the fruit of figs, watch what these others teach. Our Lord assures us that we can identify the false prophets from the true, even though they come in sheep's clothing. We know them by their fruit (Matthew 7:15-16). Do they speak the Word of God, are they loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, tender, gracious, gentle, and exercise self-control? (Galatians 5:22ff)? Or do they set themselves against the Word, being divisive, angry, pugnacious, argumentative, envious, slanderous, angry, bitter, and arrogant? Do they point to themselves or do they point to Christ alone? As the Puritans once prayed, "Lord Jesus, I sin. Grant that I may never cease grieving because of it, never be content with myself, never think I can reach a point of perfection. Kill my envy, command my tongue, trample down self. Give me grace to be holy, kind, gentle, pure, peaceable, to live for You and not for self, to copy Your words, acts, spirit, to be transformed into Your likeness, to be consecrated wholly to You, to live entirely to Your glory." |
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228 | Cast Shipwrecked on the Rock of Ages | Jer 31:16 | DocTrinsograce | 243439 | ||
"Excess of joy or excitement must be paid for by subsequent depressions. While the trial lasts, the strength is equal to the emergency; but when it is over, natural weakness claims the right to show itself. Secretly sustained, Jacob can wrestle all night, but he must limp in the morning when the contest is over, lest he boast himself beyond measure. Paul may be caught up to the third heaven, and hear unspeakable things, but a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to buffet him, must be the inevitable sequel. Men cannot bear unalloyed happiness; even good men are not yet fit to have 'their brows with laurel and with myrtle bound,' without enduring secret humiliation to keep them in their proper place. Whirled from off our feet by a revival, carried aloft by popularity, exalted by success in soul-winning, we should be as the chaff which the wind driveth away, were it not that the gracious discipline of mercy breaks the ships of our vainglory with a strong east wind, and casts us shipwrecked, naked and forlorn, upon the Rock of Ages." --Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) |
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229 | Be Anxious for Nothing | 1 Cor 7:22 | DocTrinsograce | 243438 | ||
"Worrying is as definitely forbidden as theft [Philippians 4:6]. This needs to be carefully pondered and definitely realized by us, so that we do not excuse it as an innocent 'infirmity.' The more we are convicted of the sinfulness of anxiety, the sooner are we likely to perceive that it is most dishonouring to God, and 'strive against' (Heb. 12:4) it. But how are we to 'strive against' it? First, by begging the Holy Spirit to grant us a deeper conviction of its enormity. Second, by making it a subject of special earnest prayer, that we may be delivered from this evil. Third, by watching its beginnings, and as soon as we are conscious of harassment of mind, as soon as we detect the unbelieving thought, lift up our heart to God and ask Him for deliverance from it. "The best antidote for anxiety is frequent meditation upon God’s goodness, power and sufficiency. When the saint can confidently realize 'The Lord is my Shepherd,' he must draw the conclusion, 'I shall not want!' Immediately following our exhortation is, 'but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.' Nothing is too big and nothing is too little to spread before and cast upon the Lord. The 'with thanksgiving' is most important, yet it is the point at which we most fail. It means that before we receive God’s answer, we thank Him for the same: it is the confidence of the child expecting his Father to be gracious." --A. W. Pink (1935) |
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230 | Christianity requires work | James 2:23 | DocTrinsograce | 243437 | ||
Dear Ed, I did not render an interpretation. Why would you utterly reject Paul's explicit instruction -- do you hold your own doctrine so dear? I think it is not me who is ignoring the Word; for I cannot believe that you actually attributed Paul's words to Satan himself. I think that I have now seen it all! Oy vey iz mir. In Him, Doc |
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231 | Fear of praying in public out loud? | John 11:42 | DocTrinsograce | 243436 | ||
Dear Justme, What a blessing it is to have you in our midst. You have persevered in the forum 14 years. Thank you for your time and patience, without regard for those who do not submit to the Scripture alone. In John 11:42, we see an example in which our Lord prayed aloud, specifically such that those around Him would hear and learn from what He said. (John 17 is the denouement of all such prayers!) Now if Jesus prayed it, then we have absolutely no doubt that such a prayer was efficacious -- for who is more righteous than our Lord Jesus a la James 5:16! We have all experienced such fear of praying aloud, and yet we have Christ's clear example. One of the best congregational prayers I have heard was a man who read many Puritan prayers. However, I don't think that he just read them: I think he prayed them, too! I would submit that the more a man prays -- and particular the more a man prayers the prayers of Scripture -- the more comfortable he becomes in praying in the midst of God's own. His mind becomes transformed from the Word, and thus he becomes more comfortable and confident to adequately bring the needs of the group to the Lord. Regardless, prayers are not efficacious because they are lovely, flowing, or perspicuous... they are efficacious because of the One to Whom they are directed. The more our Lord through His Word becomes the apple of our eye, the easier it is to just pray to Him... even without conscious thought for those around us. In Him, Doc |
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232 | What are false prophets? | Matt 7:15 | DocTrinsograce | 243434 | ||
Brother Hank and Brother Kalos, both now with their maker, brought this forum so much wonderful insight. See the above note from Brother Kalos, for example. He was so wise. Here is a quote from an anonymous housewife, a victim of those who place mystical experience as more authoritative than the Word. "When I first met my husband-to-be, it was like a dream come true. We met on a missions trip. He was kind, considerate, actively serving in the church, spiritually mature, and handsome, too. Our friendship grew quickly and within months we were meeting with the elders to get their blessing on our engagement, which they gladly gave. My parents even consulted with mutual friends as to his character as a Christian, and he passed with flying colors. But to top that, he confided to me that he received a prophetic word from God promising him a special blessing on this marriage. Who could resist that? I was in a different place theologically at the time, so I did not see extra-scriptural revelation as a problem. Rather I felt humbled and honored to be the person whom God choose to fulfill His promise to my future husband. This all but guaranteed to my mind that we would have a happy marriage. "... Eventually the truth came to light. He had found my replacement and felt completely justified in pursuing her. She was God’s will. I was not." Pray for those who are people hurt by such chicanery, for often they are simple hearted people lead down trails of entrapment. This is the fulfilment of Paul's warning to Timothy, "For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women [as in the anonymous housewife above], burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth." (2 Timothy 3:2-7) Our Lord is so gracious to rescue some from the pit. Indeed, He alone can do so, for those whose minds are blinded (cf 2 Corinthians 4:4). I do not deem that those "creeping into households" do so with cognizance -- that is, perhaps rare? I hope -- nonetheless they serve the flesh, the world, and the devil, to the detriment of the weak. Search through the words posted by Hank and Kalso in this forum. They knew the Word and submitted to it, bringing blessing to all. |
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233 | Prophecy Fulfilled | Acts 20:30 | DocTrinsograce | 243429 | ||
"I tried to show that the issue in the Church of the present day is not between two varieties of the same religion, but, at bottom, between two essentially different types of thought and life. There is much interlocking of the branches, but the two tendencies, Modernism and supernaturalism, or (otherwise designated) non-doctrinal religion and historic Christianity, spring from different roots. In particular, I tried to show that Christianity is not a 'life,' as distinguished from a doctrine, and not a life that has doctrine as its changing symbolic expression, but that—exactly the other way around—it is a life founded on a doctrine... "The Christian religion which is meant is certainly not the religion of the modern liberal Church, but a message of divine grace, almost forgotten now, as it was in the middle ages, but destined to burst forth once more in God’s good time, in a new Reformation, and bring light and freedom to mankind. What that message is can be made clear, as is the case with all definition, only by way of exclusion, by way of contrast. In setting forth the current liberalism, now almost dominant in the Church, over against Christianity, we are animated, therefore, by no merely negative or polemic purpose; on the contrary, by showing what Christianity is not we hope to be able to show what Christianity is, in order that men may be led to turn from the weak and beggarly elements and have recourse again to the grace of God." --J. Gresham Machen (1923) from his book, "Christianity and Liberalism" |
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234 | Keep Our Attention on the Word | 1 Thess 3:4 | DocTrinsograce | 243422 | ||
"Pain and suffering tend to eat away not only at our love but also at our faith, because we begin to wonder if God is loving and if He is even real. We ask how in the world He can let this relentless pain grip our lives. That's why it's so important for us to keep our attention on the Word of God. We are told not to be surprised when suffering comes our way. The New Testament doesn't say that suffering might occur—it says it's a certainty. Remember what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 11 when he talks about what he bore for the sake of the gospel: beatings, stonings, being left for dead, shipwrecks, days and nights at sea, fighting with wild beasts, and constantly being the target of human hostility. Why was he willing to bear those things? Because he understood the divine purpose for suffering and the divine promise not only of relief from suffering, but of the redemption of the suffering itself. In this interim between Christ's resurrection and return, Christians are called to participate in the afflictions of Christ (Col. 1:24). By bearing and enduring pain, we walk in the footsteps of Jesus and mirror and reflect Him to onlookers. Pain and suffering are opportunities to show the love that God has shed abroad in our hearts." --R. C. Sproul | ||||||
235 | Why not practice footwashing? | NT general | DocTrinsograce | 243421 | ||
Dear justme, Some Reformed churches actually do practice foot washing; none to my knowledge do it as a sacrament. However, I think that the primary reason is that it is not considered to be an ordinance. Rather it was a very specific object lesson to the disciples. How do we know? Because the Apostles never instruct us to carry out foot washing elsewhere in the epistles; whereas baptism and communion are clearly Christ ordained. In Him, Doc If you are interested, here is a liturgy in which foot washing was performed. http://www.reformedworship.org/article/december-2006/liturgical-footwashing |
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236 | Solo Scriptura -- Radical Individualism | 2 Tim 3:6 | DocTrinsograce | 243419 | ||
Dear Ed, I rather doubt that there are external pressures that can be blamed for the many failure of the leadership in your denomination. The potential for any person to fall is there. It is rooted in our descendance from Father Adam. I think that the problem might be at least one of the following two issues: 1. No universally accepted set of written doctrines are available to Pentecostals. Thus, neither clergy or laity can be examined -- nor can they examine themselves. That means that you get all the junk coming in to your churches from Creflo Dollar to Kenneth Copeland. Ordination cannot properly take place because examination of the applicant could and probably is all over the map. The same issue occurs when a church goes to hire a pastor -- he might believe anything. So the guy hired is not a matter of his being fit to the congregation. Even the congregation doesn't know what they believe. 2. The second issue is the problem of autocratic polity. If there is no standard, how can a man be held accountable? These pastors do not turn to other pastors for support. They probably feel like they cannot show any weaknesses. Church discipline is rarely upheld (Swaggart was an example of that); and when it is, it is shrugged off because "God told me to keep on teaching!" These problems are in no way strictly an issue with Pentecostals. Many other groups, ranging from Wesleyan to Independent Baptist suffer from these problems. Christ never intended His church to operate in this fashion. Down through the centuries believers have thought and rethought these things. What is more, they came up with a wide variety of solutions. Of course, we don't see those solutions in action. Take Charles Spurgeon as an example. What we have are many of his sermons, lectures, and publications. No one saves the congregational covenant or plans or the minutes of the business meetings. What survives is his teaching. I can guarantee, though, that the Metropolitan Tabernacle didn't function autocratically. It didn't in John Gill's time and it doesn't now with Dr. Peter Masters. You see, the fewer problems of Reformed pastors is not that they are more learned, more disciplined, nor more pious. Instead it is the prudent structuring of support that they have, from initial calling, through ordination, and pastorate. Nonetheless, when any of these pastors and elders end up in a situation in which they do not have accountability, they can and often will fail. I have attended a couple of Pentecostal services. I have had far more exposure to Foursquare churches -- they are no doubt similar. I have to admit that none of it made any lasting impression on me. I tend to have very good recall of sermons. The only thing I remember clearly was taking my ten-year-old son with me. He was so frightened by the things taking place around him that he begged me to leave. I don't even remember what was happening that scared him. What is liberal versus conservative theology is very different than you imagine. Even if you had learned some church history, you wouldn't see the connection that is so prevalent in modern churches due to the liberal theology taught in the early part of the last century. Regardless, if you heard what they had to say, it would sound very familiar to you. Anyway, don't get so apoplectic about who I am and what I say. To be honest, I rarely read your posts. By the grace of God I am what I am. Indeed, if one who holds to orthodox Christianity did not get some push back from the world, it might be time to worry... for to be friends with the world is to be at enmity with God. In the end, He will sort us out. Let's pray that he shows us both mercy and less meritorious consequences! In Him, Doc |
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237 | Kenoticism | Phil 2:7 | DocTrinsograce | 243408 | ||
"The Kenotic Theories. A remarkable attempt was made in the so-called Kenosis doctrine to improve on the theological construction of the doctrine of the Person of Christ. The term Kenosis is derived from Philippians 2:7, which says that Christ 'emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant.' The Greek word here translated 'emptied' is ekenosen, the aorist of kenoo. A misinterpretation of this passage became the Scriptural basis for the Kenosis doctrine, along with 2 Cor. 8:9. These passages were interpreted as teaching that Christ at the incarnation emptied or divested Himself of His divinity. But there are serious objections to this interpretation: (1) as Dr. Warfield has shown the rendering 'emptied Himself' is contrary to the usual meaning of the term 'to make oneself of no account' (Christology and Criticism, p. 375); and (2) the implied object of the action expressed is not Christ’s divinity, but His being on an equality with God in power and glory. The Lord of glory made Himself of no account by becoming a servant. However, the Kenoticists base on this passage and on 2 Cor. 8:9 the doctrine that the Logos literally became, that is, was changed into a man by reducing (de-potentiating) Himself, either wholly or in part, to the dimensions of a man, and then increased in wisdom and power until at last He again assumed the divine nature. "This theory evidently resulted from a double motive, namely, the desire (1) to maintain the reality and integrity of the manhood of Christ; and (2) to throw into strong relief the exceeding greatness of Christ’s humiliation in that He, being rich, for our sakes became poor. It assumed several forms. According to Thomasius the divine Logos, while retaining His immanent or moral attributes of absolute power or freedom, holiness, truth and love, divested Himself temporarily of His relative attributes of omnipotence, omnipresence, and omniscience, but after the resurrection resumed these attributes. The theory of Gess, which was more absolute and consistent, and also more popular, is to the effect that the Logos at the incarnation literally ceased from His cosmic functions and His eternal consciousness, and reduced Himself absolutely to the conditions and limits of human nature, so that His consciousness became purely that of a human soul. It comes very close to the view of Apollinaris. Ebrard, a Reformed scholar, assumed a double life of the Logos. On the one hand the Logos reduced Himself to the dimensions of a man and possessed a purely human consciousness, but on the other hand He also retained and exercised His divine perfections in the trinitarian life without any interruption. The same ego exists at once in the eternal and in the temporal form, is both infinite and finite. And Martensen postulates in the Logos during the time of His humiliation a double life from two non-communicating centers. As the Son of God, living in the bosom of the Father, He continued His trinitarian and cosmic functions, but as the de-potentiated Logos He knew nothing of these functions and knew Himself to be God only in the sense in which such knowledge is possible to the faculties of manhood. "This theory, once very popular in one form or another, and still defended by some, has now lost a great deal of its charm. It is subversive of the doctrine of the Trinity, contrary to that of the immutability of God, and at variance with those passages of Scripture which ascribe divine attributes to the historical Jesus. In the most absolute and most consistent form it teaches what La Touche calls 'incarnation by divine suicide." --Louis Berhoff (1873-1957) |
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238 | Can you answer the crucial questions? | Acts 17:19 | DocTrinsograce | 243407 | ||
Free e-books... Crucial Questions for the Christian... http://www.ligonier.org/blog/rc-sprouls-crucial-questions-ebooks-now-free/ |
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239 | Solo Scriptura -- Radical Individualism | 2 Tim 3:6 | DocTrinsograce | 243406 | ||
Dear Ed, Your reaction to my post is probably only rooted in your disdain for anyone reformed, reformed leaning, or reformed like. However, it occurred to me that you might have identified somehow with the the odd balls of whom Calvin was speaking. You know, Calvin has been dead for over 450 years: an easy target for your charges. I would rather contend with a dead guy, myself. Now the lunatics Calvin was speaking of are also long dead. Little trace of them remains in our day. They actually rejected the Scriptures entirely (which is not normally an orthodox pentecostal position, is it... at least, unless there are things you are not telling us). As Calvin said, they actually would laugh at those who would depend on the Word -- and believe me, laughing was the most innocuous thing that they did. Those fellows would dance around in their "sanctuaries" like maniacs. They would talk to one another as if they themselves could actually call forth the oracles of God Himself. Amazingly, instead of examining those things in the light of Scripture, they swallowed them hook line and sinker. Since they worshiped nothing that was anything but an idol, I have often thought that perhaps their behavior was a reflection of the "desolation of abomination" elevated in their midst. Some of them were so resistant to the Scriptures that they denied the value of reading or writing, condemning them as wicked and unbelieving at their very roots! Even though they could not have come into existence without the Reformation, they denied the rightness of the teaching of the Reformed as stalwartly as the Romanist. I guess they just couldn't bring themselves to own up to being in one camp or another. You could well imagine how these nut jobs were thought of by Romanist and Reformed alike. Why, these guys even thought they would be able to bring heaven to earth by the meer resistance to all religious beliefs with which they disagreed. They were militant right up to the last. Oh, the mess they caused! Under the Romanist church they were at least bound by specific constraints on their sinfulness. They didn't want to trade those restraints by Reformed theology. They even thought that everything in the Law was a hindrance, from which they were freed. Wow! Instead of following one Pope, they actually turned themselves -- each and everyone -- into his own Pope. They thought that all of this gave them the right -- nay the duty -- to ignore absolutely everything which had been taught before them. Society began to collapse into a disorder unimagined by any of us moderns. They disavowed marriage, truth speaking, protection of property, submission to authority, etc. etc. Now I don't know what goes on in orthodox Pentecostal churches, nor am I clear on what they teach. However, I'll go out on a limb and suggest to you that you never see any of the junk that was going on in the above paragraph. If you did, you would'd not be in this forum, in submitision to the terms of use as Lockman has provided. In anticipation of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, I am reading as many biographies of Luther as I can lay my hands on. He laid into those nutters far more severely than the simple tongue lashing in question. Those guys were even more messed up than the Corinthians! So rest easy, Ed. Where there is none of the above stuff in your midst, where the Word is taught, perhaps Christ Himself is in attendance! I know full well that you believe in the Word -- at least insofar as it doesn't interfere with your more valued doctrines (cf Pauline doctrine in post #243400). Furthermore, you have nothing to fear from Calvin, Luther, or any of the Reformers. Nothing is threatening your embrasure of Johann Tetzel, Johann von Staupitz, Johann Maier Eck, Andreas Bodenstein Karlstadt, Desiderius Erasmus, Thomas de Vio Cajetan, Girolamo Aleandro, the Libertines, etc. Even relative contemporaries believe the way you do: Erich Fromm, H. Daniel Ropps, and the German and American liberal theologians. You might have to read a few books in lieu of quick excerpts from the Internet to see it. Sometime read a bit of Huss, Tyndale, Luther, Calvin, and Knox. The more factual information you have, the more bang you'll get out of your declamations. You'll need to read the complete works of Jacobus Arminius. It will take a bit of intellectual sweat, but I bet afterwards, you'd be able to write something that would really knock our socks off! I look forward to seeing someone harnessing Biblical, historical, and grammatical truth, to the edification of all. In Him, Doc PS Why are there so many morally aberrant Pentecostal teachers? It is as though your denomination carries more than its fair share of them, right back to 1906. We must pray those leader, that they might stand in integrity and righteousness. The more exposed through secular means, the more harmful it is for all Christendom. How shall we pray for that leadership? |
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240 | Solo Scriptura -- Radical Individualism | 2 Tim 3:6 | DocTrinsograce | 243401 | ||
"Furthermore, those who, having forsaken Scripture, imagine some way or other of reaching God, ought to be thought of as not so much gripped by error as carried away with frenzy. For of late, certain giddy men have arisen who, with great haughtiness exalting the teaching office of the Spirit, despise all reading and laugh at the simplicity of those who, as they express it, still follow the dead and killing letter." --John Calvin (1509-1564) |
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