Subject: Is there middle ground? |
Bible Note: Greetings Charis! As I asked Hank earlier, is it really necessary that we set up an either or situation? Must I love my brother or have sound doctrine? Aren't both possible? In my opinion, God has clearly stated His intentions in the Bible concerning salvation. So, I do view myself as assuming anything. John 3:16, 1 John 2:2, 2 Pet. 3:9 (among many others)clearly say that God desires all to be saved. We can debate labels to no avail, but what does Scripture say? The reason I say that one is right and one is wrong is simple. One says that God does not desire all to be saved. The other says that God does desire all to be saved. You can put whatever label you want on these views, but one is right and one is wrong. Saying that both are right would be like saying that the statements (God is good and God is not good) are the same thing. Right now, the thing I am most concerned about is the apparent assumption that is being made on this thread that sound doctrine is not practical. Scripture says, 1) 1 Tim. 4:16 - "Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers." 2) 2 Tim. 4:3 - " For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear." 3) Titus 1:9 - "He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it." 4) Titus 2:1 - "You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine." I am not directing these quotes at the debate between Calvinism and Arminianism. I am directing them at the comments I have been hearing that make it sound like theology and doctrine are incidentals or fleshly pursuits and the other things are much more important or spiritual. Doctrine or theology is that from which our Christian lives spring. What I mean is, "As a man thinks, so he is..."! The first several hundred years of church history demonstrate how important theology is. The doctrine of the trinity was being challenged. The Biblical view of the nature of Christ was being challenged. What if they had simply said, well doctrine isn't really important? As I said earlier though, I don't consider the differences between the two "camps" to be fellowship breakers. I do consider the differences to real though. I'm sure where the "to the death" part came from though! :-) Maybe it was on a post I haven't read yet! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |