I am going to open this this with a shot across the bow to all liberal churches. Now that gay marriage is legal, are you teaching ALL of your church members the scriptures about celibacy before marriage, about no pre-marital sex, about holiness and putting God first? Do you preach against sin (for Christians) at all? Do you preach against gambling, drunkenness, spousal abuse, greed, all the things which make our family lives such a nightmare? Why not? 1 Thessalonians 4King James Version (KJV) 4 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. 2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; 5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: 6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified. 7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. 8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit. 9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. 10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more; 11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; 12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing. Emergent Churches; who is Jesus to you? http://www.gotquestions.org/emerging-church-emergent.html “The emerging / emergent church movement falls into line with basic post-modernist thinking—it is about experience over reason, subjectivity over objectivity, spirituality over religion, images over words, outward over inward, feelings over truth. These are reactions to modernism and are thought to be necessary in order to actively engage contemporary culture. This movement is still fairly new, though, so there is not yet a standard method of "doing" church amongst the groups choosing to take a post-modern mindset. In fact, the emerging church rejects any standard methodology for doing anything. Therefore, there is a huge range of how far groups take a post-modernist approach to Christianity. Some groups go only a little way in order to impact their community for Christ, and remain biblically sound. Most groups, however, embrace post-modernist thinking, which eventually leads to a very liberal, loose translation of the Bible. This, in turn, lends to liberal doctrine and theology.” How is it possible to change the Word of God to satisfy post modern man? Hebrews 13:8New International Version (NIV) 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Numbers 23:19New International Version (NIV) 19 God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? Where does it say to go with feelings over truth? Well..the Bible does NOT say that. http://www.gty.org/resources/articles/A379/what-is-truth “The Old Testament refers to the Almighty as the “God of truth” (Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 31:5; Isaiah 65:16). When Jesus said of Himself, “I am…the truth” (John 14:6, emphasis added), He was thereby making a profound claim about His own deity. He was also making it clear that all truth must ultimately be defined in terms of God and His eternal glory. After all, Jesus is “the brightness of [God’s] glory and the express image of His person” (Hebrews 1:3). He is truth incarnate—the perfect expression of God and therefore the absolute embodiment of all that is true. Jesus also said that the written Word of God is truth. It does not merely contain nuggets of truth; it is pure, unchangeable, and inviolable truth that (according to Jesus) “cannot be broken” (John 10:35). Praying to His heavenly Father on behalf of His disciples, He said this: “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17). Moreover, the Word of God is eternal truth “which lives and abides forever” (1 Peter 1:23).” Feelings do not replace truth. Or logic. The use of the will is important in following Christ. Luke 9:23 23 Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. Word of Faith Churches…who is Jesus to you? http://www.gotquestions.org/Word-Faith.html “The Word of Faith movement grew out of the Pentecostal movement in the late 20th century. Its founder was E. W. Kenyon, who studied the metaphysical New Thought teachings of Phineas Quimby. Mind science (where "name it and claim it" originated) was combined with Pentecostalism, resulting in a peculiar mix of orthodox Christianity and mysticism. Kenneth Hagin, in turn, studied under E. W. Kenyon and made the Word of Faith movement what it is today. Although individual teachings range from completely heretical to completely ridiculous, what follows is the basic theology most Word of Faith teachers align themselves with. At the heart of the Word of Faith movement is the belief in the "force of faith." It is believed words can be used to manipulate the faith-force, and thus actually create what they believe Scripture promises (health and wealth). Laws supposedly governing the faith-force are said to operate independently of God's sovereign will and that God Himself is subject to these laws. This is nothing short of idolatry, turning our faith—and by extension ourselves—into god.” Now that I have insulted Pentacostals, Word of Faith adherents and prosperity gospel adherents. Let’s see what the Bible says. Luke 14:26–33 26 n “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. “ We are promised persecution, denial of self, mocking, and all sorts of things ..not wealth or even health. So..what about the idea that there are no gifts of the Spirit, no healing, nothing but he Bible and the cold cruel world?(Preterism, which says all prophecy was fulfilled in 70 AD and the New Covenant is endless, that is, just as we live right now. If that thought made you sad, that this is the best God gives us …I’m right there with you.) John 14:12 ESV “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. I don’t see a time limit on that. It does not say Jewish born converts. It says whoever believes in me. 1 Corinthians 12English Standard Version (ESV) Spiritual Gifts “12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” Yes, Paul goes on to explain that Love is much more important than gifts. That does not mean there are no gifts! We are not face to face with Jesus; we are not yet perfect. I personally have experienced healing; and there are discerning Christians standing up and preaching all over the world. Do not discount the Holy Spirit! So, Pentecostals, I hope you kept reading. I am not anti-charismatic at all. Pre trib and Post trib rapture. This fight is nasty and has gone public There are those who say, why, you’ve made things up because of things said by a lunatic in the 1800’s. I’m not sure what bible they have been reading. Jesus said he was going,,and returning for us .The best thing one can do as a pre-tribber is to spread the Word of God..The Good News. We don’t know the day or the hour, but when the church is complete off we go. John 14;2 "In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3"If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. 4"And you know the way where I am going." http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/Believer's%20Corner/Doctrines/rapture_history.htm Pre-Trib ARapture Bullies http://www.omegaletter.com/articles/articles.asp?ArticleID=8114 There are those who say we will go into the tribulation and suffer like everyone else. That at the end, Jesus will gather his faithful (those who survive) the main thrust seems to be to hoard food and water and secure your property so you can survive. Often they want to sell you stuff to survive. I personally believe that we are to spend everything we are to spread the Word of God. It’s not just money. We are forgiven freely and should forgive freely. Letting people die while you amass a fortune is directly contradicted in the scriptures. You are depending on you, not on God. Luke 12 “15 And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. 16 And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” The idea has one germ of truth…there will be millions saved during the Tribulation. This great gathering of believers in pictured in Revelation. Most of them will die for their faith. It’s not an either/or, it’s both. Hope to be saved from wrath has a lot of biblical background..Old Testament as well as new. While Christians tear each other apart publicly, and refuse to “love one another” yup that was about the church not the world…we have allowed the Enemy to ruin our testimony, limited our ability to reach more people with the Gospel, and in general watered down the message until we are no different from the world. We can agree that we are to follow God, no matter what. Most of us would agree in a simple statement of faith like the Apostle’s creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic* church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. That if we agree on the essentials, the differences as we worship and study are perhaps, not reason enough to puff ourselves up and pontificate, to slander and accuse as does our enemy, Satan. That the if/when of the rapture will be a time of joy,( or we all suffer together!) as will the return of Jesus to rule on earth. If any of this church thought disturbs you, and you feel you cannot just worship God in fellowship as the Bible commands…I’m also right there with you. Try a home church. Keep reading your Bible.Pray. And as always, let us comfort and uplift each other. |
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