Well, it has all being said here about this and that...but the point remains "Where are we getting all this to?" What shall be our end result?... I may have different opinion on what "A" or "B" might have spoken but the truth we always speak for HIMSELF (not itself). There is one thing that still border me about this modern day Christianity and that, I tend not to see it happened in the Early Church..."Fight over doctrinal issues" (do they(early Church) really have doctrines?. Methodist has her doctrines different from Baptist's, so also Anglican against Four Square Gospel Church; The lists are many....)... This has cause Church to split up into Denominationalisms, sects, groups and even cults. But the question remain: is Christ therefore Divided? I read from a passage in the book of Ephesians 4v4-5; There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, One God and father of all, Who is above all, and through all and in you all
So, if this is true in you and me then blessed be God. This is what I see in the Life of early Christian.. James complement what Peter says, so also Peter testified to the Teaching of Paul to be of the Lord even in a deeper way. John the beloved confirmed all that the other Apostles has spoken of, Jude confirmed those things spoken by Peter, Paul and James, John and the in-pendent Judgements. In fact all of them point to that ONE FAITH, ONE LORD, ONE BAPTISM, ONE HOPE; but I beg to differ that in all our knowledge in today's modern day Christianity, We don't preach one faith because we have many faiths on our tables, neither do we preach one baptism because many of us have alot of doctrines on that, while other believed in "Baptism in name of Jesus Christ", other explained that if its not done "in the name of the Father, Son, Holy-Spirit then it couldn't scriptural". Some even go further to say "Forget it, Baptism means nothing" and the other folks says "Just do it by sprinkling of Water or infant's baptism". Does these portraites "ONE BAPTISM"? Does this show that we have ONE FAITH and ONE LORD? I leave the answer to you.
Isn't what Paul says about our generation that is fulfilling in our days? In 1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Timothy 4:3-4; For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables..
Peter also testifying of these things in 2 Peter 2:1-22, here is verses 1-2.. 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.
And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
Jude went further and sealed it up in Jude 1:3. In his letter jude said "contend for the Faith that was once delivered to the Saint". Why? Because many faiths, teachings were welling up. (Jude 1-21)
Brothers and Sisters, Is not doctrines we need again, we've had enough of that; enough of Church spliting because of doctrines; enough of all these clouds without rain. We need some thing different from all that. Not even something, we need The Lord Himself to lead us into all Truth!!. Those early Apostles didn't preached up to what we are preaching today before the World was TURNED UP SIDE DOWN. But Lord, we have not wrought deliverance on earth, we've labour as a woman in pain but have only brought forth Winds. Please, Save us from ourselves.
Hi. Very intriguing post, and one with which I cannot bring myself to disagree with. Imagine the frustration that God must be feeling when His people disagree so often on so much. Not just on big things such as salvational issues, but we debate heatedly on minor issues of no importance as if our very lives depend upon demanding others believe as we do. Love is left behind when we log in. Very sad.
That said, Christianity over the past 2000 years or so has had to navigate through war; a constant war being waged upon it by a foe far more superior than you or I, far more clever, insidious, cunning, and one which abides by no rules, one who is limited only by such boundaries placed upon him by the Almighty. That war resulted in the murder of millions of sincere faithful God-fearing children of God who endured torture and death rather than compromise on doctrine. What's more, those inflicting that torture were themselves claiming to do God a favour by exterminating 'heretics'.
Not only so, but they formed a system of doctrine and dogma that for many centuries, and for most of Western Europe, was the only shop in town.
Today, we are still extricating ourselves out of that system. Although some of us may not claim any more to be subservient and slavish to that system, yet many of us still blindly and ignorantly cling to many of her beliefs, so deeply has been our enemy's efforts to deceive and destroy truth.
Thus we debate doctrine. Doctrine is important. Truth is important. We must find truth. To find truth we must find the Author of truth, which I am pleased to see you acknowledge. God forbid though that we become as many mega churches are today who never discuss doctrine because it
does divide. To compromise truth...to ignore truth to establish unity or grow our churches...is a major mistake. Yes, there is one faith; there is one truth; and it is incumbent upon all who love truth to search for it.
2 Thess. 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish;
because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Satan has not given up. He never will.
Re 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Doctrine matters. Truth matters. Our lives can depend upon it.
