Most people today believe the Lord will honor any kind of worship as long as it is sincere and meaningful for the person doing the worshipping. People pick and choose a faith of their choice and are very tolerant and respectful for each other's beliefs without going to God's word and see if God approves of them. Most people in Christendom believe we should always respect the other person's beliefs regardless whither we believe what they believe or not. Their thinking is we are going in the same direction and as long as its popular or seems right then it's OK.
I'm going to give an in depth look from God's word and see if God truly welcomes whatever you want to believe as long as it sounds reasonable and it feels good and is popular. Their belief system includes; no one can know for sure in this life and if you have a definite convictions from God's word; it is wrong and you a trouble maker to boot. It goes with saying people who advocate this kind of thinking are either not saved or they are saved and are ignorance of God's word. The world even in biblical times branded God's people as trouble makers. They were ether stoned to death, put in jail, fed to the lions and were hated by the people. The only difference today thank goodness, at least in this country they only make suggestion that a believer is a trouble maker and narrow minded. A spiritual believer will count it joy then they come across those who are guilty of things they judge God's people of. Then they will on the other hand say, not to judge, we don't judge you! No wonder the Lord said, Matthew 7:5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
The Lord has made it clear, there is only one faith and not the faith of your choice as most practice.
It's says in Ephesians 4:5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
We should ask ourselves, is God wrong or is what is so popular to believe wrong?
Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.Is believing what we want the right way or is God's way narrow and has no room for believing what we want?
Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
God says His way is narrow and straight, but can we know for sure what is right and have all of God's truth on religion, both His way and the way of the world?
2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
1 Corinthians 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
God tells us wisdom does not come from man, but that which the Holy Spirit teaches by comparing spiritual things with spiritual things.
The bible is really very much alive and self explanatory if we follow God's instructions by studying to show ourselves approved by God. There is no way we can be approved if God's Holy Spirit didn't teach us God's will through His word.
I have seen so many people take two or three verses out of context and make a religion out of those verses and completely ignore the rest of God's word on the subject. God will not give us the spirit of truth and error unless we humble our hearts and minds and allow the Holy Spirit to teach us the truth of God unless we study and compare all of God's word on a subject. God also tells us, if we have the truth, the truth will set us free and indeed will be free indeed.
John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
We can know God's truth for God himself will witness to our spirit so we will know for sure.
1 Corinthians 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
1 John 4:6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
Romans 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
1 John 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.
God's way is narrow, but true, and it will set you free from the philosophies and false doctrines of man and his sects and denominations.
Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
A popular saying is join the church of your choice and God says there is only one body or church.
Romans 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
Romans 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
1 Corinthians 12:20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
The many members is not referring to sects or denominations but is referring to the born again believers in Christ. He is the only one who adds members to His one Body or Church. If you have to join a church it is not the one Christ is building but is a counterfeit designed by man's carnal minds and the god of this world.
Acts 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
If God doesn't add you to His church that is His body then you have no part with God unless you become saved. The many members are added by the Lord.
1 Peter 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
The reason God said the gates of hell will not prevail against His church because there are no unsaved in it.
Matthew 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
Edw, Jude, Babygirl, Abe (sorry if I skipped anyone)
I'm hispanic and we eat tripe in menudo. but of course the real mexican i am...i pick out the tripe and just eat the hominy. My grandpa used to get real upset with me, haha.
The weirdest thing I eat is oxtails. It's weird to some but to hispanics, we make soup out of it. yummy!!!
there is also a soul food place that i order the oxtails and they are delicious!!!!! Now THAT makes you wanna slap yo mama...lol
Hey, I think a cook off would be fun but who's gonna do the tasting????? Would we actually pull that off?
Sounds good River. If you post it, I'll for sure join in. You ain't lying about the ox-tails! Oxtail soup is the best ever! I haven't had it in a long time.
This brought a smile to my face. I see that this topic shot from 4 pages to 7 within a day and was like, "Oh no... let me see what's going on here." After clicking and taking a look, I couldn't help but laugh... LOUDLY. Now, I need to learn how to cook so I can try some of this stuff out. :laugh:
Ok Gary, Here's my answer with Scriptures or arguments refuting your views.
You: Most people today believe the Lord will honor any kind of worship as long as it is sincere and meaningful for the person doing the worshipping. People pick and choose a faith of their choice and are very tolerant and respectful for each other's beliefs without going to God's word and see if God approves of them. Most people in Christendom believe we should always respect the other person's beliefs regardless whither we believe what they believe or not. Their thinking is we are going in the same direction and as long as its popular or seems right then it's OK.
Me: So what? This is nothing new. Jesus talked about it in Mat 7:15 But beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inside they are plundering wolves. Mat 24:11 And many false prophets will be raised and will cause many to err. Paul had to warn the Church of false prophets in 2Co 11:13 For such ones are false apostles, deceitful workers transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And Peter also talked about them 2Pe 2:1 But false prophets were also among the people, as also false teachers will be among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, and denying the Master who has bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves.
I don't understand your point here. Are you saying that you are justified in being intolerant and therefore jucgmental of other people's spiritual state? Who gives you the right to determine who is saved and who is not or for that matter who the ignorant Christians are?
Perhaps a look at your own ignorance may be enlightening to you.
You said, "The bible is really very much alive and self explanatory if we follow God's instructions by studying to show ourselves approved by God. There is no way we can be approved if God's Holy Spirit didn't teach us God's will through His word."
I say, any student of the Word knows that the verse you are referring to has nothing to do with studying your Bible so that God will approve of you yet that is what you say here. The verse is 2Ti 2:15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (KJV) Strongs definition of study here:
G4704 spoudazō spoo-dad'-zo From G4710; to use speed, that is, to make effort, be prompt or earnest: - do (give) diligence, be diligent (forward), endeavour, labour, study.
This verse actually says, Make every effort (or be diligent) to show, or exhibit, that you are approved of God, a student who is able to divide the Word of Truth. As a side note this dividing may be referring to those experts in the Hebrew test as "Dividers" because they were able to separate the parts of the Scripture either correctly or incorrectly depending on their purpose in the dividing. Paul may have had issues with those who did not properly divide the Scriptures into its various parts.
I don't understand this sentence at all. You," God will not give us the spirit of truth and error unless we humble our hearts and minds and allow the Holy Spirit to teach us the truth of God unless we study and compare all of God's word on a subject."
I don't believe God gives us the Spirit of truth and error but only the Spirit of Truth. Joh 14:16 And I will petition the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may remain with you to the age,
Joh 14:17 the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him nor know Him. But you know Him, for He abides with you and shall be in you. Joh 15:26 And when the Comforter comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of Truth who proceeds from the Father, that One will witness concerning Me. Joh 16:13 But when that One comes, the Spirit of Truth, He will guide you into all Truth, for He will not speak from Himself, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will announce the coming things to you. 1Jo 4:6 We are of God; the one knowing God hears us. Whoever is not of God does not hear us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
In the latter verse John is speaking of mind sets or manners of thinking. This does not refer to a single Spirit from God.
You: If you have to join a church it is not the one Christ is building but is a counterfeit designed by man's carnal minds and the god of this world.
Me: I have never heard of a Christian church that teaches you have to join their church in order to be saved and a member of Christs body. There may be some cultic churches that claim to be Christian but are not that may make this claim but there will be more thinds about them that are in error than just their membership rules. Either way it is difficult for me to believe that we have the ability do determine which denomination or church is of the body and which is not.
You: The reason God said the gates of hell will not prevail against His church because there are no unsaved in it.
The verse you are taking out of context to support your statement needs to be interpreted with the verses around it as is the practice of proper hermeneutics. Mat 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
According to this Scripture the reason the gates of Hell will not prevail against the church is because the revelation that Jesus is the Messiah is only revealed to us by the Father. (The name Peter means a piece of a rock but the rock the Church is built on is a mass of rock or a very large rock.) This is to say that the Church is built on the revelation of Jesus Christ by the Father to those who are the general assembly and church of the first born, whose names are written in heaven; and especially those who were to be gathered in, and built on Christ, from among the Jews and Gentiles. Therefore the gates of hell do not prevail against the church because there are only saved people in it.
Based on what I have seen in the way you interpret Scripture to support your views and assert your agenda I would say you are in error here and should be more sure of what you think Scriptures say before you make the mistake of teaching error to those who are ignorant of what the Scriptures actually teach. Remember tha those who teach will have more to answer for when they face God. Mat 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. The word offend means to cause to stumble, trip up or entice to apostasy. (Strongs G4624)
Lastly Gary, I find that when I wpeak to fellow believers as well as unbelievers I don't need to show Scriptures to back up everything I say. I prefer to speak the Truth without always giving the address. The word of God is just as powerful without quoting it or giving the chapter and verse. I hope this post answers your question and helps you understand why I said the things I said in my posts. I do have one request and that is that you check your agenda at the door. If you want to discuss a topic ask what others think of what you think without giving us a sermon and then acting like anyone who disagrees with you is wrong about their beliefs.
Oh my!! It's almost 2am here and y'all have madee SO hungry!!! Ugh..and I've got to slim down before I have to be the Best Man (Yep! That's right! But I'll be referred to as the Best Friend in the program) in a wedding!! Haha!!
Tamale casserole sounds wonderful!! And I have a terrible sweet tooth too!! Like any real woman(Haha!) I LOVE CHOCOLATE!! Edw, those pies sound heavenly!! We aren't so far apart geographically, so I'm very familiar with those pies, including the apples and peaches!! YUM!! I like a little powdered sugar on top too!....just to make sure the ole pancreas is still workin! ;) Lol!
