Greetings Roger, I always like to listen to you on UA-cam. My son-in-law likes to post a link to some of your little ‘talks’ on Facebook, and, when he does, he usually puts my name in a comment, so I won’t miss it. Always glad when he does that. I think the micro-churches are the **best** means to prevent heresy and false teaching. It’s certainly the best evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit, because, if there are 20 micro-churches that believe (roughly) the same thing, how would that occur unless there is that “unseen” guidance among the 20 churches? Where’s the evidence that such a thing occurs in an overly controlled place with a whole lot of dead weight at the top, whose only goal seems to be to decide what gets said and what doesn’t? Well, I still believe the Holy Spirit is there, but I don’t see a lot of ‘evidence’ I could point to that isn’t controlled by a man ‘at the top’ so to speak. Controversial Themes! Dem’s very touchy subjects, indeed! But, I believe you handle it very well, perhaps better than anyone I know. Tell, me. What’s the difference between the ‘unacceptable sin’ that no one wants to allow, and the more ‘acceptable sin’ that so many of us have trouble not doing. We may wrestle with it in our lives (or maybe we’ve given up), but that doesn’t keep us out of church. Nevertheless, we want to be ‘pure’ of the ‘unacceptable sin’ - don’t ever allow that here!!! 😊 Is Jesus the **only** way? I believe so, but what does that mean? What does “God’s world” look like, when it comes to sending his only begotten Son to save it? Is it small enough to save, or is the Lord’s world all mankind, and did Jesus do the job he was sent to do? I had an eye-opening experience one day, years, perhaps decades, ago, when I realized there was a great difference in Jesus’ three parables in Matthew 25. The first two groups knew him, but the third group didn’t! Talk about a doctrine changer. That hit me like a ton of bricks. Who gets ‘saved’ and who doesn’t? Is that a man’s question or is it God’s? If it’s man’s, then we have a small god who zero’s in on a small world he is able to save. If it is God’s, then we have a mighty God, who is able to save all those, whom he doesn’t wish to perish (2Peter 3:9), and he is even able to save those who are not among the believers (1Timothy 4:10). Anyway, that’s my take. Sometimes I say the words that make folks feel good, and then there are the other times! 😊 Gotta let the word say what it does, and hope I’m not forcing it to say what it doesn’t. Lord bless you, Roger
Well said, Let the scriptures say what they say, and let the Holy Spirit do the work. It seems that the Holy Spirit is the forgotten part of the trinity in many churches, where the pastor and elders have usurped the role of the Spirit in the life of a believer by imposing all sorts of controls and man made pet doctrines. Yes, they may have insights and understanding that is helpful, but it is the Holy Spirit who transforms a life, not the church.
Agreed. The decision to let the Spirit do the convicting can feel a bit negligent, or lacking in zeal. And to be sure, there is a place for speaking the truth in love. But many times we give answers before listening to the questions. And we argue with people about opinions rather than confessing our sins "one to another" so that we may be healed. There's a whole other conversation to be had about centered-set and bounded-set community. Are we content to gather around Jesus (and the scriptures) and let the boundaries look more like a gradient that doesn't do a good job of clarifying who's in and who's out?
Amen. And "Expel the wicked person from among you." And "Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." And many other scriptures. This is my confidence in directing people to the scriptures. But also this: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." And, "I am the chief of sinners." Again, my confidence in driving people to the scriptures. May we let the scriptures say all that they say. If we do, we will be who the Lord calls us to be, and not just blown here and there by the latest fascinations of culture.
📕📖📖📖📖 open THE book
Amen!
Greetings Roger, I always like to listen to you on UA-cam. My son-in-law likes to post a link to some of your little ‘talks’ on Facebook, and, when he does, he usually puts my name in a comment, so I won’t miss it. Always glad when he does that.
I think the micro-churches are the **best** means to prevent heresy and false teaching. It’s certainly the best evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit, because, if there are 20 micro-churches that believe (roughly) the same thing, how would that occur unless there is that “unseen” guidance among the 20 churches? Where’s the evidence that such a thing occurs in an overly controlled place with a whole lot of dead weight at the top, whose only goal seems to be to decide what gets said and what doesn’t? Well, I still believe the Holy Spirit is there, but I don’t see a lot of ‘evidence’ I could point to that isn’t controlled by a man ‘at the top’ so to speak.
Controversial Themes! Dem’s very touchy subjects, indeed! But, I believe you handle it very well, perhaps better than anyone I know. Tell, me. What’s the difference between the ‘unacceptable sin’ that no one wants to allow, and the more ‘acceptable sin’ that so many of us have trouble not doing. We may wrestle with it in our lives (or maybe we’ve given up), but that doesn’t keep us out of church. Nevertheless, we want to be ‘pure’ of the ‘unacceptable sin’ - don’t ever allow that here!!! 😊
Is Jesus the **only** way? I believe so, but what does that mean? What does “God’s world” look like, when it comes to sending his only begotten Son to save it? Is it small enough to save, or is the Lord’s world all mankind, and did Jesus do the job he was sent to do? I had an eye-opening experience one day, years, perhaps decades, ago, when I realized there was a great difference in Jesus’ three parables in Matthew 25. The first two groups knew him, but the third group didn’t! Talk about a doctrine changer. That hit me like a ton of bricks. Who gets ‘saved’ and who doesn’t? Is that a man’s question or is it God’s? If it’s man’s, then we have a small god who zero’s in on a small world he is able to save. If it is God’s, then we have a mighty God, who is able to save all those, whom he doesn’t wish to perish (2Peter 3:9), and he is even able to save those who are not among the believers (1Timothy 4:10). Anyway, that’s my take. Sometimes I say the words that make folks feel good, and then there are the other times! 😊
Gotta let the word say what it does, and hope I’m not forcing it to say what it doesn’t. Lord bless you, Roger
Thank you for the thoughtful and thorough reply. Amen.
Well said, Let the scriptures say what they say, and let the Holy Spirit do the work. It seems that the Holy Spirit is the forgotten part of the trinity in many churches, where the pastor and elders have usurped the role of the Spirit in the life of a believer by imposing all sorts of controls and man made pet doctrines. Yes, they may have insights and understanding that is helpful, but it is the Holy Spirit who transforms a life, not the church.
Agreed. The decision to let the Spirit do the convicting can feel a bit negligent, or lacking in zeal. And to be sure, there is a place for speaking the truth in love. But many times we give answers before listening to the questions. And we argue with people about opinions rather than confessing our sins "one to another" so that we may be healed. There's a whole other conversation to be had about centered-set and bounded-set community. Are we content to gather around Jesus (and the scriptures) and let the boundaries look more like a gradient that doesn't do a good job of clarifying who's in and who's out?
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
Amen. And "Expel the wicked person from among you." And "Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." And many other scriptures. This is my confidence in directing people to the scriptures. But also this: "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick." And, "I am the chief of sinners." Again, my confidence in driving people to the scriptures. May we let the scriptures say all that they say. If we do, we will be who the Lord calls us to be, and not just blown here and there by the latest fascinations of culture.