Are Seminaries and Bible Colleges Biblical?
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Acts 15:19
[James said,] 19 “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. 20 Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood."
Acts 15:29
the council agreed upon James's judgement, not God's instruction.
28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
1 Timothy 4 (which harmonizes with Acts 10 and 11, but does not harmonize with Acts 15)
4 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. 2 Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 3 They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.
6 If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.
Acts 15 and 1 Corinthians 8 do not harmonize.
Today's teachers and leaders (seminary trained) try to harmonize Acts 15 with 1 Corinthians 8. But they are wrong here.
Acts 15 is a one-way street
1 Corinthians 8 is a two-way street.
1 Corinthians 8 You have liberty, but yet you are not to make your brother stumble. (two-way street)
Acts 15. has requirements for the gentile believers, but no requirements for the jewish believes (one-way street) and pharisaical.
The few errors in Acts 15 are of a Pharisaical nature.
1 Corinthians 8 has no errors and is Christ-like.
Where did you learn such poor hermeneutical practice? Perhaps you are self-taught?
Acts 15 contains instructions for gentiles coming to Christ. That's why there are no instructions for Jews. The Jews coming to Christ would know already not to do those things. It's not a "one-way street" at all.
Bluntly, you really are confused, and would do well to get some training in interpreting Scripture. The seminaries you decry are one of the best sources of such training.
Acts 15 contains instructions for gentiles coming to Christ. That's why there are no instructions for Jews. The Jews coming to Christ would know already not to do those things. It's not a "one-way street" at all.
Bluntly, you really are confused, and would do well to get some training in interpreting Scripture. The seminaries you decry are one of the best sources of such training.
I'm posting this delicately.
John 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Let the world religious organizations eat each other up.
Jeremiah 23:11 For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.
John 10:2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.
Let the world religious organizations eat each other up.
Jeremiah 23:11 For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the LORD.
I am a gentile who came to Christ, When I came to Christ I was never told the following:
1) abstain from eating food sacrificed to idols
2) do not eat blood,
and
3) do not eat meat from strangled animals.
-----
I was however told to keep from sexual immorality.
You mean to say that if a jew came to christ today they would receive a different message/instructions?
You refuse to explain this though. Instead you go and attack my character once again. Your error is obvious.
1) abstain from eating food sacrificed to idols
2) do not eat blood,
and
3) do not eat meat from strangled animals.
-----
I was however told to keep from sexual immorality.
You mean to say that if a jew came to christ today they would receive a different message/instructions?
You refuse to explain this though. Instead you go and attack my character once again. Your error is obvious.
You were told, in Acts 15. Whether you were told specifically, in person, by another Christian is quite beside the point.
No; most Jews who become Christians would have a strong cultural aversion to such things.
I didn't attack your character instead of explaining. You began the thread with a broad-brush attack on seminaries. I have responded, pointing out your errors, which is not an attack on your character. Being confused, ignorant, or wrong about facts is not a character flaw. None of us starts out knowing everything, and most take a lifetime to learn Scripture adequately.
No; most Jews who become Christians would have a strong cultural aversion to such things.
I didn't attack your character instead of explaining. You began the thread with a broad-brush attack on seminaries. I have responded, pointing out your errors, which is not an attack on your character. Being confused, ignorant, or wrong about facts is not a character flaw. None of us starts out knowing everything, and most take a lifetime to learn Scripture adequately.
I understand that. So a church today can take that and create a rule saying all members must abstain from drinking alcohol becuase you will cause others in the church to stumble. But this is error. This is a one-way street. Because you are putting regulations on the strong, but no regulation on the weak. For the weak already obstain from alcohol because it is their weakness. But the strong have liberty. But instead you take their liberty away. One-way street.
The strong should not drink around the weak, but that is not to be mandated by man.
You respect my liberty to drink, And I respect your weakness and not drink in front of you. Two way street.
The strong should not drink around the weak, but that is not to be mandated by man.
You respect my liberty to drink, And I respect your weakness and not drink in front of you. Two way street.
There is a bible college up the road from me, and I know a few people who have gone there but it is a bit of a mixed bag. It was non denominational and founded by a businessman. It recently changed its name from a bible college to the name of its founder because it didnt want to be a strictly bible college and offer other courses. Then it sold half its land to a retirement village.
some churches only want their ordained ministers to go to their particular demonitation church college.
I recall checking out the bible colleges library as I was curious, but when I talked to one of the librarians I found out that he wasnt even a believer, so my impression of the institution wasnt that great. They also played really loud rock music in the cafe and wouldnt turn it down when we tried to hold a bible study there. It might have been christian rock music, but it was still really loud.
I also recall seeing a lot of students smoking round campus. It was basically like any tertiary institution, but with church going kids. Also, it was just as expensive.
some churches only want their ordained ministers to go to their particular demonitation church college.
I recall checking out the bible colleges library as I was curious, but when I talked to one of the librarians I found out that he wasnt even a believer, so my impression of the institution wasnt that great. They also played really loud rock music in the cafe and wouldnt turn it down when we tried to hold a bible study there. It might have been christian rock music, but it was still really loud.
I also recall seeing a lot of students smoking round campus. It was basically like any tertiary institution, but with church going kids. Also, it was just as expensive.
What I said is true, but it seems you still don't understand, so I'll explain...
A Christian may go through his or her entire life never hearing or seeing the pope, never reading a word any pope has written, never even knowing what a "pope" is, and still be saved. The pope is not relevant to biblical Christianity.
You are arguing that the pope is relevant because some people pay attention to the pope, which is a completely different matter.
A Christian may go through his or her entire life never hearing or seeing the pope, never reading a word any pope has written, never even knowing what a "pope" is, and still be saved. The pope is not relevant to biblical Christianity.
You are arguing that the pope is relevant because some people pay attention to the pope, which is a completely different matter.
See this is how slick the seminaries are. They teach it in just this way on purpose.
Read Acts 15 yourself. The apostles and elders did not say or even infer what you write. They only put necessary requirements on the gentiles - that is it. There is no inference made in Acts 15. This inference comes from those who control the teachings and doctrines today.
They make the judgements, and so they want James's Judgement to be correct too.
Read Acts 15 yourself. The apostles and elders did not say or even infer what you write. They only put necessary requirements on the gentiles - that is it. There is no inference made in Acts 15. This inference comes from those who control the teachings and doctrines today.
They make the judgements, and so they want James's Judgement to be correct too.
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So then how do I judge this properly?
https://www.ptseminary.edu/news-pt-seminary-details.php?id=55
During a special chapel service at the Church of God International Offices, John W. and Mildred Hill were inducted into the Pentecostal Theological Seminary Hall of Prophets.
They say he is a prophet, I think he is not.
Should I approach this matter as in Romans 14?
Or
Should I approach this as in 2 Peter 2:1?
