Drop the spear and pick the Bible..

[Lyta137]

Why are we as 'Christians' so concerned and attached to doctrine...why do we, among ourselves, spend time in arguments about church and doctrine...do we think for once that God shall judge us by which doctrine we followed or the church we congregated at?

I constantly use the plural form of we because I have been guilty of this before!
The only thing that will matter in heaven is how we worshiped Him, whether in truth or in spirit and not were. We spend so much time attacking each other, calling each other names and writing books and making programmes about which church/pastor/doctrine is false, JUST WITHIN THE CHURCH...

I mean what example do we set for the lost??? Is that really what Jesus would do? even as we call ourselves 'Christians'? meaning CHRIST-LIKE...?


And whilst we are doing all this, Satan is going behind our backs, sneaking and stealing more people into his kingdom...its time we DROPPED THE SPEAR AND PICKED THE BIBLE!!! I mean imagine if all the time and money we used on attacking each other was invested in reaping the harvest of LOST SOULS...how many people would we have reached with the GOSPEL OF TRUTH? I bet the kingdom of God would be so full, heaven would need space enlarging renovations!!

Indeed Jesus said, "for the harvest is plenty, but the labourers are few." what a shame it is that many of the to-be labourers are poking each other with their sickles.

Oh Lord, remind us of our focus and your number one desire...to seek and save the lost...forgive us for diverting our resources to harm each other...help us O Lord this day, to drop the spear and pick up the Bible...AMEN...

 

[secularhermit]

Just a comment, not using my spear: "The only thing that will matter in heaven is how we worshiped Him, whether in truth or in spirit and not were." (I guess you met WHERE) but

I don´t see it that way, that seems to be God is selfish wanting human to worship HIM.

God IS NOT SELFISH, no selfcentered, if so, He would come down -several times- to show us HOW TO WORSHIP Him, but He sent HIS SON to teach us HOW TO LIVE (He is the law maker, not a selfish being) and He has given us plenty freedom to do what we do (and one day coming to a term, an end) I tahnk GOD for that.

That´s all! No fight, just telling what I think.

 

[PapaBear]

[I mean what example do we set for the lost??? Is that really what Jesus would do? even as we call ourselves 'Christians'? meaning CHRIST-LIKE...?]
I have often ask my self this question when one or more of the CC chat rooms is brimming over with contentious comments, remarks, debate and argument about one doctrine as apposed to another doctrine or one theology versus another theology especially when all this activity is in no way related to "salvation". Sometimes it just gets down right embarrassing when I see a newly registered member enter the room full of "drama" and after a minute or so they leave - quit.

 

[secularhermit]

"...We spend so much time attacking each other, calling each other names and writing books and making programmes about which church/pastor/doctrine is false, JUST WITHIN THE CHURCH..."

Perhaps this helps to clearify that "why" you´ve mentioned: "1Co_11:19 Factions have to exist in order to make it clear who the genuine believers among you are. "

 

[secularhermit]

We don´t need a spear to convert people to Jesus, in fact, it is GOD´s fight, but we use the Bible to make believe things outside God´s teaching.

I´m far to be a Christian. I´m far to do any simple "miracle", but the Bible served me well to walk... I love Ezk 34, for example.

Perhaps we don´t want fights, but Jesus fought to teach pharisees and His disciples. His disciples fought to deliver the teaching: Have a look on Paul´s letter. Althought I consider many of his teaching close to Catholicism and that´s why I held the O.T. and Jesus Gospel.

The easiest way to avoid those fights and FACTIONS would be God (or Jesus) make signs on the sky writing those things HE would like to avoid but HOW OFTEN DO YOU REPEAT on YOUR CHILDREN: "Don´t do this!" or "Don´t do that"?

Factions (denominatios + divitions) are same way they were by the time Jesus came to teach His people. I hope He would write on clouds a couple of things we are not doing but, His 2nd coming would be to end up factions, to pick His people up, and I hope to be saved, because life is still being a school to learn how to live.

 

[secularhermit]

"I bet the kingdom of God would be so full, heaven would need space enlarging renovations!! "

Revelations says, somewhere, a third of people is going to die (Perhaps you never see me there).

Besides, the Bible said a third of heaven followed Satan, so the angels saw heavenly FACTIONS and followed evil ways... How much more mind-blinded humans?

 

[secularhermit]

Biblical assurance:

Joh_6:37 Everyone whom the Father gives me will come to me. I will never turn away anyone who comes to me. (It is God´s work?)

Joh_6:44 People cannot come to me unless the Father who sent me brings them to me. I will bring these people back to life on the last day.

Joh_6:45 The prophets wrote, 'God will teach everyone.' Those who do what they have learned from the Father come to me.

Joh_6:65 So he added, "That is why I told you that people cannot come to me unless the Father provides the way." Jesus is the way! (not the money or workers you mentioned)

 

[Lyta137]

hello Sercularhermit...ha of course this is not a fight..i mean if everyone agreed with what we had to say, we wouldn't learn anything new...a lot of knowledge is gained from constructive arguments...

now I see you may not have agreed with all I said and im totally okay with that honestly. maybe my way of speaking may have derailed you a little bit so let me try and paraphrase it a little bit...

Sir, I have read books (enough), watched produced CDs, watched tv programmes (enough of those too) where one denomination castigated another denomination in the intent that people may not believe or follow that denomination but theirs. Now its the intent that im concerned about because it seems today that church is about QUANTITY and not QUALITY...

I believe that those resources to make all those materials, could have better been used in missions or something related...

Coming to your first comment of what only matters in heaven, sorry I wasn't meant to say it like that. what I really meant to say was when it comes to that topic, that is between the how and where we worship, I meant to say God prefers the HOW not the where..

Also yes I very much agree with you when you say God is not self centred or selfish and that is why I believe He blessed us with what is known as free will. because if he wanted us all to worship him whether we liked it or not, he could have but he didn't...he desires heart worshipers not robot worshipers..

Coming to your second comment I think ive already covered that. Third comment, the spear here is not being used to bring people to Christ no. I think you mis-understood me there. the spear is the 'us attacking each other'. so instead of us spending time on proving whose right or wrong, let us preach the gospel to the lost. that is the gist of my post.

oh and about the heavenly revelations, haha, that was just for emphasis sake!

I have to admit and confess that I was once into doctrinal debates and attacks. I would spend large amounts of time defending and castigating until I realised, there was nothing I was gaining from all my babblings about denominations and what not(1st Timothy 6:4) . I realised that I could instead use that time to preach to an unsaved person the truth about Jesus which I did and all by His grace.

I thank God that he helped me drop my spear and pick up my bible...

thankyou so much sir. God bless.

 

[secularhermit]

I agree with you: "Sir, I have read books (enough), watched produced CDs, watched tv programmes (enough of those too) where one denomination castigated another denomination in the intent that people may not believe or follow that denomination but theirs. Now its the intent that im concerned about because it seems today that church is about QUANTITY and not QUALITY...

I believe that those resources to make all those materials, could have better been used in missions or something related..."

But the ecumenical movement is still Catholic, for example and, in Jesus times, there were factions and there is no way to avoid people divert.

Thanks for your kindness! I got it.