Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire The Church is imploding

I believe that I was addressing a very specific thing that you said and trying to confirm what it is that you believe with the context of what you wrote.


As to Christ specifically saying church building and steeple I won’t play that game. That straw man approach is the same that people use to say that there is no trinity.


Christ established the church. He founded it upon the apostles. They were inspired by the Holy Spirit to establish and deal with the church. We have the book of Luke Acts and most of the epistles to establish the fact, not opinion, that Christ, as head of the Church, established the church as a physical representation seen in the local body AND in the representation of all who believe. Neither of those things cancel the other.

If you don’t like church, church people or don’t want to go to church that’s on you. If you insist that God is found in esoteric or existential experience that’s on you. God and the Holy Spirit didn’t tell you that because it is antithetical to scriptural teaching and the clear historical record of the church.

Truly that is some weird chit... esoteric or existential and all that.

Kent

It’s not weird at all and then it is. It’s Gnosticism which was a heresy that the apostles fought and what you and several others propose as being real Christianity.

Again you project... I'm shocked...

Kent

It isn’t projection to understand church history, understand deviations from biblical teaching, hear and understand what someone is saying that they believe and to clearly see where that fits.

To be projection would mean that I hold your view etc. I don’t.

You projected your view of me being Gnostic.

This exact same thread subject happened in October. At that time you expressed that after trying you couldn't ascend and transcend.

I said no, you can't ascend and transcend, first time I've ever used those words in my life, your words, in a response.

Later you claimed that I said I had ascended and transcended, elw jumped in and asked if I was gnostic.

Eventually you apologized.

My faith of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit is well documented in that thread...

as is all the same players that frequent these threads.

Kent

Having to
repent,
rinse
& repeat over & over
to see paradise
is saying Christ's blood was not enough.

He died.
It covered ALL sin.
Forward & Backward.
Every bit of it.


Now, some are stuck on the "you have to accept the gift to receive it's promises."
I believe with all my heart that God is aware of that "problem". Also, that he has a plan for his children.
ALL of them.
And when that "plan" comes to the fallen and is completely revealed, those sinners will appreciate Christ's blood more than we do.
Cause we expect it.

I don’t think that I apologized. I think that EFW may have. I see no need to apologize for making honest observations during a conversation.

To say that someone who practices gnostic principles is not to say that that person is not a Christian so I’ve not said that nor have I meant to imply it.

That you hold to Gnostic beliefs and practices is fairly obvious. What you are before God I’ll not comment on. That is between you and God.

Gnosticism has, unfortunately, filtered it’s way into some Christian churches. Especially those all about self improvement, striving to become healthy, wealthy and wise.

Now it may not be packaged as classic Gnosticism with ascend and transcend but subtle features do slip in.

Buddhism is somewhat Gnostic in nature. There are a number of forms, not always that easy to pick out without deeper analysis.

If the Church focuses on Jesus and Jesus alone, it’s not so likely to slide into error.

It’s when we add to or take away from the Gospel that we become vulnerable to such, become deceived by the enemy.

DF

Gnostic, I've heard the term but never looked into the meaning, sounded like something to do with Celtic druids or something.

"If the Church focuses on Jesus and Jesus alone, it’s not so likely to slide into error."

Yes, exactly what I've said, I will add the Holy Spirit in that focus also... and as individuals also.

Stick with Christ and listen to the Holy Spirit, you can't go wrong.

Kent

Yep[/quote]


Scott F;
Good evening my friend, I trust you and yours are getting livable weather down there and you're all well.

It's good to see you dropping by, perhaps your ears were ringing as I was chatting with my better half coming back down from Kelowna a couple days back and you came up.

The context was when you and I and perhaps others - that part's gone now - decided we'd read the book of James every day for a month. For me there were a bunch of things that stuck with me and I appreciate being part of it.

On the Eastern Orthodox subject, if you want to really go down some deep philosophical discussions, there's a young fellow named Jonathan Pageau who became a believer in the Orthodox Church, who has a YouTube channel.

From our conversations in your truck cab and on our back deck, I'd think you might enjoy some of what he has to say or at least like me have to really think about what he's saying.

All the best of our Lord's blessings to you all my friend.

Dwayne[/quote]

Good evening Dwayne. We became Orthodox a little over three years ago. Best move we ever made. This probably won't surprise you but my baptismal name I'd James.

Same here, but in 2017, after many years in rebellion against how I was brought up.

the mainstream Christian Church in America kicked Jesus to the curb years ago.

I enjoyed reading this.

If you don’t mind, which church do you attend? That has not been my experience at all. I’ve mostly been in Baptist, Covenant and now Wesleyan churches. Jesus is pretty much front and center. I can save you a seat.

Here is a true question, not a gottcha question, anyone can answer.

What were the main subject matters in the last 4 sermons you attended in your church?

Not really remembering is a fine answer also.

Or if you'd rather, what subject matters were preached that really resonated with you and how often would you say that happened this last year.

Kent

every sermon covers a selected set of chapters of the Holy Bible, discussed in context of the day, and context of the present, and focuses on Jesus actions and words, disciples actions and the surrounding communities actions and backgrounds... slow long walks through Mathew and our small gatherings of two dozen at most, listen and discuss...

not preaching as much as explaining and contextualizing the word of the new testament's. been that way for several years with our Pastor Bill...

For me I find there is a wide difference in what is related to Jesus in the bible and all the rest. There is an intimacy in what he said and the context when he said it... an inclusion you can feel.

The rest of the bible is human history and preaching, ok in itself but the best you can say for the preaching is it's normal common sense... and the worst is some of it can be contradictory.

But the Jesus part, the simpleness yet deepness, the acceptance, the servitude, the caring, brotherhood, patience, welcomeness, selflessness and resurrection... it's so far above all the rest, it's all that really matters.

Meat vs crumbs.

The reason organized church is in decline is it serves a lot of crumbs.

Kent

Another issue is Jesus speaks to our spirit, the rest speak to our humanity.

Kent