Worthy Experiment!

[KPaulG]

On 6/27/2017 at 5:35 AM, Jc200jackie said:

I agree that the body should come together and work together for the glory of God and to continue to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. I also realise we are still sinners and complete unity will be on that glorious day when we raised to life with Him. As a body I believe we will only work together when we fully recognise and acknowledge the head and understand there are many parts within the body which are all needed and which are all of the same importance. 

(hopehope this makes sense. I'm new to forum posting ?)

Welcome.

[Justin Adams]

Good job Sir. Thanks.

[Scooter]

I found this site looking inline for a place that I could fellowship and hopefully "Glean" some nuggets of wisdom. I have been a Chaplain for going on 6 years and have dealt with many varying faiths and denominations. One thing is certain and that is we are all seeking truth. I am ok with looking to the "big picture" and not hanging up on the small stuff as I I counsel people, However there are "rib issues" and there are "spine issues". One is easier to live with then the other.

I see love as the fulfillment and simply choose to love everyone and if I see something I don't agree with spiritually {and it is not a "salvational issue"} Then I just pray for the Holy Spirits revelation to be made to them. 

[brotherdon]

Mark 9:38-41

³⁸ And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.

³⁹ But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.

⁴⁰ For he that is not against us is on our part.

⁴¹ For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.

 

 

 

 

[KPaulG]

On 3/5/2018 at 10:55 AM, Scooter said:

I found this site looking inline for a place that I could fellowship and hopefully "Glean" some nuggets of wisdom. I have been a Chaplain for going on 6 years and have dealt with many varying faiths and denominations. One thing is certain and that is we are all seeking truth. I am ok with looking to the "big picture" and not hanging up on the small stuff as I I counsel people, However there are "rib issues" and there are "spine issues". One is easier to live with then the other.

I see love as the fulfillment and simply choose to love everyone and if I see something I don't agree with spiritually {and it is not a "salvational issue"} Then I just pray for the Holy Spirits revelation to be made to them. 

I believe the reason why "love is the fulfillment of the law" (Romans 13:10) is because "love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away." 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

[DennisTate]

On 10/2/2004 at 12:37 PM, George said:

Hello my brothers and sisters in the Lord,

Most people don't realize the radical experiment we are doing here! I want you to imagine yourself -- hundreds of years ago -- when all the different denominations were starting! While everyone was insisting their beliefs were the "only" correct way to worship God -- they were creating more and more splits and divisions!

What we are trying to do at Worthy Boards is unheard of when you think about it! We are trying to unify the body -- while at the same time protect those fundamental truths that we can all agree with -- the need for salvation through Jesus -- the source of truth for living the Christian life found within the Bible. Read our Statement of faith! This experiment hasn't happened before when you really consider it!

Of course, there's the ecumenical movement -- unity for the sake of doctrinal compromises! I'm sorry, but the fundamental doctrines of the faith can't be compromised.

So often though when you have so many different denominations, you have many different avenues of thought that have never been explored by other denominations. Just because a teaching is "different" than one you are used to hearing, doesn't necessarily mean it's wrong -- it may be just different!

But differences of opinion is actually a good thing whether you realize it or not! For God didn't create us to be the SAME body part -- but created us all different so that we could join together to form the body of Christ to compliment each other!

Oftentimes I learn by realizing other avenues of thinking presented by various believers. By allowing various avenues of thoughts we expand our horizons and allow the Spirit of God to realign our thoughts with the mind of Christ and continue our growth in the maturity of the Lord.

So before you run out and cry "heretic" or "false teacher", be sure to carefully listen, and observe what someone is saying. I honestly believe that things "heard through the grapevine" have a way of being twisted -- but if you go to the source then you can carefully examine the fruit -- test the fruit -- and then make a judgment -- often times you may find that the red grape you were expecting to find was just a white grape -- it was just a different color, but when you examined the fruit -- you find out its still good fruit!

We need to recognize that every word spoken, we will be judged for. And everyone that is hindered from hearing the gospel because someone feels the need to scream - heretic, false prophet, or demeaning someone in some fashion -- let's just say I wouldn't want to be that person sitting before the Lord at the Bema Seat!

This is a problem that I do have and I want to voice my concerns now and I hope you carefully heed these words. When someone comes into the boards, who is not necessarily a Christian -- the first thing you should do is NOT castigate them.

The first thing you should do before you even post -- what would Jesus do? Did Jesus say -- get away from me you prostitute? or get away from me you heathen? or say give me the first stone because I am without sin?

Jesus didn't go closing doors, He went forth OPENING the DOOR so ALL could enter in!

This was the Lord's prayer to the Father before He was crucified! That we may all be ONE! My wife and I don't agree on everything -- but when we disagree -- we agree to disagree! Sometimes it's best to say -- I agree to disagree!

Love breaks down walls of division and covers a multitude of sins! So may the Love of God be abundant in your hearts so that the world can be radically changed through you!

May the love of God be shown in all of your posts!

Your brother in Christ with much agape love,

George

 

George.... would you say that the near death experience account of little Colton Burpo is bringing many Christians closer together in spite of differences in denomination?

 

I read the first book, then watched the movie.... then read the movie version of the book and I was in awe.

 

Isa 11:6

The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.

[SueZQ]

Wanted to bump this up, so worth revisiting 

[GandalfTheWise]

I cannot believe I missed this thread and the OP for so long here.  It so closely reflects my own views on things.   It is about "grass roots" unity between believers who each love the Lord; it's not about sectarian dominance.  It is about helping people actually know God more themselves; not about telling them what to think about God.   One of the biggest influences on me with regard to this is Richard Baxter of Kidderminster, a pastor in the 17th century.  In his work, "The Reformed Pastor" (note reformed was not so much about Reformed theology as we use the term today but rather more akin to revived), he talked at length about Christian unity.  Here are a few quotes (from several pages where he discussed Christian unity) that had a profound influence on me (in other words, God convicted me decades ago that I was contributing to tearing His people apart). 

How rare is it to meet with a man that smarteth or bleedeth with the Church’s wounds, or sensibly taketh them to heart as his own, or that ever had solicitous thoughts of a cure! No; but almost every party thinks that the happiness of the rest consisteth in turning to them; and because they be not of their mind, they cry, Down with them! and are glad to hear of their fall, as thinking that is the way to the Church’s rising, that is, their own. How few are there who understand the true state of controversies between the several parties; or that ever well discerned how many of them are but verbal, and how many are real! And if those that understand it do, in order to right information and accommodation, disclose it to others, it is taken as an extenuation of their error, and as a carnal compliance with them in their sin. Few men grow zealous for peace till they grow old, or have much experience of men’s spirits and principles, and see better the true state of the Church, and the several differences, than they did before. And then they begin to write their Irenicons, and many such are extant at this day. As a young man in the heat of his lust and passion was judged to be no fit auditor of moral philosophy, so we find that those same young men who may be zealous for peace and unity, when they are grown more experienced, are zealous for their factions against these in their youthful heat. And therefore, such peace-makers as these be- fore-mentioned do seldom do much greater good than to quiet their own consciences in the discharge of so great a duty, and to moderate some few, and save them from further guilt, and to leave behind them, when they are dead, a witness against a wilful, self-conceited, unpeaceable world. Nay, commonly it bringeth a man under suspicion either of favoring some heresy or abating his zeal, if he do but attempt a pacificatory work. As if there were no zeal necessary for the great fundamental verities of the Church’s unity and peace, but only for parties, and some particular truths. And a great advantage the devil hath got this way, by employing his own agents, the unhappy Socinians, in writing so many treatises for catholic and arch-catholic unity and peace, which they did for their own ends; by which means the enemy of peace hath brought it to pass, that whoever maketh motion for peace, is presently under suspicion of being one that hath need of it for an indulgence to his own errors. A fearful case, that heresy should be credited, as if none were such friends to unity and peace as they; and that so great and necessary a duty, upon which the Church’s welfare doth so depend, should be brought into such suspicion or disgrace.

...

We, that were wont to glory of our love to the brethren as a mark of our sincerity in the faith, have now turned it into the love of a party only; and those that are against that party have more of our spleen and envy and malice, than our love. I know this is not so with all, nor prevalently with any true believer; but yet it is so common, that it may cause us to question the sincerity of many that are thought by themselves and others to be most sincere. And it is not ourselves only that are scorched in this flame, but we have drawn our people into it, and cherished them in it, so that most of the godly in the nation are fallen into parties, and have turned much of their ancient piety into vain opinions and disputes and envyings and animosities.

...

I know it is said that a man may subscribe the Scripture, and the ancient creeds, and yet maintain Socinianism, or other heresies. To which I answer, So he [a heretic] may [pass] another test which your own brains shall contrive: and while you make a snare to catch heretics, instead of a test for the Church’s communion, you will miss your end; and the heretic, by the slipperiness of his conscience, will break through, and the tender Christian may possibly be ensnared. And by your new creed the Church is like to have new divisions, if you keep not close to the words of Scripture.  

He that shall live to that happy time when God will heal his broken churches, will see all this that I am pleading for reduced to practice, and this moderation takes place of the new-dividing zeal, and the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture established; and all men’s confessions and comments valued only as subservient helps, and not made the test of Church communion, any further than they are the same with Scripture. Till, however, the healing age come, we cannot expect that healing truths will be entertained, because there are not healing spirits in the leaders of the Church. But when the work is to be done, the workmen will be fitted for it; and blessed will be the agents of so glorious a work.

 

I recall how convicting the last two lines (which I italicized) were to me many years ago when I first read them.   I was not a healing spirit in the church; I was a sectarian partisan divider committed to tearing the church apart.  It wasn't about getting people closer to God; it was about getting them to agree that I was "correct" on most matters of doctrine and practice and that they'd be much better Christians for doing so.   That became an Isaiah 6:8 "Lord send me" moment in my life.  I didn't know how to start, but I determined that I was going to be a healing spirit in the body of Christ.  I've read countless pages in my life by countless authors, and there are those few sentences here and there that just leapt out at me and grabbed me.  The final sentence "But when the work is to be done, the workmen will be fitted for it; and blessed will be the agents of so glorious a work" is one of those.

[enoob57]

I think in this fashion:
The Scripture will lead to places one must wait to be enlarged in s/Spiritual capacity... if walking in the s/Spirit then the wait is more an obedience of 'I love you Lord' than anything else! The intimacy level of those who wait in this manner is full dependence upon God's Word alone through faith alone in Christ's Work alone... I am because He 'IS' and I am forever knit in this eternal reality called Life...

[RockyMidnight]

Excellent thread! There is no doubt in my heart this is Holy Spirit inspired.

Ephesians 2:8-10 New King James Version (NKJV)

⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Galatians 5; 16-26 Walking in the Spirit

¹⁶ I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: ^[d]adultery, ^[e]fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, ^[f]murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ^23 [g]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. ²⁴ And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.