Anyone know where Christians and only Christians..

[carlos123]

I would think that the ones who offend you the most are the ones who need to experience the love of God the most

I think it's very important to realize Gerioke that this isn't about a perceived personal offense on my part. Over the years I have grown a rather thick skin and been called lots of things for speaking what I believed to be God's truth into a situation. From Jesus freak to fundamental nutcase and everything in between. Some have gotten so hateful toward me that if they could I think they would have reached through my email to choke me . And NOT because I had done or said anything wrong to them at all (though sometimes I have been guilty of that)!

So it's not about being personally offended per se. It's about dealing with sin in our midst properly in such a way that God's ultimate glory and honor is held up before the world through the Church. Iit is IMPOSSIBLE for the Church to not judge the sin in it's midst and glorify God at the same time. It's just not possible. At least not in the way God would desire to be glorified through His Bride the Church.

Carlos

[Gerioke]

I would think that the ones who offend you the most are the ones who need to experience the love of God the most

I think it's very important to realize Gerioke that this isn't about a perceived personal offense on my part. Over the years I have grown a rather thick skin and been called lots of things for speaking what I believed to be God's truth into a situation. From Jesus freak to fundamental nutcase and everything in between. Some have gotten so hateful toward me that if they could I think they would have reached through my email to choke me . And NOT because I had done or said anything wrong to them at all (though sometimes I have been guilty of that)!

So it's not about being personally offended per se. It's about dealing with sin in our midst properly in such a way that God's ultimate glory and honor is held up before the world through the Church. Iit is IMPOSSIBLE for the Church to not judge the sin in it's midst and glorify God at the same time. It's just not possible. At least not in the way God would desire to be glorified through His Bride the Church.

Carlos

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So would you say you arte without sin?

[carlos123]

You say sinful

There is another poster that says denominations are sinful

Different people have different ideas on what sin is, that is why we discuss such things. At least that is my understanding

Okay I'll grant you that there are differences of opiinion about what is sinful. But I am not here talking about sin in general into which we all fall into on occasion. I am talking about a persistent, obstinate, lack of willingness to repent from known sin.

Let's assume for a moment that such sin is knowable and clearly described in the Bible. Should we allow it to remain in our midst? To fester and cause division and strife? If so is that what God would have us do?

I have seen athiests and philosophers and satanists drift through here. Some of them have acted more christlike than many christians I have known.

Very sad to say but true. I wonder if the church practiced church discipline routinely if such would still be the case though for these Christians would have been confronted about their sin and would have had to deal with it.

Do you expell them for disagreeing with you?

I don't know why so many, on hearing me talk about these things, equate what I am saying with kicking people out of the Church because they disagree with me. It honestly perplexes me.

This is NOT about someone disagreeing with me or anyone else. As I said, strong and deep disagreements are present in my fellowship with other Christians, yet I still fellowship with them. So it's not about that at all.

That's a bit of a GW Bush thing to do isn't it?

He hrmm (clearing my throat). Not sure how that one sneaked into this conversation but I will leave it oncommented

Carlos

[carlos123]

So would you say you arte without sin?

I will answerith your question Gerioke if you answer mine....art thou saved? Just curieth.

Carlos

[Gerioke]

yes

[Guest shiloh357]

From Carlos:

But, I also have experienced a great deal of another aspect of this and many other forums that I do not like so much. There I will be, talking to a brother or sister in Christ, either learning something from God on my part or they of God through me as we interact, and WHAM! Somebody will come in and start acting out in their flesh to introduce Satan into our midst.

And they will continue to do so into other threads and other conversations because they are allowed to remain. That's not good! And certainly not conducive to fellowship. It wouldn't work in a small home group and it certainly doesn't seem to work at large over the Internet in terms of making intimate spiritual fellowship very likely to stay on track to to honor God.

I hear ya, brother!! I will admit that I am sometimes puzzled why some are allowed to remain. Sometimes some weirdo gets on the board and is banned in less than 24 hours. Others come here, starting trouble, talking trash, frustrating the saints, and are allowed to remain for weeks, even months.

One thing I have been learning lately, is that our mods, and George, our chief admin., Do as they feel led by the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, the Lord has led some of these people here for a reason. I DON'T understand sometimes. George is listening to the Lord and is doing as he says. I have to trust that. I have to trust George's and the mods' judgment. They are the ones God has anointed to be in the position they are in, and I must abide by that. They will remove members and retain members as the Lord sees fit for them to do.

I don't think you will find a Christian board without some false teachers paying a visit; a very long visit in some cases. I don't You can search, but false teachers, and trouble makers are everywhere. It is hard. It wears on ya. Sometimes I have had to take a few days off of the boards just to collect myself, regroup, and be refreshed.

I don't really have answers for you per se, all I can offer are my thoughts on the matter.

Be Blessed

[carlos123]

yes

Then yes, I do still sin.

But my sins are not the persistent, obstinate, and unwilling to stop sins I am referring to.

For example I might get angry here and there with others in a way that is sinful but I repent from it when I fall, get up to claim the forgiveness to be found in Christ and go on.

There is a BIG difference between sins that we fall into and get up from and those which we undulge in, treasure, and refuse to repent from.

It's like this.

On the one hand is the kind of sinning that is like a runner running down the track who falls and stumbles (like a Christian falling through some weakness of the flesh). Different runners may fall in different ways and some may take longer than others to get up and keep running. But they do get up and keep following their coaches instructions.

On the other hand there is a runner who decides one day that he is not going to run anymore. That he will sit down on purpose on the track and refuse to get up. No matter what the coach says. And who ends up causing a real problem for all the other runners using the same track.

Do you see the difference that I am talking about Gerioke?

Carlos

[Gerioke]

Carlos

You seem to be genuine in your seeking the path of righteousness, but the sad truth is there are people out there who will try to disrupt, Even if you did find a 100% christian fellowship message board , there's no way of keeping the malcontents out. Besides that, if you did filter out the more obstanant people you might be shutting someone out who genuinely needs help

[carlos123]

One thing I have been learning lately, is that our mods, and George, our chief admin.,  Do as they feel led by the Holy Spirit.  Sometimes, the Lord has led some of these people here for a reason.  I DON'T understand sometimes.  George is listening to the Lord and is doing as he says.  I have to trust that.  I have to trust George's and the mods' judgment.  They are the ones God has anointed to be in the position they are in, and I must abide by that. 

That we must abide by what George and the mods allow given that we are on their forum is without question.

But may I suggest, and I think George and the mods would agree with this, that our guidebook if you will is not George and the mods but God through His Word?

I have seen George and the mods helld in such high esteem here sometimes, and there is to be sure a lot to praise them in what they have done, that I wonder if this high esteem can sometimes interfere with seeing God's ulltimate way of doing things better. In other words we may think that because George and the mods are being led by the Spirit in the best way they know how that there isi no way that we, who are likewise being led by the Spirit by the way, can come to see how God might want to do things differently apart from their leading.

There is a very subtle but dangerous view in Christian circles I think that leaders are in such a place in the Church that only they can discern the will of God or properly seek Him to fathom how we should be. As I see it a leaders main role is to lead by example of Christilikeness in how they conduct themselves. Not to get between us and God and determine what is and is not right by God to do.

As I mentioned in a previous post I want to encourage everyone to seek the Lord directly on what is happening in Christian circles, to uncover the needs that are there, and to do something about it as God gives us light to do so from His Word. Anyone one of us can do that as we all are competent to do so by virtue of having His Spirit living in us.

I don't think you will find a Christian board without some false teachers paying a visit; a very long visit in some cases.  I don't You can search, but false teachers, and trouble makers are everywhere. 

Indeed that is so true Shiloh in the sense of them being everywhere. But I believe with all my heart that God has instructed us in His Word as to how to deal with such within the Church.

May I also suggest that the fact that there is currently no such place might be indicative of God wanting to do something new? As opposed to us concluding that this is the only way it can be or that it will ever be?

It is hard.  It wears on ya.  Sometimes I have had to take a few days off of the boards just to collect myself, regroup, and be refreshed.

May I suggest in view of that, that there is something wrong in how we are doing Church at least on the Internet if instead of being contnually refreshed by our online fellowship we are oftentimes worn out from the conflicts?

I don't really have answers for you per se, all I can offer are my thoughts on the matter.

Your thoughts are always appreciated bro. The only answers are in the Word. May I suggest that we seek the Lord through His Word, with willing hearts to do things outside the box, to give us insight as to how He might want us, the Church online, to do things diferently?

Carlos

PS. May I suggest that I stop saying may I suggest so often

[carlos123]

You seem to be genuine in your seeking the path of righteousness,

Thanks Gerioke! I like to think of myself as seeking the path of righteousness at least .

...but the sad truth is there are people out there who will try to disrupt, Even if you did find a 100% christian fellowship message board , there's no way of keeping the malcontents out.

It's not a matter of keeping the malcontents out now that I think about it more but rather how to deal with them once they get in. What applies in a healthy church according to the Word should be applicable to any internet manifestation of that same Church on the Internet.

Besides that, if you did filter out the more obstanant people you might be shutting someone out who genuinely needs help

If by obstinate people you mean the kind of person I have previously described such a person is not able to get God's help until they humble themselves and repent. To discipline them, no differently than disciplining a child, is to help them come to repentence and to break from their obstinacy.

God disciplines us for own good. It should be but a reflection of God's discipline for a Church to discipline those who are obstinate and unrepentent. It is PRECISELY the help that they need.

Carlos