Why can't we all just get along?

[kittylover0991]

Hey Everyone

Um well, this message has kind of been a concern of mine for a while, but it's not what the title is saying, but rather, dealing with that.

I fully support and I am completely thankful of the many who have asked this question on the boards "Why can't we all just get along?" and I feel that we shoudl be able to to some extent, being Christians, etc.

However, what if that question had a question for an answer, instead of it being the rhetorical question with the expected response? Why can't we all just get along? Well, why can't we all have the same doctrine or even the same bible?

This has really been bothering me for a while and I try not to say it to much considering the circumstances, but I'm truly longing for an answer to this... Why can't we get along? What if the answer is becuase so many of us have different beliefs, despite that "We are all Christians" and "We are all brothers and sisters in Christ"? The Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, spoke to the church of Corinth about having divisions among them. No, obviously, this is not a church being that a church is local and not universal or "everyone who is saved". The word church means "A called assembly" of born-again baptized believers... While it IS a great place for fellowship, ask questions, have studies, look at aspects of God's Word and various verses, sometimes advice and sometimes prayer, and of course, have fun (throw food ), could it be that we don't always get along becuase we have such a vast different in doctrine??

Seriously, sometimes it DOES come down to think with salvation such as whether or not one is saved by baptism, despite that there is a TOS and a faith statement here that says that we are NOT saved by baptism as is biblical, but that is not the point that I'm getting at. Or is it? How many times have I been in the chat room and someone said they know they are saved becuase they were baptized and everyone says "Amen!"? Yes, it seems that most of us hold to that one isn't saved by being good, etc, but somethign even as important as baptism?

There are many things that don't deal with salvation... speaking in tongues, healings, dreams.... These are MAJOR things in the bible and can we really just keep sugar coating it saying "Agree to disagree" or "You believe this, I believe this.. let's just overlook it at get along". Is that really how it should work?

If someone says "I had this dream, please help me to know what to do" how can I say to that person, even with as much love, that that isn't biblical without offending someone else? Offending the person I'm trying to help, that's one thing, but offending everyone else around me... what good is that?

Why is it that we can't even agree on what the Word of God is?? We have to talk about the RSV, the NKJV, the NIV, PURPOSEFULLY put down those who hold to that the KJV is pure word of God... we talk about the NASB, and the TNIV, etc... Don't forget the discussions going back about church fathers, and things about Westcott and Hort, and Sinaiticus and Vaticanus... we'll talk about the 1611 version and God's ability (or lack thereof) to preserve his Word, or even that "They are all God's Word" or my favorite, "Someoen can still get saved from them". As "brothers and sisters in Christ" why can't we even agree on one single bible?

I'm not saying I doubt everyone's salvation, certainly not I don't know everyone's heart and I trust that many on here ARE saved... I cherish the fellowship that so many of us have had... sure, I've only been here about four years (no where near as long as others), but this seems to keep coming up... "Why can't we all just get along".

My quesiton is "Why can't we all agree on God's Word"? That means doctrines, that means even something as simple as to what is the Word of God... if the NASB and the NIV are different, one says one thing and one says something else (even another way), and if one is the Word of God, does it not make sense that the other can not be? If one is perfect and hte other one has errors, then "the other one" must be the work of the devil, right?

We say "Let's come together as brothers and sisters in Christ" and "let's all get along" and "let's agree to disagree". There is nothing wrong with getting along, there is nothing around with fellowship, but how much sweeter a fellowship is when there is agreement on something as SIMPLE as God's Word... something as SIMPLE as salvation....

Why can't we all agree, instead of always agreeing to disagree?

[Scarletprayers]

Yes, I think part of it is us not wanting to change what we've been taught, but scholars who should know what they are taking about can't agree............how can we???

[kittylover0991]

I had a couple threads on this, take a look if you get a chance.

Agreeing to disagree

The unique oneness of believers

Hey Ruck,

The first thread of responses is EXACTLY what I'm referring to, and then the second one seems to be along on the lines of what you were trying to say....

this particular thing that you said in the second thread really stuck out to me:

This Word is so rich, so deep, yet we are content with two or three layers.

This frustrates me greatly because as "brothers and sisters in Christ" we are content with "God is love" and "Jesus died on the cross" but when it comes to anything else it's "Let's agree to disagree" and "You show me what you think, I'll show you what I think", we both have verses, and leave it at that.

I could care less about agreeing to disagree for the sake of not arguing, I know that ALL too well being around unbelievers in my family and at my work, etc but I don't understand it in a circle of "Christians".

I'm going to come out and say this... I don't see how there can be an organization of which is meant for Christian "fellowship" etc, in which there is such a great lack of UNITY in doctrine. How can there be that right fellowship when we dont' have unity on such things?? How can we get along as brothers and sisters in Christ when we don't even agree on what we base our lives on? How can we get along or have *real* Bible-based fellowship if we don't agree?

How is that we can completely IGNORE and DISMISS the fact that the bible says there should be unity of doctrine?

[Marnie]

If you put two people in a room, even they won't always agree. My point: never in history have people ever gotten along all the time. Add into the mix the anonymity of the 'net, where otherwise quiet folk can air their disparate views and you have created this environment. Forums like this one, and the myriads of others just like this one, are breeding grounds for all manner of odd ball notions that we shouldn't agree with.

[backontrack]

Hey Everyone

Um well, this message has kind of been a concern of mine for a while, but it's not what the title is saying, but rather, dealing with that.

I fully support and I am completely thankful of the many who have asked this question on the boards "Why can't we all just get along?" and I feel that we shoudl be able to to some extent, being Christians, etc.

However, what if that question had a question for an answer, instead of it being the rhetorical question with the expected response? Why can't we all just get along? Well, why can't we all have the same doctrine or even the same bible?

This has really been bothering me for a while and I try not to say it to much considering the circumstances, but I'm truly longing for an answer to this... Why can't we get along? What if the answer is becuase so many of us have different beliefs, despite that "We are all Christians" and "We are all brothers and sisters in Christ"? The Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, spoke to the church of Corinth about having divisions among them. No, obviously, this is not a church being that a church is local and not universal or "everyone who is saved". The word church means "A called assembly" of born-again baptized believers... While it IS a great place for fellowship, ask questions, have studies, look at aspects of God's Word and various verses, sometimes advice and sometimes prayer, and of course, have fun (throw food ), could it be that we don't always get along becuase we have such a vast different in doctrine??

Seriously, sometimes it DOES come down to think with salvation such as whether or not one is saved by baptism, despite that there is a TOS and a faith statement here that says that we are NOT saved by baptism as is biblical, but that is not the point that I'm getting at. Or is it? How many times have I been in the chat room and someone said they know they are saved becuase they were baptized and everyone says "Amen!"? Yes, it seems that most of us hold to that one isn't saved by being good, etc, but somethign even as important as baptism?

There are many things that don't deal with salvation... speaking in tongues, healings, dreams.... These are MAJOR things in the bible and can we really just keep sugar coating it saying "Agree to disagree" or "You believe this, I believe this.. let's just overlook it at get along". Is that really how it should work?

If someone says "I had this dream, please help me to know what to do" how can I say to that person, even with as much love, that that isn't biblical without offending someone else? Offending the person I'm trying to help, that's one thing, but offending everyone else around me... what good is that?

Why is it that we can't even agree on what the Word of God is?? We have to talk about the RSV, the NKJV, the NIV, PURPOSEFULLY put down those who hold to that the KJV is pure word of God... we talk about the NASB, and the TNIV, etc... Don't forget the discussions going back about church fathers, and things about Westcott and Hort, and Sinaiticus and Vaticanus... we'll talk about the 1611 version and God's ability (or lack thereof) to preserve his Word, or even that "They are all God's Word" or my favorite, "Someoen can still get saved from them". As "brothers and sisters in Christ" why can't we even agree on one single bible?

I'm not saying I doubt everyone's salvation, certainly not I don't know everyone's heart and I trust that many on here ARE saved... I cherish the fellowship that so many of us have had... sure, I've only been here about four years (no where near as long as others), but this seems to keep coming up... "Why can't we all just get along".

My quesiton is "Why can't we all agree on God's Word"? That means doctrines, that means even something as simple as to what is the Word of God... if the NASB and the NIV are different, one says one thing and one says something else (even another way), and if one is the Word of God, does it not make sense that the other can not be? If one is perfect and hte other one has errors, then "the other one" must be the work of the devil, right?

We say "Let's come together as brothers and sisters in Christ" and "let's all get along" and "let's agree to disagree". There is nothing wrong with getting along, there is nothing around with fellowship, but how much sweeter a fellowship is when there is agreement on something as SIMPLE as God's Word... something as SIMPLE as salvation....

Why can't we all agree, instead of always agreeing to disagree?

[kittylover0991]

Hey Everyone

Um well, this message has kind of been a concern of mine for a while, but it's not what the title is saying, but rather, dealing with that.

I fully support and I am completely thankful of the many who have asked this question on the boards "Why can't we all just get along?" and I feel that we shoudl be able to to some extent, being Christians, etc.

However, what if that question had a question for an answer, instead of it being the rhetorical question with the expected response? Why can't we all just get along? Well, why can't we all have the same doctrine or even the same bible?

This has really been bothering me for a while and I try not to say it to much considering the circumstances, but I'm truly longing for an answer to this... Why can't we get along? What if the answer is becuase so many of us have different beliefs, despite that "We are all Christians" and "We are all brothers and sisters in Christ"? The Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, spoke to the church of Corinth about having divisions among them. No, obviously, this is not a church being that a church is local and not universal or "everyone who is saved". The word church means "A called assembly" of born-again baptized believers... While it IS a great place for fellowship, ask questions, have studies, look at aspects of God's Word and various verses, sometimes advice and sometimes prayer, and of course, have fun (throw food ), could it be that we don't always get along becuase we have such a vast different in doctrine??

Seriously, sometimes it DOES come down to think with salvation such as whether or not one is saved by baptism, despite that there is a TOS and a faith statement here that says that we are NOT saved by baptism as is biblical, but that is not the point that I'm getting at. Or is it? How many times have I been in the chat room and someone said they know they are saved becuase they were baptized and everyone says "Amen!"? Yes, it seems that most of us hold to that one isn't saved by being good, etc, but somethign even as important as baptism?

There are many things that don't deal with salvation... speaking in tongues, healings, dreams.... These are MAJOR things in the bible and can we really just keep sugar coating it saying "Agree to disagree" or "You believe this, I believe this.. let's just overlook it at get along". Is that really how it should work?

If someone says "I had this dream, please help me to know what to do" how can I say to that person, even with as much love, that that isn't biblical without offending someone else? Offending the person I'm trying to help, that's one thing, but offending everyone else around me... what good is that?

Why is it that we can't even agree on what the Word of God is?? We have to talk about the RSV, the NKJV, the NIV, PURPOSEFULLY put down those who hold to that the KJV is pure word of God... we talk about the NASB, and the TNIV, etc... Don't forget the discussions going back about church fathers, and things about Westcott and Hort, and Sinaiticus and Vaticanus... we'll talk about the 1611 version and God's ability (or lack thereof) to preserve his Word, or even that "They are all God's Word" or my favorite, "Someoen can still get saved from them". As "brothers and sisters in Christ" why can't we even agree on one single bible?

I'm not saying I doubt everyone's salvation, certainly not I don't know everyone's heart and I trust that many on here ARE saved... I cherish the fellowship that so many of us have had... sure, I've only been here about four years (no where near as long as others), but this seems to keep coming up... "Why can't we all just get along".

My quesiton is "Why can't we all agree on God's Word"? That means doctrines, that means even something as simple as to what is the Word of God... if the NASB and the NIV are different, one says one thing and one says something else (even another way), and if one is the Word of God, does it not make sense that the other can not be? If one is perfect and hte other one has errors, then "the other one" must be the work of the devil, right?

We say "Let's come together as brothers and sisters in Christ" and "let's all get along" and "let's agree to disagree". There is nothing wrong with getting along, there is nothing around with fellowship, but how much sweeter a fellowship is when there is agreement on something as SIMPLE as God's Word... something as SIMPLE as salvation....

Why can't we all agree, instead of always agreeing to disagree?

[Marnie]

If you put two people in a room, even they won't always agree. My point: never in history have people ever gotten along all the time. Add into the mix the anonymity of the 'net, where otherwise quiet folk can air their disparate views and you have created this environment. Forums like this one, and the myriads of others just like this one, are breeding grounds for all manner of odd ball notions that we shouldn't agree with.

True, but there is something that we have that should put a end to all dispute; the Life of God. God is in total agreement with Himself, we just need to learn how to completly live by His life.

That's a wonderful notion that won't be achieved in this world, unfortunately. Our life in G-d doesn't mean we check our brains at the door when we come in. Which means the gospel net pulls in all manner of fish, some good, some mediocre, others rotten to the core. The early church was full of disputes (Peter vs. Paul, Paul vs. Mark, Paul vs. everybody else ). Why should we think the modern church would be any different? But we can take a lesson from how they solved their problems. Man by his very nature is complicated, often at war within himself, seeking affirmation and confirmation from others. G-d can be "in total agreement with Himself" because He doesn't need those things.

[Tehilah Ba'Aretz]

I read the bible with a certain set of contexts. I was born in the US and grew up in the US and went to an Evangelical Bible college in the US. Later, I have lived in many different cultures, in many places. So, my context when I read the Bible colors the way I understand what I read. I see things in the Hebrew that I never saw in English.

I read the same Bible as my friend Moshe but Moshe is an Orthodox Jewish man and he sees things much differently than I. It's not that Moshe is wrong either. He has wonderful insights that often set me on whole new pathways of Bible study. But you see, Moshe and I get along just fine. He doesn't see Jesus the same way I see our beloved Messiah but it's not my job to make Moshe see Jesus. That is the job of the Holy Spirit. I have other friends who don't see all of the things in the Bible that I see. This is not a real problem to me either. I say the same about them as I say about Moshe. It is God's job to reveal Himself. I am willing to do anything the Lord asks me to do in the process if I can be part of that revelation. But still, if it depends on me teaching the world everything I know about the Bible and God, the world will be a poorer place than if we all depend on God to reveal Himself.

[RebekahDavid]

Statement of Faith

We believe in God, the almighty creator of heaven and earth.

We believe in the triunity of God. We believe that God is eternally One, and also eternally the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit -- the three being distinct, but not separate. Each Person of the Godhead coexists from everlasting to everlasting.

We believe in the Messiah, Jesus, God's only begotten son, God come in the flesh. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate. He was crucified, died and buried. On the third day, He rose and ascended into heaven. Now He is seated at the right hand of the Father and He will return to judge both the living and the dead and reign for evermore.

We believe all mankind are sinful and are therefore subject to God

[OneLight]

If you take a picture and show it to 10 people, one at a time, and have them tell you what they saw, you would get 10 different answers. So is the Christian life. We are all different. Because of this, God works differently in each of our lives. He can use the same piece of scripture and apply it to each of our lives in different ways, all being true to what He is telling us. Yet, because He used a piece of scripture to show me something different then what He is showing you, we may have a different understanding. Instead of accepting what God has done is others lives, we stand firm on what He had done in our own life; therefore, how I understand this scripture is true, so you must be wrong. Sad, I know ... If it was from God, it all is true. We need to accept that God sees us as individuals and deals with us in such a way.

A very simplistic view, but this is how I understand the problem.

OneLight