Has it ever occurred to you?

That so much time is spent on these posts criticizing and judging others as though we are more right then others. What is it that makes one think that he is more right than others?

Why don’t we spend more time trying to edify one another? Why don’t we practice the love of Christ in esteeming others better than our selves? Why don’t we strive to demonstrate the love of Christ in what we say about other people?

Matthew 7:1-2 (KJV) 1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

James 2:8-13 (KJV) 8 If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
11 For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law.
12 So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.
13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.

Can I ask you is this aimed at any one post in particular or just a swiping general comment that you felt led to share concerning every post in the forum? I am asking because I have found some of the recent posts very edify personally. Some have really helped remind me to except nothing less then the Scripture as my standard, rather then putting my faith or trust in men.

Just wondering
rdg

rainydaygirl wrote:
Can I ask you is this aimed at any one post in particular or just a swiping general comment that you felt led to share concerning every post in the forum? I am asking because I have found some of the recent posts very edify personally. Some have really helped remind me to except nothing less then the Scripture as my standard, rather then putting my faith or trust in men.

Just wondering
rdg

Sister,

It is a blessing to be edified from the spirit of truth. I am glad you have been edified but there is much character assassination from some on here if they disagree with another.

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 (KJV) 1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

OH, I guess I just have not come across that as much with the threads that I have read. I do tend to avoid certain topics though. Thanks for responding so fast. I was not sure if there was one thread in particular that had caused you to post. I suppose no matter where you go there will always be that within us that wants to defend our point of view. I do think it is defiantly something that I struggle with at times. I am learning that it is important to choose ones battles. I have to say though that when it comes to truth of Scripture being twisted to suite someones sinful life style or to lead others astray I will try to share with them Gods truth. IF they refuse to listen though all that is left to do is pray for them. The Word must be the standard that we live by, and it must be shared with love, with the goal of always pointing one toward Jesus.

rdg

A very good word, or concern brother. I do agree some discussions are nessacary, but what we all need to check is our spirit and motive behind them, if as you say the root is in "i" being right more then love expressed in errors that could lead to spiritual harm on those we talk to we are on dangerous ground.

I have always been amazed at this verse.

Jas 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

All men who can not control their tongue, at home at work, in discussing doctrines and other people, their religion, all their knowledge, all their prayers, all their giving is worth zero, worthless......

What the new testament speaks on is and what i have found to be missing in christianity much today, and probably one of the factors heresy's and lukewarmness and blunt preaching is rampant is the lack of practicing this verse.

Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

G3870
παρακαλέω
parakaleō
Thayer Definition:
1) to call to one’s side, call for, summon
2) to address, speak to, (call to, call upon), which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction, etc.
2a) to admonish, exhort
2b) to beg, entreat, beseech
2b1) to strive to appease by entreaty
2c) to console, to encourage and strengthen by consolation, to comfort
2c1) to receive consolation, be comforted
2d) to encourage, strengthen
2e) exhorting and comforting and encouraging
2f) to instruct, teach

hmmhmm wrote:

I have always been amazed at this verse.

Jas 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

All men who can not control their tongue, at home at work, in discussing doctrines and other people, their religion, all their knowledge, all their prayers, all their giving is worth zero, worthless......

What the new testament speaks on is and what i have found to be missing in christianity much today, and probably one of the factors heresy's and lukewarmness and blunt preaching is rampant is the lack of practicing this verse.

Heb 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

G3870
παρακαλέω
parakaleō
Thayer Definition:
1) to call to one’s side, call for, summon
2) to address, speak to, (call to, call upon), which may be done in the way of exhortation, entreaty, comfort, instruction, etc.
2a) to admonish, exhort
2b) to beg, entreat, beseech
2b1) to strive to appease by entreaty
2c) to console, to encourage and strengthen by consolation, to comfort
2c1) to receive consolation, be comforted
2d) to encourage, strengthen
2e) exhorting and comforting and encouraging
2f) to instruct, teach

Dear Christian,

I have greatly enjoyed your posts. It has always been a delight to read one of your posts. I want to personally thank you for the many times you have edified me with yours writings and the spirit that you display.

Blessings to you!

Dear Christian, I have greatly enjoyed your posts. It has always been a delight to read one of your posts. I want to personally thank you for the many times you have edified me with yours writings and the spirit that you display. Blessings to you!

Thank you, your words warm me :-) so often i struggle to express the enormous "things" inside of me trying to get out, so many times i feel i just got so little out from what a river that flows on the outside, sometimes for the better sometimes for worse, but not easy trying express everything in english when you think in swedish.

But i am glad if i in the smallest way can contribute to the least of men. Your presence here brother have encouraged me to often times. Its not we never should get into the "nitty-gritty" hard topics that can be offensive and misunderstood, easy become controversy and divide.... but if those subjects are the only one we participate in..... something is wrong in our spirit even tho we think we have #right" doctrine and authority to teach and rebuke the deceived. There certainly is a great need to talk these things.... but if we find ourself always as soon as one of those threads pop up we are in it and typing our conviction and never enter into the other vast realm of subjects, I fear we missed what christianity is about.

There is a time for everything, sometimes warning and a hard word, but also for love and encouragement, so we can see what threads are we most easily sucked into? then we can ask God why is that i am being drawn to these certain topics?

a good question for all of us.

Thank you again for this thread, its encouraging

(Has it ever occured to you) that so much time is spent on these posts criticizing and judging others as though we are more right then others. What is it that makes one think that he is more right than others?

I feel led to berate and criticize you and question your salvation for asking such questions. :-)

Seriously, I've been asking myself the same questions lately, and I don't know the answers. But let me bounce a few ideas off you...

Sound doctrine is essential to the life of the church.

Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed. 2 John 9-10

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 2 Tim. 4:2-4

Since we live in an age of general apostasy, it is necessary to hash out important doctrinal issues, and this forum is a great place for it. What bothers me is the way we get so viscerally angry over doctrinal diasagreements and start bighting and devouring one another. I recently embroiled myself in a Three Stooges pie fight on the "Calvary Chapel...EMERGENT?" thread, until people started posting testimonies of their Barnsdall experiences, and the absurdity of what we were doing struck me with such force that I felt like an idiot among idiots - like a soldier in an army that expends all its energy fighting itself instead of fighting the enemy.

The Moravians used to refer to fraternal bickering as "ants under the armor." When an army is idle, ants get under the armor. They get itchy, sweaty, irritable and start bickering amongst themselves. Maybe we bicker because we are an idle army. If we were out on the front lines where we are supposed to be, we wouldn't have the time or the inclination for petty squabbling; we would be standing shoulder to shoulder in unity. King David fell into sin when he stayed idling in his palace when he should have been on the front lines with his men. 2 Sam. 11

It is easy to understand why professional clergymen war over theology. Dogma is the cudgel with which they wield authority over the flock. People who disagree with their dogma pose a threat to their livelihood. But even among the laity there persists this ancient heresy that the sum and substance of the Christian life is upholding correct doctrinal opinions, that correct opinionation is what God chiefly requires of us and that if we get the theology right, everything else falls into place. This is demonstrably wrong.

Neil recently posted a few vids of Rev. Fred ("God Hates Fags") Phelps. Mr. Phelps is a warning of what happens to Christians who nurture the root of bitterness. Heb. 12:15 He has harbored bitterness so long that it has consumed him and overthrown his wits. But, to me, the really scary thing about Phelps is that his theology is rock-solid, straight out of the New Testament. But can Phelps' doctrinally sound venom-spewing really be called "Gospel preaching?" No, this poor nut demonstrates that correct opinionation has no spiritual virtue in itslf. It may be theologically orthodox, but if it is devoid of agape love, it is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Follow peace with all [men], and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble [you], and thereby many be defiled. Heb. 12:14-15

Good points, all.

Wayneman, I liked so much of what you shared, especially about the ants under the armor. Also, the scripture passages.

As to Mr. Phelps, he is a good example of the noisy gong or clanging cymbal of 1Cor13:1. Love is what is needed in all correction and instruction in righteousness: the motivation of love in its purest form--the greatest gift.

excellent adition to this thred . God bless you and may His grace abound towards you , Clint

I just got back and wanted to say great points everyone.

Thanks wayneman, Christian, runtowin for your excellent posts!

Ephesians 4:15-16 (KJV) 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

1 Peter 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

2 Timothy 2:23-26 (KJV) 23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. 24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

I have seen God do some mighty things here lately. One of these was Saturday May 9th where we had a family day at the church with some activities for the children that brought out some young couples with their children. As pastor of a church of over 200 members, but always desiring to reach people whom Christ died for, I decided to have this day to hopefully bless families. I did not know that God was going to deliver a young man from destruction on our local church grounds that day. It all began around lunch time that I was called to the fellowship hall where a young mother wanted to see me; she tried to tell me with crying that she had taken out a restraining order on the children’s daddy because he had hit her. I found out that they were not married but I prayed for her and tried to calm her. It was 30 minutes later that her mother called for me and told me that her boy friend was on the property upset at her daughter saying some ugly things to her and that maybe I should tell him to leave. I walk to the other side of the property and in the parking area was a man who was smoking a cigarette, high on drugs, alcohol, and very angry. I go over and try to talk to him and to make a long story short I end up getting both of them with the toddler in her arms to come over to the drive through shelter of the church where I talked to them for around two hours. He finally breaks and asks me to pray for him to receive Christ into his life. He repents and asks God to forgive him and I lay hands on him and pray for him. The power of the Holy Spirit comes upon Him and in a moment he is a different person.

He also told me that he was going to go turn himself in and that something had happened to him that had never happened before.
Three days later his grandmother calls me and tells me that he wants to see me and that he has checked in at the behavioral health in the hospital. I go to the hospital and find out that his grandmother has given him a bible and he wanted me to underline some scripture for him. He tells me over and over again how much he thanks me for taking the time to talk to him. He told me if God had not reached him that day at the church that he would probably be dead right now or in prison. He also told me that when he left that he drove to the river and threw away a 38 pistol. He said that he had been on drugs most of his 32 years of age and that he hadn’t slept for 15 days and that night, of the day that God came into his life, that he slept all night. He checked himself into the hospital because he wanted to be completely dried out and he also went to an alcohol and drug treatment center in where he has now been free for over a month. He knows it is because of Christ working in his life. I could go on and on about many other things and other people who wanted me to share scripture with them at the treatment center.

I believe with all my heart that God wants to set the captives free and to heal people’s lives, but it must be the working of the Holy Spirit. I am striving more than ever to be available for God to use me. People must know what the Lord Jesus has done for them. They must know that he gave himself on the cross for them. They must know about the altar, the blood, and the cross of Jesus Christ. They must experience redemption by his blood and deliverance through his cross. My every desire is to walk and live every moment in his presence with power of the Holy Spirit in operation at all times. I want to know Him with a passion to always deny myself and take up the cross and follow Him.

I always want to rightly divide the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Forgive me for going so long and where I mention myself, because I only desire to glorify my Lord.

rbanks wrote:
Has it ever occurred to you that so much time is spent on these posts criticizing and judging others as though we are more right then others.

rbanks

I just wanted to come back and say I sincerely hope that my two posts yesterday did not come off as being augmentative. I do not read all the threads so at first I was not sure of what you were talking about, but I do now have a better understanding.
thank you for sharing
rdg

rainydaygirl wrote:
rbanks

I just wanted to come back and say I sincerely hope that my two posts yesterday did not come off as being augmentative. I do not read all the threads so at first I was not sure of what you were talking about, but I do now have a better understanding.
thank you for sharing
rdg

Thank you sister for those gracious words and for understanding better. Nothing wrong with wanting more clarification.

Blessings to you!

appolus wrote:
When Christ is the center of our conversation, our lives , our hopes, our dreams, our visions,. when Christ dominates eveything that we do and everything that we think, then men are drawn to Him through us. If He be lifted up, if the name of Jesus and the Spirit of God burns at the center of our soul, then passion for the lost and a passion to see the captives set free and a passion to read the Word more and a passion to be more Christlike and a passion to treat everyone with love will flow like a river from the throne-room itself.

Now this is brother I can also fellowship with.

Thank you brother Frank for those gracious words,

An excellent post stating truth, oh so relevant, to those in pursuit of God for himself alone.

I have no desire to be in any doctrinal camp or persuasion. No “isms” for me brother just to know Christ is my desire. The only persuasion that I won’t to be in is the demonstration of the Spirit and of power.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 (KJV) 1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

2 Timothy 1:12 (KJV) For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Romans 8:38-39 (KJV) 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Blessings to you!