Keith Green quote | SermonIndex

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drifter Aug 29, 2018

When I was a new Christian I spent many useless hours (weeks, even months!) wrangling over words. I'd argue over anything and everything: Can a Christian be possessed by demons? Do you have to be sprinkled or immersed to be truly baptized? Should you be baptized in the name of Jesus only or in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit?

In some ways I set myself up for this. After concerts people came up to me and said, "You know, I don't agree with your position on this or that." I'd sit at the edge of the stage, a crowd would gather, and I'd throw out Scripture with the other person lobbing back different verses. We'd have a great time with our "flesh" exposed for all to see. I loved it!

You see, a contentious spirit is not true zeal for God. Immature Christians may think they know all the right answers and that everyone has to see things their way, but that's warped thinking, sinful, and even self-condemning.

S

savannah Aug 29, 2018

So...I guess we shouldn't expect to see too many posts from you in the future!

Ever notice the amount of posts by different members of the forum, and then notice how many years they've been on the forum?

Either;

1) They've got so much time on their hands
2) They're an authority on the Scriptures
3) They're sincerely seeking fellowship
4) They've got valid questions...or,
5) They love to ______!

Go figure!

And...DON'T go to the mirror and get amnesia!

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Gloryandgrace Aug 29, 2018

Not everyone is cut from the same cloth.

Keith Green was a Psalmist/evangelist. His gifts that area are wonderful. He recognized that he didn't do well with controversy. When you walk away condemned or guilt, feeling ashamed for what you said, it means your conscience has been damaged by your actions.

Sometimes a mans conscience needs to gain more truth, that truth liberates him to pursue avenues that were too dangerous or couldn't be navigated with a right heart.

Sometimes a mans conscience is warning him of venturing off the path, getting into the flesh.

Men who have a clear conscience and yet will go to the forefront of contentious issues are gifted for that by God, those who are not are immature to accuse them of being in the flesh.
Men who have a clear conscience by avoiding controversy are gifted of God to offer more empathy or compassion; those enter the battle of words but do not stay long because inwardly they long to reconcile regardless of the 'issues'.

Keith' quote maybe right for him, but it's no prescriptive for anyone else unless the Spirit of God reveals to them they are acting outside of faith and their gifting's.
It is not different than if I were to tell you all, "all truth is worth dying for and there are no hills of truth that should be sacrificed to the enemy". So by that someone uses it as a prescriptive to fuss with everyone about everything. After a while the obvious misuse and misapplication becomes apparent with all the carnal commotion it caused.

Is Keith wrong? Am I wrong? If anything is done without faith it is sin to us, motives, obedience, spiritual truth and availability to the Spirit of God all come into play.
Avoid broad brushing...avoid being broad brushed with personal axioms that are not requisite to your life.

T

TMK Aug 29, 2018

Looks like my average is about 2 posts per day. If it gets to 3 I’ll attend "posters anonymous.”

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Gloryandgrace Aug 29, 2018

todd said... If it gets to 3 I’ll attend "posters anonymous.”

Things that will send Todd to the loony bin
1. The 'enter' key on his keyboard quits
2. writes a 10,000 word post and when submitted says "discussion board not selected" and he loses it all.
3. marvin changes his mind about Calvinism.

T

TMK Aug 29, 2018

Ha!

I do kind of wish I couldn’t access on my phone. It makes for sloppy posting and probably too much posting. I am not a fast phone typer like the millennials.

sermonindex Aug 30, 2018

When I was a new Christian I spent many useless hours (weeks, even months!) wrangling over words. I'd argue over anything and everything: Can a Christian be possessed by demons? Do you have to be sprinkled or immersed to be truly baptized? Should you be baptized in the name of Jesus only or in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit?

An excellent quote by Keith Green, and it is very true we can be contientious, wrangle and dispute over subjects that do not really matter. I agree fully with this, and James 3 is clear that we need victory over our tongue to speak blessings not cursing and edify not tear down.

Our Lord was the best example to us, actually the perfect one, who did not come in silence but with words, well fit and chosen. He spoke no "idle" word and did everything in "love." So I believe for "most" of us the option is not to stop speaking or writing, it is to do it led by the Holy Spirit to do what God would want, to edify, uplift, speak in love.

James 3:13-18 New International Version (NIV)
Two Kinds of Wisdom
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such "wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

One thing I did not agree with that I believe is very important to briefly mention is this: " Should you be baptized in the name of Jesus only or in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit?" Though from a heavenly perspective God does look at the heart and the sincerity of heart, there are scriptures, the apostles teachings and clear church history that passed on the way the apostles practiced certain things. One of these is the Holy Trinity which all the Church upheld, baptized in and stood against other heresies speaking against it or contrary.

From modern pentecostals Oneness and baptizing in Jesus Name is a "new" doctrine but also a re-hashing of an old one, it is a wrong belief and it "does" matter not to believe it. When it comes to the very character of God and who God is, these are non-negotiables.

I hope this quote from Keith Green does bear fruit in all our lives to watch our tongues (James 2) and see to be those that bless others, we are all one body of Christ together and should seek to encourage each other along the pilgrim way.

W

wayneman Aug 31, 2018

I have posted quotations like this on Christian forums - to the effect that Christians are not called to brawl over doctrine - and invariably a fight breaks out and the mods end up locking the thread.

We know that posting about Calvin vs. Arminius, or pre-trib vs. post-trib, or KJV only, or speaking in tongues, is always done thoughtlessly or with mischievous intentions because all it is going to do is start a fight. But what really gets the Dogma Warriors warring is a plea for peace, unity and fellowship in the Spirit. It goes against their religion.

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Gloryandgrace Aug 31, 2018

Wayne: Then why go to a discussion board if all you have to contribute is "lets stay away from any subject that creates discussion"?

W

wayneman Aug 31, 2018

If you want "discussion," post about revival or intercessory prayer or the lives of the saints. Those topics don't interest the Dogma Warriors. The topic of "spiritual maturity" apparently doesn't have much of a hold on their minds either, so it is not clear why it gets them so riled up.

Now I am going to drop out of this discussion before the rest of the combatants arrive. I don't want to be anywhere near the place when the mod reproaches the participants for their immaturity and locks the thread. Threads that begin with a plea for "unity" and "maturity" always end with the words, "This thread is locked."