Forgot to mention that being
on the "static side" does not preclude change. The changes
of expanding, and growing, however, are in us rather than on God's
side because His Truth does not ever change. Jesus is and has been
the same yesterday, today, and forever and God says "I am the Lord, I change
not"
Trying to spiritualize
differences which most often is the adversary sowing discord and
strife is calling evil good. Spiritual growth
should never cause division in Christ because someone who has a heart for
truth is able to recognize it even when they do not fully
understand it .. We all press on together to aprehend
Christ.
John writes:
Let me take at shot at this one. If
I am right, then Lance's comment is not veiled in any kind of mystery.
A
"dynamic understanding of the Nature of God and His Gospel" tells
me that Lance's view is one that is in flux, changing, expanding,
growing. The use of the wording "dynamic
understanding" would demand a difference of
position and opinion among believers and if this dynamic is of
God, a differenc of opinion and teaching will exist within the assembly
of Saints. We should expect
differences. They are of God and are
not necessarily evil or even undesirable. A static positioning is a closed system, fully
understandable by all of (I assume) an honest heart. Those with this understanding will argue that we can AND MUST
be of the same mind and speak the same things on all points of import
within the Gospel of Christ.
How did I do? Smitty
jt: Has Lance given you a grade yet John.
How did you do? I know you are weighing a lot of things right
now. This dynamic understanding was neither taught nor promoted by the
writers of the NT. In fact they taught "static understanding"
exclusively. You can find it in all of the
following:
1 Corinthians 1:10,
2 Corinthians 13:11, 1 Peter 3:8, 1 Peter 4:1, Romans 12:16-18, Philippians 2:2.
The reason we must be of the same
mind and speak the same thing is that we should have the "mind of Christ" 1
Corinthians 2:16. which mind is the "same yesterday, today, and forever" which
sounds pretty static to me. This is the ONLY way that we will grow into Him in all things. jt
From: "Lance Muir" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Jt:I'm
drawing a distinction between a dynamic understanding of the Nature of God
and God's Gospel and a static understanding (yours, I believe). Read the
three points again with that in mind then, tell me your understanding.
thanks
It might
be better if you explain your definition of dynamic vs static. Are you
saying that your gospel has signs following, that is, the
signs Jesus spoke of (the
works He did and greater); my understanding of a dynamic gospel is one where
the power of God is evident.
Static is a form of godliness that denies the power. I
doubt we are 'as they say' on the same page. jt
