'Touch not the Lord's Annointed'!! Have you ever
heard a 'gifted' believer say that? Have you never heard a husband/father
employ Scripture to justify 'abusive' behaviour (verbally/physically)? Have
you never taken note of 'cliques' within believing groups that exclude newer
people? Have you ever noted the 'politics' within believing
groups?
Yes I've seen all of the above in my lifetime
- However, just because ppl abuse the truth and there are tares amongst the
wheat
does not make the Word of God void or of no
effect in the lives of those who do believe and obey the Truth.
So then, Lance, just what is it you are
attempting to say? WE'VE ALL DONE SUCH, WE ALL DO SUCH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO
SUCH! There is not one on this list, of any affiliation, about whom this is
not true!
Yes at some point we WERE all dead in
trespasses and sin and this is where we once walked when we were by
nature children of
wrath. But God has now made us alive
together with Christ and raised us up and made us to sit together in the
heavenly places in Christ Jesus .. Now we are His workmanship created in
Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk
in them.
Wait just a minute, Lance! I (fill in your name)
have never done such, I do not now ever do such, and, I believe that I never
shall do such.
I would, with the addenum
that the ppl you mention below usually run over others to benefit themselves
which
is natural for a man walking after the flesh -
but they do not do this "in God's name" or as an ambassador of
"Christ"
and usually the outcome is not beheading others or
burning them at the stake. Agreed?
As to your Calvin/Augustine connection,
Amen! Sadly, IMO, there is not one on TT, though perhaps to a lesser
extent, who has not abused their position of power over others on some
occasions. (As husband, wife, sibling, office holder in a believing group,
political office holder, supervisor/boss in a business setting etc. Would
you (and others) concur with this observation?
I would say Amen to
your conclusion since Calvin did not obey God's Word in his own life and
could not be an example to others in that way. Calvin was not
primarily a follower of Christ. He was drinking from a polluted
stream which was that of Augustine. Calvin called himself an Augustinian
theologian and as scripture predicts he became like his mentor.
Augustine used the power of State to force church attendance as Calvin
did 1200yrs later.. also Augustine called the Donatists heretics who
could be subject to imperial legislation and force. Augustine supported
the death penalty for those who were rebaptized as believers after rcc
conversion to Christ and for other alleged heretics. No freedom of
conscience with him either.
Yes Judy, I have read the passages you
identified. My request stands. Suggestions:Think about-IMO, As I see
it, Operating with the understanding of Scripture that I have just
now, Bill, John and David give me cause to think (not concerning
whether or not Calvin may have erred in his own interpretation of
Scripture on more than one occasion) that Calvin, like the rest of us,
is but a believer who operates with a less than exhaustive
understanding of WHO JESUS IS.
I could say that to you personally Lance
because from what you write, you don't believe there is such a thing
as objective truth
However, in evaluating Calvin or anyone
else who professes to be speaking as God's oracle we have an
objective standard which is the Word of God. Jesus sent the
Holy Spirit and gave gifts to men so that we would not be subject to
some man's
"interpretation" and wind up as lost as
Israel under the guidance of Scribes and Pharisees sitting in the
seat of Moses. Have you ever read Jer 31:33, Heb 8:10,11 and thought about it Lance? The
promise is not that we will all have our "own interpretation" now is
it?
No! No! No! I am not a relativist
BUT, the above should read as follows:
YOUR INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE
CONCERNING THE STANDARDS OF GOD, IN THE MATTER UNDER
DISCUSSION, DIFFER FROM MY INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE ON
THIS MATTER.
In all seriousness, Judy, please take
time to pray concerning this distinction. As I see it, all
subsequent engagements between yourself and others would prove to
be less confrontational in tone.
Lance
judyt
He that says "I know Him" and doesn't keep His
Commandments
is a liar (1 John 2:4)
judyt
He that says "I know Him" and doesn't keep His
Commandments
is a liar (1 John 2:4)
judyt
He that says "I know Him" and doesn't keep His
Commandments
is a liar (1 John 2:4)
judyt
He that says "I know Him" and doesn't keep His
Commandments
is a liar (1 John 2:4)
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