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That is your opinion. Everything you or any of us know about Jesus comes from the Bible.
Of course it is my opinion, Katie . . . that is all we have when it comes to God and Christ because we all read the same source differently. Anyone who claims their version is the only truth is just prideful and arrogant . . . because it cannot be anything BUT opinion no matter how many others share it.
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It sounds like your faith is based on your own personal "feelings," and you are leaning on your own understanding.
Kate
Feelings are based on experiences and knowledge to produce understanding. If you know of any way for it to be different . . . I would be interested to know what it is. At least I have not made an idol of a physical object written and printed by men. Nor have I revered it as God's word instead of Jesus Christ . . . the Living Word of God who abides with us. I do not use it to ignore my sense of right and wrong or Evil because it seems to attribute the Evil to God. I could never pretend that God's ways are mysterious enough to make Evil be Good as those Bibleans who revere the Bible do. I cannot accept ANY superstitious explanations either. But as you said . . . it is all my opinion . . . as is yours.
Last edited by MysticPhD; 01-11-2012 at 07:17 PM..
Of course it is my opinion, Katie . . . that is all we have when it comes to God and Christ because we all read the same source differently. Anyone who claims their version is the only truth is just prideful and arrogant . . . because it cannot be anything BUT opinion no matter how many others share it.
Feelings are based on experiences and knowledge to produce understanding. If you know of any way for it to be different . . . I would be interested to know what it is. At least I have not made an idol of a physical object written and printed by men. Nor have I revered it as God's word instead of Jesus Christ . . . the Living Word of God who abides with us. I do not use it to ignore my sense of right and wrong or Evil because it seems to attribute the Evil to God. I could never pretend that God's ways are mysterious enough to make Evil be Good as those Bibleans who revere the Bible do. I cannot accept ANY superstitious explanations either. But as you said . . . it is all my opinion . . . as is yours.
You place your feelings and sense of right and wrong over God's word. That's your choice. Time to move on. This discussion is going nowhere.
You place your feelings and sense of right and wrong over God's word.
No, Katie . . . I use my knowledge, feelings and what God has "written in our hearts" to properly divide the scriptures to understand Christ's Gospel as HE intended . . . using His Holy Spirit within as guide. Do not misrepresent my views as "touchy feely New Age" and ignorant of the scriptures. I reject none of the scriptures . . I understand them far better than most and certainly with knowledge superior to that of our superstitious and ignorant ancestors from thousands of years ago. It may make it easier to ignore my views by misrepresenting them . . . but I doubt Christ approves.
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That's your choice. Time to move on. This discussion is going nowhere.
Time to get back to the thread topic.
Katie
The topic is about whether it is Biblical for a Church to name itself as "of Christ" . . . that requires that we discuss the relevance and role of the separate parts of the Bible to things Christian . . . especially what is part of Christ's Gospel and what is not. ALL or nothing may seem easier . . . but it is no way to understand the Bible and its relevance to Christ's Gospel and Christianity.
After reading a post by a Church of Christ member, I had to respond to it in another thread with a question.
I have discovered that the name “Church of Christ†is never used in the Bible to describe a single congregation. Paul did refer to all congregations as the “churches of Christ†in Romans 16:16, but he nor any other inspired writer ever used the singular expression.
Of course, I know some of you are going to disagree with me on this topic and even may argue that all profession christians are technically the church of Christ. But I am not asking that question. What I am asking is--is it biblical for a church to call itself THE CHURCH OF CHRIST? Yes! The churches of Christ (title) is not the building but individuals who have been baptized into the body of Christ. Galations 3:27 Ephesians 4:4-5 The Churches of Christ is different congregations both singular and plural that make up the body of Christ. Ephesians 1:22-23
If there were churches of Christ in the plural, then a single congregation would have been the church of Christ. However, since the Bible is silent on referring to a single congregation as “the church of Christ,†why would that silence not eliminate that designation from being used as the primary designation today?
Revelations 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write: Here we know that this is the Church of Christ at Ephesus because there is only one church. Ephesains 4:4-5 So there it is the singular form
Isn't the Church of Christ signs we see on their churches teaching their Church of Christ doctrine rather than specific Bible teaching?
There is only one church but many members or congregations.
Yes! The churches of Christ (title) is not the building but individuals who have been baptized into the body of Christ. Galations 3:27 Ephesians 4:4-5 The Churches of Christ is different congregations both singular and plural that make up the body of Christ. Ephesians 1:22-23 Revelations 2:1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write: Here we know that this is the Church of Christ at Ephesus because there is only one church. Ephesains 4:4-5 So there it is the singular form
The "church of Christ" is a description, not an religious organization. We do not call ourselves anything but Christians, children of God, or any other description that can be found in God's word. In all actuality, it's about what doctrine is being taught. We do not call ourselves "Baptist" "Catholic" "Methodist" "Jehovah Witness" "Mormon" "Pentacostal" or any other man made name. I can not find anywhere in the bible where God called his people "baptist" or anything else. From my studies, I believe that doing so is against God's word, and can lead to damnation.
Jesus did not call us christians, or servants either. He called us "friends"
John 15:12-17 12 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 You are my friends if you do what I command you.
15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
17 This I command you, to love one another.
I attended "Friends" meetings in a little quaint building for several years when I was a child..
They followed the commands Jesus spoke above, and never pretended to be the only ones in His favor because of the name on their meeting place.
They never threatened or frightened anyone into belief.
They showered the love of Him through their words and actions. It took me years and years of spiritual battle to remember and return to those basic teachings and commands of Jesus and I finally completely surrendered to "His yoke is easy and His burden is light" and I stopped listening to man's doctrines and religions and became "still and came to know God"
My journey out of fundamentalism began when I married into the CofC folks and ended when I finally took a stand and walked out of of "their" church and back into how I was trained up as a child.
Other folks may need the rules, the rituals the fear and the condemning of other folks beliefs in order to validate their beliefs so I hold no grudges with you folks..It just was not for me.
Acts 2- The day of Pentecost, the church was formed. This was the first church. Acts 11 (vs 26)- And the disciples were called Christians first.
I'm sorry for your bad experience. But I do not believe I'm the only one in His favor because of the name on the building. As I stated before, it's more about what doctrine is being taught. But I also know that I will not call myself something other than a name Gods people are called in the bible. I believe anyone can be saved. And I also believe their will be plenty of people who point the finger, judging, saying they're the only ones who will be saved, who will actually be lost.
You're right, trying to scare people into obeidence is the wrong approach. And in fact turns people away, rather than make them want to learn more. That was more of a "older" approach for lack of better words. I believe the best way to win someone to Christ is through your actions, the way you live your life. People see you go through bad things, and wonder how you can be so positive, and will in turn want to know more about the God you serve.
I do not judge anyone, because I have no hell or heaven to put anyone into. I'm just trying to make it in like everyone else. Rituals and traditions are not doctrine, which I know many people do. To make something Law that is simply a tradition is not sound doctrine either. There are churches striving to get out of that "we do it this way and this way only" mentality.
I believe everyone has a right to believe and worship the way they want, because we all have free will. I also believe Satan plays on the free will part, and deceives us into thinking somethings are right when they're wrong, and somethings are wrong when they're right. That's why he's the father of lies! He's crafty, knows what he's doing, and has had LOTS of practice. We by our own strength cannot out smart him, he's clever. That's why we should have God on our sides to fight (and win) for us.
I just want to encourage you to continue to study for yourself, and work out your own salvation. Visit some other churches of Christ, and see the difference. They are not all the same. You may feel comfortable and find one you really like!! It took me a while to find one once I relocated. But now, I LOVE my church. The church of Christ at Mountain View in Dallas, TX. Bro. JK Hamilton is on of the best preachers I've heard in my life!!! You should look him up on youtube. See for yourself :-D I'm going to be praying with and for you Miss Blue.
I don't think there is anything wrong with calling your local congregation "Church of Christ" even though it is never used for a single church in scripture. It is applied to all the churches but never for a single group. Most often the local church is referred to in scripture by it's location. Such as "the Church at Corinth". The use of names based on location or attributes is common in scripture though. Such as John being called "The Baptist" and saved people being called "Christians". So calling yourself by such things would seem to be OK as far as scripture is concerned.
Jesus never taught us to call ourselves "Christians" or anything else for that matter. Nor did the Apostles. It's really a non issue except for some men who want to make up some kind of extra-biblical doctrine over it.
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The Churches of Christ
