Do we truly love the brethren?

:tear::tear::tear:

 

I'm sure there has been some churches in the past that held this view. I was raised in a Presbyterian church which which was Calvinistic and went to a seminary which was of the same but if you believed in an orthodox soteriology you would be accepted. Why because most can explain their soteriolgy with Scripture, and we can be partly correct or wrong, we will find out when we get to haven.

This is the part that has changed in my part of the world in the last 15 years or so. I have been in churches that have had folks with different soteriology than the pastor and worshiped and lived to God's glory. Now there seem to be a battle, if you aren't just like me.
Keep in mind most of us believe what the Scripture says, we disagree on the mechanics of how God carries it out.

I use to go to a lot of Presbyterian churches and Baptist churches and debate Calvinism, it was done so they had a better understanding of other views of soteriology , to see we were in accord on most and were brother and sisters in Christ. These debates were done in love, not to win or lose but to see and understand each other and I never saw the harsh talk or debate that I've seen at times on the BB. It is why for the most part I don't debate this often.
If one believes in the fundamentals of the faith, I can worship with them, break bread with them, all to the glory of God.

 

But what do the Scriptures teach about this?

Act 18:24 Now a Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures.
Act 18:25 This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John;
Act 18:26 and he began to speak out boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.
Act 18:27 And when he wanted to go across to Achaia, the brethren encouraged him and wrote to the disciples to welcome him; and when he had arrived, he greatly helped those who had believed through grace,
Act 18:28 for he powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

This Apollos wasn't refused fellowship because his doctrine wasn't perfect. He was taken under wing, as a brother who loved Jesus, and taught the things more perfectly. He was given fellowship, he wasn't denied fellowship.

Now if a brother were walking disorderly, sinfully &c then I think we have reason for disallowing fellowship.

- Peace

 

Simmer down. I gave Biblical principle here, that alone is my agenda. Somehow you're taking this as a personal attack?

Discuss the Scriptural aspect and leave the paranoia at the door. If the Scriptures disagree with your creeds &c then throw them out in favor of truth.

 

If a brother, already a member of the church, were walking disorderly, sinfully, &c no fellowship will be disallowed IMMEDIATELY. Maybe you know this, maybe not, but I need to complete the statement.
The said brother will be prayed for by the church (if his disorderliness and sin is common knowledge to the church), after which the church will observe the rules of discipline provided for by its founder, culminating in disfellowship and being cut off from the church with the end in view of restoring the erring brother, and of accepting him back IF he repents and comes before the church in repentance.

If the sin and disorderliness is private and known only to very few in the church, then he will be dealt with discreetly with the purpose of preserving his/her and his/her family's integrity up to the point of discipline according to Scriptural guidelines, keeping the matter as privately as possible thus avoiding embarrassment for the member, and keeping the door to repentance and reconciliation open.

These are the details (at least in my PB neck of the woods) that we follow, patterned after the constitutional generality provided by the Lord in Scripture.

Now, as for a professing Christian wishing to join our church, and carrying his own doctrine, which we deem incomplete, or not compatible with what we believe and hold on to, as a church, and who DOES NOT accept the teaching, no church membership will be possible for him, neither will the fellowship be sweet (it will always be cracked because of doctrine).

When I joined the church here, I was willing to learn the Doctrine of Grace, which I have already accepted as Scriptural truth, and unlearn what was drilled to me by my former Arminian pastors, and the Arminian seminary I went to.

 

Uh, when this move to simple fellowship to interviewing one to become head elder?

Two differing situations.

- Peace

 

We don't agree often when it comes to church doctrine. You claim there is so much of a difference between your DoG theology and the others, like me, here who are not Calvinists that you possibly feel the need to leave.

At first I was compelled to encourage you to reconsider and mention that I often enjoy your postings, even when I don't agree with them completely.

However, if you really feel that those of us who do not accept Calvinism are equal to "idols" and "the unclean thing," then perhaps this has become too intense for you and maybe it will benefit you to step away and reevaluate your understanding of how God wants you to behave toward the brethren.

 

:applause::applause::applause:

 

We use to be a southern state but we are now a state of people from NY, NJ,Ct. for the most part or at lease where I live, western Fl. for the most part has a lot of southern still left in it. We are more than likely just like it is where you live. We are very liberal and apostate and then among many of the good churches their is fighting at times between and with in each over soteriology and eschatology. A great place to carry the Gospel out, the fields are ripe for harvest. I think as long as we love our neighbor and keep Jesus first and get the news of Jesus Christ out to the lost we can and will be better due to His power. The Holy Spirit can and does great works.

We have anything you want and much you don't want. Reading some of your post, I would say we and Tampa has more PB than you do in NJ. Off the top of my head I would guess that somewhere between 8 and 15 percent of Baptist churches are Reformed of one type or another down here, and many Sovereign Grace Churches.

 

There are 57 SBC churches in our association, followed closely by a similar number of Banks and Used Car lots. I would guess there to be another 30 or so Independent and Free Will Baptist churches in our county.

 

We have 1 Catholic church in our county that I know of.