Featured Your single most important doctrine...

Please point me to it if I missed it, but did you ever tell us what Christ died for, if not to pay for our sin-debt?

 

He holds to the Christus Victor view and right now he is working to ask leading questions so he can insist all early church fathers held to this view and that it was the only predominant view. Thinks he is slick.

 

I too, like others before me in the thread, look for the basics of the gospel first.
It should be most obvious; the purpose statement of a church.

After that, when looking a church's "Statement of Faith", I examine how they handle the doctrine of creation.

Many now leave it out of their statement of faith, which tells me something and satisfies me. It means I am open to question someone about it at a later time.

Some identify themselves as 7-day creationists, which informs me how they interpret the bible. I could visit them but would never become a member. It tells me they are quaint traditionalists, probably not open to difficult questions of the faith.

Some use code phrases, among them is "We interpret the bible literally", which is ambiguous but tells me the leadership probably follows a 7-day creationist view but doesn't make a big thing of it. It also tells me they may have a problem differentiating between interpretation and revelation.

Rob

 

My church has never mentioned creation in our statement of faith. Granted, we don't really have a published statement of faith. Never really been a concern for us.

I'm not beholden to either a literal 7-day creation or a day-age creation, but I see your point, as a church's position on creation will inform you greatly of their interpretation style.

 

Absolutely:jesus:

 

Then he has the nerve to criticize Catholics:laugh:

 

You have no statement of faith?!? What reply do you give to people when they come to review the church?

 

Justification hands down.

 

I gotta tell ya this Rob....you got your head on straight and your eyes are open. And I would very much like to come and visit but your 70 miles away from me.

 

Gonna have to agree to disagree with you there, bud. I agree it was only one aspect of His overall purpose. But He died to make atonement for the sins of the world, meaning He did pay a sin debt. After all, without shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. The sacrifices of bulls and goats sufficed only for a time. The sacrifice of Christ, dying the death we deserved, as many others have said, made the difference.

We are not delivered from physical death, because this body still must die, seeing as it is corrupted by sin. The corruptible must put on incorruption; the mortal must put on immortality. We are delivered from spiritual death, meaning the second death of the Bible, which is the Lake of Fire. We are freed from that, thanks to Christ atoning for us and now making intercession for us. We are freed from the pain and sting of death, and the "victory" of the grave, by Christ rising from the dead and coming out of the tomb victorious over death and Hell.

We are delivered from Satan in that Christ has sealed us up to the day of redemption. This does not mean we are freed from the antagonizing efforts of Satan. I firmly believe Satan seeks to tear down any Christian he can. Satan does not need to tear down the lost, because they are already where he wants them to be. Tearing down someone already established in their walk with God is like a trophy for Satan.