Post by Admin on Jul 21, 2024 7:21:35 GMT -5
Peace at any Price.
The Articles of Christian faith are like links of a chain. If one link is removed, the chain is broken.
For instance, One cannot deny God's eternal election without taking away our assurance of salvation and undermining steadfastness of our hope. For then, man's salvation is left to his own hands. He must exercise his free will and choose to be saved.
That, in turn, denies at least in part man's depravity. And if man is not totally depraved, Christ's atonement loses much of its value- In fact, we would finally arrive at the conclusion that we did not need Christ for salvation!
Furthermore, if we should hush certain doctrines, we are suppressing the truth.
If we hide differences under a broad creed that permits of two or more interpretations, as some suggest, we hide truth and leave men in uncertainty, we may not tamper with truth.
Satan knows that he can undermine the structure of the church by slyly removing just one fundamental doctrine at a time. And he frequently loosens a large foundation stone gradually, chiseling it away bit by bit.
That is why tolerance for the sake of peace may be dangerous.
There are those who plead for tolerance in order that others may be drawn to the fold, and thus the name of God may receive greater honor. Ought we not, they say, join hands, and thus unite. the now so sadly divided Christendom?.
Can we not forget disputes?
Minimize our differences?
And thus increase our strength?
Theirs is a beautiful and worthy ideal to unite the children of God under one roof. It ought, indeed, to be our purpose and desire. But how?
Shall we try to cure ills by means of greater ills?
Must we have peace at any price?
Shall we give in a little tone down doctrines and forget differences?
Paul did not compromise with the Galatian adherence to the law by toning down his teaching a free grace. Quite the opposite. He reprimanded them for giving heed to false doctrine and sought to lead them back to the truth. If the principles of all faith are man made, they should be discarded. If they are from God, let no man tamper to tone them down.
Even though some points may seem to be but small, God has bidden us be faithful in little things. And as forbidden that we subtract even one iota from His Word.
One step toward giving in will lead to the next step. And will not God visit us with blindness if we deliberately darken the truth, He has graciously entrusted to us?
How shall we justify ourselves if we permit even a little of the truth to be laid aside Is that ours to do?
Moreover, there can be no real and lasting peace in the Church of God without full harmony of opinions and beliefs. If doctrines are so toned down and moderated that they were capable of more than one interpretation, those who differed in opinion would still argue, and each would do all he could to uphold and spread his own interpretation.
For what a man conscientiously accepts us truth, He desires others to believe also. The false unity would not last.
You must indeed seek peace with all earnestness,
Bitterness, ill will, malice and love of dispute should never characterize a Christian and his defense of the truth.
Instead, there should be a sincere interest in the honor of God and in the well - being of our fellow men.
Paul says as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men. But when he says as much as life in you, he plainly implies that sometimes peace is impossible when peace is injurious to the truth. Peace must give way. Peace with God is of greater value than peace with men.
To desire peace at the expense of truth is hypocrisy and weakness -and highly displeasing to God.
Having then purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren.
See that you love one another with a pure heart fervently walk worthy of the vocation where with you a call with all loneliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace .And the God of mercy and peace, the God of water and unity grant. that we may be of one mind and made together praise him in unity of faith now and eternally.
Satan knows that he can undermine the structure of the church by slyly removing just one fundamental doctrine at a time, and he frequently loosens a large foundation stone gradually, chiseling it away, bit by bit That is why tolerance for the sake of peace may be dangerous. There are those who plead for tolerance and order that others may be drawn to the fold, and thus the name of God may receive greater honor. ought we not, they say, join hands and thus unite, and now so sadly, divided christened them.
Can we not forget disputes?
Minimize all differences and thus increase our strength?
It ought indeed to be our purpose and desire.
But how shall we try to cure this by means of greater ill must we have peace at any price?
Shall we give in a little, tone down doctrines and forget differences?
Paul did not compromise with the Galatian adherence to the law by toning down his teaching a free grace. Quite the opposite. He reprimanded them for giving heed to false doctrine and sought to lead them back to the truth.
If the principles of our faith are man made, they should be discarded.
If they are from God, let no man tamper with them to tone them down, even though some points may seem to be but small, God has bidden us to be faithful in little things. And as forbidden that we subtract even one iota from his work. One step toward giving in,will lead to the next step and wil
How shall we justify ourselves if we permit even a little of the truth to be laid aside? Is that ours to do?
Moreover, there can be no real and lasting peace in the Church of God without full harmony of opinions and belief. If doctrines were so toned down and moderated that they were capable of more than one interpretation, those who differed in opinion would still argue, and each would do all he could to uphold and spread his own interpretation.
For what a man consistently accepts as truth. He desires others to believe also. The false unity would not last. We must indeed seek peace with all earnestness. Bitterness, ill will, malice and love of dispute should never characterize a Christian and his defense of the truth. Instead, this should be a sincere interest in the honor of God and in the well being of our fellow men.
Paul says as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men. But when he says as much as lieth in you, he plainly implies that sometimes peace is impossible. When peace is injurious to the truth, peace may have to give way. Peace with God is of great of value than peace with men to desire peace at the expense of truth is hypocrisy and weakness and highly displeasing to God. Having then purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeign love of the brethren. See that you love one another with a pure heart fervently walk worthy of the vocation wherewith your call with all loneliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace and the god of mercy and peace, the god of order and unity, grant that we may be of one mind and may together praise him in unity of faith now and eternally.
The Articles of Christian faith are like links of a chain. If one link is removed, the chain is broken.
For instance, One cannot deny God's eternal election without taking away our assurance of salvation and undermining steadfastness of our hope. For then, man's salvation is left to his own hands. He must exercise his free will and choose to be saved.
That, in turn, denies at least in part man's depravity. And if man is not totally depraved, Christ's atonement loses much of its value- In fact, we would finally arrive at the conclusion that we did not need Christ for salvation!
Furthermore, if we should hush certain doctrines, we are suppressing the truth.
If we hide differences under a broad creed that permits of two or more interpretations, as some suggest, we hide truth and leave men in uncertainty, we may not tamper with truth.
Satan knows that he can undermine the structure of the church by slyly removing just one fundamental doctrine at a time. And he frequently loosens a large foundation stone gradually, chiseling it away bit by bit.
That is why tolerance for the sake of peace may be dangerous.
There are those who plead for tolerance in order that others may be drawn to the fold, and thus the name of God may receive greater honor. Ought we not, they say, join hands, and thus unite. the now so sadly divided Christendom?.
Can we not forget disputes?
Minimize our differences?
And thus increase our strength?
Theirs is a beautiful and worthy ideal to unite the children of God under one roof. It ought, indeed, to be our purpose and desire. But how?
Shall we try to cure ills by means of greater ills?
Must we have peace at any price?
Shall we give in a little tone down doctrines and forget differences?
Paul did not compromise with the Galatian adherence to the law by toning down his teaching a free grace. Quite the opposite. He reprimanded them for giving heed to false doctrine and sought to lead them back to the truth. If the principles of all faith are man made, they should be discarded. If they are from God, let no man tamper to tone them down.
Even though some points may seem to be but small, God has bidden us be faithful in little things. And as forbidden that we subtract even one iota from His Word.
One step toward giving in will lead to the next step. And will not God visit us with blindness if we deliberately darken the truth, He has graciously entrusted to us?
How shall we justify ourselves if we permit even a little of the truth to be laid aside Is that ours to do?
Moreover, there can be no real and lasting peace in the Church of God without full harmony of opinions and beliefs. If doctrines are so toned down and moderated that they were capable of more than one interpretation, those who differed in opinion would still argue, and each would do all he could to uphold and spread his own interpretation.
For what a man conscientiously accepts us truth, He desires others to believe also. The false unity would not last.
You must indeed seek peace with all earnestness,
Bitterness, ill will, malice and love of dispute should never characterize a Christian and his defense of the truth.
Instead, there should be a sincere interest in the honor of God and in the well - being of our fellow men.
Paul says as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men. But when he says as much as life in you, he plainly implies that sometimes peace is impossible when peace is injurious to the truth. Peace must give way. Peace with God is of greater value than peace with men.
To desire peace at the expense of truth is hypocrisy and weakness -and highly displeasing to God.
Having then purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren.
See that you love one another with a pure heart fervently walk worthy of the vocation where with you a call with all loneliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace .And the God of mercy and peace, the God of water and unity grant. that we may be of one mind and made together praise him in unity of faith now and eternally.
Satan knows that he can undermine the structure of the church by slyly removing just one fundamental doctrine at a time, and he frequently loosens a large foundation stone gradually, chiseling it away, bit by bit That is why tolerance for the sake of peace may be dangerous. There are those who plead for tolerance and order that others may be drawn to the fold, and thus the name of God may receive greater honor. ought we not, they say, join hands and thus unite, and now so sadly, divided christened them.
Can we not forget disputes?
Minimize all differences and thus increase our strength?
It ought indeed to be our purpose and desire.
But how shall we try to cure this by means of greater ill must we have peace at any price?
Shall we give in a little, tone down doctrines and forget differences?
Paul did not compromise with the Galatian adherence to the law by toning down his teaching a free grace. Quite the opposite. He reprimanded them for giving heed to false doctrine and sought to lead them back to the truth.
If the principles of our faith are man made, they should be discarded.
If they are from God, let no man tamper with them to tone them down, even though some points may seem to be but small, God has bidden us to be faithful in little things. And as forbidden that we subtract even one iota from his work. One step toward giving in,will lead to the next step and wil
How shall we justify ourselves if we permit even a little of the truth to be laid aside? Is that ours to do?
Moreover, there can be no real and lasting peace in the Church of God without full harmony of opinions and belief. If doctrines were so toned down and moderated that they were capable of more than one interpretation, those who differed in opinion would still argue, and each would do all he could to uphold and spread his own interpretation.
For what a man consistently accepts as truth. He desires others to believe also. The false unity would not last. We must indeed seek peace with all earnestness. Bitterness, ill will, malice and love of dispute should never characterize a Christian and his defense of the truth. Instead, this should be a sincere interest in the honor of God and in the well being of our fellow men.
Paul says as much as lieth in you live peaceably with all men. But when he says as much as lieth in you, he plainly implies that sometimes peace is impossible. When peace is injurious to the truth, peace may have to give way. Peace with God is of great of value than peace with men to desire peace at the expense of truth is hypocrisy and weakness and highly displeasing to God. Having then purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeign love of the brethren. See that you love one another with a pure heart fervently walk worthy of the vocation wherewith your call with all loneliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit and the bond of peace and the god of mercy and peace, the god of order and unity, grant that we may be of one mind and may together praise him in unity of faith now and eternally.