What has theology taught you?

[W2L]

Iron sharpens iron. And discussion is not argument. It is discussion.

Do you come here to argue or discuss?

Get real.

 

[ToBeLoved]

Yes it refers to being free from religious rules from the OC, but Galatians was only part of what I'm talking about. Please don't troll me.

So those who ask you about your posts are trolls? Now that is argumentative and not loving. Do you do what you say or do you preach what you don't yourself follow?

 

[W2L]

So those who ask you about your posts are trolls? Now that is argumentative and not loving. Do you do what you say or do you preach what you don't yourself follow?

Get real

 

[ToBeLoved]

Get real.

Well, according to you then, you are not being loving. Way to talk the talk, not walk the walk. Please don't tell me or others we are not discussing. You are argumentative and not very respectful to others.

 

[W2L]

Well, according to you then, you are not being loving. Way to talk the talk, not walk the walk. Please don't tell me or others we are not discussing. You are argumentative and not very respectful to others.

Go "discuss" with someone else then. Its not like I'm holding you here.

 

[ToBeLoved]

Go "discuss" with someone else then. Its not like I'm holding you here.

You could do the same. I have the right not to agree with what you say.

 

[ToBeLoved]

Get real.

If you don't believe that discussing is not arguing, then why do you do it here? Makes no sense as you go against your own words. I am not the one contridicting myself.

It's the contridictions I don't like, you say one thing in one post, yet do the opposite. You can admit that.

 

[W2L]

Keep things simple and you have less disagreement and more peace, love, and joy. What else does one need in this life? However, if I suggest such a thing people will argue the need to argue. Why though? Simplicity. Forever I will embrace it.

 

[W2L]

You could do the same. I have the right not to agree with what you say.

You have the right to argue for your right to argue, yes, but it doesn't mean that its right. You like complicated stuff that never helps people find agreement, then that's what you will have. We reap what we sow. Simple as that

 

[W2L]

If you don't believe that discussing is not arguing, then why do you do it here? Makes no sense as you go against your own words. I am not the one contridicting myself.

You're trolling me, trying to start and argument so you can accuse me and say "ah ha!"

 

[Paul Yohannan]

Absolutely nothing. Theology comes from the world and is from the world, it is open to anybody. The pharisees were theologians.

Instead, I count on the Holy Spirit and godly preachers. You can prove all things with scripture.

On this point, I think the very unpleasant experience of seeing some members attempt to abuse scripture to "prove" the world is flat, when its roundness is obvious and attested to by millions upon millions, suggests otherwise.

Reason is a gift from God and the rational faculties and erudition allow us to understand and interpret what the Spirit is saying through Scripture.

 

[Paul Yohannan]

You don't know what I do or why I do it. You lack words of grace, hope and faith. You actually condemn people because they don't attend an EO church.

You ain't stealing my joy, nope, no sir.

The Orthodox do not presume to condemn or pronounce damnation upon the non-Orthodox; actually even in the ancient ecumenical councils, the word "anathema" commonly mistranslated as accursed actually means "delivered up to God."

St. John Maximovitch of Shanghai and San Francisco, who was a member of one of the most doctrinaire EO jurisdictions, ROCOR, told his parishioners not to despair for the salvation of departed Protestants or Catholics because they have their belief in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is infinitely loving. God will have mercy on Who God will have mercy.

Now a few Old Calendarists tried to invent a silly story to get around this fact also, but the fact is, all of the apostolic churches recognized as a saint Isaac the Syrian, who was a part of the Nestorian church of Persia and Mesopotamia, the Nestorian hierarchy of the Church of the East (which had become Nestorian under the theology of Mar Babai the Great and Mar Narsai, "the flute of the spirit" (a term Syriac Orthodox use for Mar Jaqub of Sarugh, since "the harp of the Spirit" was agreed by everyone to be the pre-schismatic and uncontroversial figure of Mar Aphrem, St. Ephraim the Syrian) who was in turn influenced by the Antiochene theologians who fled to Nisibis after the Council of Ephesus).

We know where the Church is, but where it is Not.

 

[Paul Yohannan]

If you think there will ever be a perfect church, before Christ returns you are barking up the wrong tree.

Now why do you want to be a follower? Why can't you lead by example and be the leader?

Have you looked for such a body of people?

Scripture says the Church is the Body of Christ; therefore it cannot be as a whole imperfect. Only individual congregations or local churches can be imperfect. Remember Matthew 16:18, 1 Corinthians 10-11, and so forth.

 

[Paul Yohannan]

In response to the OP, one of the Church Fathers said, "He who prays is a Theologian, and a Theologian is one who prays.". Thus, for me, theology is my life in Christ, my discovery of the knowledge of God in, with and through the holy mysteries and fellowship of the Church aided by the indwelling person of the Holy Spirit, and surrounded by thousands upon thousands of angels; it is my understanding of God, and my learning to avoid the snares of the devil, and how to idenfity and control demonic temptation.

 

[W2L]

In response to the OP, one of the Church Fathers said, "He who prays is a Theologian, and a Theologian is one who prays.". Thus, for me, theology is my life in Christ, my discovery of the knowledge of God in, with and through the holy mysteries and fellowship of the Church aided by the indwelling person of the Holy Spirit, and surrounded by thousands upon thousands of angels; it is my understanding of God, and my learning to avoid the snares of the devil, and how to idenfity and control demonic temptation.

If theology is about our life in Christ, why does it divide us into contentious denominations (factions)? Paul teaches this contentious division to be a work of flesh.

 

[ToBeLoved]

You have the right to argue for your right to argue, yes, but it doesn't mean that its right. You like complicated stuff that never helps people find agreement, then that's what you will have. We reap what we sow. Simple as that

I am discussing. If discussing is arguing then you have a problem with definitions and understanding what words mean.

Earnestly contending for the faith is not keeping everyone in agreement. Read what Paul says.

Also, 'reaping what we sow' is a universal law. This pertains to all people, not just those in the Lord.

 

[ToBeLoved]

Scripture says the Church is the Body of Christ; therefore it cannot be as a whole imperfect. Only individual congregations or local churches can be imperfect. Remember Matthew 16:18, 1 Corinthians 10-11, and so forth.

Scripture says that each person who is saved is the 'church'. So dividing it up by congregations is not Biblical.

The church is all believers who are saved, not congregations.

 

[W2L]

I am discussing. If discussing is arguing then you have a problem with definitions and understanding what words mean.

Earnestly contending for the faith is not keeping everyone in agreement. Read what Paul says.

Also, 'reaping what we sow' is a universal law. This pertains to all people, not just those in the Lord.

You are arguing. The point you made about reaping and sowing is a prime example. Its not relevant to what I said, yet has the tone of disagreement, and for no apparent reason other than to argue.

 

[sculleywr]

You don't know what I do or why I do it. You lack words of grace, hope and faith. You actually condemn people because they don't attend an EO church.

You ain't stealing my joy, nope, no sir.

I don't want your joy because the joy you offer is not the joy of the Lord. So why would I steal it? I'm not the one who mentioned the EO Church. You are.

I was saying you reject the GATHERING OF ANY KIND. It wouldn't matter if it were Baptist, Episcopalean, Lutheran, or even non-denominational. You don't gather. That is your own words. Not mine. So unless you were lying, which is a possibility, then I do know what you do, because you said what you do.

Trump said he finished the birther conspiracy theory in 2008 just two weeks ago. However, he is on video from 2008 through february of this year questioning the birthplace of Obama. He's doing the same thing you are currently doing about church attendance.

We know what you claim because we aren't crazy. Those who support you support you BECAUSE THEY KNOW YOUR CLAIM, just as those who support Trump support him because of his role in promoting things like the birther conspiracy.

So the question is, were you lying when you said you no longer gather in a physical location with other Christians for communal worship?

 

[W2L]

I don't want your joy because the joy you offer is not the joy of the Lord. So why would I steal it? I'm not the one who mentioned the EO Church. You are.

I was saying you reject the GATHERING OF ANY KIND. It wouldn't matter if it were Baptist, Episcopalean, Lutheran, or even non-denominational. You don't gather. That is your own words. Not mine. So unless you were lying, which is a possibility, then I do know what you do, because you said what you do.

Trump said he finished the birther conspiracy theory in 2008 just two weeks ago. However, he is on video from 2008 through february of this year questioning the birthplace of Obama. He's doing the same thing you are currently doing about church attendance.

We know what you claim because we aren't crazy. Those who support you support you BECAUSE THEY KNOW YOUR CLAIM, just as those who support Trump support him because of his role in promoting things like the birther conspiracy.

So the question is, were you lying when you said you no longer gather in a physical location with other Christians for communal worship?

You are on record saying non EO members follow a false Lord and gospel. So you are now telling me I should now join a non EO church. Can I call you a politician as you did to me?

You condemn me yet you don't even know me. You don't know my struggles or my heart. The Lord is my strength, peace and joy.