I need some advice please

[Deborah D]

The only advice I can offer is to become a member of the one Church Jesus Christ founded, which He said was to remain one, to which He promised the fullness of God's truth. As long as you remain a member of one of the thousands of unauthorized manmade denominational churches of Protestantism, you are going to have constant conflicts with those who are members of other denominations, and there is really no sense arguing because your denomination's interpretations of the Bible have no more authority behind them than his do.

Uh, this would be going in the wrong direction, IMHO.

 

[Southernscotty]

I believe that COC members are saved, ... just legalistic (i.e. they could be freer) ...

But Brother can they really be saved if they are not fully accepting of the free gift? I mean I certainly hope they are , But my understanding is that we can't be under law and grace both?

 

[Southernscotty]

I feel for you. Perhaps you should try to convert them!

I am trying so hard. I just don't know how else to present the gospel. To me it is very simple and is His grace by our faith alone and I do not see any other way of seeing it.
It is a free gift and none of us deserve it.

 

[A_Thinker]

LOL!!!

One guy on a CoC website said that he had TWICE been a "member of the one true Church Jesus Christ founded," growing up as a catholic and then as a CoC member.

So they missed the (Joseph Smith era) Mormons ... and the Jehovah's Witnesses ... ;^)

 

[Deborah D]

So they missed the (Joseph Smith era) Mormons ... and the Jehovah's Witnesses ... ;^)

I've also heard a leader of the Seventh Day Adventists say that they are the true church!

Edit: BTW, I don't consider SDA to be a cult, but I don't believe that they're the one true church either.

 

[Dave-W]

So they missed the (Joseph Smith era) Mormons ... and the Jehovah's Witnesses ... ;^)

Yep - and I think there was one or 2 others he missed as well.

 

[Halbhh]

I am trying so hard. I just don't know how else to present the gospel. To me it is very simple and is His grace by our faith alone and I do not see any other way of seeing it.
It is a free gift and none of us deserve it.

It's good to acknowledge and include the truth others point out as we try to fill out the entire picture, and it can help them.

I wonder if the full reading of all the verses of Ephesians ch 2, v1-10 (using a nice translation like the NIV or ESV or NASB) could help. Not just verses 8 and 9 (which are error to isolate and present as if complete). But all 10 verses, fully taken in, heard, together.

Also, Sproul is touching on this usefully in the 10th video in that same series (same page, #10) also, in how to understand and reconcile the meanings of Paul in Romans and James in James chapter 2 together (especially after the 16th minute, but one can use the setup prior to that).

 

[A_Thinker]

But Brother can they really be saved if they are not fully accepting of the free gift? I mean I certainly hope they are , But my understanding is that we can't be under law and grace both?

They would be akin to the New Testament Judaizers. Although they were a hindrance to the gospel, I don't believe that Paul believed them to be unsaved.

 

[Dave-W]

But Brother can they really be saved if they are not fully accepting of the free gift? I mean I certainly hope they are , But my understanding is that we can't be under law and grace both?

Yeah - they are like a kid with a sour attitude. He is still his parents' child but he misses out on so much.

Of course that is true of most overly-legalistic groups.

 

[112358]

I just posted the following to another thread, read your thoughtful and kind response here, and thought it relevant to the text of yours quoted above.

The following question was asked:

"Some people believe they will be judged righteous on the basis of their faith. How would you respond to these folks?"

To which I responded:

If my mind did not go blank, I would quote from Hebrews, that Christ is the author and finisher of our faith. Some translations use the word "captain", either way "our" faith is completely dependent on the captain, the preserver of faith. Where people get it wrong is looking at faith as something conjured within the human will, it is an autonomous view of the origin of faith in a person, and ridiculous because of the connection between faith and spirit, and that which is flesh is flesh, the flesh cannot conjure the spiritual.
​

On another note, I like to flip the script sometimes, and if salvation is based on works, then it is entirely based on the finished work of Christ alone, and the works of the Spirit in and through us, to the glory of God alone, without mixture of glory to men.

Acknowledged and understood. Seems a line of thought headed toward topics like choice and/or free will. I believe in both.

 

[A_Thinker]

I've also heard a leader of the Seventh Day Adventists say that they are the true church!

Wow ... I forgot about them ...

 

[abysmul]

Interesting, I'm friends with some folks that attend a couple local CoC and they do not espouse the same beliefs (works, etc.), and their congregations are not the type that would treat others like this.

 

[Southernscotty]

Wow ... I forgot about them ...

Please don't send them to my house, I have enough to research. lol

 

[Dave-W]

It was interesting - my time there in the CoC.

They could not talk about the Lord's birth, except maybe in June or July. They could not talk about the resurrection except maybe in September or October. If they did not have the 4 main elements, their church service was invalid.

Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to (1) the apostles’ teaching and to (2) fellowship, to the (3) breaking of bread and to (4) prayer.

And they had to take communion every week to stay saved.

 

[Southernscotty]

Interesting, I'm friends with some folks that attend a couple local CoC and they do not espouse the same beliefs (works, etc.), and their congregations are not the type that would treat others like this.

He [They] are only worried for me they say and how can I not appreciate that. I do very much, I just wish there were a way that I could get them to see the liberty in Christ.

 

[Deborah D]

Interesting, I'm friends with some folks that attend a couple local CoC and they do not espouse the same beliefs (works, etc.), and their congregations are not the type that would treat others like this.

They may not know their own church doctrine, or they may be an offshoot with modified COC doctrine....

 

[Deborah D]

It was interesting - my time there in the CoC.

They could not talk about the Lord's birth, except maybe in June or July. They could not talk about the resurrection except maybe in September or October. If they did not have the 4 main elements, their church service was invalid.

Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to (1) the apostles’ teaching and to (2) fellowship, to the (3) breaking of bread and to (4) prayer.

And they had to take communion every week to stay saved.

Did they serve wine or juice?

 

[Dave-W]

They would be akin to the New Testament Judaizers.

That is what a lot of people call us Messianics .....

 

[Southernscotty]

It was interesting - my time there in the CoC.

They could not talk about the Lord's birth, except maybe in June or July. They could not talk about the resurrection except maybe in September or October. If they did not have the 4 main elements, their church service was invalid.

Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to (1) the apostles’ teaching and to (2) fellowship, to the (3) breaking of bread and to (4) prayer.

And they had to take communion every week to stay saved.

That is another element I have been doing wrong in performing communion once a month BTW. Sigh!!

 

[Southernscotty]

Did they serve wine or juice?

You would think it would be water. lol

 

[Hazelelponi]

He [They] are only worried for me they say and how can I not appreciate that. I do very much, I just wish there were a way that I could get them to see the liberty in Christ.

Have you ever considered they don't want liberty?