You know what? The sort of warfare that has been going on in this thread and its predecessors is precisely why CF will never achieve its vision without a renewing of minds and spirits.
I belong to a denomination, The Episcopal Church in the United States of America, which is in the process of tearing itself apart over some of the same issues that are causing problems here. I happen to be very much a liberal, but also someone who cares about all God's people, conservatives included. And what is happening is wrong -- wrong there and wrong here.
What happened here was that an entrenched bureaucracy decided to go beyond enforcing forum rules to start judging people's hearts and salvation. A Christian couple, legally married and not in a state with gay marriage, was stripped of their "married" icons because staff decided to start gossiping and making accusations. A perfectly valid United Methodist was stripped of his "Christian" identity for the heinous sin of asking about another creed used by his church. People had started determining that "uniting all Christians" means "uniting all Christians that live up to my stringent standards of that it means to be Christian." Believers in Jesus Christ were being turned away for not mouthing the proper dogmatic shibboleths.
This was wrong. And Erwin reacted against it. I believe him to have been led by the Holy Spirit to call back into communion those who have been excluded by various people's prejudices.
But at the same time we cannot condemn those who believe that God has standards which all should live up to -- because everyone believes that; it's just that different people hold to different standards.
The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution says two things about religion: nobody can force their beliefs on you, and nobody can stop you from believing as you are led to believe. I think those two clauses make a pretty fair statement for CF as well:
You do not have the right to judge your brother's faith or salvation. You do have the right to hold fast to your own. Only one human being has the right to judge, and He is also the Incarnate Word of God. If you hold to an inerrant Bible, that is your privilege; but you must not demand that all Christians agree with you, on penalty of being disfellowshipped from CF. Same thing for every other major issue from papal primacy to antemillenialism to homosexuality. God has called us all together for His purposes, and what He has jouned together, let no man put asunder.
Gracious Father, we pray for Christian Forums. Fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purify it; where it is in error, direct it; where in any thing it is
amiss, reform it. Where it is right, strengthen it; where it is in want, provide for it; where it is divided, reunite it; for the sake of Jesus Christ thy Son our Savior. Amen.
O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and races may serve you inharmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
