Common Ground

[ByTheSpirit]

So a lot of threads in CF with people trying to flex their theological muscles and tout their doctrinal stance, but this is not such a thread. Actually quite the opposite.

With sooo many views in Christianity, what beliefs do we all hold in agreement and do our disagreements really have to separate us?

For instance, do we all agree that a person must believe in Jesus Christ in order to be saved?

Isn't this one point enough to say whatever our other disagreements are we can be one?

Some might say that their views on marriage mean they cannot accept certain people/groups...

Some might say their eschatological views mean they cannot accept others.

Some might say their views alone are on absolute truth and unless one agrees 100% with each there is no other way.

The apostles at times did not agree with each other's views and yet those disagreements are recorded in scripture and given as testimony that disagreements will happen, but we can handle them with love and come to a common agreement.

Let's find some common ground to build on instead of tearing each other apart like ravenous animals.

 

[brinny]

So a lot of threads in CF with people trying to flex their theological muscles and tout their doctrinal stance, but this is not such a thread. Actually quite the opposite.

With sooo many views in Christianity, what beliefs do we all hold in agreement and do our disagreements really have to separate us?

For instance, do we all agree that a person must believe in Jesus Christ in order to be saved?

Isn't this one point enough to say whatever our other disagreements are we can be one?

Some might say that their views on marriage mean they cannot accept certain people/groups...

Some might say their eschatological views mean they cannot accept others.

Some might say their views alone are on absolute truth and unless one agrees 100% with each there is no other way.

The apostles at times did not agree with each other's views and yet those disagreements are recorded in scripture and given as testimony that disagreements will happen, but we can handle them with love and come to a common agreement.

Let's find some common ground to build on instead of tearing each other apart like ravenous animals.

The Bible is common ground.

Isn't it?





.

 

[Tree of Life]

...a person must believe in Jesus Christ in order to be saved?

We would all embrace these words. The problem lies in the meaning of the words. We disagree on the meaning of "believe", "Jesus Christ", and "saved". It can be hard to have a significant unity based on mere words alone when our concepts behind these words differ dramatically.

 

[Jipsah]

Let's find some common ground to build on instead of tearing each other apart like ravenous animals.

I think the ancient Creeds of the Church cover the common ground quite nicely, the Nicene Creed being the pretty much universally accepted one.

 

[Jipsah]

The Bible is common ground.

Isn't it?

"Yes, that's what it says, but what it really means is...".

 

[brinny]

"Yes, that's what it says, but what it really means is...".

LOL!

Hey, Jipsah, it's good seeing you posting.

 

[Albion]

I like the idea of the thread, but so far I see a significant number of Christians saying NO to every suggested common denominator that has been presented.

The unofficial but predominant view among Catholics now (as well as among some Protestants from further back) is that you do NOT have to believe in Christ as savior in order to be saved; that's irrespective of whether or not he IS, actually, the reason for anyone's salvation. Of course also, there are Christians who insist that the Bible is only one of the means by which we know what's right...and some go further than that and say that Scripture is right in some parts but not in others.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

So a lot of threads in CF with people trying to flex their theological muscles and tout their doctrinal stance, but this is not such a thread. Actually quite the opposite.

With sooo many views in Christianity, what beliefs do we all hold in agreement and do our disagreements really have to separate us?

For instance, do we all agree that a person must believe in Jesus Christ in order to be saved?

Isn't this one point enough to say whatever our other disagreements are we can be one?

Some might say that their views on marriage mean they cannot accept certain people/groups...

Some might say their eschatological views mean they cannot accept others.

Some might say their views alone are on absolute truth and unless one agrees 100% with each there is no other way.

The apostles at times did not agree with each other's views and yet those disagreements are recorded in scripture and given as testimony that disagreements will happen, but we can handle them with love and come to a common agreement.

Let's find some common ground to build on instead of tearing each other apart like ravenous animals.

You (that is, everyone in Christ) already are being fitted together as living stones, by Yahweh (God), no matter where on earth they/we are )
But those in Athens, the false gods, all other gods, and idols and idolators,
were not ever on any common ground with Ekklesia in Christ,
and Yahweh and Jesus and the Apostles never said they were on common ground with those who are saved.

 

[bling]

When I talk with nonbelievers or those of a different believe, I try to start with what we do agree on.

There is always an issue with words being used and assumptions about those words.