Differing Doctrines, Denominations, Bad Doctrines & Hell

[Bible2]

Willtor posted in message #5:

The questions, themselves, are kind of ironic in some
ways. One strives for the truth, whatever it may be,
but ultimately one may be honestly mistaken or (just
as bad) not clever or intelligent enough to grasp
something or simply may not have enough time to
process a thing in one lifetime.

One does not have to be clever or intelligent to
grasp the key beliefs and practices which save us;
indeed, considering onseself to be clever and
intelligent can be a hindrance to accepting those
beliefs and practices:

Matthew 11:25 ...I thank thee, O Father, Lord of
heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things
from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them
unto babes.

1 Corinthians 1:19 ...For it is written, I will
destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to
nothing the understanding of the prudent.

We don't understand the truths which save us by our
own intelligence, but by God's own Spirit:

1 Corinthians 2:10 ...God hath revealed them unto us
by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things,
yea, the deep things of God.
11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save
the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things
of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world,
but the spirit which is of God; that we might know
the things that are freely given to us of God.

Regarding not having enough time to process a thing
in one lifetime, the truths and practices which save
us can be processed in a matter of minutes; we must
never abandon them for complicated constructs which
are not of God:

2 Corinthians 11:3 ... so your minds should be
corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

Willtor posted in message #5:

If I'm not mistaken, the Eastern Orthodox say, "the
Truth of truths cannot be known," meaning (basically)
that God is incomprehensible.

The Bible says that the truth can be known:

John 14:6 ...Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the
truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me.

John 17:3 ...And this is life eternal, that they might
know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
thou hast sent.

To say that the truth and God cannot be known would
be to say that we cannot be saved.

Willtor posted in message #5:

Fortunately, it is Jesus who saves us, not our
conceptions.

We must have right conceptions of Jesus if He is to
save us. If we conceive of Jesus as not being the
Christ or not being the Son of God or not being God
Himself or not being crucified for our sins or not
being resurrected from the dead on the third day or
not being in the flesh, then He cannot save us.

Willtor posted in message #5:

But in the end, it's the judgment of God that
matters, and I heavily question whether His judgments
will be drawn on denominational lines (though some
Churches may have less inadequate doctrine than
others).

God's judgments will not be drawn on denominational
lines, but on scriptural lines:

John 12:48 ...the word that I have spoken, the same
shall judge him in the last day.

The scriptures contain all that we need to arrive at
saving doctrine and practice:

2 Timothy 3:15 ...the holy scriptures, which are able
to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which
is in Christ Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly
furnished unto all good works.

We must avoid all denominationalism:

1 Corinthians 1:12 ... every one of you saith, I am
of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas ...

 

[Bible2]

Vasileios posted in message #6:

I can tell you that I believe that every belief
matters, as faith is a movement of the heart, and we
should be careful to direct our heart to Christ.

Not every belief matters, for some beliefs which
contradict each other still don't direct our hearts
away from Christ:

Romans 14:2 ...For one believeth that he may eat all
things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth
not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that
eateth: for God hath received him.
4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant?
to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he
shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another
esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully
persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the
Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord
he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the
Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth
not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God
thanks.

 

[Bible2]

TimRout posted in message #7:

Salvation is by grace, through faith, plus NOTHING
[Ephesians 2:8-9].

Salvation is by grace, through faith, plus works of
faith:

James 2:24 ...Ye see then how that by works a man is
justified, and not by faith only.

Matthew 7:21 ...Not every one that saith unto me,
Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;
but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in
heaven.

Titus 1:16 ...They profess that they know God; but in
works they deny him, being abominable, and
disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Hebrews 5:9 ... he became the author of eternal
salvation unto all them that obey him ...

Romans 2:5 ...God;
6 Who will render to every man according to his
deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing
seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal
life ...

Ephesians 2:8-9 means that God initially shows us
His grace not based on any works which we had done
before we got saved:

2 Timothy 1:8 ...God;
9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy
calling, not according to our works, but according to
his own purpose and grace, which was given us in
Christ Jesus before the world began ...

Titus 3:5 ...Not by works of righteousness which we
have done, but according to his mercy he saved us ...

Once we are given the gift of faith by God's grace,
we must subsequently perform good works of faith:

Ephesians 2:8 ...For by grace are ye saved through
faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of
God:
9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained
that we should walk in them.

Titus 3:8 ...This is a faithful saying, and these
things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they
which have believed in God might be careful to
maintain good works.

James 2:26 ...For as the body without the spirit is
dead, so faith without works is dead also.

 

[Bible2]

jamiel posted in message #10:

We have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ,
not a religion.

We have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
which should result in pure religion:

James 1:27 ...Pure religion and undefiled before God
and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and
widows in their affliction, and to keep himself
unspotted from the world.

 

[Bible2]

HighwayMan posted in message #11:

That's why the only thing that makes sense to me is
Universal Salvation for all. If anything is true,
this must be it. But that's just my opinion and I can
understand why many still prefer to stick to one
church or the other.

Universal salvation isn't true, for only a relatively
few people will be saved:

Matthew 7:13 ...Enter ye in at the strait gate: for
wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth
to destruction, and many there be which go in
thereat:
14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way,
which leadeth unto life, and few there be that
find it.

Matthew 22:14 ...For many are called, but few are
chosen.

We aren't saved by sticking to one denomination or
another, but by sticking to Jesus Himself and to His
Word the Bible:

John 8:31 ...If ye continue in my word, then are ye
my disciples indeed ...

John 14:21 ...He that hath my commandments, and
keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that
loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will
love him, and will manifest myself to him ...
23 If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my
Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and
make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings ...

 

[Bible2]

SkyHigh posted in message #13:

... God plays a personal and active role in Salvation.

Amen, and we need to as well:

Philippians 2:12 ... work out your own salvation with
fear and trembling.
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will
and to do of his good pleasure.

1 Corinthians 3:9 ... we are labourers together
with God ...

Colossians 1:29 ...Whereunto I also labour, striving
according to his working, which worketh in me
mightily.

Philippians 1:6 ...Being confident of this very
thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you
will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ ...

Hebrews 12:2 ...Looking unto Jesus the author and
finisher of our faith ...

John 15:4 ...Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch
cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the
vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth
in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much
fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a
branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and
cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

SkyHigh posted in message #13:

... God is very merciful (which you all agree on). It
makes sense because looking at what is necessary for
Salvation, He is not asking very much at all.

God is asking for everything:

Luke 14:33 ... whosoever he be of you that forsaketh
not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:26 ...If any man come to me, and hate not his
father, and mother, and wife, and children, and
brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he
cannot be my disciple.
27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come
after me, cannot be my disciple.

Luke 9:23 ... If any man will come after me, let him
deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow
me.
24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it:
but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the
same shall save it.

God is very merciful, but His mercy has limits; He
won't forgive sin that we willfully continue in
without repentance:

Hebrews 10:26 ...For if we sin wilfully after that
we have received the knowledge of the truth, there
remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and
fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy
under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he
be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the
Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the
covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy
thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of
grace?

 

[Bible2]

SkyHigh posted in message #14:

... while He is tremendously merciful He is also
tremendously jealous and will not tolerate people
abandoning Him or His ways.

That's right:

Exodus 34:14 ... thou shalt worship no other god: for
the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God ...

2 Timothy 2:12 ... if we deny him, he also will
deny us ...

This denial of God and going after other gods doesn't
have to be some formal pronouncement or formal worship
of some pagan god; we can give conscious lipservice to
God while at the same time we are unconsciously
denying Him and worshipping other things by not obeying
His commandments and by loving, for example, money more
than Him:

Titus 1:16 ...They profess that they know God; but in
works they deny him, being abominable, and
disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Ezekiel 33:31 ... with their mouth they shew much
love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.

Matthew 6:24 ...No man can serve two masters: for
either he will hate the one, and love the other; or
else he will hold to the one, and despise the other.
Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

1 Timothy 6:10 ...For the love of money is the root
of all evil: which while some coveted after, they
have erred from the faith ...

Matthew 6:19 ...Lay not up for yourselves treasures
upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves break through and steal:
20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where
thieves do not break through nor steal:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart
be also.