>I consider myself a Christian. I don't though consider myself an Evangelical or Fundamentalist Christian. I thought I've said that many times before.<
I see. You claimed to have accepted almost all of the Biblical teachings of Fundamentalists or Evangelicals. They do not accept your blasphemous musings about God or the heresy of the pre-existence of the soul. I tell you that, despite their differences, no historic Christian church will embrace your beliefs. There are many so called “christian” churches that will accommodate you quite nicely. Indeed, they will accommodate anything, even homosexuality and atheism as natural goods.
>I do though happen to be involved with a Fundamentalist church, but I'm there just to add to my own knowledge and often I find there beliefs to be challenging, but not consistent with my understanding as to what the Bible says when I read it.<
I see. Well then you might try understanding the history of their doctrines and the reasons behind their beliefs before you reject them for what all of Christianity as emphatically rejected as blasphemy and heresy.
>I'm willing to listen and consider that I could be wrong or that I misunderstand something, but often I think that they interprete Bible verses; reading into them conclusions that they have been taught about the verses, but that they might well not have come up with from their own reading of the Bible.<
Surely this is the case, and there is little wrong with relying on knowledgeable authorities to help explain a verse using history, language and culture. Once having relied upon an authority to point the way, we might completely within reason, then understand a passage better provided we accept the authorities' reason for the interpretation. In some cases (but not in nearly as many as is commonly thought), passages may defy our modern understanding, necessitating we speculate upon them while admitting our ignorance. There is no shame here.
>If you are going to be strict about reading the Bible; you want to guard against reading into pet conclusions and when the church I hang around doesn't do this;<
You are unfortunately breaking up. Nevertheless I think I follow you. I am not being strict about reading the Bible. Christianity is not so lax that any doctrine falls within orthodoxy. There are very many issues presented in Scripture that are so clear that all of Christianity can rally around them. Surely there are debates within Christianity, as there have been from its very beginning, but there are some things that no real Christian questions, one of them is the Sovereign nature of God Almighty.
>I enjoy it, but when they start adding theological interpretations and when pinned down on the meaning of Bible versus's say; "I know this verse means 'XYZ' and I'm certain about that because I'm a Christian and the Holy Spirit has told me it means that"; when it in fact doesn't say 'XYZ' at all; well, that is pretty scary stuff.<
Well I am not exactly sure what you mean by this. There are some passages that are removed from us by time and culture and that will require our simply accepting our own ignorance of them. But it is not the tendency of Evangelicals to individually claim a verse means a certain thing whatever our teachers and leaders believe. We follow the direction of our churches as do other Christian denominations. We perhaps take the liberty to read and ponder the Scriptures more than others, but should we come to interpretations that conflict with orthodoxy we generally take these interpretations to our authorities and reason concerning them, rather than get on the internet and spout blasphemy and heresy all the while calling ourselves Christian, and claiming to be in agreement with orthodox Christians.
>I talked about how I had actually talked to two fundamentalist Christians and how each used this logic to justify how they were right about what the Bible was saying and yet after all these Bible verses were quoted; one said salvation was not by works, but by faith; the other insisted that it was by works and that anyone that believe otherwise was under Satanic influence. You can appreciate how pathetic this situation looked to me.<
Well. I am not impressed because you have found two people who disagree over a common dispute amongst Christians. No human organization will contain humans who agree perfectly on anything, and if such an organization exists, I will avoid it as I would avoid death. The point is that despite our differences there is a common Christian orthodoxy, and your beliefs are not contained therein. Christians will debate if salvation is by works or faith, but no Christian disputes the fundamental nature of the God who saves, claiming He made mistakes when he randomly threw people together with the “wrong” sex.
>All men are flaws in a fallen world and I don't trust that they can discern anything with absolute clarity.<
Very good. I happen to agree with you here. I trust no man with my eternal destiny—not the Pope, not Billy Graham, no church of fallible men, not even the fallible man whose words you now read. This is why I have cast my fate into the hands of God, trusting Him that He will do with me what He deems Right.
The Church nevertheless has a role in my spiritual life. It is a spiritual organism of fallible people who sometimes will argue. Nevertheless I am a member of the Church because, like me, very many people have seen that God can be trusted. We come together frequently to relish in this fact, to partake in Christ's remembrance and to help one another. This is called worship and fellowship. We also come to allow God to minister to our spirits and minds through the teaching of His Scripture. This is called edification.
>You would have to be without sin to be certain you were not possibly mislead by Satan.<
This is not necessarily true. It seems reasonable that we must be utterly perfect to enter heaven, but on earth we might still fall victim to sin and yet after crying out to God for deliverance be protected by Him from error regarding our final destiny. Indeed, this is the illustration I see in Scriptures from Genesis to Revelations. In nearly every book of the Scriptures this deliverance narrative seems to exist in some, if even rudimentary, form.
>I think most Christian's underestimate how clever and logical Satan can be. He isn't some dumbo; he is the best deceiver the world has ever known. 60 Minutes wouldn't get on to him for example.<
LOL. No doubt. This is one reason Faith is so very important. It is not, as is commonly held by non-believers, simply believing something for no reason. |
