What I'm describing so far would be categorizing a number of beliefs and practices as questionable. These matters have received a title, adiaphora. The Latin word means, "not differentiable." A well-known issue that some call "adiaphora" is mode of baptism, whether immersion or sprinkling, or recipient of baptism, paedobaptism or credobaptism. Perhaps someone sprinkled as an infant or as an adult could join our church along with those immersed as adults, everybody together in one big happy family.
Latitude might be given on eschatology by welcoming amillennialists or premillennialists, pre, mid, or post tribulation rapture for those who even believe in a rapture. Some women cover their thighs and others wear Daisy Dukes, some wear pants and other exclusively skirts, dresses, or culottes. Some watch Game of Thrones and others do not. Some refrain from foul language and others use it. Genesis 1-2 are a literal, grammatical historical account or just symbolic, either view acceptable and not differentiable. All types of music can be used or played on a personal basis or in church: rock, country, classical, or what formerly was called sacred. Would this be easier?
As I think about whether it's easier to concede in a number of different matters that I, or our church, presently do not, I see it from a financial standpoint. The church would grow in numbers and the offerings would rise, even if there was a smaller number tithing, because that would be optional. I would have less to think about in the realm of pastoral qualifications, because it would be difficult not to qualify. It would be hard to discern when someone has violated something, because so much of what was a problem is no longer a problem. I guess I could call all that easy.
Furthermore, many, many people I know would be much, much happier if I capitulated in the way I've described. They would celebrate, probably with a party with alcohol and dancing. We would now "get along." We would be "unified." We could start having fun together, otherwise known as being nice and loving. I wouldn't be confronting anyone for anything, so I would receive credit for being gracious. No one would feel guilty around me, and so their psyche would apparently improve. What a world that sounds like.
Now, one more thing. When I say, it seems like it would be much easier for me, I want you to know that I mean me. The emphasis is on me. Myself. What I want for myself. I have to consider, yes, whether that's what life is about, but for purposes of self-interest, I've got to think about me first when it comes to things being much, much easier. The main criteria here is me. That's the highest value for many who take the direction I'm explaining in this short post. Me is on the pedestal, highest possible purpose. Me.
However, what might seem easier for me wouldn't be easy for me. I couldn't continue, knowing the violation of scripture. I would think God is being disobeyed. The church would change. The distinction between the church and the world would shrink, if not disappear. It wouldn't be easy for me to join in that. I couldn't lead a church in that way. I couldn't live that way. I'm not claiming sinless perfection, but I believe scripture is perspicuous and that God expects us to believe, practice, and enforce it. I would quit before I or our church started acting like I'm describing. It wouldn't be easy for me, because I would be in a sort of anguish, mental and emotional pain for several reasons.
I would know God isn't being pleased, which is why I do what I do. I would know that people are being hurt spiritually, even damned to eternal punishment because of conduct not becoming the gospel. I couldn't look at myself in the mirror believing and practicing with such indifference to the truth in so many different areas. I would know that I was helping send the world to hell in that handbasket I mentioned earlier. That shouldn't be easy for anyone. It would be insane or a kind of spiritual violence.
I believe in Christian liberty. Christians should be given or allowed liberty in non-scriptural issues. Certain practices have some latitude. No Christian has the liberty to false belief and wrong behavior. Ignoring what's around me is easier. Not impeding anyone from anything is easier. These are easier only in a certain sense, in a certain deceptive sense, like enjoying the pleasures of sin. It's but for a season. Eternity is a lot longer. Even though it seems like it would be much easier, it really wouldn't be.
4 comments:
On the authority of the word of God: they don't want John 8 freedom, but rather that cursed of 2 Peter 2. Their 'happiness' is a bondage of flesh & unredeemed spirit that has them endlessly seeking for the next big experience, & is not that joy of the regenerate which transcends circumstance & is fruit of the Spirit.
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I'd note also that Bosch evidences the spiritism & inspiration of paganism & the charismaniacs, pentacostalics of his age in his works. These are not given the spirit of love & power & a sound mind...but are given to their own desires of drunkenness, lust & fleshly, illegitimate 'power'; bondage of works, and the willful insanity of the blind leap. 'Sister Wendy' aside & 1 John, Act 17 proving brought in witness & instruction instead! His paintings are impure & nightmarish like the Catholic gargoyles on their monuments to men & popes, and the dead bodies worshipped in glass coffins: like the 'churches' literally full of dead men's bones & skulls 'artfully' arranged in many cases, and built on the blood of enslaved, deceived men & women. It is a pity that men followed traditions of men who never came all the way out of her such as Luther & Calvin, Zwingli etc rather than continuing in the word to Christ outside the gate, & to true freedom as opposed to those antichristian-tainted corruptions of Augustine's compromise through clever philosophy with Babylon! The same sort of place their 'oldest' and 'bestest' two texts, and interpretive techniques, come from. It was always evolution of the scriptures that was the issue, materialistic & biological evolution mere symptoms....and on the symptom the whole mixed multitude of 'Fundamentalism' came to focus, true Bible-believing Baptists losing most of all in that Balaamite & Jezebel, Babylonian deal!!
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Bosch really did live in an age not so different from our own save in the level of technology to aid the antichrist delusion of Babylonian unity, religion and state bringing salvation. Knowledge will increase. Men will run to and fro, deceiving and being deceived. The Old Testament prophecies, the New Testament prophecies, and the book of Revelation will be fulfilled. Jesus said that offenses must come, but woe to him by whom they come. He's calling his sheep out & there aren't so many as we once thought there would be. Their removal as Lot in his compromised state dragged out by the angels of the Lord & not as some 'church triumphant'....will hardly be noticed by the religious man-centered 'Christians' going on to receive the man of sin.
What are some examples of non-scriptural issues in which you'd give liberty?
-Acer
Hello Acer,
There are the veritable all the trees of the garden to freely eat. There is relatively very little prohibited for a Christian compared to what a Christian gets to do. You can ask me, but I'm not going to elevate a non-scriptural practice to something that might be controversial by calling it a liberty. There are thousands at least.
Kent,
Can you not give him an answer to some liberties? The liberty to put flowers or trees on your property, to have a wood house or a brick house, to paint it the color you want, to have a wood table or a laminate table, to eat beef instead of pork, to jog or ride a bike, to buy a car or a truck, to work as a plumber or an engineer, to buy flower or candy for your wife, etc.
Are you getting it Acer? Did you not consider the obvious?
THOUSANDS of things that gives each of us liberty without violation of scriptures, but what Christians want "liberty" to do is SIN such as rock music, drinking, gambling, nakedness, dancing and such like things. Just like Adam and Eve, convinced that the THOUSANDS of trees were not good enough, they were convinced by the Devil to covet the tree that they could not have.
Are you getting the picture, as to how to actually give him an answer similar that would clarify your position?
The Preacher
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