butttler: Gen -- i guess i am assuming this one is you?...so anyway i am posting scripture to show emphasis and importance of ..unity of the Body...reconciliation to God and man...these two topics are ...no brainers or spiritual common sense..i feel out of sorts you could say ...needing to defend them...please dont take this that i want anything bad for you or to condemn you...and only God judges eterniity of man...but i am not sure..or i might even go further to say i do not think you have the Spirit of God..because as scripture says in gospel of John.."the Spirit will guide the believer into all truth"..how else can i say it?...how could anyone say that and the other person not be offended?...unless they dont mind being challenged to examine themselves as scripture says to do in 2 Corinthians.
OK i said i would give some verses so its not my opinion
lets start with having the same mind of Christ...which you called only agreeing on doctrine ( remember?..this is not accurate )...having the same mind of Christ is also having unity of the faith or unity of the Body...so i will point out Philippians chapter 2 to begin
Phil 2:1-10 1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death- even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, (from New International Version)
in verse 3 we are to have such humility to be like-minded with Christ and one another that we consider other believers better than us....this helps keep unity of the Body and humility and we stay teachable and not arrogant
Gen--see having the mind of Christ is so much more and deeper than just agreeing on doctrine...it is a whole lifestyle of humility seeking unity of the Body having the mind of Christ
Gen here is another passage that emphasizes unity by having same mind and agreeing with one another in Christ so as not to allow divisions
1 Cor 1:10-11
10 I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chlo'e's people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren. RSV
Paul here is beseeching the people..begging and pleading with the people there be no divisions but be in unity...no quarreling or arguing...but agree on the important things of Christ and let the small stuff go..this is spiritual common sense...when christians argue and divide it takes away the power to convince unbelievefs to reconcile to God because people are not acting reconciled to one another..this is basic spiritual common sense...for me to have to defend it makes me feel you are not being led by His Spriite Gen...i dont say it to condemn you but to warn you friend
Gen here is another deep pleading by Paul for unity..i copied KJV cause i think that is what you use
Eph 4:1-6 4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. KJV
Gen here it is in NIV...i know some people think NIV is so so bad...but i put several versions alongside each other to get clearer picture because KJV also has some serious errors in it..i can prove it without a doubt
Eph 4:1-6 4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. NAS
again Paul is pleading, beseeching, entreating believers to humble themselves and be in "unity"..or same mind of Christ or be "one" or in agreement...because divisions quench the Spriit and show the unbelieving world we cannot even get along..why should our message be important...that is horrible
Gen---this next one about unity...is a famous prayer of Jesus Christ as He was on His way to the Father after His ministry on earth...supposedly it is very famous ..showing the heart of God..
here is the part about unity
John 17:10-11 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name-the name you gave me-so that they may be one as we are one.
Gen see how utterly important it is to Jesus that we be one?..or in unity...this same reality was given to Paul by the Holy Spirit as i have shown the verses...unfortunately the Body of Christ is so divided because we christians do not consider others better than ourselves and we argue and quarrel and fight and separate...Gen i am guilty too...i am guilty of all the things i have pointed out i see in you..because all christians can act in the flesh
also when you accused me of making up scripture when i posted..2 Cor. 5 ministry of reconciliation
the chapter 5 of 2 Corinthians is about being reconciled to God and to one another too..as i have already shown if believers are not reconciled and divided it hurts terribly the doctrine of Christ
anyway..no i was no printing something false
John 17:10-11 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name-the name you gave me-so that they may be one as we are one. (from New International Version)
2 Cor 5:17-19 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
so yes we are given ministry of reconciliation
again..to only say...we are to be reconciled to God but not to other believers is way wrong and inaccurate...it goes hand in hand..so the unbelieving world knows we are of God
John 13:35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Gen i hope these scriptures have shown the emphasis God puts on unity..and if we are divided then we need to reconcile and get over our small issues...that is the heart of God...now i am not saying false teachers or false prophets we are to be in unity with or reconciled too...but this is common sense
Gen to be honest i was deeply concerned these obvious foundational truths of the heart of God we are having issues?...in all honesty i have observed some of your wisdoms of Gods word be way off the mark at times on foundational things that ..that is why i question if you are truly being led by His Spirit?...and you also said i was calling you names...ok i can agree with that...but i watched you in LIsh's room give sinful parting shots before you left...you should have been talking with him in private according to Matt 18 not publicly...i just want you to see Gen we all can appear out of bounds with God...but if we can humble ourselves before God and come together and agree first on important major doctrine..then the lesser stuff we may not necessarily agree but there is more liberty to compromise as not to allow divisions
Gen---sir i am in no way better than you or superior than you or anything of that nature...and sir you are more than welcome to get in contact with me and show me my blindspots..because we all have them
OK i said i would give some verses so its not my opinion
lets start with having the same mind of Christ...which you called only agreeing on doctrine ( remember?..this is not accurate )...having the same mind of Christ is also having unity of the faith or unity of the Body...so i will point out Philippians chapter 2 to begin
Phil 2:1-10
1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death-
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
(from New International Version)
in verse 3 we are to have such humility to be like-minded with Christ and one another that we consider other believers better than us....this helps keep unity of the Body and humility and we stay teachable and not arrogant
Gen--see having the mind of Christ is so much more and deeper than just agreeing on doctrine...it is a whole lifestyle of humility seeking unity of the Body having the mind of Christ
Gen here is another passage that emphasizes unity by having same mind and agreeing with one another in Christ so as not to allow divisions
1 Cor 1:10-11
10 I appeal to you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree and that there be no dissensions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chlo'e's people that there is quarreling among you, my brethren.
RSV
Paul here is beseeching the people..begging and pleading with the people there be no divisions but be in unity...no quarreling or arguing...but agree on the important things of Christ and let the small stuff go..this is spiritual common sense...when christians argue and divide it takes away the power to convince unbelievefs to reconcile to God because people are not acting reconciled to one another..this is basic spiritual common sense...for me to have to defend it makes me feel you are not being led by His Spriite Gen...i dont say it to condemn you but to warn you friend
Gen here is another deep pleading by Paul for unity..i copied KJV cause i think that is what you use
Eph 4:1-6
4:1 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
KJV
Gen here it is in NIV...i know some people think NIV is so so bad...but i put several versions alongside each other to get clearer picture because KJV also has some serious errors in it..i can prove it without a doubt
Eph 4:1-6
4:1 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love, 3 being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.
NAS
again Paul is pleading, beseeching, entreating believers to humble themselves and be in "unity"..or same mind of Christ or be "one" or in agreement...because divisions quench the Spriit and show the unbelieving world we cannot even get along..why should our message be important...that is horrible
Gen---this next one about unity...is a famous prayer of Jesus Christ as He was on His way to the Father after His ministry on earth...supposedly it is very famous ..showing the heart of God..
here is the part about unity
John 17:10-11
11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name-the name you gave me-so that they may be one as we are one.
Gen see how utterly important it is to Jesus that we be one?..or in unity...this same reality was given to Paul by the Holy Spirit as i have shown the verses...unfortunately the Body of Christ is so divided because we christians do not consider others better than ourselves and we argue and quarrel and fight and separate...Gen i am guilty too...i am guilty of all the things i have pointed out i see in you..because all christians can act in the flesh
also when you accused me of making up scripture when i posted..2 Cor. 5 ministry of reconciliation
the chapter 5 of 2 Corinthians is about being reconciled to God and to one another too..as i have already shown if believers are not reconciled and divided it hurts terribly the doctrine of Christ
anyway..no i was no printing something false
John 17:10-11
11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name-the name you gave me-so that they may be one as we are one.
(from New International Version)
2 Cor 5:17-19
18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
so yes we are given ministry of reconciliation
again..to only say...we are to be reconciled to God but not to other believers is way wrong and inaccurate...it goes hand in hand..so the unbelieving world knows we are of God
John 13:35
By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
Gen i hope these scriptures have shown the emphasis God puts on unity..and if we are divided then we need to reconcile and get over our small issues...that is the heart of God...now i am not saying false teachers or false prophets we are to be in unity with or reconciled too...but this is common sense
Gen to be honest i was deeply concerned these obvious foundational truths of the heart of God we are having issues?...in all honesty i have observed some of your wisdoms of Gods word be way off the mark at times on foundational things that ..that is why i question if you are truly being led by His Spirit?...and you also said i was calling you names...ok i can agree with that...but i watched you in LIsh's room give sinful parting shots before you left...you should have been talking with him in private according to Matt 18 not publicly...i just want you to see Gen we all can appear out of bounds with God...but if we can humble ourselves before God and come together and agree first on important major doctrine..then the lesser stuff we may not necessarily agree but there is more liberty to compromise as not to allow divisions
Gen---sir i am in no way better than you or superior than you or anything of that nature...and sir you are more than welcome to get in contact with me and show me my blindspots..because we all have them
blessings dear friend
sincerely
butler