Fipi

Hello everyone,

I don't know why, but yesterday I suddenly asked myself why I am interested in minor Christian beliefs/theology. It doesn't matter in the end what denomination I am aligned with, what minor beliefs I have, etc, as long as I have truly accepted Jesus into my heart and have tried to follow Him faithfully. Sometimes I want to know about these small points on God or the Bible or Christian living because I want to do the right thing, but sometimes it is just out of curiosity. So is it wrong to put so much value (or any value at all) on these beliefs/opinions? Does a belief/opinion have any value at all if it does not help me to live the way God wants me to?

Mark_18

The only reason I think we need denominations is so that you can go to a church where they teach exactly what you believe. Other than that the truly saved will be striving to learn the same truths anyways and should agree to disagree and try and learn from eachother.

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Luke 15:31 - And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
Joel 2:28 - I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
Matthew 7:7 - Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Psalms 126:5 - Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.

JOKE POLICE

Glomung

An Orthodox priest who I knew put it this way, "We have traditions with a big 'T' and traditions with a little 't'. The big traditions are critical, the small ones not so much". For eample, in the Orthodox church there is a group commonly called the "Old Believers", they do not sing in church, not even a choir, and touch the earth when they genuflect. These are small traditions that they hold to, that is their custom, but it is not required or any part of doctrine. That the host is the "Body of Christ" is a big tradition, critical to the faith, and a large part of Orthodox doctrine.
Some apparently minor beliefs can severely corrupt your theology, I won't mention the name of the denomination, but there are some who believe that some humans are predestined to go to Hell, this promotes the notion of a rather cruel God, and is patently false. To quote Our Lord "Beware the leaven of the Pharisees".

daniel_1012

Well, if you are going from the standpoint of, "All I do is make sure my own salvation is secure, and nothing more," then it is correct to think that other things do not matter. It is true--if you have believed in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord and your sins are paid by the grace of God you have eternal life... then you are saved.

HOWEVER, if you intend to accomplish more on earth than your own personal salvation, then the full and entire concile of God's Word is important.

You never know WHAT information, or what Word, or what advice, or what evidence another person will require, by God's sovereinty, in order for THEM TO COME TO THE SAVING KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST. We also want to then LIVE A LIFE WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL at all times... certainly, the seemingly minor, little details may not give YOU salvation... but it may lead to the salvation of another... and that my friend, is very, very important.

My point is that the full details of God's Word may not bring YOU SALVATION, because you already have it... but knowing it, and abiding by it may be the key to SOMEONE ELSES salvation. And, after all... who doesn't want to obey everything that the Lord says, and see other people saved?

Obey the truth at all times... and at all times, show mercy.

Mark_18

Amen

Glomung if you look at it like God being outside of time and knowing the end and that being that, then those who DO go to hell, have already gone to hell sort of thing. The future uis already done if you're unaffected by time. BUT, that cannot be put into the equation in our minds because we and whatever intelligence we have IS affected by time and we need to get our act together if we are not saved. And even if we are there's always more.

__________________
Luke 15:31 - And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
Joel 2:28 - I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
Matthew 7:7 - Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Psalms 126:5 - Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.

JOKE POLICE

Glomung

I am well aware that God's perception is that of eternity and not of the "past to now to future" that we seem to experience. The doctrine that I was speaking of is that certain humans were chosen from the beginning of creation to have no choice as to their final destination. This abrogates the "free will" that God has given to all. In other words, these people believe that certain humans were "made to be damned", just as some believe that the devil and his angels "are just doing their jobs" as God intended. Both notions are patently false.
This all wanders far from the point, which is "minor beliefs and traditions in the various Christian denominations are usually trivial, but beware of weirdness in apparently unimportant places".

Mark_18

Oh okay, that's even worse

__________________
Luke 15:31 - And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.
Joel 2:28 - I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.
Matthew 7:7 - Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

Psalms 126:5 - Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.

JOKE POLICE

Vex

Over nearly the last 2000 years, the value placed on doctrine and denomination is at an all-time low today. - Just an observation, not having anything to do with whether that's a bad thing or a good thing.

Rumely

While we have to be careful of disfellowshipping over nonessential questions, I think the exploration and discussion of such questions can lead us to think about things which help us understand and think more deeply about what we believe. ....or such discussions can just make us more confused.

I attended a church years ago that believed in women wearing head coverings. While I, personally, am undecided as to whether that is something meant to apply generally to the whole church for all time or specifically to a time and place or situation, I can wholeheartedly support their desire to obey and worship God in this way. If I were female, I would have no problem covering up because it was a question of honoring God, to them, rather than a legalistic requirement.
While I am still undecided on the issue, examining it helps me generally in considering how to honor God in my life.

Boanerges

If you are born again then you are part of the kingdom of God and you are my brother or sister. We may not agree on everything but I am quite sure Jesus will work all that out when He returns- in the mean time I love each and every one of you.

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Anything that dims my vision for Christ, or takes away my taste for Bible study, or cramps me in my prayer life, or makes Christian work difficult, is wrong for me; and I must, as a Christian turn away from it. – J. Wilbur Chapman