General Christian Polemics and Debates

[benadam1974]

“Disapproval of polemics in the Christian Church is a very serious matter. But that is the attitude of the age in which we live. The prevailing idea today in many circles in the Church is not to bother about these things. As long as we are all Christians, anyhow, somehow, all is well. Do not let us argue about doctrine, let us all be Christians together and talk about the love of God. That is really the whole basis of ecumenicity. Unfortunately, that same attitude is creeping into evangelical circles also and many say that we must not be too precise about these things….‘Ah, but you are beginning to argue now,’ they say. ‘You must not argue, that is upsetting, that is going to divide people.’"

Christian Polemics and Debates

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans: Atonement and Justification, 1971, p. 113-114. “The great Apostle [Paul] never confines himself to mere positive statements but often indulges, because he feels […]

jesuskingdomgospel.com

 

[LeeB]

As you may know I view debates outside the church as a waste of time as you engage in a battle of wits with someone who is unarmed. Paul and the other Apostles were given the task,of preaching the gospel to the world. This task was completed and is recorded in scripture. We are all, as Jesus said, “to believe through their words “. There are no more Apostles therefore there are no more who are appointed to their work. I believe the holy spirt, GOD the FATHER, teaches all Christians through Jesus. John 6:45 The Holy Spirit is the Elijah to come and “restore all things”. This indicates that things were lost. This loss occurred due to Satanic attacks on the woman who brought forth the man child. I believe that once the Apostle John died the prophecy of Ezekiel 34 took effect. This removes all human ministry from the church as human ministers have been the Satanically inspired source of all lies and deceptions that have come. Every Christian is taught of GOD through Christ the mediator of which is only one mediator. Human ministry places an extra mediator in the mix causing all kinds of heresies. John confirms this in 1 John 2:26,27
This also agrees with Jesus, John 14:26 , John 16:13,14,15,16 To me this is very clear. I do not demand that anyone believes me and will not be angry with them. I do however believe this is the truth. I have been taught in this manner for over 30 years and fellowship with 4 other people who have been taught the same way. If there are to be debates, discussions, over doctrines it needs to be in the church only as we, the saints , are the only people who have been given the mysteries of the kingdom of GOD. We need not be worried or concerned about the people yet in the world as GOD has an assigned time for each person to be converted and come to understand the hope of salvation.

 

[Outcast]

“Disapproval of polemics in the Christian Church is a very serious matter. But that is the attitude of the age in which we live. The prevailing idea today in many circles in the Church is not to bother about these things. As long as we are all Christians, anyhow, somehow, all is well. Do not let us argue about doctrine, let us all be Christians together and talk about the love of God. That is really the whole basis of ecumenicity. Unfortunately, that same attitude is creeping into evangelical circles also and many say that we must not be too precise about these things….‘Ah, but you are beginning to argue now,’ they say. ‘You must not argue, that is upsetting, that is going to divide people.’"

Christian Polemics and Debates

Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Romans: Atonement and Justification, 1971, p. 113-114. “The great Apostle [Paul] never confines himself to mere positive statements but often indulges, because he feels […]

jesuskingdomgospel.com

If we only HAD a Christian church, this would be quite serious. We instead have doctrinal societies which create their own gods and idols who charge dues by imploring tithes and offering to pay the lead law-givers. I might even say that these leaders are engaged in a career which may have many friends who are counted as successes for their scoreboards. After all, I am aware that the number of baptisms is recorded as how well a "church" is doing in many denominations.

 

[LeeB]

Yes, it was in the WCG. People need to think, why does an omnipotent GOD need money ? GOD does not need us, Acts 17:25 , we need HIM. We cannot do a work for GOD , we are GODS work, Ephesians 2:10
The way that scriptures speak about the unconverted world is very clear and strongly emphasizes that the church, in spiritual things, be totally separate from the world. GOD has drawn a line, people need to understand that. Ezekiel 44:23 Isaiah 5:20 Malachi 3:18 2 Corinthians 6:17 This is the line.

 

[LeeB]

Matthew 7:6 The world’s churches belong to Satan. All people in them are unconverted and to try to share with them the truths of GOD is casting pearls before swine and giving what is holy to dogs. This gives them opportunity to blaspheme and they may well turn and rent you. The enemies people are far more in number than the little flock. It shows wisdom to see, understand and obey what Jesus said. Besides all this no man can teach anyone, GOD is the teacher through Christ.

 

[Outcast]

I think this is a very difficult concept for many. Our thinking wires get wrapped around the axle, because we have not been "taught by God" as our thought reflect only those things by people who claim to teach God's truth. At that point, we do not verify the things we were told before they become out "facts."

That is the step where most people stop. They then believe that they know God's truth. If they indeed had God's truth at that point, there would be no denominations with differing doctrines.

Note this this topic is not studied in depth. In our shallow minds, it just "is."

I did not think much about it either until God gave me a truth when I begged Him for it. Then, when He gave it to me, I asked Him to take it back because if caused me to be separate from my friends and local church.

God's truth will divide us.

Scripture lost a lot of meaning when it was written in Greek and translated to English.

Hebrew Mind vs. Greek Mind — The WildBranch Ministry

www.wildbranch.org

 

[LeeB]

When a person has GODS Holy Spirit and is being taught by GOD there is no language issue, bad translation or deliberate alteration that can stand in the way of the Saints learning GODS truth. When Jesus said that his sheep hear his voice he was not speaking metaphorically but literally. GODS power enables those with HIS spirit to hear the voice of HIS son in their human spirits and to the unconverted this sounds ridiculous and is discredited because they do not experience it. This is what Jesus said, “anyone who has learned from the FATHER must come to me.” We should never go to a human pastor, preacher or minister because they will only confuse and deceive us as they have for centuries. I remember the first time Christ spoke to me. It was in Hebrews 11:6 I would be rewarded if I would diligently seek GOD and believe that HE is. The “proof” of this spiritual connection is that when you know absolutely nothing about a spiritual issue and were not even thinking about that issue at all and out of the blue your mind receives information, information about something you were not even knowledgeable about or even thinking about is placed in your human spirit. I have experienced this spiritual phenomenon often over the last 30 years. There is also the experience of actually hearing in your mind/human spirit the voice of Christ, “my sheep hear my voice” , this is a spiritual fact, it is how GOD and Christ communicates with the saints.