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Paul
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 Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2003 4:11 am Post subject: Backing into the Truth. |
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Truly the Christian community in North America has become like the midway at
a carnival. Barkers of different denominations, and sometimes even
variations of the same denomination pitch their brand of salvation, often in
thunderous tones of warning.
This cacophony must seem bewildering to a seeker of Truth, and amusing to a
critic of Truth. Yet Truth cannot be discovered, or codified because it
must find you. You either resist it, or accept it. John 3:19 Puts it this
way: "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved
darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil."
We have the Kupps with their brand of truth clear down to Chain Breaker who
has no truth and can only say what he doesn't believe in. Yet Truth will
come knocking at each of our doors, and when it does we won't like it much
at first because it will testify against us and our beliefs.
My question to all of you is: What is essential truth? What are the
results of following such truth, and where will it lead us?
I believe that what I grew up thinking was essential truth was really a set
of doctrines that were man-crafted out of the "flesh" of the scriptures.
Such doctrines "...have indeed the outward appearance [that popularly
passes] for wisdom, in promoting self-imposed rigor of devotion and delight
in self-humiliation and severity of discipline of the body, but they are of
no value in checking the indulgence of the flesh (the lower nature).
[Instead, they do not honor God but serve only to indulge the flesh.]" Col
3:23
I believe that essential truth must necessarily produce in me: love, joy
(gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness,
goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility),
self-control (self-restraint, continence).
With out these qualities all I have to say about truth is vanity, emptiness,
falsity, and vainglory.
Paul |
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Doug
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2003 5:45 am Post subject: Re: Backing into the Truth. |
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I have to disagree somewhat. While I believe that doctrine is only a start,
and not a fulfillment, it is an essential start. If we wish to love God, we
must first know who God is, and who God is not. If we wish to do God's will,
we must first know what that will is. We all need a certain amount of
declarative knowledge in order to lead Christian lives. At the same time, if
it's not utilized effectively, it is merely empty words. The ultimate truth is
to be found in the person of Jesus Christ. Doctrinal knowledge should lead to
practical knowledge (knowing what to do), which should lead to our relationship
with Christ. I'm not trying to say that we are saved by what we do, but that
once we know about God, we need to respond to God. When we respond to God, a
relationship with God is established. So this practical knowledge guides us
toward the ultimate in truth, Jesus Christ. In actual practice, all three of
these things occur at the same time, in greater and lesser degrees in their
parts for different persons. Sometimes one's relationship with Christ leads
one to seek greater knowledge of doctrinal truth. Sometimes when one responds
to God's call, this clarifies doctrinal issues that were perhaps poorly
understood at first.
Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life", and all truth leads to Him.
Doug |
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Paul
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2003 9:11 am Post subject: Re: Backing into the Truth. |
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"Doug" <happybrew67@cs.comnojunk> wrote in message
news:20030822204509.00659.00000665@mb-m02.news.cs.com...
| Quote: | I have to disagree somewhat. While I believe that doctrine is only a
start,
and not a fulfillment, it is an essential start. If we wish to love God,
we
must first know who God is, and who God is not. If we wish to do God's
will,
we must first know what that will is. We all need a certain amount of
declarative knowledge in order to lead Christian lives.
|
Read this Ng. The Kupps are full and over flowing with declarative
knowledge and yet they appear to lack the essential markings of the Holy
Spirit. The declarative knowledge that "worked repentance", it would seem,
needs to come from the Light, the very Light which wicked men reject. So I
would just add to what you have said and define declarative knowledge as not
just any declarative knowledge even if it is crafted out of the "flesh" of
the scriptures, but instead a living knowledge. My friend may die and I can
look at all of his physical components in the coffin, but he is not there,
and so it is with man-crafted knowledge out of the "flesh" of the
scriptures. They end up with a dead knowledge: dead wrong.
| Quote: | At the same time, if
it's not utilized effectively, it is merely empty words.
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The Kupps will be more than glad to inform you as to how to use it
"effectively".
| Quote: | The ultimate truth is
to be found in the person of Jesus Christ.
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Amen
| Quote: | Doctrinal knowledge should lead to
practical knowledge (knowing what to do), which should lead to our
relationship
with Christ.
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Or could it be the other way around? Our relationship with Jesus Christ
leads to practical knowledge which then in turn leads to correct doctrine or
teaching.
| Quote: | I'm not trying to say that we are saved by what we do, but that
once we know about God, we need to respond to God. When we respond to
God, a
relationship with God is established. So this practical knowledge guides
us
toward the ultimate in truth, Jesus Christ. In actual practice, all three
of
these things occur at the same time, in greater and lesser degrees in
their
parts for different persons. Sometimes one's relationship with Christ
leads
one to seek greater knowledge of doctrinal truth. Sometimes when one
responds
to God's call, this clarifies doctrinal issues that were perhaps poorly
understood at first.
Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life", and all truth leads to Him.
Doug
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Amen! No one will be lost who prosecutes your last statement with every
ounce of their being. (And I don't care what denominational label they
wear!) |
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Andrew
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Aug 23, 2003 9:30 am Post subject: Re: Backing into the Truth. |
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"Paul" wrote:
| Quote: |
"Doug" wrote:
Jesus is "the way, the truth, and the life", and all truth leads to Him.
Doug
Amen! No one will be lost who prosecutes your last statement with every
ounce of their being. (And I don't care what denominational label they
wear!)
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Double Amen!! I know Catholics who are on this path - they are brothers. |
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