Which Doctrine Do You Choose? (Do you even have to choose?)

For sake of time, I will not include the verses in their entirety, but I give references so that you can study on your own. And trust me, this is a good practice to get in to. When someone shares their thoughts on the Word of God, you should always verify.

John 17:21 - Our division over doctrines does NOT communicate Jesus correctly. Romans 12:5 – We who are many are supposed to be ONE.

Who is inspiring this post? Two men and their followers.

 

Jacobus Arminius (from late 1500s) and his opponent John Calvin (from early 1500s).

 

Keyword: OPPONENT. Surely Arminius found holes in Calvin’s doctrine and there came his response with a differing doctrine 50 years later. However, let’s point out this was over 500 years ago…and they were about 1470 years after Christ.

 

Ready for my hypothesis?

Both Calvin and Arminius lead people astray.

Let me explain. Hear me out. I may surprise you.

Is this a plan? Perhaps a strategy from our greatest enemy to divide the body of Christ. Create so much division that we are handicapped to reach the world in full capacity.

 

In my eyes, all we do is turn off unbelievers/unsaved with our ‘irreconcilable differences’ over our favorite 'flowers'. Are you a TULIP or a DAISY? Me, I'm a wildflower!!!

 

These old doctrines from C & A have dug deep roots to divide the body of Christ (which is to be ONE).

 

What is an offensive strategy in war? DIVIDE & CONQUER. And unfortunately, so many have fallen for this. Just think of the last time you were having a great conversation with a fellow ‘Christian’ and then the topic of doctrine came up and they said they were Calvinist…what happen to that conversation if you are not a “Calvinist”? It was over and your attitude changed, you became on guard with whatever else came out of their mouth right? Does that even sound Christ-like? No, it doesn’t.

 

 

But why does it happen? It’s NOT biblical…The division comes from our spirit not bearing witness with that doctrine. Divisive, disagreeable doctrines are not of God.

What does the Bible warn us about doctrines of man?

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of Him who is the head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Ephesians 4:14-16

 

But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness,your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:3

I live by what it says in the Word of God. Refer to Ephesians 4:4-6. Read about ‘ONENESS’. Choosing a man’s doctrine to follow is so unbiblical.  Identifying yourself with a ‘man’s interpretation’ is unbiblical. Read & dwell on 1 Corinthians 3:4-5. It’s right there. “MERE MEN”.

In my eyes, it’s completely unbiblical to even label yourself as anything else than a follower of Christ, a disciple of Christ, and even a Christian. Yet people love labels. So then I offer an alternative: Biblican.

I cannot grasp onto either ‘Calvinist’ or ‘Arminian’ doctrines…it’s so unbiblical to do either by what I gather from the verses I’ve sited.  So then, when people corner me on choosing a Biblical stance, I tell them that “I’m Biblican”…and since it’s a new term, my own, they will ask me, “So then what do you believe?” My response: “Whatever the Bible states. Period.”

 How do people miss what Christ says in Revelations 22:18-19?

I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues which are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book.

YIKES!!!! See, its right there in the Word? Follow what the spirit of God speaks to you! He will speak clearly the truth, and you will hear Him IF you lay down all your presumptions and all doctrines of man that you have come in agreement with.

Do you recall how the people were addressed in their following after Moses BEFORE Christ?

See Acts 15:1-11.

We don’t’ need to add our interpretation or Calvin’s to our views. It’s bias.

 

 

See the divisiveness? How is this 'the Lord'?

 

It's limited, remember. This disagreement is unnecessary and overcomplicates living sold out to Christ.

 

With all this said, I encourage us all to stop wasting our time and energy debating scripture and just start living out the unadulterated Word of God.

 

·        Let’s get back to the simple and pure devotion to Christ – 2 Corinthians 11:3.

·        Let your life show John 14:6.

·        Let’s live John 15.

·        Let’s Matthew 6:33.
 

By all doing all this, we will find God’s will for us personally!

Side note/Personal Opinion:

I feel that there are holes in each doctrinal prescription. One may have more than the other, some may be smaller or bigger…but still there are holes in each.

Question: Would you rather have a boat with 1 hole or 5 holes in it?

Answer: Neither, right? You will sink in either one.

I cannot accept either doctrinal belief as sufficient or 100% scriptural, so then I don’t choose a side. I ask you to seek the scriptures and see what the Lord reveals to you. Don’t just pick one since it seems to be the thing to do. And by the way, Jesus doesn't say you have to?

DISCLAIMER: I am non-denominational, and I am non-doctrinal. I just want to be biblical. I just want Jesus & His Word. (Psalm 119 & John 1:1-5).

Why is it important to read our Bibles?

Great question.
Below are notes from this morning's devotional...And it concludes with this importance!

So much instruction in Hebrews 5 & 6.
So much revelation in Hebrews 5 & 6.

Here's some notes I took while reading it.....

High Priests (leaders of God):
1. Are appointed to the things of God.
2. Offer gifts and sacrifices.
3. Deal gently with ignorant and misguided people.
4. Are humble.
5. Are called by God.

Jesus was our example of a High Priest.
1. He offered up prayers and supplications (intercession) on behalf of others.
2. Obedience was learned through suffering.

My thoughts and paraphrases of:

• Hebrews 5:9:  IF CHRIST IS TRULY LORD - YOU WILL OBEY HIM!
• Hebrews 5:11: (I) Often have much to say, but the dull hearing (unbelief & disobedience) of others makes it difficult to say....dull hearing/unbelief/lukewarm living prevents people from receiving God's Word.
• Hebrews 5:12: This is why there are so many so-called believers who still need "milk"...the easy to swallow stuff, i.e. topical sermons that teach how to have a 'good life'.
• Hebrews 5:14: It is the mature believers, who are willing to obey, who can take the solid food, the stuff you have to think about, understand, i.e. Bible-teaching sermons on what kind of life God is calling us to.

MY PERSONAL OPINION/THOUGHTS/OBSERVATIONS

Have you ever sat in church and heard a great, motivational speech? I call them 'life-coach pastors'. Their message is well received because it teaches the audiences how to get more out of life. To me, this is consumer-Christianity...the 'I'll bless others to get a blessing' - very selfish and self-centered focused.

Have you ever sat in church and had the Bible taught to you? Verses broken down to the Hebrew or Greek to hear the original intention of what was written? Then the main verse supported by numerous others from BOTH the Old and New Testaments? Those sermons are what bring the people to their knees. Those sermons are what pierces the heart and soul of sins to be repented of. Those are the life-changing sermons that transforms hearts, minds, souls, marriages, families....WHY?

They are based on the WORD!!!!!! Here's some scripture to support what I am saying:

Deuteronomy 4:2

You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you.

Deuteronomy 12:28

“Be careful to listen to all these words which I command you, so that it may be well with you and your sons after you forever, for you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God."

 

Joshua 3:9

Then Joshua said to the sons of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of the Lord your God.”

 

 

Psalm 18:30

As for God, His way is blameless; The word of the Lord is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him.

 

 

Isaiah 1:10

Hear the word of the Lord, You rulers of Sodom; Give ear to the instruction of our God, You people of Gomorrah. (*Remember what happened to Sodom and Gomorrah.....Hmmmmm.*)

 

Jeremiah 15:16

Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.

 

Matthew 4:4

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”

Luke 11:28

But He said, “On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it.”

 

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

 

Acts 18:11

And he settled there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. (*Not only should we hear the Word, obey the Word, but those called teachers...Should TEACH the WORD!*)

 

Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you...

**All verses sourced from www.biblegateway.com

 

WHAT'S MY POINT?????

 

WHEN AT HOME: READ YOUR BIBLE.

WHEN AT CHURCH: HEAR THE BIBLE.

 

The Word of God is life-changing!!! Last Verse:

 

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is living and active

and sharper than any two-edged sword,

and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit,

of both joints and marrow,

and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

 

Man's testimonies will help illustrate how God's Word is live and active in our lives.

But it isn't your pastor's opinions and stories upon stories that will get you saved and change you...

ONLY THE WORD OF GOD CAN DO THAT!!!

 

 

Here's your challenge:

Feast on the Word of God, daily for 1 year...

and by 2015

your life will look dramatically different than it does now!

(I -100% - Guarantee It!!!)

 

What are you naming and claiming?

I posted something this morning on FB and then went back to delete it.

It went something like:

It's amazing what God does with the little bit we give Him,

imagine if we gave Him more...

I typed this out after I had just sat down for a few minutes for my quiet time with Him. In the first few minutes, He gave me some great revelation of the next step for this ministry idea that I HE GAVE ME. And then is when I thought, "Wow God, I've only been here a few minutes, imagine what I would get if I sat here for 30 minutes...an hour..." And then I made that post.

A few minutes later, I had to fix my husband's lunch and then I randomly looked up info on a particular pastor. He has a large church, but is tied to the 'prosperity gospel'. After reading what he says and how he says it...I went back and deleted my post, as I was not intending it to parallel with that kind of teaching.

I am on a search for my own, God-revealed and confirmed, theology on this whole topic. Not sure why it's been so heavy on my mind to search it out.

Jesus said, 'Let it be according to your faith'....But can we elevate our faith above God's will?

I told my husband yesterday that the problem with the law of attraction, name it-claim it philosophy is that people's ideas, goals, desires, thoughts are elevated...and not God's will.

So what do we have faith for?

Romans 10:17: So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.

Many have heard at a local church here that 'word' here in this verse is 'rhema' and it is. Do a lexicon search for the word 'word' in the Greek.

For me, I was raised 'in the Lord' to get a hold of God and see what He is saying personally to me...get a rhema from God...put myself in a place to receive a 'word' from God directly to me. Get direction from Him personally in regards to my personal life. This is then what I claim for my life. A word that God spoke directly to me.

Now, of course many want money. But do they want money because their motive is to give most of it away to feed the poor, hungry, and afflicted? Or do you want the comfy life?

Hmmmm. Sometimes people who are truly sold out for Christ (and only God knows the deep true intentions of their hearts....), sometimes receive a ton of money in this life...but they do the true work of God with it.

So then, we claim God's spoken rhema to us regarding this life. For some, it may be a word of 'being a missionary in Africa'...if God has a plan for you to be in Africa, then start praying for it and believing in that....that is His calling for you. Now, do you think that this missionary is going to receive a fancy new Mercedes in Africa? What would they need it for if they lived amongst a tribe in the wilderness where there are no roads? Wouldn't make sense if their calling was to take the Gospel to the poor, tribal rural people, right?

See where I'm going with this.

I think that there are 'prosperity teachers' making a lot of money right now...not because what they are teaching is TRUTH...but because that's what society, even Christians, want to hear. Think about it. America is the most gluttonous, extravagant society I have witnessed. Gas hog cars. Buffets. Fast food restaurants on every corner. Super sized fries, super sized garages...3-4 car garages...usually packed with STUFF - not even cars. Are you kidding me? Of course they will give to the church/ministry who is say 'give more so you will receive more...God wants us to be rich here on earth'.

Do you think Christians are looking for permission to be extravagant and pour themselves out at 16 hr. days at work to drive the fancy car? Think about it. Two income families so that they can afford 'the best' while the school and after-school care can raise their kids. Does that sound like God's will for families? Who is teaching the kids about the Lord and manners? The public school? I don't think so.

I don't know. I'm "old-skool". I'm content with nothing. I wear second hand clothes, because...well that's what's in the budget...but then do I need something else? Why buy retail when I can find a $50 pair of jeans in great condition at the Goodwill for $2.99?

I drive a 2 year old car, that we got used. But I'm even over that. It's nice...but is it necessary? Yes, I need a car (and one w/ A/C because I do live in one of the hottest cities on the west coast and it's more for my 2 little boys to not sweat to death...), but not one as nice as I have. Imagine who I could bless with that extra money that I'm spending on my car?

Single moms abandoned by their husbands. Hungry people because they can't find a job in this troubled economy. Cold people on the streets, despite why they are there...they are still cold.

God will make more for you as you give more....think of Jesus who took the 5 loaves and 2 fish and fed thousands. That's where it's multiplied. That which you give is multiplied so that more is provided for the needy...Is this making sense? We could help keep people's lights on, water flowing, bellies full, and bodies warm with our 'more'. And we can trust that God is doing 'more' with our 'more'. Giving our 'more' away extends the love of Christ. Our 'more' extends the provision that people were praying for. Imagine being the 'answer to prayer'...but you not receiving the credit, but God.

Contentment comes from knowing that God used you and feeling His presence in 'giving more'. Does that make sense?

I'm trying to still make sense of it. Solomon was the richest man, but even he fell away from God as he worshipped the gods of his pagan wives.

Money is not bad.

The love of money is.

Read 1 Timothy 3:3, 1 Timothy 6:10, and Hebrews 13:5.

 

 

So...in our searching for 'more'...we need to search our hearts. Do we want more to spend on wanton pleasures? What is wanton pleasures? In the greek it is: to live luxuriously, lead a voluptuous life...See 1 Timothy 5:5 and James 5:5.

 

So...in our searching for 'more'....we need to search our motives. Do we want to spend more on ourselves, to live luxuriously...or do we want to spend more on those who don't have anything...and even more so, who don't Jesus?

 

To throw you another curve ball and in my search for 'the right answer' (which I'm still not sure what it is...I'm still searching....), I've heard:

 

"Well of course it's okay to live comfortably."

 

Qualify comfortable. My comfortable is nearly extravagant to the poor who live in rural Mexico, tribal Nigeria. My comfortable could be conservative and humble to the Kardashians...okay, maybe my lifestyle would be more like poverty to them.

 

My point is: What is comfortable?

 

Well, in all this questioning, I think it points us back to finding out what is God calling you to. There is this super rich, millionaire woman that I've heard of. She is gorgeous...and a millionaire. Yet, she has a platform to speak to the rich and those who want to be rich. And she is sharing the Word of God too...so has God called her to preach the Gospel to the rich so that their hearts can turn toward His purposes? And who will the rich listen to? The RICHER!

 

However, there are the poor and needy. Do you think the poor and needy can relate to the rich...or vice versa? No.

 

And there are those in the middle? Middle class. Just trying to pay their bills, stay out of debt, get out of debt....who do you think they will receive from?

 

So where are you? What is God calling you to do with what you have...and what you don't have?

 

It all comes down to finding out what God's will is for YOUR life, what God's calling is on YOUR life. And then YOU being content and obedient to serve HIM where HE has put you, with what HE has given YOU!!!

 

Claim what God has spoken to you personally*...and let me know how it turns out.

 

 

****Note: In order to hear God...you must put yourself in a place to hear Him. Setting time, quiet time aside for prayer and the Word, seasoned with some fasting from time to time, as the Spirit leads is the way to find out what you need to know from God, your Maker and Creator who has a special plan for your life. Just by the way.

...this topic will lead to more posts...stay tuned.

What you put in - is what you get out!

I'm working on this project right now and so with it, I am reading a couple of books and I came across this illustration today.

It speaks of being a cup, are you going to fill yourself with 'water of the world' - murky, dirty water? Or will you fill your glass with living water from the Word of God, clean, pure water that 'you can offer to others'?

In the last 2 weeks, the stations are all going out on my radio. And of course it's my Christian stations  KDUV 100.1 & Air1 89.5 that goes out first...and my fave KAXL 88.3 was still strong until yesterday. Why is it that my life-giving, edifying, positive stations go out first? Hmmmm, right?

So without CDs in the car, I turn to an old one that I used to listen to KELLY 95.3....and then scanned over to 93.1 & 94.1 - wow! As I listened, I thought, no wonder everyone is depressed, discouraged, discontent in their marriages, their lives...these stations sing of heartbreak, infidelity, promiscuity. There's some motivation for kids to go have sex too soon...the music they listen to is glorifying the 'bumpin' & grinding'. :(

Let this fact strike you as it did me: 

what we put in ourselves is

what those closest gets from us!

So do you truly put the Word of God in your mind & heart daily, so that your family and close friends can be ministered to? See, your pastor is not the one solely responsible to minister to your family, you are. They are your responsibility.

Be responsible & be open to the Word changing your heart, your mind, and your desires so that you can lead your family to a place of peace in God's presence.

Quote Jeremiah 29:11 often. Don't ever let it be a cliche!

Read 2 Chronicles 7:14: "...and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and trun from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Why do we wait until it almost

too late to humble ourselves?

So today, I want you to look at what you listen to on the radio and then look at your attitude immediately following. Try one of those Christian stations and then see how your attitude is.

Same with T.V. - Three & 1/2 Men is/was a funny show....but think about the images it puts in your minds...Not pure to say the least. Filter what you see.

One thing I pursue are things, relationships, books, friends, situations

that are edifying, life-giving, positive.

Proverbs 22:24,25 says: Do not associate with a man given to anger; or go with a hot-tempered man, or you will learn his ways and find a snare for yourself.

Think about it - and then ask yourself: Am I that hot-tempered man/woman given over to anger? If so, what can you do today to change that? Refer to 2 Chronicles 7:14 & go from there. :)