One ringside comment :
One ringside comment :
Zak, your comments are supposed to be "under the table."
< me again secretly slips Zak a 100 dollar bill, under the table, of course >
In all earnestness, this is an extremely serious debate because we are discussing two issues
:
- Salvation: Is Jesus enough to be saved?
-- and --
- Will we reject a part of the “Body of Christ” because they won’t spout ”The Party Line?”
The first issue is acceptable to me because that is exclusively in the Lord’s hands. However, the second issue deeply concerns me because this great responsibility is exclusively in our hands.
I have already been to one denomination where I was denied baptism because I refused to accept one of their denominational tenants. Consequently, I am thoroughly acquainted with
”rejection.” The tenant of salvation is faith in Jesus and in Him alone. On a salvational level, everything else is chaff.
Let us not judge whom Jesus has chosen and whom Jesus has rejected. When alleged Christians become rabidly dogmatic over non-salvational issues, something terrible happens
: In their attempt to pull up tares, they also pull up wheat. It is not your job to uproot the tares. That job has been specifically relegated to the angels and it will be performed at the end of the age. God knew exactly what He was doing when he allowed the tares to grow amidst the wheat. However, we do not know what we are doing when we condemn brethren after they have made a public confession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. A part of the Body of Christ is injured in this demonically inspired process.
Biblical Source
:
- Mat 13:24-30
Another parable put [Jesus] forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Mat 13:36-43
Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
From henceforth, I will try to save the rest of the thesis for the ring because that's where it belongs. I'll
try to remain silent when I'm not in the ring. I apoligize for this pre-game outburst. Mike Tyson, eat your heart out.
Place your bets here... Place your bets here
!!!
