08/26/22 DOCTRINAL DISTINCTIVES

08/26/22 DOCTRINAL DISTINCTIVES

We have seen a rapid rejection of several basic beliefs in Christianity recently. Of course there has been a falling away from truth taking place for a long time.

I realize some of you don't agree with some of the things I believe and teach. Let me mention a few thoughts about this.

My doctrinal distinctives are not personally developed.
My doctrinal distinctives are part of the Biblical revelation.
My doctrinal distinctives are part of Church history and Church tradition, over the last two thousand years.
My doctrinal distinctives are accepted by a large segment of the Church.
My doctrinal distinctives are adhered to by believers with various levels of academic accomplishment, from various camps within the Church.
My doctrinal distinctives are not in conflict with any of the essential doctrines of the Bible.
My doctrinal distinctives are not peculiar to me, though they are not held by all Christians. In fact some of these distinctives are held by large groups of Christians. Some of you will find it hard to believe that some of these "distinctives" are actually not believed by all Christians.

Here are some of my doctrinal distinctives. Read them and ask yourself if you agree with my position or not. If not, ask yourself why not. You could also go to other people and ask for their opinion. Then if you don't agree with me, but you are interested to know why I believe these things, you can ask me. I will be glad to try and answer your questions. If all you want to do is argue with me, then I am not interested in just arguing.

Male leadership in the home and in the church.
The atonement of Christ was made for all who freely choose to believe.
God enables everyone to believe on Christ.
Christ is God, and Christ as God raised Himself from the dead.
Jesus died for everyone and has actually saved everyone before their birth, but because of personal sins after they are born, all men have been separated from God and can only be restored to a right relationship through faith, confession, repentance and following Christ.
Those who are born of God do not sin.
If a believer turns back to live in sin, they need to renew their faith relationship with God.
God delivers the faithful follower from all sin, cleansing the heart and filling the believer with perfect love.
Love is the fulfilling of the law.
God requires and enables believers to love God with our whole heart, mind, soul and strength.
God enables us to keep His commandments and do that which is pleasing in His sight.
God has given the sword of steel to the State to protect the righteous and punish the wicked.
God calls and enables believers to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless them that curse us and pray for them who despitefully use us and persecute us.
We are saved by grace through faith unto good works.
God has called us to suffer for our faith, to die for our faith to share our faith and to live by our faith.
No one should believe anything that anyone teaches, if it is not Biblical.

I am called to give my life rather than to take another person's life.
The church has only one Lord and we, as Christians, are to obey God, rather than man, when the rule of man is contradictory to the rule of God.
There are other distinctives, but this will suffice for now.

In my Christian walk, I have come to realize that some of the things I had been taught, by well meaning Christians, were not Biblical. It hurt me to find out that I had been in error, It hurt me to find out that my beloved mentors had been wrong. It was disturbing to think that I would need to turn from some of my beliefs. HOWEVER, being Biblical was more important than being loyal to false teachings.

I did not just blindly accept human instruction. I studied the word, I studied the information concerning the original language, I studied doctrinal history of the Church, the traditions of the Church. With the word as the standard I based my beliefs.

It is easy to simply discount any information, which does not agree with what we have been taught. However, anyone can make a mistake, including those who are in my spiritual heritage. And anything or anyone after the Apostles are subject to error, regardless how far back in history we trace them.

Who knows, maybe I have learned something that you would be glad to learn. Whatever I will tell you will be found in your Bible, then you can decide if what I believe about it is consistent.