[sword-devel] New Web Site

[sword-devel@crosswire.org]

> > One point:  "We are working on a statement of faith".  I find this a bit
> > worrying.  In the short time I've been a module developer, I've talked
with
> > folk from all persuasions including a Christadelphian.  I don't think we
> > could actually go any further than: "We believe in one God, the God of
> > Abraham, Isaac and Jacob" without alienating somebody who may
> > be interested.  And don't forget that we support a Jewish Tanach and a
> > Mormon translation too!

I don't believe "support" would be a good word here. Perhaps "provide" would
be better. I personally in no way support unorthodox/cult type texts. I
think it is good to have these translations available for several reasons.
One is so we have access to what they really teach and educate ourselves
when they come knocking. Another reason is perhaps a mormon (or others) will
use Sword because we provide their specific translation and after careful
study with all the tools provided find that they are in error and turn and
are saved. God can use this I am sure.

> That does not mean we cannot bring forth a statement of faith. Shipping
these
> texts does not necessarily make us Mormons etc.

Amen

> > My vote would be not to try to have a statement of faith at all - just
to
> > have our own faith in our Father God, and the Lord Jesus Christ each in
> > our owh way.
>
> There is something to it. But a line needs to be drawn. This line must be
set
> by the Word of God and not by our subjective wishes. There are definitely
> "ways of faith" which stand against what God gave us as guide.
> So the Bible is the first thing to agree on.

Amen again. :) I believe the Church of today has lost it's backbone. We
forgot that we were given "authority as a church" (we are the church) to
judge between right and wrong and to call unorthodox or error as such. There
ARE essentials and those essentials should be our statment of faith. It
doesn't have to be detailed but It should include no less than.

We believe in One True Holy God.
We believe we are sinners seperated from God by our sin.
We believe that God sent His Son Jesus Christ to the earth to die for mans
sins.
We believe that Jesus Christ is God.
We believe Jesus Christ died and was buried and was raised in the flesh on
the third day as the scripture declares.
We believe he was seen by the apostles and others after His ressurection.
We believe He ascended into Heaven and is going to return.
We believe that God has sent His Holy Spirit to guide and comfort his church
and convict the sinner.

Each denomination adds it's viewpoint to each of these poionts but the
points stand as clear teaching from the Bible.

Or we could have it as simple as Paul stated it in 1Corinthians 15:1-8

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which
you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are
saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have
believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first
importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that
he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the
Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After
that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same
time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he
appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to
me also, as to one abnormally born.

In Christ,
David Trotz