[sword-devel] New Web Site

[John Gardner]

I am in full agreement with the response.  Timothy was exhorted to rightly
divide the word of truth.  In order to do that he had to use discernment.
Paul also frequently uses the terminology of "sound doctrine".  What is
sound and unsound?  It is assumed that believers could know the difference.
We cannot just say we believe God and we believe the Bible.  Many use the
terminology of "faith" but mean different things.  The gospel (and therefore
eternal life) itself hinges on what is meant by faith in Christ.

I argue the assertion "Every time the church has fallen out ... because it
has tried to put in writing what it believes"  What is meant by "fallen
out"?  There may be a falling out over important doctrine but that is to be
expected.  Paul states that there *must* be divisions among you so that
truth can be known from error.  Now if the author was referring to general
spiritual declension and apostacy, I would beg that author prove this
objectively with historical information - showing spiritual decline after
confessions or creeds were drafted.  Even in Acts the apostles met together
to decide what was surely believed regarding gentile Christians.  The result
of the letter was much comfort - the Church was strengthened.


-John



> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-sword-devel@crosswire.org
> [mailto:owner-sword-devel@crosswire.org]On Behalf Of Martin Gruner
> Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2001 8:21 AM
> To: sword-devel@crosswire.org
> Subject: Re: [sword-devel] New Web Site
>
>
> > 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!
>
> That does not mean we cannot bring forth a statement of faith.
> Shipping these
> texts does not necessarily make us Mormons etc.
>
> > 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.
> I suggest to consider the Chicago Declaration of Bible Inerrancy
> (the first
> one of the 3 declarations).
>
> > Every time the church has fallen out in the past it is
> > because it has tried to put in writing what it believes!
>
> No. This is too easy. Imo problems arose when people started to
> put their own
> thoughts (may it be philosophical or otherwise) above what the
> bible says.
>
> Martin and Joachim
>