Hi GB,
You tell Dark, "Semi, from what I have seen, has always been respectful even in disagreement -- and that is what everyone should achieve to be, even in disagreement. Sadly though there are many that are not, and it is those whom I wonder why they are here -- and ventured to explain why there is some venom behind their post and words.
They are, seemingly, permanently biased against certain members on here (Religion/Politics etc) based solely upon what the person believes and not based upon the persons themselves."
Bill Gray Says:
Let me ask you a question. If a person comes on the Religion Forum teaching a false religion or a cult religion -- should a Christian believer merely look the other way and not refute what that person has written?
I reply, Who is judge over who is teaching a "false religion"? Ask a Muslim and they will tell you that ours is a false religion. Ask one of the atheist and they will say all religion is false. From the standpoint of the Religion forum no one member has the claim on the true religion from the standpoint of what we can demonstrate to others on the forum. The only thing that makes Christians special is the thing that makes Christianity special and that is a Living Savior in Jesus Christ but more specifically a Living (existing) God ever present and active via His Holy Spirit. It is God's Holy Spirit that testifies and certifies Christianity as true, not you and not me or any other human being. Therefore determination of True religion is God's to make and judgment upon any false religion is also God's to make. Any human attempt to do so only creates strife and dissension. If I tell Skippy, as you have, that the Mormon religion is a cult or if I tell a Muslim that they are serving the wrong God and mediator then I stir up anger and resentment within them because I am but another created human no better than they are telling them that they are wrong and I am right. I am therefore telling another human I am better than they are with nothing to back that up so I am creating strife and creating a wedge that is being driven between me and them. The ONLY way a person will know if their religion is false or if their belief is not founded in truth is for GOD to tell them, not me. God's Holy Spirit is fully able and capable in explaining to another person that their belief is wrong in a way that is convincing to them. As I see it, my responsibility, as a Christian, is to be a willing vessel or tool to be used of and by God in whichever way HE desires. I will, as led share my faith, if ask the basis of my belief, and defend my beliefs by sharing them but I allow God's Holy Spirit to work as He will.
Bill Gray then says:
If so, how do we explain to God, one day, when He asks about that person who was just beginning to seek God -- and was led away from belief in God -- by a false religion or a cult religion? How can we explain to God that we did not refute the false teaching which led this soul away from God -- because we wanted to be friend with the false religion or cult religion teacher?
I reply, Even what you type to me is a condemning and judgmental statement disguised as a question. You are assuming that because I do not do as you that God will somehow find disfavor with me and that I then must give account to God for it was my method or my (not doing what you do) attitude that caused another to not find God.
Bill I cannot do anything of myself. It is not my place to Judge another person, it is not my place to prove to another person that their belief is false. It is GOD's place via His Holy Spirit to reveal unto His people their inadequacies and needs. It is the Holy Spirit's Conviction that reveals a Spiritual Need within the lives/souls of a lost (unsaved) person their Spiritual state. It is God's Holy Spirit that deals with man not me, or you. It is our responsibility to be open and yield to God's Holy Spirit and respond as directed but it is God's domain to Judge and He has an appointed time for that. You, or I, as a human confronting another human are no better than they are. When you claim to be the sole correct interpreter of Scripture or the only one who is right you create friction and created a dividing wall between you and the other person that prevents dialog with them but allows Satan an opportunity to harden their hearts against the Gospel and what God would have for them. So let me turn your question around. What would you (Bill) say to God when He ask why did you, as a human, assume to that that which is my domain? Why did you create friction and anger when there should have been understanding and love and allow ME (God) by my Holy Spirit the opportunity to work unimpeded in this lost person's life? Why did by your fleshly actions of Judging your fellow human create a wedge between my Holy Spirit whereby I could not work through you as I wanted to?
When you refute the false teaching, as you put it, then you have judged another. God does want us to refute false teachings within our Church and within our body in order to prevent corruption of God's Word but when you go on an Evangelical mission you present the word of God accurately and allow God's Holy Spirit to use it to divide between body and spirit so as to convince the other person that what we speak, and teach, is real and factual. There are areas that we do not compromise on however if we are living a Christian life as the Scripture tells us to then we should be living in response to how God's Holy Spirit leads us and tells us. Christ own harshest words were reserved for those who were religious so a false or corrupt gospel will not be allowed but it is God that is Judge and not us, unless somehow God, through the Holy Spirit, has given you this power and ministry but if that is the case there should be defining signs and confirming signs that you have that mission and assignment from God. If you are not assigned to be our Judge then why do you persist and continue to act as if you are?
Bill Gray Continues:
Do you believe that Christians should refute false teachings and cult teachings on public forums such as the Religion Forum?
I reply, So just what is a false teaching Bill? Is it something that goes against Scripture? Who is the authority and judge that Scripture is correct for there are many diverse people on here that claim authority of Scripture yet differ on opinions? I suggest that is because we are all human and live in the flesh with inadequacies. I suggest that the Holy Spirit of God is our only judge of what is true and false and this same Holy Spirit will reveal unto those He wishes to, what is true and what is false. We, you and I, both professing Christians, have differed and debated with each other regarding the timing of the Rapture. We both cannot be right as we both differ so who determines who is right and who is wrong? Who interpreted scripture correctly and who didn't? When YOU make that determination, yourself, you err as only God's Holy Spirit will ultimately reveal the Truth to those who listen unto Him.
What we should do is, only as prompted by God's Holy Spirit defend our beliefs by putting forth scripture that God lays on our minds to present. Then allow God to work and not assume God's ministry for Him. Unless there is some special power you have, given by God, and assigned by His Spirit to do so you should be a vessel for God's Spirit to minister unto others through. If you are not assigned or gifted to judge others than do not do it for when you do you created a wedge which Satan can use to isolate that person from God's ministry and the Word.
Are you willing to shine the Light of the Gospel upon such false religion and cult religion teachings? If yes, then praise God. If not, why not?
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
To which I conclude:
Bill, What I have tried to say above is as you put it, it is the LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL upon false religions, cult religions, and teachings. It is NOT the Light of Bill or the Light of GBRK. Unto others it is our religion or our belief that is false and cultish. The only difference we have going for us is that our beliefs and Christianity is confirmed by God through and in His Holy Spirit. You cannot by anything you do, or I by anything I do, get inside a person and minister to their inner spirit and mind but God's Holy Spirit can and does. What we, being human, can do is by our own human judgment or prejudgment of another individual created a wedge which Satan will and can use to harden the person's heart so that they will not listen unto God. They become offended and upset that another human, just as flawed as them, claims authority or superiority over them and that brings up a wall of resentment and controversy. The Light of the Gospel shines on it's own and we are not to do anything to get in it's way. We can present our beliefs, that which we know to be, from Scripture, but that is, I believe, the limit of our mission as a Christian. God has specific missions for specific people and unto them He will reveal that. God's Holy Spirit convicts people of their needs and of their sins and that is Scriptural. What is not Scriptural is for you, or I, to assume that ministry of God and attempt to judge another person based upon our own beliefs and feelings.
The answer I will give to God will be that I pray that I have presented my body, mind, abilities, talents, and soul to you as a vessel for you to use in a way that you are pleased with. I would say to God that I have no conception or understanding of why I would deserve such grace as is offered unto me for I surely do not deserve it by anything I have done. I would say that I hope that, in my fleshly body and inadequacy, that I never got in the way of your ministry and never hindered Your Holy Spirit due to my own human fallacies.