Forum's Doctrinal Statement in Question

[smaller]

Explanation of this doctrinal statement please.

"We believe that all believers need to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a godly life and to be bold in our witness for the Lord."

Do you believe that all believers are filled with the Spirit when they are saved or not?

Matthew 9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.

That pretty much tells me that my being Spirit-filled testify of me being a new creature able to hold the Holy Spirit in me to the fullest and thus a testimony that I am preserved and thus saved by faith in Jesus Christ.

So do you still believe you are a leaky vessel that you need a continual filling of the Spirit?

How can you maintain the testimony of Matthew 9:17 by that doctrinal statement?

God in Christ as a one and done meal never seems to pan out, does it?

1 Corinthians 1:2
Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both their's and our's:

If the standard of the Nicene creed or some other rule said that OSAS was mandatory to post here, at least 2/3rds of the above would be eliminated from sharing.

IF you have no fear of your position, you would have no fear of sharing same.

 

[smaller]

There is no need to be filled with the Spirit.

Disturbing.

There is a solid scriptural principle given by Jesus of MORE LIGHT, given.

Presumably that LIGHT is Spiritual and is His Light and Life. And yes, we are ever to seek Him, more and more.

Proverbs 4:18
But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

Matthew 13:12
For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

Mark 4:24
And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.

1 Peter 2:5
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Growing (and groaning) in grace, I might think, is mandatory, considering where we are at.

 

[Mike]

It's lightly amusing that the mods were put on the spot and had no ready answer 1 Peter 3:15

We're trembling with guilt and fear. No one knows what to say. :wink

Actually, I'm acutely aware that any response from me might be misconstrued as defensive of our statement. I'm very at ease with what it says, and I'm fine letting you all discuss it. Carry on...

 

[stovebolts]

Which is better at doing that?

This?

"We believe that all believers need to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a godly life and to be bold in our witness for the Lord."

Or this?

"We believe that all believers are Spirit-filled at their salvation by faith in Jesus Christ and thus empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a godly life and to be bold in our witness for the Lord."

It's not about "Better" for you. It's about pushing your view and by doing so, narrowing the Body of Christ. Unity is NOT uniformity. Unity is allowing others their own ideas without forcing your ideas upon them. We're all on a journey and we're all having the conversations. We should be doing this together.

History shows that the church has been divided by creating doctrines not for the purpose of Glorifying God, but instead to win arguments. Arguments cause division and shoves God into a very small box.

Keep it real... God cares more about how we treat each other than he cares how we view him.

Matthew 5:21-26 Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, that every one who is angry with his brother shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire.

If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way, first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. Agree with thine adversary quickly, while thou art with him in the way; lest haply the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. Verily I say unto thee, thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou have paid the last farthing.

Here is the problem I see with your wording.
As it stands, the sites wording puts a focus on what we do, and who we do it through.
Your wording takes away from what we do through Him, and puts the emphasis on what God does almost independent of us. It separates us from Him as co-authors in our daily life. In short, your verbiage does not promotes relationship. It promotes dry doctrine that is not focused on the Gospel.

 

[Jim Parker]

There is no need to be filled with the Spirit.

That's true only if it is your intention to spend eternity in hell.