Name Your Favorite Gospel Enhancement!

[Novice]

The object of this post is not to argue about (or even discuss), but merely to COMPILE a list of what I'll refer to as "Gospel Enhancements".

In other words, beliefs over and above the basic Gospel message that are claimed by some subset of Christians (somewhere, in Christian Forums or elsewhere) to be absolutely essential to our salvation. (Translation: if you disagree, you "CANNOT BE A REAL CHRISTIAN".)

Let's take the Apostle's Creed to be a "Black Model T" Gospel (in other words, the basic model on to which we can bolt on bonus beliefs)

1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:
5. The third day he rose again from the dead:
6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:
7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:
8. I believe in the Holy Ghost:
9. I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints:
10. The forgiveness of sins:
1l. The resurrection of the body:
12. And the life everlasting.

Way to simple to be salvific, and frankly, doesn't give us nearly enough ammo to condemn other Christians, who may believe these basics, but not sign on for our favorite "enhancement".

I'll start out with some favorites:

To be truly saved/a real Christian, you:

* Must speak in tongues.
* Must not speak in tongues, since that dispensation is over.
* Must worship on Sunday
* Must worship on Saturday.
* Must keep Kosher dietary laws.
* Must NOT keep Kosher.
* Must be conservative Republican politically
* Must be liberal politically.
* Must believe the earth is ___ years old.
* Must believe God did NOT use evolution as a method of species creation.
* Must believe the Universe revolves around Earth.
* Must believe Hell is never-ending torture of the wicked.
* Must believe that God annihalates the wicked.
* Must believe that God ultimately saves all the wicked.
* Must believe KJV (or ____) is perfect translation of Bible.
* Must believe Bible is infallible; i.e contains no historical, transcriptive, descriptive or factual errors, and no contradictions no matter how trivial.
* Must not play musical instruments.
* Must believe the Bible can be interpreted as a science text.
* Must believe in the God-given authority of the ______ (Pope, etc).
* Must dress as if the year is _______.(AD 70, 1780, 1950)
* Must believe OSAS.
* Must NOT believe OSAS.

I'm sure I'm missing some, so please, add-on. Remember, no arguing. The only criteria is you must claim (or have heard another Christian claim) that without this particular enhancement to bare-boned Gospel described in 1-12, you cannot be truly saved/a real Christian.

Thanks.

 

[Imagican]

-MUST gather in His name.
-Don't need to gather in His name.
-Must go to a church.
-needn't go to a church.
-must be literally submerged in water, or sprinkled.
-don't need to be dunked or sprinkled.....................

Just thought I'd jump in to this one to help you out a little.

I think this was a pretty good way of pointing out how far away from the truth some teachings of 'religion' have veered from what has been offered us in the NT.

I think I can gather from your post that you see the futility of trying to work your way to heaven or trying to judge others and their salvation or lack thereof.

The saddest part of trying to make rules that are REQUIRED, and then believing in them, is that no matter how hard we try we can NEVER live up to them. Unless of course we design those rules around our desires, (Make up our own rules as we go along). And we are certainly unable to follow the rules that God has laid down for us in the past.

Thank you God for Jesus Christ.

 

[Novice]

Actually, I'm not concerned about disagreements between Christians.

Peter and Paul were both MMoG (mighty men o' God) and they had their disagreements. I'm frankly discouraged at how gleefully quickly Christians today push the RED BUTTON in their arguments.

You know the button - the one that says under it:

"IF YOU DISAGREE YOU'RE NOT A CHRISTIAN." Every single issue or disputation becomes a true "schism" in the Church when you reach for the Nuclear Option. This among people who truly believe that Jesus Christ was who He said He was. And the Devil HOWLS at our arrogance and divisiveness.

 

[Klee shay]

You already wrote one of my all time favourites enhancements to the Lord's Gospel of salvation:

9. I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints:

Not a very good model you provided there. The "Apostles Creed"? Show me in the scriptures where the Apostles said that beliving in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints was a model to fashion one's believe of the life death and ressurection of Christ on?

The Catholic church wasn't even institutionalised when the Apostles were spreading the good word. See how it was "added on" as an enhancement to one's salvation.

 

[itoldyounoalready]

-kiss little pictures of saints(sorry Orthodox Christian it was too funny)
-get baptized before you know what it means'
-must believe the devil can posses anything and tempts us all

 

[Novice]

Not a capitalized "c" in catholic, there, cliche. Search the forums for the 4,000 strings explaining what "the communion of saints" means, and what the word "catholic" means. Or google "Apostles Creed" and research the meaning of those terms (and why it is recited in most Protestant churches) and then come rejoin us to talk about your particular formulation of the "special sauce" of salvation.

 

[Klee shay]

You didn't answer my question novice:

Show me in the scriptures where the Apostles said that beliving in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints was a model to fashion one's believe of the life death and ressurection of Christ on?

I will join this discussion when the Gospel of Christ's salavtion is represented in truth. Point nine is an enhancement *only* and has absolutely nothing to do with one's salvation in Christ.

What does the communion of saints have to do with one believing in the life, death and resurrection of Christ - which is by the way, the only way, the truth and the light.

Christ *IS* salvation. Believing *IN CHRIST* is one's salvation. Not believing in anything else - whether it be the holy catholic (with a small "c") church or the communion of saints (with a small "s"). It's an enhancement, it is not the the way, the truth and the light. That my friend, is exclusive to Christ!

Salvation = Christ

If you can't see that point nine is an enhancement of the true Gospel of salvation, then by what credibility do you have to comment on any other enhancements? The Apostles Creed does not make them Christ, nor should it be used as a distraction to the way the truth and the light, which is in Jesus Christ.

 

[Novice]

BING! Direct hit on the purpose of the post.

You've actually hit "spot on" the purpose of Gospel Enhancements!! "I know Christ better than anyone, so please, Lord, separate me from my apostate/unbelieving/misguided/catholic/non-literal/arminian {insert descriptor here} neighbor. "

The Protestant church globally (and I'm a Protestant) has become so enamored of the "one-to-one" --> ME and GOD and nobody else <---that it's forgotten the second of the two commandments that sum up all of the law and the prophets, which is like unto the first - love your neighbor as yourself.

Communism tried to separate the two, choosing only the latter: "We'll just love our neighbor, so we don't need God."

Islam has separated the two, choosing only the former: "We love God so fervently, we'll kill our infidel neighbor".

You can't love Christ and hate His Body. Loving your neighbor is the very core of the Gospel, the very work of salvation, as Paul told the Philippians: "Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."

Wiser men than I created the Creed, and (meaning no offense) it has withstood criticism from wiser men than you. It's not scripture, but it's a pretty fair essence of core Christian belief. [/u]

 

[Klee shay]

Ah - see...my boo-boo. :wink:

I took:

In other words, beliefs over and above the basic Gospel message that are claimed by some subset of Christians (somewhere, in Christian Forums or elsewhere) to be absolutely essential to our salvation.

Meaning the example of the Model-T you put up, I took as inaccurate when compared to "absolutely essential to our salvation".

Sorry for the misunderstanding. :D

 

[thessalonian]

So it would seem novice, that you have the list of exactly what is neccessary for salvation. Which passages in scripture one must believe and which are superfoulous to the plan of salvation and are optional? Can I see that list please?

 

[Vic C.]

I'll start out with some favorites:

To be truly saved/a real Christian, you:

* Must speak in tongues.
* Must not speak in tongues, since that dispensation is over.
* Must worship on Sunday
* Must worship on Saturday.
* Must keep Kosher dietary laws.
* Must NOT keep Kosher.
* Must be conservative Republican politically
* Must be liberal politically.
* Must believe the earth is ___ years old.
* Must believe God did NOT use evolution as a method of species creation.
* Must believe the Universe revolves around Earth.
* Must believe Hell is never-ending torture of the wicked.
* Must believe that God annihalates the wicked.
* Must believe that God ultimately saves all the wicked.
* Must believe KJV (or ____) is perfect translation of Bible.
* Must believe Bible is infallible; i.e contains no historical, transcriptive, descriptive or factual errors, and no contradictions no matter how trivial.
* Must not play musical instruments.
* Must believe the Bible can be interpreted as a science text.
* Must believe in the God-given authority of the ______ (Pope, etc).
* Must dress as if the year is _______.(AD 70, 1780, 1950)
* Must believe OSAS.
* Must NOT believe OSAS.

Thanks.

(italics in above quote added by me)

Are Imagican and myself the only ones who caught on to the fact that Novice gave a counterpoint to just about every point he posted? :-?

 

[Novice]

Exactly, Vic. Why would that merit the dreaded frowny face? On most of these disputations, there are people on either side who believe those on the other side are "not a Christian/not truly saved". Seems to be in direct contravention of Paul's explicit exhortation in Romans 14.


Thessalonian: Great post - that's precisely the kind of question the devil uses to "slice, dice and make thousands of Julienne fries" of the Church.

But you know the list of what you must believe in to be saved, and that list is exactly One LORD. There is no passage of scripture which is a prerequisite for salvation. Many have been saved without ever knowing a lick of scripture. We are not Bibliolators. Our faith is in, and our salvation rests upon, the Word of God, not the word of God. He is the Risen Lord of All, not a leather-bound stack of cigarette papers, useful though that stack may be for "teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

 

[Vic C.]

Exactly, Vic. Why would that merit the dreaded frowny face?...

It wasn't meant for you. It was directed at those who are arguing with you, after you had said this... "The object of this post is not to argue about (or even discuss), but merely to COMPILE a list of what I'll refer to as "Gospel Enhancements".

 

[Novice]

Ahhhhh...got it.