Bible Study Why is the Body of Christ (Christian Church) so fractured/divided?

[Jim Parker]

His sheep hear His voice...

Baa - ba - ba, Baa!

 

[smaller]

"Irresistible Grace", is it really irresistible?

Some may perceive His call that way, undoubtedly. Saul on the road to Damascus for an easy example.

Mat 11:20-24 Then he began to upbraid the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. "Woe to you, Chora'zin! woe to you, Beth-sa'ida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Caper'na-um, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you."

Jesus personally called to the people of those cities but didn't "get it done." Apparently they found His grace resistible.

Some are slated to remain under the blinding power of the 'god of this world.'

That also serves God's Judgements.

Or perhaps those were people who were not among the few who are predestined for salvation and, being not among those to whom the atonement was limited, they were predestined for hell.

Perhaps more of an observation of God actually having the power to turn them OR decides not to. I'd have to land on God having the power and deciding not to.

Isn't that how it works according to TULIP? Or do I have it wrong?

TULIP has issues. Primarily in seeing only the individual(s) and a complete fail on recognizing there is more than one party in the mind of the blinded. Is the "'god of this world" Totally Depraved? Of course. Calvin made no account for this and only blamed the blinded captive, in typical blinded fashion. I might even say he was blinded to the obvious himself by that other party. No offense to Calvin required. The position has holes.

 

[Jim Parker]

Some may perceive His call that way, undoubtedly. Saul on the road to Damascus for an easy example.

Actually, Paul was already 100% committed to serving God with all his mind, heart, and strength but needed a "reality check."

Some are slated to remain under the blinding power of the 'god of this world.'
That also serves God's Judgements.

Slated? do you mean that God predestined some to be condemned to hell and won't allow them to repent and believe?

If so, that's not the God of the Christian Bible.

[/QUOTE]Perhaps more of an observation of God actually having the power to turn them OR decides not to. I'd have to land on God having the power and deciding not to.[/QUOTE]

While God certainly must have that power; that would not be the God who so loved the world that He gave His only Son....

TULIP has issues.

You betcha.

Primarily in seeing only the individual(s) and a complete fail on recognizing there is more than one party in the mind of the blinded. Is the "'god of this world" Totally Depraved? Of course. Calvin made no account for this and only blamed the blinded captive, in typical blinded fashion. I might even say he was blinded to the obvious himself by that other party. No offense to Calvin required. The position has holes.

Interesting........

iakov the fool

 

[smaller]

Actually, Paul was already 100% committed to serving God with all his mind, heart, and strength but needed a "reality check."

I might consider that God in Christ could, if He wanted to, intervene with everyone as He did with Paul.

Slated? do you mean that God predestined some to be condemned to hell and won't allow them to repent and believe?

You perhaps missed the point. There is more than one party involved. The "god of this world" resists the Gospel every time, AND blinds the minds of unbelievers. That places another will over the person's. 2 Cor. 4:4, Romans 11:8, Mark 4:15 and more of course.

This present wicked age is every bit about the "judgment" of parties unseen, by God.

 

[Corn Pop]

Yea, i thought the church was suppose to be one. Its not right when you see like 3 different denominational churches on one street all believing there way is the way.

I do think Pastors have good intensions and are just doing the best they can and just teach what they personally believe in context like rapture or no rapture, but theres a few rotton eggs mixed in there as well.

Then again the church has been divided since Christ and then Pauls writtings. Theres division in the church in scripture, you would think People would wake up to that and know its not right and to test the spirit of there church pastor, many are good but all it takes is one demon standing up front to mislead many. Pastors are the influence of a Church.

 

[eddif]

You perhaps missed the point. There is more than one party involved. The "god of this world" resists the Gospel every time, AND blinds the minds of unbelievers. That places another will over the person's. 2 Cor. 4:4, Romans 11:8, Mark 4:15 and more of course.
This present wicked age is every bit about the "judgment" of parties unseen, by God.

Satan keeps as many as possible out of the church (I agree).

Then
Those who enter the church:

Matthew 10:22
And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Mark 4:17
And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.

So we are not really fighting against flesh and blood. The forces we face behind the scene, and are the real enemy.

I want to assign humans as the enemy, but humans may be what we tend to see,
However
Some are in need of help.

II Timothy 4:2
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

Staying in love. Now if I could just look to myself (continually) as the most needy of all.

eddif

 

[th1b.taylor]

"Irresistible Grace", is it really irresistible?

Mat 11:20-24 Then he began to upbraid the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. "Woe to you, Chora'zin! woe to you, Beth-sa'ida! for if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Caper'na-um, will you be exalted to heaven? You shall be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you."

Jesus personally called to the people of those cities but didn't "get it done." Apparently they found His grace resistible.

Or perhaps those were people who were not among the few who are predestined for salvation and, being not among those to whom the atonement was limited, they were predestined for hell.

Isn't that how it works according to TULIP? Or do I have it wrong?

my 2 kopecks
iakov the fool

Yes, God is impossible to resist but taking that truth without all truth shining it's light on that truth is how all these heretical formulas are spawned.

 

[Jim Parker]

I might consider that God in Christ could, if He wanted to, intervene with everyone as He did with Paul.

Certainly. I suspect that He intervenes regularly in everyone's life.

You perhaps missed the point. There is more than one party involved. The "god of this world" resists the Gospel every time, AND blinds the minds of unbelievers. That places another will over the person's. 2 Cor. 4:4, Romans 11:8, Mark 4:15 and more of course.

This present wicked age is every bit about the "judgment" of parties unseen, by God.

Yeah. I apparently did miss the point.

iakov the fool