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Doctrine vs Preference
We often see people existing in one extreme or another. There are some who would ignore doctrine for the sake of unity, but can there really be unity in the body if doctrine (teaching found in God's Word) is ignored? There is another group that has taken mere prefernces and elevated them to the level of doctrine, at least in their teaching. An example of this can be the style of worship. Some are more demonstrative than others, but neither is wrong if the heart is right. Style of worship is a preference, not a doctrine.
What do you think about the importance of sound doctrine in one's life and in the church? Have you seen things that are preferences turned into doctrine? If so, give an example, but leave names and organization names out of the comment. How do we stay centered on Christ in the midst of the chaos?
Lord Bless,
LT
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
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The context of the following verse is salvation, but Jesus reply goes beyond salvation.
Mat 19:26
Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."
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For our part in the process as we walk with and for Jesus, shoud we not desire in all things "not my will, but Your will be done." Suppose we follow that path and only accomplish 80%, stumble at 20% and yet our heart's desire is 100%. Is this not better than not desiring at all and live as we will?
If what we aspire to become is not much more than we naturally are we are sure to hit that target, but that is not our goal ... is it? If I expect to fail I will surely fail. Our goal is Christ-likeness and we should not be satisfied with anything less. A life long journey, but a journey God calls us to take and one that He walks with us.
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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Do you realize the implications? Does God want us to reach sinless perfection in this life or does God want us to see our sin and see our need for a Savior even after we are born again? I have spent years beating myself up because I fail in so many ways. Now I am learning about grace and what it means to rest ... and what it is to take His yoke. In another comment you told someone I think that the church in many cases has been putting shackles on people instead of seeing the Lord setting them free in HIm. Not free to do whatever, but free to ive in Christ
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The goal is to be like Christ but is that going to completely happen in this life?
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To live for Christ is not shackles, but the true freedom. To live for self is sin in of itself. Our goal is sinless perfection, though we will fail because we live in the sinful flesh, but that does not excuse sinful actions. Grace abounds, but grace is not cheap in that because we are under grace we can live in sin or just give up. God calls us to a high standard, a biblical standard. That is different than manmade doctrines and legalism that ensalves. To live for Him, in Him and by Him is the greatest freedom we will experience in this life.
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To become Christ-like in this life?:
Positionally -absolutely
Experientially - more so every day as we aspire to live for Him.
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I understand the positional part. I have the most precious freedom there is and that is freedom from eternal suffering and death because Jesus died so that I may have freedom from the penalty of sin. I still sin though. But I am forgiven because of His great love. I seek for Jesus to live out His life through me and yet I have many failures. I don't feel condemned anymore though. I don't feel Christ is saying Keep trying harder, Amanda.
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He is not sayng "try harder" He is calling you to walk in Him.
Eph 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
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Yes, we walk in Him and do the works He created for us to do. I agree with all of that but I know even the Saints in the NT never reached sinless perfection in this life and Saint Paul said he pressed on (Philippians 3:14). We have a high calling. All we can do is press towards the mark.
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Where do you get the idea that I said we would achieve sinless perfection in this life other than positionally?
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I guess where you said if we expect to fail we will fail and where you said experientially more so everyday as we aspire to live for Him we become Christ-like. Most of us do long to always do His will and not ours and yet we fail. If I just fail by one bad thought then I have failed to do His will. I expect to fail because I have a sin nature.
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I repeat, if I expect to fail I will. If failure is not aceptable and made to be accepted as the norm we are going to strive to live the higher-life to honor and glorify Christ. Failure to walk with Christ is not ever to be viewed as OK and normal. When we sin there should always be a conviction from the Holy Spirit. Yes, we will fail, but let us look to living for Christ and not accepting failure as normal.
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