"How To Know Christ"

Hi, and welcome all of you to this discussion!! I'm sorry I've not been available this week. I traveled to Monterrey, California with my husband to see our one and only daughter graduate with an Associate of Arts Degree in Hebrew Language. She is a Hebrew Cryptologist in the U.S. Air Force. I haven't been to bed yet since we arrived home, so let me get some zzzzz's in and we can work on the question(s) at hand, especially since Skeet, the thread moderator, has not been back to join us, okay?

Love In Christ,

Judi

Hi Judi,

I am new here and was looking through posts. I saw yours and was wondering what specifically you mean by 'orthodox' when you say you listen to Bible doctrine (orthodox) every day.

Thanks.

Rose,

I love that site. I think that Ray has a good handle on evangelism. I really appreciate how he uses the law as a mirror for people to see and understand the seriousness of their position without being unloving or rude. It's a great example of how to share the need of a savior without coming off as judgmental.

I'm not sure what Judi might have meant by Orthodox, but orthodox simply means "right thinking."

I'm new, so am in no way criticizing anyone's perspective, but would only add that there are few people I know who would not argue that theirs is the "Orthodox" view, since I have never met anyone who has said "I am committed to wrong thinking" or "My thinking is wrong and I'm proud of it." Thus, I am wondering -- perhaps suggesting -- that the closest one can come to truly claiming to be "Orthodox" is to be truly "biblical" rather than denominational in their views of Scripture.

And I will dare to wonder out loud, for example, "How many "Orthodox" Christians keep the Sabbath? What day do they keep as the Sabbath? Why do they keep it as the Sabbath?" And "Is there one or more passages of Scripture they can cite as the basis for keeping that day as their personal and/or denominational Sabbath?"

All best wishes as you seek and serve the Lord,

Pastor K

"Rock and Shield"

IMO, they put way too much emphasis on personal sins, particularly the 10 Commandments, which sins have already been forgiven. People do need to understand what sin is, but not beat them over the head with it. The ONLY sin that will count against someone is the sin of "unbelief" in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Again, my opinion, and I may just need to think harder on their approach.

Their use of the law is to help people see why they need a Savior. So many times people are only told of Christ's love for them and because of that they should love Him back. The reality of it is that if we were to make it to heaven He had to die because we sin. The emphasis on personal sin is to help the person focus on their personal need. For myself, this was very important. It was easy to think of Christ dieing for the sins of the world, but to take personal responsibility for my part in it brought it to a level I had not thought of before.

I think they use the 10 commandments because most people are familiar with what they are, even if they don't know each one. It also brings them face to face with God's standard, so people stop comparing themselves to others or to mans standard. Many people think of themselves as OK, since they are not as bad as someone else they can think of. They need to know that God's standard is different from mans and to see themselves as God sees them. If they are not covered by the blood, they are lost.

If you think this is harsh, take a look at the words Peter gave to the people in Acts 3:12-26. There is no repentance without the realization that you have something to repent of, without repentance there is no salvation.

Let me if I may weigh in here dear ladies because this is not so straight forward. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is a continual internal rejection of the Spirit's wooing and working on an unrepentant sinner. Let me illustrate.

Christ spoke this after the Pharisees accused Him of casting out demons in the name of Baalzebub. Curiously, He taught that such blasphemy could be forgiven (Isa 1:18) says...Come let us reason together, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be whiter that snow..."; We know the prominent Romans verses; Whosever shall call upon the Lord shall be saved (RM 10:13), and ....If you confess with your mouth, the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, thou shall be saved (RM 10:9).....so we know that salvation is possible with faith and belief, yes? So what would doom one to Hell? Unbelief and not having faith. We have to conclude then, that Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit can only be unbelief based solely upon the witness of the totality of Scripture itself. Humbly submitted. Sherrell