Doctrines and Love

When we argue and disagree, we will know what kind of a Christian others are and what kind of a heart they have. We always argue over things that we love, or that we disagree. We have become so brainwashed in so many ways that Christians are afraid to speak out against false teachings in any form. I will speak up when I hear doctrines that I disagree with. Doctrines sounds very good and simple but life is not so simple. There are Christians who are zealous for their "doctrines" and forget the sensitivity of others regarding certain topics.

Healthy debate is good. Extremists OFTEN will ignore the most necessary that God desires and break God's spiritual harmony. If you look back that Jesus rebuked religious leaders who had extreme doctrines that intimindated others who don't follow their rules. Christian faith is not to manipulate and intimidate people with doctrines but rather allow the Holy Spirit to do the work in convicting people's hearts. We are not to persuade people to follow certain extremist views of doctrines (that each of us hold) because only God can take care of that based on each individual as the Holy Spirit convicts their hearts.

It is something of a paradox that while thoughts deeply affect a person's will and go far to determine a person's choices, a person's will on the other hand has the power to control the thoughts. One area of thinking that needs reform is our practical beliefs which is what we hold in reality and what holds us. The difference are doctrinal beliefs and practical ones. Remember, great faiths in the Bible didn't know the differences between doctrinal beliefs and practical beliefs. They simply BELIEVED. Its not the scriptures that are corrupted. Its a man's heart that is corrupted. Intelligence, reason, and choice. As a Christian, we don't need intelligence to decide because we have the Holy Spirit that convicts us to listen rather than focusing on our own pride of reasonings. Christians' conclusions are either ignorance or loyalty to a specific denomination, movement, cause or person. I don't know in a flesh point of view whether the doctrines I follow are 100% true unless I allow the Holy Spirit to convict my heart to follow certain doctrines. I am 48 years old, I have learned so much about doctrines since I was a teen. To this day, I never met a Christian who AGREES with my beliefs 100%. I have not met a Christian who I agree with their beliefs 100%. The bottom line is that Christians follow doctrines according to the Holy Spirit's conviction. The Holy Spirit gave me assurance of my faith and doctrines I follow. No Church, No Denomination, No pastors or anyone can do this for me. There are many Christian cultures because there are Christians who will follow their conscience, feelings, beliefs and personal worship preferences. This is between God and each individual believer(s).

Christians in "spirit" can work together even when they differ on doctrinal issues however, their flesh do not allow them to work together. 1 Corinthians 6:19, "Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?" MY body is "good" and wonderful gift from God. Paul said, "But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection ..." (1Corinthians 9:27). The key word here is "discipline" your flesh. Flesh-filled means "If we do not yield and honor the Holy Spirit, our lives will not show forth the blessed fruits of the Spirit!" Biblically, as a Christian, I should be submitted to, be modified and be conditioned by the Holy Spirit. If I yield under the world's pressure, this tells me that I am are too weak spiritually to resist. Can we trust the Holy Spirit to convict of sin, to reveal Christ, to open our minds to understand spiritual truth? Christians are no longer "in the flesh": "You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him" (Rom 8:9). A Christian to have the peace of conscience, not war within because if I rely on "self", or "self-will", I am grieving the Holy Spirit; "not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30). "The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us" (Romans 5:5). In Ephesians 5:18 where the present tense of the verb in Greek means: "Keep on being filled with the Spirit". The Holy Spirit dwells in us with all the power and gifts of God, necessary to enable us to walk the noble, spiritual, Son-like life with God. "My temorary body is decaying at the same time, my inner being is being renewed day by day" (2 Cor 4:16). It is God's will that we submit to the Holy Spirit and keep on filling (Ephesians 5:18). Like an athlete when training, we should always keep drinking water so that we won't be dehydrated and feeling weak. With that thought in mind, we should always keep filling the Holy Spirit so that we are able to act and react any given situations. "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor. 12:9).

When people start reasoning by thinking psychological terminology, which is the two-nature terminology, this leads to heresy. I am having the same problem people interpreting Romans 7. We do that with Christians, we say they have an old nature and a new nature, and again, we are sort of compartmentalizing them psychologically, which isn't really biblical, either. We live in a SINFUL body with a "sinless Spirit". In Christ, we are sinless, in flesh, we are sinners.

In Ephesians 3:20 "Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us". One of the greatest example is in Romans 8:26 "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Christian faith is inward, not outward because we are in the spirit and not in the flesh. The kingdom of God is within us, Christ dwells in our hearts which "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27) is the burning core (or source) of our Christian faith. Faith is inside us which is Holy Spirit lead only when we submit in obedience. In Ephesians 5:18 where the present tense of the verb in Greek means: "Keep on being filled with the Spirit".

Christians in spirit are an assembly of believers and they are made up of real spiritual people. When we look in the mirror, we are the part of the "spiritual Church" that we are not in harmony, we need to find a way to get back into harmony. I don't mind talking (debating) about doctrines. But I do mind when Christians are seperating other Christians by doctrines which causes division. God in spirit always unites and the devil through the flesh always divides. Church divisions have been going on since the New Testament days As Paul wrote in1 Corinthians 12-13 "One of you says, 'I follow Paul'; another, 'I follow Apollos'; another, 'I follow Cephas'; still another, 'I follow Christ.' Is Christ divided?" In the Bible talks about two kinds of church memberships. First Kind of Member is at SALVATION: At the instant of our conversion, we become "eternal members" in the universal (catholic) church of Jesus Christ, based solely on His merit and grace. If you are a Christ-follower, then you are already this kind of member. This is eternal and unchanging (I Corinthians 12:12-13; Ephesians 2:13-22; 4:3-6; Colossians 1:13-22). Everyone who is saved is a member of God's Kingdom. Second Kind of Membership is at a local (denominational or non-denominational) Church, the Bible also assumes those "positional members" physically in a visible local Church and become deeply involved in the participation of a local assembly (Romans 12:1-8; 1 Corinthians. 12:25-31; 14:12, 26; Hebrews 10:24-25; I Tim. 3:14-15).