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Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2005 9:41 pm
Posts: 4892
Location: Administrator of Site - D/FW
Faith: Christian
Ecclesiology/Denomination: Non-denominational
Name of your church: CountrySide Bible Church
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Greetings and welcome to the Evangelical Theology and Discussion Forum.
I want to share the following passage with you from Hebrews 5:12-6:3 (NET)Hebrews 5:12-6:3 12 For though you should in fact be teachers by this time, you need someone to teach you the beginning elements of God’s utterances. You have gone back to needing milk, not solid food. 13 For everyone who lives on milk is inexperienced in the message of righteousness, because he is an infant. 14 But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and evil. 1 Therefore we must progress beyond the elementary instructions about Christ and move on to maturity, not laying this foundation again: repentance from dead works and faith in God, 2 teaching about baptisms, laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this is what we intend to do, if God permits. Context (NET) Our intention is to provide a forum where evangelical believers can discuss questions of theology, faith, and practice from a strictly evangelical perspective. We wish to provide a forum where believers can chew on the meat of the Word of God rather than continually debating and defending the most basic tenets of the faith. While there is a place for apologetics, witnessing, answering questions raised by seekers, and discipling new believers, there is likewise a need for believers to continue to grow in their own maturity. To accomplish this requires ongoing discussion among believers who are in agreement on the most fundamental and essential doctrines of the historic Christian faith.
If you have signed up for this forum, you are a genuine believer in Christ and you are committed to the following essential doctrines of the Christian faith, which all evangelicals agree with:
- The inspiration, authority and inerrancy of Scripture (in the original manuscripts)
- The Trinity
- The deity and incarnation of Christ - fully God and fully man.
- The plight of all mankind - separated from God because of sin.
- The answer to man's plight - Jesus Christ - the only Way to God
- The substitutionary atonement of Jesus Christ in His self-offering on the cross
- The physical resurrection of Jesus Christ and bodily ascension to the right hand of God the Father.
- The promise of the physical resurrection of all people - some to eternal life, others to eternal hell.
- Salvation comes by God's grace solely through the means of faith in Christ alone and this is the gift of God.
- The physical return of Christ.
While Christians should agree on these essential doctrines there are numerous "secondary" issues and interpretations for which we can hold different views. While we understand that there is truly only one right answer to the issues on which we differ, we acknowledge that differences of opinion legitimately arise because:
- 1. Scripture was written in a historical/social context very different from our own.
- 2. Although Scripture has been preserved for us and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16), it was not written directly to us.
- 3. Scripture is silent on many matters, providing us high level principles to guide our actions but silent in many specific do's and don't's.
- 4. Scripture is filled with paradoxes we simply cannot explain. Explanations where Scripture is silent is human opinion and leads to different viewpoints.
- 5. Many beliefs within evangelical theology are the product of deductive reasoning rather than inductive reading.
- 6. Many "debatable" beliefs, traditions, or dogma within evangelical theology result from pulling verses out of context to support human tradition (proof-texting).
To ensure that this forum functions in accordance with its purpose, we must insist on the following code of conduct:
- 1. All rules of Bible.org forums apply to this forum.
- 2. Questions about the essential doctrines listed above are acceptable, however questioning the validity of the essential doctrines is out of scope for this forum.
- 3. Dogmatism on secondary matters will be strongly and publicly discouraged.
- 4. The Bible, not Systematic Theology, is the final authority on all issues although citations from known authorities are acceptable and helpful.
- 5. Frequent reference should be made to what the scholars on Bible.org teach.
- 6. Moderators will point out if positions or arguments are inconsistent with evangelical theology.
- 7. Posts which in any way belittle another member of the forum, taunt, bait, or flame will be deleted in full as soon as a moderator spots it. If you are on the receiving end and respond "in kind," your post will be deleted as well. The moderators in this forum reserve the right to delete your post in these circumstances without notification to you.
Basically, this forum may not be the place for you if you have a low tolerance level for disagreement or take contrary views personally. It is not the place for you if you are dogmatic on secondary issues or have an argumentative spirit. This forum is not for you if you see yourself as a teacher and not a learner (I Cor. 4:6-13). If the primary purpose of your participation is not to grow in maturity and help others grow as well, please do not participate.
To join this forum please select "evangelical discussion" from the usergroup menu located at the top of the index page.
Thanks
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