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Helovesme2
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Username: Helovesme2

Post Number: 48
Registered: 8-2004
Posted on Thursday, November 18, 2004 - 12:10 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

This morning Phil. 2:2 was one of the verses highlighted in my reading. I was struck by the phrase "united in spirit". The song "one in faith and doctrine, one in charity" started playing in my mind and I started thinking about the frustration I have that there are so many doctrinal disagreements between Christians.

Then I reread the verse. This verse is not saying one in doctrine (not that there are not other verses that encourage unity in understanding). The greek words translated "united in spirit" in the New American Standard, or "of one accord" in the King James Version are "sun" (together with) and psuchos(soul, self, inner life, or the seat of the feelings, desires,affections). (definition from the Interlinear Study Bible on Heartlight).

It means united in soul, and also in feelings, desires, and affections. We should be united in love to Jesus, desiring to be in and become like Jesus.

It does not mean we will understand all the things about God or Christianity the same way, but that we may still be united in spirit!

It's given me something to smile about this morning, though I am definitely ready to be corrected if my understanding is off!

helovesme2
Tdf
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Username: Tdf

Post Number: 11
Registered: 11-2004
Posted on Friday, November 19, 2004 - 6:38 am:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

helovesme2

You have no idea how much your post ministered to me. I have been SO frustrated lately with respect to "so many doctrinal disagreements between Christians." In an imperfect world filled with imperfect humans who are trying to grasp things that are divine and outside our frame of reference, it is inevitable that we will disagree. Yet we can still be united in the love of Christ. What an amazing thought.
Krista
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Username: Krista

Post Number: 41
Registered: 8-2004
Posted on Friday, November 19, 2004 - 10:27 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

That's a great thought! The church I found is focused on bringing the family of Christ together, and not worry or argue about the "non-essentials." And because of this, people from many different churches attend. It is joyful and inspiring.

You know, some of these doctrines are so complicated, and I often see a case built for both sides. What if, when we get to heaven, we discover some of our treasured beliefs are wrong! I think there will be some surprises there. It's okay to discuss things, but I agree: We need to remember we are united in spirit!

Susan_2
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Username: Susan_2

Post Number: 1129
Registered: 11-2002
Posted on Friday, November 19, 2004 - 11:07 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostPrint Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I posted under "An Urgnet Prayer Request" earlier. Please read the requests and keep them in your prayers. Now about the topic of unity in Christ. Awhile back the bishop of the local synod spoke where I attend weekly services. The things he said nearly brought me to tears because it was so humbeling--and so dfferent from anything I'd ever heard in the SDA church. He said that the Lutheran denomination is decreasing in numbers. That traditioally the main #1 way of getting more Lutherans was for the existing Lutherans to have lots of babies. Well, Lutherans just aren't having lots of babies anymore and even tho the Lutheran denomination welcomes everyone to come to worship with them and they want more people to come to Jesus and be within the body of the Lutheran family the denomination is still decreasing in numbers. Now here is what really pulled at my heart-the bishop went on and said that it is o.k. that the denomination is not growing because Christianity is growing, and bringing people to Jesus is really the formost goal of the Great Commission. He said maybe God is bringing more people to Christianity by way of the more lively, carsismatic type of churches and maybe Lutheranism is on its way out because there are outreaches to bring people to Jesus now that people in this age respond better to. He went on to say we all need to rejoyce that many more non-believers are being brought to Jesus, way more than ever before. It really was an "awe" type of sermon to me. On the way out I took a man aside who also was raised SDA (even way more so than I was) and I told him how we would never have ever heard a sermon like that in the SDA. He said that he was aware of that and that humble spirit is one reason why he loves worshiping with the Lutherans week after week. Actually, I'm glad I found out about that man having been raised what I refer to as Super SDA because I can get uderstanding and empathy from him in a way that the others at the church just don't understand.

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