Search results for query: leave church

How does immersion symbolize other notable aspects represented in Scripture where we are said to be "sprinkled" and the Spirit is said to be "poured out"? I find this to be a relatively narrow look at all the things that can be taught about how baptism connects to broad theological truths...

Article 1 Of course, we do not intend to draw a comparison between the three men, whose names appear in the title of this essay. It is our purpose to make a comparative study of their views, their doctrines, their convictions, as clearly expressed in their writings...

It is the commendable practice of the Protestant Reformed Church of South Holland, Illinois, to commemorate, annually, Christ's Reformation of His church in the 16th century, by a fitting speech around the end of October, the time of Martin Luther's standing up to contend for the gospel of grace...

If I can approach the question from a different perspective, what demarcates the "early" church? "Early" is relative. Perhaps we might be considered members of the "early" church by a future generation. True, there are Christians who were chronologically nearer to the apostles than we are. This...

As I've written elsewhere, whether an historian realizes it or not, any attempt to lay out historical facts will always entail "taking sides" (link). It's not as if I've hidden the fact that I have tried to do both since my very first post in which I drew connections from the complainants to...

Greetings Young Baptist, Since you posted this under Baptism in general rather than, Credo-Baptism Answers, where and I am not allowed to participate as a Pedo-Baptist. I will give just one short answer that has often been on my mind, and I will be polite and then leave it alone. If you'd...

On the contrary, a large portion of Presbyterians are born into it. Maybe their parents freely joined, but they didn't. Baptists typically dislike the idea of being born into a church. You have to ripen and decide to join on your own accord. There are no baby-members. Our Synod has adopted the...

A group of individuals who come together because they have individualism in common may be united as a group, but they still remain individualistic. You may not see a connection, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one. Baptist theology is more individualistic, and baptist churches, are, in the...

My understanding is it's a congregational vote, with a very low quorum threshold of like 20% to leave and then a similar vote (plus acceptance by the Evangelical Presbyterian Church (or the Evangel Presbytery if you're talking about the paedo/credo denom)

Your explanation of individualism does not add up for two reasons. 1. You fail to distinguish between individualism and an individual. Even in Presbyterianism (as government), INDIVIDUALS freely join a church or freely leave a church. Infant baptism may be more "collective" but it does not...

In other words, you make the atonement effectual by exercising your moral capability?

No whole sale, but many of them do, especially those whose theology can only be described as a mix between Finney and Wesley. Wesley certainly didn’t deny it. For example, the Church of the Nazarene Manual seems to leave the manner of atonement ambiguous: “We believe that Jesus Christ, by His...

Fair points. Any conversation on apologetics should bear this qualification in mind. Your reminder gives occasion for discussing something else that often go unsaid in these sorts of conversations: Christianity is a religion of super-sufficiency. Our God Himself is wholly sufficient for us...

From PRRD-2

Recently, I came across an article entitled “10 Things That Aren’t in your Bible” this article is written from a so called Progressive Christian perspective, from reading the article one gets the impression that the author is trying to downplay the authority of Scripture, given the author’s...

Hello all. I have a question about communion, as to the preparing of it. I know of a couple, who use to attend a DoC church, and on saturday evenings, they went to the church, they would get everything set up for the communion service on Sunday. They would go ahead and put the cups in the trays...

What comes to mind when you hear about Christian liberty? Perhaps drinking or smoking, or how we use our free time and recreation? Or is it that there are simply some things that you believe Scripture does not speak to, making them “indifferent” and allowing a diverse range of opinions among...

Acts 6:1-7: Hello brethren, I have a question on scriptural Presbyterian polity. In the above passage, it seems the apostles called "the multitude of the disciples" to nominate the first deacons. What is this multitude? Is this a way to elect deacons, or the only right way to go about it...

Yes indeed. Nah. Since the argument does not - in fact - subvert the position itself objectively then it follows that the argument itself is not subversive. Their intended subversion - in fact - clarifies the anti-abortion position even further in light of both natural law and Biblical...

This made me laugh out loud. I couldn't attach the laugh emoji since it only fit this fragment and certainly did not fit the rest of your post. I am so confused by your stance. Working a job that requires Lord's Day hours is fairly well-established in our confessions as as long as this guy has...

Yes, and this is an example of a job you should leave if they do not make way for the Sabbath -- no matter how small an hour seems to you (maybe 1 or 2 minutes would be not so good of a reason to leave the job if one had had it for a long time, but the principle matters). This is different to a...

Without having studied the proposals in detail, there are two glaring flaws in the plan. First, as has been noted, in most cases the denomination centrally controls the buildings and would die rather than give them up. They also have the ability to tax local churches, so "conservative"...

Gaffin, Richard. Perspectives on Pentecost. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing. I first read this when I was a continuationist. I am no longer one. I stand by most of what I wrote, though. This is an excellent, clear, and short response to what was probably "Third Wave Charismaticism" in the...

Hello Cameron. I've noticed that myself and two others in the threads are unsure about your definition of 'primary' is. It is commonplace in theology circles to talk about 'primary', 'secondary', and 'tertiary' issues, but this often leads to a lot of confusion once it gets past the most basic...

Jordan, James B. The Liturgy Trap. This book can be seen as early form of "damage control" among the post-theonomists some decades ago. We formally disagree with Jordan on many, many, many points. Nonetheless, this book is a fascinating response to a number of "Young Turk" theonomists and...

Augustine of Hippo was the most prolific and influential theologian of the early church. As to volume, the selection of his works included in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers series comes to eight chunky double-columned volumes. “On the shelves” of Augustine’s own library, Peter Brown notes...

Augustine was born at the climax of the Christian era of the Roman Empire, lived during the decades of Rome’s decline, and died as the Vandals were at the gates of Hippo. He lived squarely in between two major ecumenical councils of the early church, Nicaea in 325 and Chalcedon in 451. He is...

Yeah that all makes sense. Let me ask this: is it lawful to break an unlawful oath? Like when Luther made a vow of perpetual celibacy, did this make it a sin for him to marry even though the oath itself was clearly imprudent? It seems clear that an oath such as “I will murder this person” is...

I suppose the church might stand in support of the State, if the law should prohibit a known pdphile from marriage where step-children may exist from the beginning, and begetting/birthing new children from the marital relation is a rational expectation. Leave aside any distraction by raising...

The form of the question and the answer is "I do" or "We do." The Session interviews members and poses the membership questions. Their assent to the membership questions is made before the Elders. The Session formally joins them to the congregation during that act. Having them stand before...