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Post by Rhema Seeker (Guy) on Nov 26, 2007 18:27:49 GMT -5
I was just wandering how many of you guys ENJOY the debates and preaching. I will post my experience after a number of you answer. Thank you.
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Post by alan4jc on Nov 27, 2007 0:56:22 GMT -5
I voted No. I don't enjoy debating, however I do enjoy preaching. I don't see myself as a great preacher but I have a desire to see people saved and so in obedience I preach and witness. Sometimes I have allowed myself to get into debates and on these boards they rarely come accross correctly. There are defenitely areas that I feel led by God to discuss but have gotten into discussions that I shouldn't have. My hope for these and other Christian message boards is that they become a place for edification and encouragement and prayer. Istead of the puffed up theological gyms they often become.
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Post by Rhema Seeker (Guy) on Nov 27, 2007 7:51:04 GMT -5
I thought more of you would answer. But I do not want to be accused of bait and hook any of you guys, so I will post my thoughts now.
Alan, I have stated this before and I state it now. Of all the ones I have witnessed here, I feel you are of a humble spirit and one that is genuine.
I too have voted no. But mine is for debating and preaching.
My question is , do you enjoy DEBATING and PREACHING the WORD and DOCTRINE of GOD?
When I first came to know CHRIST as my LORD and SAVIOUR, my heart was truly broken for the lost heading for hell. I would shed tears knowing that these would perish because of their sins. I knew that I easily could have been one of them; and I was one, before CHRIST called me.
Then after a couple of years, studying scripture and books of other men of faith, I began to get a lil lofty. I thought I kew it all. I remember wearing suits and dressing differently. I remember speaking differently. My speech was seasoned with the salt of the WORD, but it too was seasoned with the evil of pride. I really enjoyed debating and preaching against the catholic doctrines. I was surely deceived thinking that I was doing this out of love. But in fact I was doing so out of pride. I enjoyed the debate. Oh, I still wept at the lost in my prayer time, but I believe it to be a fleshly emotion learned and not TRULY a GRIEVIENCE from THE SPIRIT.
After years of going through much pains myself and through the fiery furnace, I have now a compassion for the lost and other CHRISTIANS again, who are going through much opposition. Now I desire to do what ever is necessary to see the lost saved and hurting CHRISTIANS come to rest in their trials.
As for as debating with others, I HATE IT ! It grieves me that others do not see TRUTH as I believe to be TRUTH. And because of this, it grieves me that I must debate and preach. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy serving my LORD in HIS service. And I enjoy that I am willing and able to please HIM. And I truly enjoy when sinners come to the TRUTH of HIS GOSPEL. But after some years, I have concluded that the perfect WAY of GOD is that all know the TRUTH and debates and preaching no longer needed. I have concluded that the preaching of the GOSPEL is not for my benifit nor satisfaction, but for those who walk in darkness. Preaching and debating is foolish. But I know it must be done. But when it is done, lets do it with a BROKEN and CONTRITE SPIRIT, knowing that it is for those who are walking in darkness and may end up in the ETERNAL DAMNATION set forth for those alike.
Learn from a sinner as I was when pride motivated me and not the SPIRIT OF LOVE. I believe that I judge rightiously when I say I have witnessed SOME pride on these message boards. NOT all you, but SOME. And please do not be too quick to defend yourself, for PRIDE is a very deceptive spirit hidden deep within a man. Some times this spirit cannot be known until one is humbled with prayer and fasting. Coming into the presence of GOD will detect such a wicked spirit as this.
1 Corinthians 8:1-3, "Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him."
What is your motive behind your debates really?
Do I not debate and preach any longer? God forbid. I do so still, but I do not enjoy it like I once did. Now I do so because of LOVE. I Love the lost and I LOVE my LORD.
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Post by celebrity on Nov 27, 2007 12:24:13 GMT -5
The reason why I enjoy debating is because not every issue is black and white. Sometimes it goes along way to correcting misinformation, and other times cancels concerns (which is the biggest part of a preacher existence.)
I agree with edification but I understand that correction is hard on us all.
The biggest question in my mind as I am closing down and leaving these boards in a few weeks is....
Is not that have I done enough but Have I been understood? At times as I go over these boards, I realise that intollerance has some what subsided. It's the newbies that come in now that must be watched and cooled along the way but remain heated in the lords faith.
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mattmahar
Full Member
`Lo, thou hast become whole; sin no more, lest something worse may happen to thee.' John 5:14
Posts: 151
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Post by mattmahar on Feb 18, 2008 21:44:14 GMT -5
I don't enjoy debating but I do believe that it is necessary to answer and ask questions as well as reason one with another over who God is, and what it is that we are to put within our hearts as Christians.
Some reasons why I believe debate is important. (not exhaustive.)
(1.) I do believe that it helps us as Christians grow in Grace and Knowledge.
(2.) It also helps us to develop the ability to answer every man when we are asked the reason for our faith in Christ.
(3.) It also teaches us how to defend the faith.
(4.) Develops our gifts, whether that be discernment, longsuffering, love, peace etc.
(5.) It also helps to purge us of our pride if we are open minded enough to know that we are faliable. I don't think there is anything better than being rebuked and restored by another brother as long as they are biblically able to make an argument for it.
In Christ Matt
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Post by trustandobey on Feb 18, 2008 22:06:05 GMT -5
Debating is the same to me as contending and persuading for the Faith.
I Personally love it, it strengths my believe and faith in the Lord. It brings me to seach the scriptures deeper, to stand for what I believe, and to preach and teach with belief, than a theory of truth.
1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
Preaching by God's Grace and mercy is easy, contending for what we believe is something much different.
Proverbs 28:4 They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.
When our foundation is God's Law, and keep it my Faith. The foundation is very strong in Christ Strength, we speak from authority with Power in Love. Amen
This verse is so true, for their is no rest.
Proverbs 29:9 If a wise man contendeth with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.
And we are told to Contend for the Faith, given of the Past, not an new way.
Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Paul in depate with the people, faced the same as us. Amen
Acts 13:43 Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
Acts 18:4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.
Paul kept the Sabbath in the New Covenant. Not on Sun-day, for the gentiles where coming to sabbath not sunday.
Going to have to deal with that fact sooner or later.
Acts 19:26 Moreover ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods, which are made with hands:
Still with the Lord pleading with the People, persuading them with His love. People waked away.
So when a so- called christian come up and state you are turning people away from the Gospel.
Use this verse, to explain the issue, to tell them to accuse Paul first. Amen Then use Noah, a preacher of Righteousness only 8 where saved.
1 Peter 3:20 when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 2 Peter 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
Noah Preached, contended, persauded for a 120 years as the Ark was built.
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Post by celebrity on Feb 19, 2008 18:29:30 GMT -5
To stand with a sign at any college invites debate.
You appear to say one thing and do another.
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