DavidR,

Your original comment was that the NT didn’t exist as the NT in the 1^st century. My point was that its content was 1st century, and it was 1^st century church that is being addressed in its content. The content is the same, the fact that it wasnt embodied as the NT in the 1^st century is therefore irrelevant, it says the same now as it did in the 1st century when it was written as it did when it was cannonised in the 3rd century. As I said false teaching according the earliest church, is identified and defined by the community including Christ’s eyewitness NT apostles, disciples and writers.

Quite how Acts and all these epistles to the various churches of the 1^st century, such as in Corinth, Rome, Phillipi, Galatia, Colossae, Thessalonia, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea, can conjure up for you an impression of Corinthian Christians sitting abound with copies on the NT open on their laps" is illogical. Its certainly not one from the NT.

Clearly we have two different faiths and belief systems, which whilst claiming the same at higher level, seem to be either side of a line in the sand.

Davidr,

You have not even attempted to address the points I made. Furthermore whilst the NT did not exist in the NT as the NT, its content was 1st century. .. which destroys your argument. False teaching according the earliest church, is identified and defined by the community including Christ’s eyewitness NT apostles, disciples and writers.

One can see the significance of this, because it therefore exposes as false teaching that which claims it isnt.

Bowman,

I think it is quite plain and straightforward in the NT that false teaching is anything that is contrary to the New Testament.

Davidr,

The scripture says test all things. As Christians we are to correct, and encourage other believers (ie 1 Tim 3:16)

But the key point is when you write "what you believe scripture says" We know what scripture says, we can read. Context and interpretation give us the meaning. It is when people try and claim scripture doesn’t mean what it consistently says and claim it means the opposite of what it says that we know we are dealing with unbelief.

Your statement implied Jesus teaching meant the ‘enemy occupying power’ There is no mention of this and that is almost certainly what His audience might have thought. The distinction Jesus makes is rendering back what is of Caesar to Caesar and what is of God to God. Therefore you have a choice with income tax, is it to God or the state?

Would you like to answer?

Pluralist,

Thanks but you have never seen evolution of the species, your idea of how it behaves is derived from the evidence.

What interests me is how God was made flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth. Through Christ lives are changed and people’s joy made complete whether they know anything about the theory of evolution or not, or whether Tiktaalic could in fact have evolved into a tetrapod.

I have no doubt a science forum would be delighted to be dominated by religious and faith discussions ;-)

Pluralist,

The article may have missed the point 100%. Firstly the NT not only describes the rejection of false teachers in several places, but also in several places urges believers not to divide over disputable matters.

The big error on the first page is "

"we have complaints about false teachers, and others who are accused of working against what the authors of the texts regard as the truth and/or right Christian behaviour. So, differences among believers, "

 the NT doesnt describe false teachers as believers. Indeed in 1 Cor 5 it says they call themselves brothers but should be expelled.

False teachers claim to be brothers and gather round them those whose itching ears hear what they want to hear.

Bowman,

What counts is whether a church or ministry is operating according to the Holy Spirit and the word. If God is using a church it will be fruit that lasts.

Bowan,

Yes I agree with your remarks  Monday 25 June 2012 - 05:33pm

Pluralist,

The theory of evolution fits the geological evidence, but so does God as a creator. For example, have you ever seen Tiktaalic evolve into a tetrapod? How did Tiktaalic genetically mutate or adapt to an environment it had no experience of? Sure evolution requires faith in something not seen. Your thinking is very ‘tunnel vision’

Bowman,

Thank you for your response. You sense quite the opposite to me then. IMO I have not seen the Christian churches so active and engaging with the community for a couple of decades at least. Could it be that it is mostly happening in the one side of the polarised church you aren’t seeing?

DavidR,

The benchmark I am using is what scripture says, not differences of people’s opinions.

No I do not think you have honestly reflected what you wrote. You wrote "in the teaching of Jesus meant submitting to the tax demands of an enemy occupying power" That is specifically implying the enemy occupying power is what Jesus teaching meant.

Pluralist,

Yes I think we have the general drift of what your disbelief is based on. Although its not as you said against what someone propose, but what several people claim they saw.

Most non-believers take what is given and simply state they don’t believe, a spirit of anti-Christ on the other hand is determined to convince people God’s testimony isn’t true.

As this is a Christian forum I assume most of us want to move on the things of God.