QuoteYour contention is not for the faith of Christ. It is against Him and His faith. It is your opinion that you pit against the Truth. You contradict yourself, though, even by contending as you do, according to your own words:
In light of hoping to build bridges I am answering this accusation made to me by Paul Cohen. It is hopefully not meant to critisize, but to spur a discussion on what actually is contending for the faith.
If I say Christ is the Savior of all mankind is that not truth whether it can be proven that I believe it or not? If I hope to believe it and say that is what I am going to base my life on , do I have to believe it for it to be true? What is my fate under such circumstances? What does Paul Cohen actually maintain that will become of me if all men are saved, yet I am exposed to be a fraud.
What scrutiny but that of Gods judgment must I endure? When do the charges of men have merit and when are they to be sifted as grain exposing the deceit those words might contain.
Perhaps the indication that I am not calling people out for their words in the light that Jesus can be seen talking to the pharasees.
If we look in scripture, the pharasees seemed to revel in their own glory and upholding of the scriptures and maintaining the letter of the law to the observing eye, or maybe to the unobserving eye as well. I believe we are even told that our faith must be greater than that of the pharasees. So I invite a discussion not to discredit Paul Cohen, but to put these words to a question.
What is contending for the Faith?
Seems a reasonable point of discussion PaulH...
For mine so many take the BOOK OF Jude out of context , By that One means Christ.
seems To me One Contends for that which IS NEW..., :winkgrin:
:icon_flower:
Hi Paul,
I think it all boils down to this.
Being over-righteous or over-wicked.....
Peter when he ate with the uncircumcized had to contend
with the jewsish beleivers.Acts 11;2
Paul also had to contend with super-apostles that still preached
circumcision of the flesh.Also with gnostics that promoted
immoral lifestyles.2 Peter 2;19
It is these perversions that we contend with. Otherwise
the Purity and simplicity of Christ's message is twisted
into something it is not.These perversions are heresys
I see the narrow gate as moderation. And excesses of
the gospel either way as the wide and broad road to
destruction.
Sheila
con·tend (kən-těnd') Pronunciation Key
v. con·tend·ed, con·tend·ing, con·tends
v. intr.
1.To strive in opposition or against difficulties; struggle: armies contending for control of strategic territory; had to contend with long lines at the airport.
2.To compete, as in a race; vie.
3.To strive in controversy or debate; dispute. See Synonyms at discuss.
The hebrew word for contend is
H7378 riyb reeb
or ruwb {roob};
a primitive root; properly, to toss, i.e. grapple; mostly figuratively, to wrangle,
i.e. hold a controversy; (by implication) to defend:--adversary, chide,
complain, contend, debate, X ever, X lay wait, plead, rebuke, strive, X
thoroughly.
In Greek
G1864 epagonizomai ep-ag-o-nid'-zom-ahee
from G1909 and G75;
to struggle for:--earnestly contend foreign
Specifically in Jude we have.
Ju 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.
I think sometimes our objection can be that someone else is not contending for the faith in the same manner as us. We read scripture and see various teachings and think this or that is right or wrong. I will not say that there is not wicked teachings. I was immersed in some of the worst. Yet, the aspect of my being was shaped positively in the long run. As much as we object, it remains, as much as we expose, it remains. If someones words that come out of their mouth are so holy and righteous and filled with a truth, then it would crumble the very establishment they speak over. I see no evidence of that happening from ANYONE who rises up and declares they have truth as much as they might be right about the wickedness that abounds from religion.
The truth is contained in the source, the source for which I know has the power to reconcile.
1Ti 2:5 For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
There is only one scripture truly that has risen up from the bible and captured me to an unquestionable truth, one that I cannot avoid, one that I cannot reason away, one that I don't even begin to doubt.
1Ti 2:4 Who wills that all mankind be saved and come into a realization of the truth.
If I am to ignore the above scripture and contend for a faith that looks to any man, then I will indeed risk my soul in defiance of a powerless idol of vapor. Good luck Vapor, give me your best shot.
Amen Paul
I can't but think of how Jesus instructed us to pray...
Our Father who art in heaven.........
thy Kingdom come..Thy WILL BE DONE.....
and how that goes so beautifully with 1Timothy2;4
Sheila