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No Room for Apologetics
MP3
There is no room in the Body of Christ nor its church organizations
for Apologetics.....PERIOD!! Do you know what this term means?
Apologetics:
Apologetics is the field of study concerned with the systematic defense
of a position. Someone who engages in apologetics is called an
apologist. The term comes from the Greek word
apologia, meaning the defense of a position against an
attack, not from the English word apology, which is exclusively
understood as a defensive plea for forgiveness for an action that is
open to blame.
Today the term "apologist" is colloquially applied to groups and
individuals systematically promoting causes, justifying orthodoxies or
denying certain events, even of crimes. Apologists are often
characterized as being deceptive, or "whitewashing" their cause,
primarily through omission of negative facts (selective perception) and
exaggeration of positive ones, techniques of classical rhetoric. When
used in this context, the term often has a pejorative meaning. The
neutralized substitution of "spokesperson" for "apologist" in
conversation conveys much the same sense of "partisan presenter with a
weighted agenda," with less rhetorical freight. –end
of definition
A church, by definition, is a group of people bonded together by common
doctrine. As we have discussed, our doctrine is the Word of God or
Truth. This being so, how could its members engage in debate and
strife over doctrine? When debate does rear its ugly head, it is
almost always about "spiritual twigs". See my
notebook piece on this.
I was taken aback this week when it was brought to my attention that two
separate churches [neither the ICG]
were each entering into heated apologetics with each other. Each
of their web sites has a page in which they are stating their case [one
for and one against] regarding the futile and vain debate
about eating in restaurants on the Sabbath. This is a vain and
fruitless debate, for no matter what argument one side has, the other
side will counter with one just as verbose. As I read through
those pages, I saw argument and counter-argument; position and
counter-position and neither coming to any conclusion but their own.
Though both paid lip service to the definitive scripture on the subject,
it was apparently not enough for either.
Romans 14:23b
...for whatsoever is not of faith is sin. The commentary gives the
meaning...
"The rule is of universal application. In all cases, if a man does a
thing which he does not "believe" to be right, it is a sin, and his
conscience will condemn him for it."
~from Barnes' Notes
Now the ICG believes that it is not a sin to eat out in restaurants.
This is what we teach. A church member is not forcing a
non-firstfruit to break the Sabbath when God is not holding the world to
the Sabbath, the commandments or anything found in the Bible.
HOWEVER, this teaching does not preclude that every member in the ICG
will feel comfortable eating out on the Sabbath. Solution:
DON'T. The subject need not be debated.
Notice the verses that come prior to Romans 14:23. They are
speaking to the act of eating meat offered to idols. Some in the
church were not comfortable with this.
Romans 14:14-23
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing
unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to
him it is unclean.
15 But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not
charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died.
16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of:
17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and
peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and
approved of men.
19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and
things wherewith one may edify another.
20 For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but
it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing
whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
22 Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that
condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.
23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of
faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.
Paul is stating to those uncomfortable with this meat NOT to eat if for
it is unclean to him [verse 14]. Then Paul says, Look, if this
meat bothers your brother in the faith, don't discuss it and don't eat
it in his presence. He says not to let this situation destroy the
individual, any individual in the church. The Kingdom of God is
about righteousness, peace and the joy in the Holy Spirit and
Apologetics does not fit into any of these.
Verse 19 says to follow after the things which make for peace and which
edify the other. Are these two churches steeped in apologetics
practicing this? Do they seek peace with their published arguments
and counter-arguments? Verse 20 does not want this meat destroying
the Work of God [speaking of the individual].
Verse 22 asks if we have faith. If we do, we have it before God.
Then we read a very telling verse; the first part of Verse 23. "He
that doubteth is damned." Remember my sermon on
Faith? One cannot have faith and doubt. Indeed, to have
the very same faith as God [Mark 11], there can be NO DOUBT. Be
convicted and know that you know what it is you believe. Be
assured in your heart and mind and act boldly with the faith of God.
Keep strife, debate and apologetics out of God's church.
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