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Personal Elements of
Belief – Questions and Answers
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This Notebook piece is a follow-up to two previous pieces:
Faith Cannot Be Legislated and
Good Systematic Theology. I will
cover both general and specific questions.
Question: What is a "personal
element of belief"?
Answer: Any object of belief for
which there is no specific doctrine and for which there is no opposing
law or biblical principle of God, and which is held as a true belief by
a firstfruit Christian.
Question: How do we know there
are personal elements of belief?
Answer: Clearly the Word of
God cannot address each and every little object of faith in text or
principle. Thus God gives us the overriding verse:
...for
whatsoever is not of faith is sin. –Romans 14:23
He would not have uttered such a statement if there was some law,
doctrine and/or principle for everything in the Christian's universe of
belief.
Question: Clearly it is possible for
two members to be on opposite sides of a single belief. How does
God handle this?
Answer: God looks upon the
heart of the believer and He makes this clear in scripture:
...for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward
appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. –1 Samuel 16:7
Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
–Romans 14:5
And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts
before him. For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our
heart, and knoweth all things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not,
then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of
him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are
pleasing in his sight. –1 John 3:19-22
...work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God
which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all
things without murmurings and disputings: –Philippians
2:12-14
Question: In your Notebook
piece, Good Systematic Theology you
spoke to the subject of Firstfruits eating in restaurants on the
Sabbath. How does the Church view this subject?
Answer: It is a personal element of
belief.
Question: Does the Church take a
position on this subject, one side or the other?
Answer: No, it does not.
Question: Does the Church have any
position paper on this subject?
Answer: No, it does not.
Question: What is the response
of our Letter Answering Department when this question is asked?
Answer: We have a letter on
file which is our answer to this question. In it, we establish
four important elements.
1) There is no law or principle in the Bible that would preclude this
practice.
2) This is an element of personal belief.
3) If a member feels uncomfortable doing this or feels it is wrong, he
should absolutely refrain from the practice.
4) No one in the congregation should judge another on a personal element of
belief. No personal element of belief should be allowed to become
divisive (creating dissension or discord within the congregation).
Question: Are we not all supposed to
believe the same things? After all, the Bible says...
Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of
one accord, of one mind. –Philippians 2:2
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that
ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you;
but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the
same judgment. –1 Corinthians 1:10
Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one
toward another according to Christ Jesus: –Romans 15:5
Answer: Clearly this could not
include elements of personal beliefs or the scripture on personal belief
would be contradiction. These scriptures, [just above here], are
speaking to the established doctrines and missions of the church.
Notice a commentary...
"2:2 If these foregoing arguments carry any weight
with the Philippians, then Paul begs them, on the basis of such
arguments, that they should fulfill
his joy. Up
to this time, the Philippians had indeed given Paul much joy. He does
not deny that for a moment, but now he asks that they should fill the
cup of his joy to overflowing. They could do this
by being like-minded, having the same love,
and being of one accord
and of one mind.
"Does this mean that all Christians are expected to think and act alike?
The word of God nowhere gives such a suggestion. While we are definitely
expected to agree on the great fundamentals of the Christian faith, it
is obvious that on many minor matters there will be a great deal of
difference of opinion. Uniformity
and unity are
not the same thing. It is possible to have the latter without the
former. Although we might not agree on minor matters, yet we can
submerge our own opinions, where no real principle is involved, for the
good of others."
~Believer's Bible Commentary
: Old and New Testaments . Thomas Nelson
Plainly we can see that the scripture is not asking us to be
like-minded on every subject in the Christian universe of belief.
The Bible is a Handbook to Salvation and it is here we need to be in
agreement and like-minded. Unity, not uniformity.
Question: Is there any paper
on the subject of Christians eating in restaurants on the Sabbath
[either side of the contention] produced or published by any other
organization that you would feel is worthy for distribution?
Answer: Absolutely not.
We have no such paper that would be worthy for distribution among ICG
church members.
Question: If I have any
further questions on elements of personal belief or the subject of
Christians eating in restaurants on the Sabbath, who should I contact?
Answer: Contact me at
chriscumming@gtatv.org
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