Quote:
Originally Posted by bearbear
The 1800s was an insane period of time for cults to emerge. Mormons, Jehovah Witness and I would argue Seventh Day Adventists who believe Ellen G White is a true prophet all arose during this century. May God have mercy on us Protestants.
After studying the early church and their beliefs I actually considered joining Eastern Orthodoxy. Unlike Catholics, Orthodox Christians emphasize personal relationship with Jesus and not having a mechanical faith. Ultimately I could not stomach praying to saints and Mary and the spiritual pride of some factions which declare everyone outside of EOC to be a heretic and damned. I believe these are leaven that crept in after the council of Nicea yet I still listen to some Orthodox or Syriac teachers such as Sam Shamoun and Mar Mari and spit out what I think are the bones.
David Bercot decided that Anabaptists were closest to the early church. Yet from what I observe, some factions like the Mennonites tend to be overly legalistic and portray God as angry and out to get us.
I settled on the fact that no church is perfect and believe God led me to where am I today at the evangelical church with Baptist theology from Dallas Theological Seminary. Ultimately we are saved through knowing Jesus Christ (John 17:3) and baptists emphasize personal relationship and loving Jesus. Perhaps that's what really matters.
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I believe Paul’s admonition to “work out your own salvation” forces us to journey on the search for Christ and the truth. This describes my early contacts with brothers in the church in Cleveland. With them it was “Christ, only Christ” and struggling to “return to the pure word of God.” My life was turned upside down.
Time, however, seems to deteriorate every church. The church is a war-zone between God and His enemy. The 7 Revelation epistles enumerate the many ways which are used to degrade His house, His family, His people. Growing up in Catholicism, all I knew was a couple millennia of such decay. I watched it happen in the Recovery. It all starts with corruption at the top.
Our walk with the Lord began with our relationship with Him. Our journey is to remain in that relationship. When leaders depart from that, so should we.