[bearbear]

I am browsing through the Church in Toronto's sermons and found more evidence for their emphasis on true and false belief.

1. "Remaining & Fruiting | Ian Brinksman | Dec 17th, 2023"
https://www.youtube.com/live/5DJ1Zuj...A5CiceG&t=2040
Around 34 minutes Ian Brinksman gives an interpretation of John 15:6

"If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned."

he addresses concerns about being "removed" or "cut off" from the vine and explains that this applies to those who have not genuinely accepted Jesus by using Judas as an example of someone who walked away from Jesus and thus was not a genuine branch.

2. "Was Nicodemus Ever Born Again? | Del Martin | Mar 12th, 2023"
This is an interesting sermon that discusses whether Nicodemus was saved. Del warns the audience not to be a fence sitter but to make full commitment to Jesus. Here's a quote from the conclusion of the sermon:

Romans 10:9 says this "if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you will be saved" salvation is the new birth and how are we saved? How are we born from above? We confess that Jesus is Lord and we believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead. This is the way so what's my final word to you this morning number one don't be a fence sitter, don't be a fence sitter don't be ambiguous be not just be in the place of No Man's Land. I think we got a picture right, let's have that picture don't be there sitting on the fence, make the choice don't be a Nicodemus, don't be ambiguous, don't be a person who we don't know if they believe or not. Don't sit in the fence you need to believe to receive this new birth from above which is the eternal life that will be your entrance into the kingdom of God

Notice at the end Del Martin equates eternal life with "entrance into the kingdom of God" perhaps in reference to 2 Peter 1:10-11
"Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

This verse is a nightmare for the millenial exclusion viewpoint because it confirms that the early church and Jesus' audience understood warnings about not inheriting the kingdom of God as being eternal in nature and not just limited to a 1000 year reign. This is consistent with Christ's millennial reign not being revealed until the book of Revelation which is dated to around 90AD by which time all the apostles outside of John were martyred.

I think the three sermons referenced here clearly show that the Church in Toronto rejects the millennial exclusion doctrine. However, it would be interesting to hear from members meeting with the Church in Toronto on how their theology has changed over the years.