Quote:
Originally Posted by Drake
well, I think each of these publishers and others did the church a great service by publishing writings that are interpretations of the Bible. The printing press brought good and bad but at least those ideas are not just relying on word of mouth to pass on the ideas...
They will never replace the Bible and the Holy Spirit but it is a false argument to argue that printed supplemental messages and articles should not be printed. I'm not naive enough to think that what the Lord will reveal to me is everything He only revealed to me directly.
... and a happy new year to you too.
Drake
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Yes. As I already quoted Paul has come down on this argument in a very strong way already. Different publishers have different agendas, but as long as Jesus is proclaimed we can all rejoice.
15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.
The Bible is very clear that everyone should proclaim Christ, regardless of whether or not you are an apostle commissioned with "completing the word of God" or not.
I have no issue with LSM exercising editorial oversight. Nor is there anything unscriptural about reading spiritual books, it is all part of "the mind set on the Spirit".
The only concern I would have would be the alarm Paul raised in Galatians:
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!
The perversion of the gospel is astonishingly common. It seems everyone does it. WN and WL complained of many examples of the gospel being perverted in Christianity. This forum is examining the doctrines of WL to see if they also "desert the one who called us to live in the grace of Christ".
WL emphasized repeatedly that his message was "different" from Christianity. The question many of us have is was his message different from the gospel?
Also, these Judaizers insist on circumcision because they are afraid of being persecuted by other Jewish religious leaders. It's one thing to agree that faith in Christ is necessary for salvation, but to teach that circumcision is not necessary will paint a target on their backs. Paul knew that from hard experience! So they take the easy way out and do both. Paul has taught clearly that the two cannot go together (Galatians 5:4).
It seems to me that the perversion of the gospel takes place when people choose the easy way out. King Saul did this when he did not obey. Abraham did not do this when he offered up Isaac. WL took the easy way out when he covered up WN's sin, he did it again with the Sister's rebellion, and he did it again in the 80s with JI, etal.