Why are UPC church's so sectarian?

[DividedThigh]

Originally Posted by Pianoman

It's all about protecting the lowly saints from themselves! The pastor obviously doesn't trust his people to use sound judgment.

I know a pastor who would cruise by his saints homes at night to see if he would see the TV glow!

no dont say it, come on, he is a , whatever, they used to tell me that at youth congress years ago the apc kids from st louis would have bro branding come into there hotel rooms and feel the tv to see if it was warm from them watching it, now that is funny, lol,dt

[Raven]

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

In the days of Jesus there were, as there are today in the church, what we have chosen to label as liberals and conservatives. The liberals in Jesus' day were called the Sadducees and the conservatives were called the Pharisees. One day Jesus said to His disciples, " . . . beware the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees." In today's language He might have said, " . . . beware the influence of the liberals and the conservatives."

This is no time for the liberals to become more liberal and the conservatives more conservative. Remember, Jesus warned us of the leaven of both extremes.

We need to realize that we can't put our faith in a "something;" we have to put it in Someone. We must be totally committed to Jesus. He Himself told us that when we build on the Rock, the storms of life will not drive us out to sea, where extremes dictate our course.

How long are we liberals and conservatives going to be controlled by the "somethings" we believe in? It seems to me that currently we are both in a ditch. We will never get to heaven the way we are going. When the car slides off the road, the trip is over until it gets back on. I believe it is time for all of us to climb out of whichever side of the road we have slid into and return to the middle of the road.

Some people are not comfortable with the term "middle of the road." Neither am I, if by that is meant the middle of the wrong road. The middle of the road I am talking about is the middle of the right road! The one-way street to eternal life and heaven. Let it not be forgotten that Jesus was murdered by a coalition of liberals and conservatives. The Sadducees, who were the liberals, hated Jesus because He was so principled. The Pharisees, who were the conservatives, hated Him because He was so nice to people. I want to be in the middle of the right road. I want to be a person who is nice, but who has high principles.

Let's get out of the ditch and back onto the "Road of Life in Jesus Christ" where He is the focus not our personal perceptions on how to walk this road. Maybe then we could stop arguing with one another all the time and join together in defeating the real enemy.

Truly Blessed
Excellent! Excellent!
Raven

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

I don't believe the world is on the road of life. They are dead in trespasses and sins, without God and without life. We are in Him who is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. Granted this one way road we are traveling isn't free from hazards. Like the deer that jumped out in front of my car this summer, there are many things in the ditches to distract us, and there are possible detours set up by the enemy to lure folks away from THE WAY, but no one but the redeemed are walking the road I am on.

"And a highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness.
The unclean will not journey on it;
it will be for those who walk in that Way;
wicked fools will not go about on it.

No lion will be there,
nor will any ferocious beast get up on it;
they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there," (Isa.35:8-9)

This scripture is referring to the seperate entrance the priests would take to enter into the temple. It was high above the ground and only the priests could walk the road. If you go to the Holy Land today and the temple mount, you can actually see recreated ruins of the high way of holiness.

[StillStanding]

They say if everything is coming your way, you're going the wrong way on a one-way street!

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

You identify those who disagree with you and refuse to fellowship with them and then there are millions who believe you are in false doctrine. So, folks polarize and refuse to acknowledge one another's common identity in Christ. Was the Church the Body of Christ in the first century even though doctrine wasn't fully developed? If so, what placed them there. It wasn't there doctrinal position.

I guess it just comes down to one thing and that is who's right and who wrong. I'm quite sure there are many that believe i'm lost and in false doctrine. There is a UPC preacher (randy hollis) who wrote a book that says that conservatives are lost. No doubt there are some on this "apostolic" forum that would say i'm lost. Tell me friend, why would I want to fellwoship with them? They believe they know what it takes to get into heaven and I believe I know and our ideas are different. What communion does light have with darkness? They believe they are in the light and I believe i'm in the light but one of us is wrong. I choose to only fellowship with men of like faith.

[HangingOut]

I am slowly concluded that the foundation has a lot to do with with this eventual mindset. First, everybody outside of oneness circles don't measure up. After that has become a dead-horse issue it moves within the circle.
I will quarentee this to the hilt that there is contention on the church pews over who is holier than the next.

Originally Posted by UltraCon

I guess it just comes down to one thing and that is who's right and who wrong. I'm quite sure there are many that believe i'm lost and in false doctrine. There is a UPC preacher (randy hollis) who wrote a book that says that conservatives are lost. No doubt there are some on this "apostolic" forum that would say i'm lost. Tell me friend, why would I want to fellwoship with them? They believe they know what it takes to get into heaven and I believe I know and our ideas are different. What communion does light have with darkness? They believe they are in the light and I believe i'm in the light but one of us is wrong. I choose to only fellowship with men of like faith.

[Truly Blessed]

Originally Posted by crazyhomie

This scripture is referring to the seperate entrance the priests would take to enter into the temple. It was high above the ground and only the priests could walk the road. If you go to the Holy Land today and the temple mount, you can actually see recreated ruins of the high way of holiness.

I've been there and seen it, but like many OT prophecies, I believe this has a spiritual application for all we who are "kings and priests" before God today as we enter the presence of God and lead others into His presence.

[Truly Blessed]

Originally Posted by UltraCon

I guess it just comes down to one thing and that is who's right and who wrong. I'm quite sure there are many that believe i'm lost and in false doctrine. There is a UPC preacher (randy hollis) who wrote a book that says that conservatives are lost. No doubt there are some on this "apostolic" forum that would say i'm lost. Tell me friend, why would I want to fellwoship with them? They believe they know what it takes to get into heaven and I believe I know and our ideas are different. What communion does light have with darkness? They believe they are in the light and I believe i'm in the light but one of us is wrong. I choose to only fellowship with men of like faith.

But is it a matter of one or the other being in darkness? Or is it simply this liberal/conservative mindset warring one against the other and neither one having proper understanding of the truth?

[HangingOut]

TB, you mean come to a resolve and seek biblical truth and understanding?
That might result in removing the contention. Follow flesh or follow spirit.

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

But is it a matter of one or the other being in darkness? Or is it simply this liberal/conservative mindset warring one against the other and neither one having proper understanding of the truth?

Originally Posted by Truly Blessed

I don't believe the world is on the road of life. They are dead in trespasses and sins, without God and without life. We are in Him who is The Way, The Truth, and The Life. Granted this one way road we are traveling isn't free from hazards. Like the deer that jumped out in front of my car this summer, there are many things in the ditches to distract us, and there are possible detours set up by the enemy to lure folks away from THE WAY, but no one but the redeemed are walking the road I am on.

"And a highway will be there;
it will be called the Way of Holiness.
The unclean will not journey on it;
it will be for those who walk in that Way;
wicked fools will not go about on it.

No lion will be there,
nor will any ferocious beast get up on it;
they will not be found there.
But only the redeemed will walk there," (Isa.35:8-9)

Granted, they are not in the Holy Lane, but we are all here on planet earth experiencing life. They are dead spiritually because they are not in our lane, but they have the open option, while there is breath, to merge anytime until it is too late one way or the other.

Until the end we are in it together bound for the throne, the holy lane exits to the right of the throne, the rest to the left. All will come before God.

That is the jest of my meaning. You can't right off the rest of the planet and just sit in your holy lane listening to the weather.: driving Pull yourself together man!

Invite someone into your lane...

God Bless, gotta hit the road.