Foot washing

[Theophil]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

Brother Epley-

With all respect to you as a minister, and not wishing to appear argumentative, but I haven't see the evidence of "closet agnostics" posting here. As I understand the definition of an agostic, I see no one
.... who believes that it is impossible to know whether there is a God.
....who is skeptical about the existence of God but does not profess true atheism.
....who is doubtful or noncommittal about something.
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=agnostic

I stand corrected. Perhaps the last difinition of an agnostic does apply here. But if I, or anyone else, have doubts and are noncommittal on an issue, it is because of the inconsistencies expressed in regards to those issues. In previous posts you stated quite emphatically that a person who did not partake of foot washing would be lost because it was a direct command of the Lord to do so. But then you said they would NOT be lost if they did not have the opportunity to obey this "command" they would not be lost. Then, in answer to my last post you said :



If tithing , church attendance, and foot washing are direct commands, then they would carry the same weight as baptism. What you are suggesting is that while foot washing IS a direct command, it is of lesser importance than water baptism. However it was Jesus who said these words: Mat 5:19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach [them], the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. It was James who added this: Jam 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one [point], he is guilty of all. According to your interpretation, it is permissible to break the lesser commandments. But, as we can clearly see, there are no lesser commandments. You say a person may die before having the opportunity to pay their tithes, and they would make it to heaven. Following that logic, and allowing that concession, wouldn’t it also be true for one who dies after repentance and BEFORE he is baptized? Or a Trinitarian, who dies before understanding the revelation of the Oneness of the Godhead?

No, Bro. Epley, there are no agnostics here. No one doubts the existence of God here. I haven’t seen where any one professes themselves to be wise, so there are no fools here. There are some, though, who question. Not the Bible. The Bible speaks for itself. There are some question faulty logic, and incorrect interpretations. I don’t know who you were referring to as a closet agnostic. And that doesn’t really matter. But just know this: I respect you as a minister of the Gospel.

Absolutely brilliant and true. Thank you for some excellent posts and wise words. My hat is off to you, OneAccord.

[OneAccord]

Originally Posted by Theophil

Absolutely brilliant and true. Thank you for some excellent posts and wise words. My hat is off to you, OneAccord.

Wow, say it again. I don't hear that too often.

Mat 7:14 Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Isa 35:8 And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it [shall be] for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err [therein].


You know, I see life as one big journey. As we travel down this road we come to a STOP SIGN. That stop sign is repentance. God stops us in our tracks at repentance. We stop our sinful life when we repent. We, as Paul said, die to sin. Then, seems, we all go in different directions . Some go right (conservative, some left (Liberal) while others go straight through the middle of the intersection (Moderates). We go. We proceed. We “go on to perfection” as the writer of Hebrews says. We proceed ahead by obeying the law (The Word). As we move forward through baptism and the infilling of the Holy Ghost, and whatever else the Word teaches us, we have different experiences on this road of life. We are influenced by what we experience, (I.e, what we are taught, etc). Those experiences cause us to place emphasis on different thing. Some emphasize inward holiness, while others emphasize outward holiness, or “standards”. Some place great emphasis on baptism, while others emphasize the Spirit baptism and fruits. And things get a little confusing (at least to others) when we try to give them directions. “You gotta be baptized this way”. “You gotta worship on Saturday”.

But heres the good news. While this road (this gate, this way) is, indeed straight and narrow, and there are only a few who find it… it is, however, a highway… a way of holiness. Unlike some of these “pig trails” we call roads in Alabama, this road of salvation we are on is not rocky, full of pot holes and difficult to maneuver . It isn’t nearly as difficult as we seem to make it. it’s a highway. Narrow, yes… but easy to travel on.

Heres some more good news. Jesus is the way. He’s the Door. If we have entered through the doors, all these roads were traveling on will lead us home. All roads lead home.

What were we taught in school?

STOP Repent

LOOK Look to Jesus, follow His example

LISTEN To the Voice of the Holy Ghost

The old song says, “I’m Using My Bible For A Roadmap”. If the Bible is a road map, then the Holy Ghost is the road signs alonf the way. Follow the Word, obey God’s Spirit and we will make it home.