What's the difference?

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by n david

Stop with the self righteous prayers, Pharisee. Good grief.

It was an expression of exasperation, not a prayer. Do you see an, "Amen"?

It's not just me trying to be right, Aquila. I'm not the only person who noticed the flip flop.

You're not the only person who made the same mistake, is what you mean. You'll notice that I'm not popular. If I told you the sky was blue, there'd be an army aligned to disagree with me. lol

Nevertheless, I don't see many posting and insisting that my clarification was insufficient. For the past couple hours, you've been arguing alone. I'm sure some of my detractors might be reasonable enough to see what I've explained. Or... this very statement will draw the ideologues out of the shadows. lol

It is the same. I said a Pastor has the authority or is within his role (bounds, as you said) to request certain things of those serving on the platform.

Yes, you did. But in the context of that conversation, was the pastor assumed to be one to use his "authority" to enforce his personal preferences in the name of the Holy?

You condemned that. You said Pastors must follow the Bible. Anything outside the Bible was man's traditions.

I assume you disagree? Is the Bible complete, revealing all we need for the salvation of the soul? How do you deal with the confusion of so many pastors enforcing their preferences from the pulpit as though they speak for God? Is God talking out of both sides of His mouth?

If a personal preference or request is made peaceably, without any threat of reprisal, the man has done no wrong. But if he uses the "authority" God has given him to banish someone from the platform because they refuse to wear a purple polka dot tie, that's an abuse of sacred authority. Because there is nothing in Scripture condemning all colors but purple.

Now you've changed and said the Pastor does have that authority or is within bounds to do that.

Yes, however the context of each statement is different.

The only illusion is the one you're creating for yourself.

Let the reader note that you have refused to answer if in March the pastoral example you provided was one who was expected to enforce his opinion with his "authority" or not. The reader should note that you haven't answered this because you already know that I'm front loaded with evidence from that very conversation indicating that the context was indeed in reference to a pastor who goes well beyond just making a request or allowing personal preference to be known.

Selah.