So let's look at this from another direction and I'll just ask a direct yes/no question: Are the "One-God, Jesus' name baptism, tongues, three-step for salvation" doctrines meaningful to you?
Yes.
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And I didn't say anything about "pursuing religion". I've never been interested in religion. I'm talking about pursuing God through the channel of the local church. I'm talking about "Bob", who's life is in chaos, who decides to attend church, the next day. What makes your church the better place, doctrinally?
Truth is always better than error.
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His banner over me is LOVE.... My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
To be a servant of God, it will cost us our total commitment to God, and God alone. His burden must be our burden... Sis Alvear
So let's look at this from another direction and I'll just ask a direct yes/no question: Are the "One-God, Jesus' name baptism, tongues, three-step for salvation" doctrines meaningful to you?
Belief in one God, baptism in Jesus' name, being filled with the Holy Ghost, initially evidenced by speaking in tongues, and striving to live righteously are all very important doctrines to me. I would recommend them strongly to anyone interested in salvation.
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And I didn't say anything about "pursuing religion". I've never been interested in religion. I'm talking about pursuing God through the channel of the local church. I'm talking about "Bob", who's life is in chaos, who decides to attend church, the next day. What makes your church the better place, doctrinally?
When you use the term "your church", are you asking about my particular local church or the denomination the church belongs to?
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"God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours."
--David Livingstone
"To see no being, not God’s or any, but you also go thither,
To see no possession but you may possess it—enjoying all without labor or purchase—
abstracting the feast, yet not abstracting one particle of it;…."
--Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass, Song of the Open Road
Anyone who believes Jesus is God is a believer, and anyone trying to follow the teachings of Christ would be a disciple. "Brother" seems to be a relatively loose term that would embody that--I don't agree that we can only use that term toward other Apostolics who have accepted our doctrine. I use it out of respect for any other Christian who wants the title to be used, or who hasn't given me permission to use their given name.
If a trinitarian introduces himself as "Brother Smith", then "Brother Smith" is definitely what I will call him. What good would there be in insisting on calling him "Mr. Smith?" What point would that make? I know Apostolics who would most certainly make that a visible point of distinction, and I see that as unnecessary and disrespectful. If a nun introduced herself as "Sister Mary" for that matter, then that is how I would address her. To some extent, it's just courtesy. As a term of endearment for other believers, I extend that to any believer (who wants the title).
I would probably do the same out of politeness. I would address a priest by Father Whatever. I don't believe that every person that calls themselves a Trinitarian necessarily believes that God is three persons. I think they mean manifestation, but don't always use that term.
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Sure. That's a good theory. The fact remains, Ananias called Saul "brother" prior to his baptism and infilling with the Holy Ghost.
Well, he either called him brother because of Mizpeh's explanation or he called him brother because God had already accepted him. He wouldn't be his brother if he was a Buddhist. Tiger Woods would not be my brother, in other words.
Belief in one God, baptism in Jesus' name, being filled with the Holy Ghost, initially evidenced by speaking in tongues, and striving to live righteously are all very important doctrines to me. I would recommend them strongly to anyone interested in salvation.
When you use the term "your church", are you asking about my particular local church or the denomination the church belongs to?
I'm speaking of your "church system", the one that is fairly militant about certain dogmas, particularly the Godhead, baptismal formula, dress code, and the dramatic focus on the role of "tongues."
Is there any difference between your "church system" and the system of the school principal? Is there something that makes your church system "Right" and something that makes his church system "wrong" and if so, what happens if "Bob" flips the "church coin" and inadvertently chooses the wrong church? Will his eternity be effected...and when you answer, please don't opt for the generic "I'm not the judge, that's God's job"? Your entire church system, and others, seem to judge by making such a HUGE deal out of certain non-essential (as I see them) so-called "doctrines."
Secondly, you stated that you are striving to live righteously. I'm wondering how you do that. Isn't our righteousness only from God? How are you able to produce your own righteousness? You sound like the person spoken of in Romans 10 and Colossians 2:
New International Version Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness.Romans 10:3
New Living Translation 20 You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world, such as, 21 “Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!”? 22 Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. 23 These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires.Colossians 2-20-23
Poor Bob. So are you saying that if he heads of in the direction of the AG church, has a Holy Ghost hoe-down, speaks in tongues 'til he forgets English, and turns his life around, that it was all for naught? How is Bob supposed to know the difference? Is that really how you view God? If that's your God, I think I'll try to find a different one.
Well, duh, of course truth is better than error. But is your "truth" merely better or "preferable" than the "error" of others or is it an "absolute"? Does the eternity of "Bob" depend on which church he chooses when he reaches out to God in a time of personal desperation? In other words, is it possible that "Bob", when he hits bottom (remember, he lost his job, his family, his wife, and he's desperately reaching out to God), would call upon God in his distress, become attached to a church that is instrumental in turning his life around, "Bob" is baptized, takes on faith in Jesus Christ, and 6 months into his new life, gets hit by a garbage truck and then........goes to hell? Do you think that's possible?
Well, duh, of course truth is better than error. But is your "truth" merely better or "preferable" than the "error" of others or is it an "absolute"? Does the eternity of "Bob" depend on which church he chooses when he reaches out to God in a time of personal desperation? In other words, is it possible that "Bob", when he hits bottom (remember, he lost his job, his family, his wife, and he's desperately reaching out to God), would call upon God in his distress, become attached to a church that is instrumental in turning his life around, "Bob" is baptized, takes on faith in Jesus Christ, and 6 months into his new life, gets hit by a garbage truck and then........goes to hell? Do you think that's possible?
This is where you will get the ... I am not God spiel.
This is where you will get the ... I am not God spiel.
...which is completely hypocritical. If an entire system is built on these dogmas, somebody better be able to tell "Bob" the truth! Interesting, isn't it, that a Church System will frame itself completely on these "truths", preach endlessly about the essentialness of certain baptismal words, and then choke at the last minute when someone demands an absolute line in the sand concerning eternity.
My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. 
The fact remains, Ananias called Saul "brother" prior to his baptism and infilling with the Holy Ghost.
But is your "truth" merely better or "preferable" than the "error" of others or is it an "absolute"? Does the eternity of "Bob" depend on which church he chooses when he reaches out to God in a time of personal desperation? In other words, is it possible that "Bob", when he hits bottom (remember, he lost his job, his family, his wife, and he's desperately reaching out to God), would call upon God in his distress, become attached to a church that is instrumental in turning his life around, "Bob" is baptized, takes on faith in Jesus Christ, and 6 months into his new life, gets hit by a garbage truck and then........goes to hell? Do you think that's possible?
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