The Highway Forums General Discussion Theology Discussion Forum Where do you and/or your church stand?

AC,

1. The purpose of asking the question is to go unanswered until the poll has run its course; Dec 1^st, if I remember right.

2. YOU are the one who wrote that one who watched TV, NFL football to be more specific, on the Sabbath, is to have their salvation questioned which appeared to have the ultimate condemnation of being the "unpardonable sin". Transgression of any of God's law is sin as is transgression of man's law if it doesn't require one to either disobey God's law or demand that God's law not be kept. So, what do you want to do with someone who is a habitual speeder and doesn't repent (curtail the speeding)? Should that person's salvation be questioned? Should such an individual be put under discipline and eventually put out of the church; excommunicated?

The breaking of the Fourth Commandment (for those of us who believe that the Fourth Commandment is inextricably part of God's moral law and thus perpetually binding upon all men), is a grievous sin and one which is repented of. Failure to adhere to the fundamental precepts concerning the Sabbath, e.g., ceasing from labour, recreation, etc., and given oneself over to the worship of God and doing works of mercy and of necessity is a sin which is worthy of church discipline.

3. The subject of worldliness is, I believe, another subject although surely one can profane the Sabbath by engaging in worldly pursuits. But let us not fall prey to another Pharisaical pitfall, i.e., externalizing sin. You should be very much aware of this grievous error as it has been taught in the Roman State Church for centuries and it is no stranger to Protestantism either. Again, man has this penchant for writing long lists of "do's and don'ts" in his never satisfied quest to define "worldliness". The Amish are but one extreme example, although there are others who reject most everything in the world, yet they fail miserably in their practice because it is impossible to remove oneself from the world. Even our Lord Christ taught that we are to be "in the world", yet not "of the world". Asceticism is an ugly thing that can destroy the soul.

My children are all grown but I do remember when they were younger and having to deal with such worldly ideas such as Santa Clause. Yes, Santa Clause is fiction as it is taught today. The teaching is dishonoring to God for it in essence tries to supplant God by attributing the attributes of deity to an old fat man from the North Pole. Yet, due to man's inherent sin nature, it is far easier and preferable to believe in Santa Clause than in a God who knows all things and Who rewards those who have been joined to His Son, Christ Jesus, with manifold blessings both now and in the age to come. In short, I taught my children the TRUTH and did my best to explain why the myth of Santa Clause existed and how foolish it really was.

Again, let me make myself as clear as I can... The Scriptures openly warn about worldliness and to avoid such. The emphasis is most often directed toward one's HEART and not toward some OUTWARD pursuit. But men make those silly lists of alleged "taboos", e.g., consuming any alcohol, use of tobacco, dancing, movies, TV, card playing, etc., etc., ad nauseam. Rarely does one find anything which is condemned in Scripture, i.e., a violation of God's law. Now I ask you, why is it that men are forever wanting to bind the consciences of other men by legislating what is "right" and "wrong" where Scripture is silent? The framers of the WCF knew all too well this tendency and thus included Chapter XX on the matter of Christian Liberty. Do you think it was just 'coincidence' that the subject of Christian Liberty, which addresses both the Church and individuals precedes the following chapter on "The Lord's Day"?

Can I say it again without being seen as a broken record? "There is a legalist resident in every heart of man!"

Matthew 7:1-5 (ASV) "Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured unto you. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me cast out the mote out of thine eye; and lo, the beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."

Now, there's some words of wisdom.

In His grace,