Originally posted by Melanerpes
In effect, you're saying its much better to get busy lighting candles than to continually curse the darkness. I agree.
But I think the concern Rajk has is not as much the actions of individual Christians or the imperfections that even the best churches will have. His main concern is that in many churches, the message itself is being greatly watered do all that they have" in the hopes of getting some sort of concrete blessing in return.
I agree with you on all counts. And your post causes me to sympathize with Rajk999.
But I then become annoyed again. If he could explain to me HOW an elevator salvation - "saved now, not saved now, saved again now, not saved now" does ANYTHING to remedy the problem.
Years ago a Pentacostal paster told me that the prisons in the US had of all religion denominations, mostly Holiness people. They are the ones who take an Armenian view that you cannot be assured of eternal life.
The seven letters to the seven churches in Revelation say in each
"He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" .
There is also a call in each church for some to
"overcome". That is to rise to the level of normality. It is not to be above the standard. It is to be AT the standard.
Each church has a call for some to HEAR and for some to OVERCOME. It will be that way for a long time, until .... (that's another topic).
Today the Lord has a recovery of the normal Christian church life. It was not that different in the Old Testament economy. There is always a remnant reserved. Remember Elijah thought he was the ONLY ONE LEFT ??
God said he had 7,000 knees that had not bowed to Baal. When people bemoan tha they are the ONLY ones faithful, the ONLY ones that see the problems, the ONLY one normal in serving God, they should remember that.