[Vision2020] Examine Yourselves

[The Scimitar]

To Christ Church and other like-minded Christians, "Let this mind be in you, which
  was also in Christ Jesus:..." (Philippians 2:5)
   
  Harken back to the Scriptures in their plain sense.  Beware of false doctrines and 
  traditions that bind the souls of men.  "Beware lest any man spoil you through 
  philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world,
  and not after Christ." (Colossians 2:8) "...Why do ye also transgress the 
  commandment of God by your tradition?" (Matthew 15:3) "...'These people honor me
   with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me.  Their worship of me is useless,
  because they teach man-made rules as if they were doctrines.' For laying aside the 
  commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men,..." "...Full well ye reject the 
  commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.  Making the Word of God
  of none effect through your tradition,..." (Mark 7:6-9, 13)
   
  Pray earnestly for the salvation of your enemies.  "Ye have heard that it had been 
  said, 'Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy.'  But I say unto you,
  Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and
  pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the
  children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil 
  and on the good, and sendeth rain of the just and on the unjust." (Matthew 5:43-45)
  For "What credit is it to you if you love only those who love you?  For sinners also love
  those that love them.  What credit is it to you if you do good only to those who do
  good to you?  Even sinners do that." (Luke 6:32, 33)  "Be ye therefore merciful, as 
  your Father also is merciful." (Luke 6:36)
   
  Forget not your first love.  Teach Christ crucified and emphasize not fallible men--as
   all, but Him, are.  "Was Paul crucified for you?" (I Corinthians 1:12)  Certainly not
   Calvin nor Augustine nor any other.
   
  Take care what you consider doctrinal maturation.  It may be doctrinal devolution.
  Wants and egos can distort the truth.
   
  "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; test yourselves." (II Corinthians 
  13:5)  "Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of 
  Heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to 
  me on that Day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?  Didn't we expel 
  demons in your name?  And in thy name did many wonderful works?  And then will I 
  profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 
  7:21-23)
   
  You would do well to "...pass the time of your temporary stay on earth in fear" (I Peter
   1:17)--that is the venerable fear of God and not of man.  (I Peter 2:17, Hebrews 13:6)
    "See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the 
  time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:15,16).  "Walk in wisdom toward them 
  that are without, redeeming the time.  Let your speech be always with grace, 
  seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every 
  man" (Colossians 4:5,6).  Redeem the time.
   
  <Scimitar>

		
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