They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer”. Acts 2:42
Have we ever thought, “Is the modern church today did still hold and remain steadfast to the apostles teaching'? It was during the time of the apostles (in the book of Acts) that all the believers were together in fellowship-breaking bread, eating and have everything in common. They have a one common learning and understanding of the scriptures, and that include a common knowledge on the teaching of the biblical salvation. They became as one body with one Lord, having one spirit and one mind.
But not so today, the church that exist from the time of the so called "Reformation" up to the present, were not the same as the church as on the apostles days in terms of having a one mind. It is simply because of many diverse views regarding on the doctrines held by Christian denomination and organization. In particular, was on the subject of salvation and as far as the teaching of salvation is concerned, there are two different and distinct teaching that contradicting to each other. One teaching states, “Once saved, always saved", and the other one teaching states, “Those who truly saved can lose their salvation", which one can we determine was the true teaching of the apostles? Of course, many will agree and disagree on one with the other. If we say one is true and the other one is not, we are unsure because both have many strong biblical standpoints. And let us be cautious, we better stop all of our prejudices. If we say both were right, there shouldn't be divided mind and contrast views and opinions.See Arminianism vs. Calvinism (Google)
One thing is definite, the teaching (of salvation) held by the church today were not came from the "apostles teaching" but are from the teaching of theologians and bible scholars who have constant disagreement with each other over one major subject which is a very essential doctrine in the church- Salvation. However, this doesn't mean we are to cancel the merit of their works or ignore their teachings. Somehow disagreement must be settled for good, once and for all.
At this point in time, neither of the two teaching is considered wrong nor right, it just might be that there is something needed to be put in between. Maybe a bridge that can link them so the two can meet head on without colliding to each other. Yet there is a bridge to link them! A bridge strongly built and founded on a solid rock! And it cannot be shaken!
As Christ return is imminent, the present situation of the church was still lacking unity as a one body with having also an absence of unity of the mind. The so called ‘’Universal Church’’ and the ‘’Local Church’’ is not far from being different from the Corinthian Church (1 Cor 1:10-13). This thing should never and ever be prevailing within the church!
The Lord Jesus prays for all the believers (the universal church) to be one. John 17:20-22. His prayer means, that the church is to be one in spirit and one in mind. While the apostle Paul appeal to the Corinthian church (the local church) to agree with one another, not to make division among themselves but be perfectly united in mind. 1 Cor 1:10
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Have we ever thought, “Is the modern church today did still hold and remain steadfast to the apostles teaching'? It was during the time of the apostles (in the book of Acts) that all the believers were together in fellowship-breaking bread, eating and have everything in common. They have a one common learning and understanding of the scriptures, and that include a common knowledge on the teaching of the biblical salvation. They became as one body with one Lord, having one spirit and one mind.
But not so today, the church that exist from the time of the so called "Reformation" up to the present, were not the same as the church as on the apostles days in terms of having a one mind. It is simply because of many diverse views regarding on the doctrines held by Christian denomination and organization. In particular, was on the subject of salvation and as far as the teaching of salvation is concerned, there are two different and distinct teaching that contradicting to each other. One teaching states, “Once saved, always saved", and the other one teaching states, “Those who truly saved can lose their salvation", which one can we determine was the true teaching of the apostles? Of course, many will agree and disagree on one with the other. If we say one is true and the other one is not, we are unsure because both have many strong biblical standpoints. And let us be cautious, we better stop all of our prejudices. If we say both were right, there shouldn't be divided mind and contrast views and opinions.See Arminianism vs. Calvinism (Google)
One thing is definite, the teaching (of salvation) held by the church today were not came from the "apostles teaching" but are from the teaching of theologians and bible scholars who have constant disagreement with each other over one major subject which is a very essential doctrine in the church- Salvation. However, this doesn't mean we are to cancel the merit of their works or ignore their teachings. Somehow disagreement must be settled for good, once and for all.
At this point in time, neither of the two teaching is considered wrong nor right, it just might be that there is something needed to be put in between. Maybe a bridge that can link them so the two can meet head on without colliding to each other. Yet there is a bridge to link them! A bridge strongly built and founded on a solid rock! And it cannot be shaken!
As Christ return is imminent, the present situation of the church was still lacking unity as a one body with having also an absence of unity of the mind. The so called ‘’Universal Church’’ and the ‘’Local Church’’ is not far from being different from the Corinthian Church (1 Cor 1:10-13). This thing should never and ever be prevailing within the church!
The Lord Jesus prays for all the believers (the universal church) to be one. John 17:20-22. His prayer means, that the church is to be one in spirit and one in mind. While the apostle Paul appeal to the Corinthian church (the local church) to agree with one another, not to make division among themselves but be perfectly united in mind. 1 Cor 1:10
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