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Authoritative Application?

By Mark Ward

My respected friend Joel Arnold probably does need to leave this country, as he currently plans to do. What he says is downright un-American:

Believers have not obeyed God’s commands until they are willing to make authoritative and spiritually guided application of biblical principles to every area of life (2 Tim. 4:2; Tit. 2:15). There are a few debatable applications in which believers might justifiably differ (Rom. 14; 1 Cor. 8, 10). In such cases, liberty is not a right or a mandate but something which is often voluntarily set aside (Rom. 14:17–19). On debatable questions, believers should ask:

  1. Is this enslaving (1 Cor. 6:12) or ensnaring (Heb. 12:1)?
  2. Will my liberty embolden another believer to sin by going beyond his weaker conscience (Rom. 14:13–23; 1 Cor. 8:9–13; 10:23–30)?
  3. What most contributes to the gospel and edification of believers (1 Cor. 9:1–27; 10:32–33; Philip. 1:9–10)?
  4. Am I myself fully persuaded (Rom. 14:23)?
  5. Does this decision glorify God (1 Cor. 10:31)?

See the whole doctrinal statement from which this quote came.