Authoritative Application?

by Jul 11, 2013ChurchLife, Mission, Piety, Theology1 comment

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.

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1 Comment
  1. David

    Maybe you ought to link to a donation site or something to get him out quicker. 🙂