For any who is reading, my response is:
"For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works."
When someone is questioning, of COURSE we should entertain their questions. When someone is wrong about doctrine, it is a bit dicier.
When I lived in Utah, the Mormons would try to convert me, and I them, but all understood we were not part of the same church or believers in the same God. So that was fair.
I debate with a number of Catholics on these boards concerning serious issues - but we worship God, accept the Trinity, believe baptism & communion are both valuable, etc. We differ on extent, and I freely admit I believe many, if not all, Popes have not been Christians. When John Paul 2 says folks can be saved apart from Jesus Christ, I have more hope for the soul of Teddy Kennedy than I do for him.
But cults are NOT my fellow Christians. We are NOT brothers in Christ. And John has told us what to do: "do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works"!
I do not believe I have been rude or mean on this thread. But neither will I compromise in the name of a unity that doesn't exist. "Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them." - Acts 20
But neither will I compromise in the name of a unity that doesn't exist.
And that is what is being pressed here - tacit approval of non-Christian doctrines.
The teaching or doctrine being discussed by John:
2Jn 1:5 And now I plead with you, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment to you, but that which we have had from the beginning: that we love one another.
2Jn 1:6 This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it.
2Jn 1:7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world who do not confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.
2Jn 1:8 Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we worked for, but that we may receive a full reward.
2Jn 1:9 Whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son.
2Jn 1:10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine, do not receive him into your house nor greet him;
2Jn 1:11 for he who greets him shares in his evil deeds.
I would agree whole heartedly that the mark of a Christian is loving others and walking in the commandments of God. I also know, believe and confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh and is my messiah.
Whether you believe that is entirely up to you. But please be careful with the scripture you use to justify your position.
Well....that's nice of you to admit that.....cause it's true!
Douglas is a cultist but a Catholic is not. Do I have that correct?
One the one hand we have a Christian (Douglas) who belongs to an organization that is governed by an elected council of men. Then we have another organization that is governed by one man....who claims infallibility....and direct apostolic descent from Peter (rolling my eyes) of which many were not Christians (freely admitted), but yet you call their followers "Brothers in Christ."
One organization is Biblically grounded (scripture only) and the other grounded mainly in tradition. Tradition will trump scripture every time.......because they say so! But the tradition group and their "BIG KAHUNA" is not a cult. LOL
The group Douglas belongs to continues to honor the Sabbath and the Feast Days of [Leviticus 23] as scripture directs. The "Roman Group" has trash canned these observances (because they say they can) and have changed God's Holy day of worship.....to Sunday and established many other "Feast" days.....ignoring the one's established by God. I might add....they've done this with absolutely no scriptural authority.....which they freely admit.
Douglas and his congregation do not worship a non Biblical "Trinity....precisely because it's non Biblical. On the other the Church of Rome has incorporated this pagan practice into it's worship and has built an entirely new religion from it which in no way resembles the Church of the first century. But yet....Douglas is called a cultist and the Trinitarians and their non biblical traditions are not. This is laughable!
From what I can ascertain, Douglas and his group worship pretty much the way the Apostles did. On the other hand it would appear that your theology has been filtered through Catholicism, tweaked by Martin Luther and....depending on which confession you belong to, probably retains much of the false doctrine from Nicaea. Originally.... from here is where you all began your journey.....all 5000 of your Martin Luther denominations and your Catholic brethren. But.....you're not cultic (smirking).
For a Catholic/Protestant to say they cannot be a cultist is like a minority saying they cannot be a racist. It means nothing.....it's drivel!
We are NOT brothers in Christ. And John has told us what to do: "do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works"
This identifies you for what you are.