Posted on 01/22/2005 7:13:05 PM PST by thePilgrim
I affirm the Presbyterian form of church government believing that system to be demonstrated in the Scriptures, both by the foundational Old Testament ideas held therein, the accounts of the Gospels, the early church in Acts, as well as the epistles. I reject all forms of Independency as schismatic, and as dissenting from Christ’s Church. This does not mean that I believe all Christians who are part of a Baptist congregation or Independent congregation are not saved, or heretical, or totally apostate. Rather, it does mean that I believe them to be in grave error as to church government, rejecting the lawful authority of Christ and His governmental rule over His Church. This brings specific consequences upon the lawful ordination of men in those churches, in opposition to the Presbyterian ordination seen as exercised in the Scriptures. With that said, I reject my own Baptist ordination as invalid, and unlawful, and repent of having committed sin before God as previously exercising the rights and privileges of an ordained minister when I was not lawfully ordained, though I thought so at the time.
(Excerpt) Read more at apuritansmind.com ...
With that said, I reject my own Baptist ordination as invalid, and unlawful, and repent of having committed sin before God as previously exercising the rights and privileges of an ordained minister when I was not lawfully ordained, though I thought so at the time. ~ Dr. C. Matthew McMahon
Sounds like he's changed his theology.
I doubt that I'd call it sin, but it's his life.
AMEN
And I welcome Dr. McMahon's zeal for acting in accordance with what his research and introspection leads him to believe to be true, even possibly to his own detriment.
But, that being said, I will say that I find the splintering of protestant churches into different sects to generally be based on rather trivial, inconsequential grounds. Inconsequential in the grander, Christian theme, at least.
Internal debate and dissent in such matters is clearly warranted, but I don't the implications of these theological differences really constitute enough to divide us into separate factions.
And I hope we can all see that there are enemies inside and outside he Church against whom we cannot afford to be distracted by our own bickerings. The battle rages.
***Personally, I'm just happy to encounter churches that do not advocate, tacitly approve, or internally suffer from sexually deviant practices.***
My last church screened all people who taught in it for sexual predators and we did find a few who did try to get in. We also invited those who were in open sexual immorality to immediately repent or they were placed under church discipline and invited not to return until the repented. I'm not sure what kind of church you attend that doesn't take steps to get the sick deviants out of it, but I'd suggest you leave such a church immediately. Obviously, if that church is not going to protect her members, then she is clearly a part of the problem.
In the service of the Lord,
Christian.
The Presbyterian form of govt. is the American essentially.
I skimmed the article. Sounds like this guy is carrying some ecclesiastical baggage.
But, if that's where he thinks he needs to be then Lord bless him.
"But when God, who from my mother's womb set me apart and called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me, so that I could preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone. I did not go up to Jerusalem to those who had become apostles before me; instead I went to Arabia and came back to Damascus."
Sounds rather dangerously "unlawful" and "independent" doesn't it!
There is a "doctrinal meltdown" taking place in the SBC?
Just wondering what you thought of this.
Sounds like this guy has too much time on his hands. So many lost, so little time!
***Hmm... I don't recall anywhere in the OT, Gospels, Acts or epistles wherein the Church recognized homosexuality as an accepted lifestyle or ordained homosexual clergy.***
True. But, the only Presbyterian denomination I know that has this problem would be the PCUSA and I'm sure that McMahon would regard the PCUSA as apostate, as he would regard any denomination actively ordaining homoxexuals. McMahon would probably associate with the OPC or PCA, neither of which has any problem with ordained homosexual clergy.
In the service of the Lord,
Christian.
I'm waiting for my Reformed Baptist brothers to voice their opinion. It does seem that McMahon does regard we Baptists as a false denomination(s).
Christian.
He should leave quietly, and convert to Presbyterianism. A public screed calling the ecclesiology he just left "sin" is inappropriate.
Why, because it might offend someone? Actually, Christendom needs more men willing to state openly and publicly what they believe, and point out the errors that have compromised and emasculated the Church in America. We need men who will call sin what it is.
No, because it isn't sin to have an independant polity. Like it or not, the Bible is largely silent on the issue.
Actually, Christendom needs more men willing to state openly and publicly what they believe, and point out the errors that have compromised and emasculated the Church in America.
And legalists who called things "sin" that weren't have castrated the church throughout its history.
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