[delacoert]

I enjoyed reading your post. In particular, I thought your statement

What unites all believing Christians despite our differences is the shared belief that there is no salvation outside of Christ.

was uncommonly succinct and true... found as it was in the middle of the usual Religion Forum wrangling, especially in the midst of a discussion about INTERPRETATION of Scripture.

For all of our cross-denominational (inter-Nicene) vehemence, we Redeemed all agree there is no salvation outside of Christ.

Having said that, I gotta disagree with your application (interpretation) of the scriptural caution:

As we judge, so shall we be judged.

Far too often the injunction against judgment is used by those who know better. There is no shortage of scripture that instructs God's people to judge and correct others. When I see the "it's not right to judge others" clause used, it almost always in a falsely pious attempt to take the high ground.

To say that another Christian or group of Christians is in error does not endanger anyone at the last judgment.

To suggest that someone's interpretation of scripture is in error is not the same as saying the scripture is in error.

Just my thoughts.

[betty boop]

To say that another Christian or group of Christians is in error does not endanger anyone at the last judgment.

So we are to busy ourselves about the errors of others — as we see them — rather than to recognize and correct our own errors? Possibly there are biblical passages in support of your statement, "There is no shortage of scripture that instructs God's people to judge and correct others." But as none comes readily to my mind, maybe you could give me some relevant cites?

It seems to me God's basic instruction to us His children is pretty clear and succinct: Love God with all your heart, and soul, and mind, and strength and your neighbor as yourself.

The Scripture is not in error. If there are "errors," they reside in ourselves.

A very great error — it seems to me — is to think one can make a correct judgment about the state of another's soul, of which one really knows nothing. And then to think that somehow one's judgment is truthful — when one cannot possibly say that without first saying that one knows all the relevant factors that go into making a truthful judgment in such a matter. Another factor is our belief that we have the "correct" reading of the Holy Scriptures. Of course, this is a judgment, too — one that makes all other readings untenable by fiat.

Why shouldn't I think this is an exercise, not in "false piety," but of the pious form of libido dominandi?

What restrains that is my belief that it is not my business to judge you, but only simply to hear you out and try to understand what you see.

Just a last thought: Christianity is finally not about what we know, but about how we live.

Or so it seems to me. JMHO FWIW Thank you for sharing your thoughts, delacoert!

[Elsie]

For all of our cross-denominational (inter-Nicene) vehemence, we Redeemed all agree there is no salvation outside of Christ.

We merely fight over WHO gets to say (with 'authority'), "Come see a man."

[Elsie]

"No man cometh to the Father, but by Me."

We merely fight over WHO gets to say (with 'authority'), "No man (or woman) cometh to JESUS, but by US!"