Dear sister,
How do you arrive at the knowledge that someone is a co-Christian.
Does a profession of belief in a Christ who is our Spirit brother - the spirit brother of Satan, a member of a Godhood containing three distinct and different beings who make a council of Gods, who died on earth to enable you to earn your way to Godhood....would they qualify as a co-believer?
Do you think it inopportune to discuss the differences between these disparate beliefs among so-called Christians?
Probably not. Because I don't believe Christ reduces to the status of "our Spirit brother"; There is no way He can be understood as the "Spirit brother of Satan" (at least not by me); and the Three Persons of the Trinity are not "three distinct and different beings who make a council of Gods," but One single divine Substance, expressing to man in three different ways, in a community of Love.
"Hear O Israel! The Lord thy God is One."
Jeepers, are there really self-described Christians walking around today who believe the above description (see the italics) of the Godhead is true?
I'd have to say people who believe Christ is our "Spirit brother" (which incidentally would seem to make Satan equally our "Spirit brother"), who believe the Godhead consists of three distinct and different beings who make up "a council of Gods" (plural) are not Christians at all.
I wonder if your formulation doesn't put it exactly backwards, though. If you squint just right, you can see that statement as starting out from an assumption that disparate beliefs are equivalent to a sharp line between true Christians, and "so-called" ones. Certainly we see glaring examples of that assumption on this and other FR threads.
But Jesus put it the other way:
John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us." But Jesus said, "Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward. (Matt. 9:38-41)
John's position is similar to what we so often see on these sorts of threads, and indeed throughout the bloody history of Europe during the Reformation.
Jesus' gentle(?) rebuke would have us recognize each other as brothers and sisters in Christ first, and above all else; and if both sides in a dispute can approach the problem from that perspective, resolution of differences seems much more tractable. It takes humility and charity to live that way.
In real life, of course, we don't always succeed in that ideal -- we all want what we want, and we're absolutely certain we're correct, or we have a good excuse, or whatever. And that means the other guy is wrong, which makes him a heretic....
Sometimes the Body of Christ has no way to deal with folks like that, short of cutting off the offending part and throwing it away. But that's only as a last resort; unfortunately, many folks are in a big hurry to get to that last resort.
I wonder if your formulation doesn't put it exactly backwards, though. If you squint just right, you can see that statement as starting out from an assumption that disparate beliefs are equivalent to a sharp line between true Christians, and "so-called" ones. Certainly we see glaring examples of that assumption on this and other FR threads.
But Jesus put it the other way:
John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us." But Jesus said, "Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For the one who is not against us is for us. For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward. (Matt. 9:38-41)
John's position is similar to what we so often see on these sorts of threads, and indeed throughout the bloody history of Europe during the Reformation: they're not with us, so consign them to the flames.
Jesus' gentle(?) rebuke would have us recognize each other as brothers and sisters in Christ first, and above all else; and if both sides in a dispute can approach the problem from that perspective, resolution of differences seems much more tractable. It certainly provides for more fertile soil into which the Holy Spirit can plant His seeds.
It takes humility and charity to live that way, though. In real life, of course, we don't always succeed in that ideal -- we all want what we want, and we're absolutely certain we're correct, or we have a good excuse, or whatever. And that means the other guy is wrong, which makes him a heretic.... And that takes us back to the topic of "intemperate and indiscreet zeal."
Sometimes the Body of Christ has no way to deal with folks like that, short of cutting off the offending part and throwing it away. But that's only supposed to be a last resort, not (as some are too willing to make it) the preferred remedy.
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. – Matthew 16:17
He is not "a" Creator, He is "the" Creator.
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all [things] he might have the preeminence. For it pleased [the Father] that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, [I say], whether [they be] things in earth, or things in heaven.– Colossians 1:15-20