CyberGuy Posted September 6, 2012 Posted September 6, 2012 Disfellowshipping can be harsh and unfair. One case I heard is a nurse tore her pantyhose as she was going to work on Saturday. She went into a store to buy a replacement. A church member saw her who was on the church board. She was brought up at church board and disfellowshipped. She was never given a chance to tell her side of the story. She just got a letter telling her she was disfellowshiped and why. Is it any wonder she was bitter over that. I would be. I think that disfellowshipping should be a last resort and only after visits and pleading to repent and change. Even then only in cases of major apostacy. Never should it be used for minor offenses. If we do that we should disfellowship the entire church as we all are sinners to some degree. Quote Riverside CA
Woody Posted September 6, 2012 Posted September 6, 2012 Originally Posted By: 'nuff sed Tithe-paying is not a "Test of Fellowship" in the Seventh-day Adventist Church....................................except for those who are employed by the organization and are supposed to be examples. Nuff Sed Quote May we be one so that the world may be won. Christian from the cradle to the grave I believe in Hematology.
Woody Posted September 6, 2012 Posted September 6, 2012 God tends to respond rather forcefully to those that don't return funds that are committed to Him. Yes -even death has been the response. Quote May we be one so that the world may be won. Christian from the cradle to the grave I believe in Hematology.
Woody Posted September 6, 2012 Posted September 6, 2012 Disfellowship is accomplished - just as becoming a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church is ... a mere 51% of the vote of those present. Do we really trust that - as the will of God? I've been to the meetings where members were voted out. And prior to it there was lots of political lobbying going on. I have to admit - I was part of it. Quote May we be one so that the world may be won. Christian from the cradle to the grave I believe in Hematology.
Moderators Jeannieb43 Posted September 7, 2012 Moderators Posted September 7, 2012 I think that disfellowshipping should be a last resort and only after visits and pleading to repent and change. Even then only in cases of major apostacy. Never should it be used for minor offenses. If we do that we should disfellowship the entire church as we all are sinners to some degree. I agree. Why would anybody wish to vote another member out of membership UNLESS THAT MEMBER REQUESTS IT. [and even then, not until there has been a personal visit with that person to determine that their request is not being coerced] The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints! IMHO I feel we should never vote to disfellowship a member unless that member is actively and publicly proclaiming blasphemy against the organization. If they move out of town and fail to keep in touch, then and only then, if all efforts to contact them fail, should we reluctantly vote to delete their name from church rolls. Quote Jeannie<br /><br /><br />...Change is inevitable; growth is optional....
Umfundize Posted September 7, 2012 Author Posted September 7, 2012 I do not think the prophetess was right when she said we need to pay the tithe so God could "see if we are WORTHY of eternal life"! Do YOU believe that? Eph 2:8 speaks of a GIFT with no strings attached! NO ONE will EVER be WORTHY of eternal life! It is a GIFT that can never be earned or purchased with tithe money! Quote
Woody Posted September 7, 2012 Posted September 7, 2012 I do not think the prophetess was right when she said we need to pay the tithe so God could "see if we are WORTHY of eternal life"! Do YOU believe that? Eph 2:8 speaks of a GIFT with no strings attached! NO ONE will EVER be WORTHY of eternal life! It is a GIFT that can never be earned or purchased with tithe money! Well - I may have to take a step back. You bring up a good point. None are worthy. Only Him. But boy - you make a bold statement there suggesting the prophet may be wrong. However - in this case - perhaps you are right. Quote May we be one so that the world may be won. Christian from the cradle to the grave I believe in Hematology.
CyberGuy Posted September 8, 2012 Posted September 8, 2012 More and more people are being baptized because they ask for it but the reason they ask for it is to get the SDA tuition discount. Once baptized they do not know our doctrines. Once even said they know their mother is looking down from heaven at them. They have no concept of the SDA view of the state of the dead. They wanted to be baptized because they love Jesus. Is that enough. I think not. It is important they know what the SDA church belives before they are baptized Otherwise herasies will creep into our church simple because we are letting people in who are not familiar with our doctrines. Quote Riverside CA
CoAspen Posted September 8, 2012 Posted September 8, 2012 Quote: They wanted to be baptized because they love Jesus. That brings about the question again, sorry, should people be baptized because they 'love Jesus' or believe or know all the doctrines? I can see where church membership might be an issue, but the baptizing recorded inthe Bible were not about church joining. Me thinks that Philip baptized the seeker after a very short chariot trip! I would think that if the person is being baptized out of a desire for Christ, then the Holy Spirit is part of their life and 'heresies' become less likely. Do we trust the H*S? Do other members do their mentoring of the newbie as is needed? Who has perfect knowledge and understanding of all doctrines at the time of baptizem? We have been down this road many times before so a bit off topic and more for thinking about than discussion! Quote
Woody Posted September 8, 2012 Posted September 8, 2012 Yes. One should know the doctrines before becoming a "member". We can drop it at that. 'nuff said? lol. Yeah we seem to fail to understand what baptism is and what membership is. Quote May we be one so that the world may be won. Christian from the cradle to the grave I believe in Hematology.
winslow Posted September 8, 2012 Posted September 8, 2012 Disfellowshipping can be harsh and unfair. One case I heard is a nurse tore her pantyhose as she was going to work on Saturday. She went into a store to buy a replacement. A church member saw her who was on the church board. She was brought up at church board and disfellowshipped. She was never given a chance to tell her side of the story. She just got a letter telling her she was disfellowshiped and why. Is it any wonder she was bitter over that. I would be. I think that disfellowshipping should be a last resort and only after visits and pleading to repent and change. Even then only in cases of major apostacy. Never should it be used for minor offenses. If we do that we should disfellowship the entire church as we all are sinners to some degree. The church board does not have the authority to disfellowship anyone. It has to be voted on at a duly called business meeting and the person has to have opportunity to defend themselves, even call witnesses to their case if they desire to do so. Quote
Moderators Gerr Posted September 8, 2012 Moderators Posted September 8, 2012 I do not think the prophetess was right when she said we need to pay the tithe so God could "see if we are WORTHY of eternal life"! Do YOU believe that? Apparently, Paul does. ESV 1 Cor 6:9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And Malachi does too, ESV | Mal 3:8 Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. 9 You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you. So, do you believe the Word or not? Quote: Eph 2:8 speaks of a GIFT with no strings attached! No strings attached? Brother, what Bible are you reading? ALL the promises of God have strings/conditions attached to them. Quote: NO ONE will EVER be WORTHY of eternal life! It is a GIFT that can never be earned or purchased with tithe money! NKJV Lk 20:35 But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; NKJV Lk 21:36 Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy NKJV 2 Thes 1:5 5 which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; NO ONE can purchase salvation, so on that point no one is worthy. But when you meet the conditions, you are counted worthy. Quote
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