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Doctrine is important to anyone intent on pleasing God and helping others to please God. Religion without doctrine is like a human body without a skeletal system. A coherent body of belief that reflects the thinking of God must be the starting point if our lives are to be lived differently and have impact.
- GenresSpirituality
219 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 1995
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June 27, 2020As this is where you are to review a book, I can say that I have only read parts of it. Some of it of gain and some of it left me asking for more. Though I believe the intension and goal for the writing of this book to be true, and "in search for truth". I also consider it important for all readers to know/understand, that this book in no way holds "all you need to know" about the different topics.
This is a personal view from someone who belonged to the same "church" as Gordon Ferguson did/or still do.
This is not a critique of this church, but rather an over all challenge of our attitude to know what we believe.
For a young believer it felt like "if I only have this book, I will have all the answers that I need".
Being a part of the ICC (International Churches of Christ) for about 7 years, I was convinced that "our church" was "the only true church". Having clear teachings that seem to frame what the Bible taught what it was to be a believer/a true disciple/a true christian. I remember hearing from other believers saying "watch out for the christians in the ICC - because they know their Bible".
Years later, after have gone thru many a teaching, I have come to the conclusion that, not only is the Word of God much deeper and detailed as is His creation, but the concept we have of God (YHWH), and in that saying that we understand everything about how He works, is fatal statement.
What I found, belonging to this church, is that once you have "a shoe box of narrow doctrines" you then let go of "all the other answers you have questions to". You believe only what is allowed to be discussed inside the congregation. All outside questions are "non-interesting" and not worth spending your time with.
We were taught to have the "Barean Attitude" in Acts 17:10-11. Still once we had the "foundational doctrine of "this church" (claiming it to be all biblical and unquestionably true), sometimes taking verses out of context, there were holes in our understanding and in turn explanations to questions that we couldn't answer. I was myself a leader of a small congregation belonging to the ICC, and I foundd myself in occasions where I could not explain or answer questions that were asked, and I just just passed it on like it was "not as important". Instead, I should have said; Let's look in to that and study it. This attitude is a human attitude. I would say "a lazy attitude", that I believe many congregations have all over, because the pressure is put on the leaders to find out and hold the answers and not the free will of the individual believer to draw closer to YHWH (Matt 6:33, James 4:8).
Look, all I am saying, is that we should not be comfortable and become laid back because we have only one explanation to a question. Keep going thru more and build your foundation strong.
I end with saying, that most of the congregations today (why are there so many if we only one answer to one question?), come out of the Lutheran Chrurch, which come out of the Catholic Church, that in turn has it foundation in what was already twisted in the 300's A.D. The wrong foundation, and you get a tree that no longer looks like a tree is suppose to.
If I could recommend a few other teachers that go way deeper in to the word, I would suggest Dr. Michael Heiser, Mark Biltz, Jim Staley (Identity Crisis), 119 Ministires, Steve Burkson, Chuck Missler, Derek Prince, and definelty Michael Rood (The Rood Awakening).
If you want t do some deep study about cults, lookup "The Kingdom of the Cults"
Bok av Walter Ralston Martin.
Do your own research, Pray and ask YHWH and the Holy Spirit for guidance. He is true to His word.
Blessings to All.
This is a personal view from someone who belonged to the same "church" as Gordon Ferguson did/or still do.
This is not a critique of this church, but rather an over all challenge of our attitude to know what we believe.
For a young believer it felt like "if I only have this book, I will have all the answers that I need".
Being a part of the ICC (International Churches of Christ) for about 7 years, I was convinced that "our church" was "the only true church". Having clear teachings that seem to frame what the Bible taught what it was to be a believer/a true disciple/a true christian. I remember hearing from other believers saying "watch out for the christians in the ICC - because they know their Bible".
Years later, after have gone thru many a teaching, I have come to the conclusion that, not only is the Word of God much deeper and detailed as is His creation, but the concept we have of God (YHWH), and in that saying that we understand everything about how He works, is fatal statement.
What I found, belonging to this church, is that once you have "a shoe box of narrow doctrines" you then let go of "all the other answers you have questions to". You believe only what is allowed to be discussed inside the congregation. All outside questions are "non-interesting" and not worth spending your time with.
We were taught to have the "Barean Attitude" in Acts 17:10-11. Still once we had the "foundational doctrine of "this church" (claiming it to be all biblical and unquestionably true), sometimes taking verses out of context, there were holes in our understanding and in turn explanations to questions that we couldn't answer. I was myself a leader of a small congregation belonging to the ICC, and I foundd myself in occasions where I could not explain or answer questions that were asked, and I just just passed it on like it was "not as important". Instead, I should have said; Let's look in to that and study it. This attitude is a human attitude. I would say "a lazy attitude", that I believe many congregations have all over, because the pressure is put on the leaders to find out and hold the answers and not the free will of the individual believer to draw closer to YHWH (Matt 6:33, James 4:8).
Look, all I am saying, is that we should not be comfortable and become laid back because we have only one explanation to a question. Keep going thru more and build your foundation strong.
I end with saying, that most of the congregations today (why are there so many if we only one answer to one question?), come out of the Lutheran Chrurch, which come out of the Catholic Church, that in turn has it foundation in what was already twisted in the 300's A.D. The wrong foundation, and you get a tree that no longer looks like a tree is suppose to.
If I could recommend a few other teachers that go way deeper in to the word, I would suggest Dr. Michael Heiser, Mark Biltz, Jim Staley (Identity Crisis), 119 Ministires, Steve Burkson, Chuck Missler, Derek Prince, and definelty Michael Rood (The Rood Awakening).
If you want t do some deep study about cults, lookup "The Kingdom of the Cults"
Bok av Walter Ralston Martin.
Do your own research, Pray and ask YHWH and the Holy Spirit for guidance. He is true to His word.
Blessings to All.
July 25, 2016
Gordon Ferguson has written a book that gives disciples evidences for their faith and helps them to confront much error in the world today. The book confronts various false teachings from the "sinner's prayer" to the errors of Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses, or Catholicism.
My reason for only giving it two stars was that is was short. The information for the cults and false teachings were very brief. One would have to read other books on Mormonism or Jehovah's Witnesses to truly understand their beliefs. That said, I did appreciate Gordon confronting error in this book and for taking a stand on the Bible as our solid foundation (John 8:31-32).
My reason for only giving it two stars was that is was short. The information for the cults and false teachings were very brief. One would have to read other books on Mormonism or Jehovah's Witnesses to truly understand their beliefs. That said, I did appreciate Gordon confronting error in this book and for taking a stand on the Bible as our solid foundation (John 8:31-32).
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