Here to learn more

[Gary O Johnson]

Hello, I've recently come across your site and am hoping to learn more and look at some of the differences between this and Lutheranism. From what I see we both at least agree on the most important thing, that Jesus is the way to salvation!

I'm a member of a local church in my area, Diamond Lake Lutheran Church (DLLC) and have been going since I was young. Grown up living through Christ, and wouldn't have it any other way.

I would say one of my favorite Bible verses has always been Mark 3:35 (apologies, I'm not familiar enough with forums to know for sure how to link this) as it shows the brotherhood nature of following the Lord.

I was curious though, you seem to continue to adhere fully, or at least mostly to the OT words and teachings. I was always taught that, not being a Jew/direct descendant of, that much of the OT had little application. Do you view this differently? I mostly ask because of the old covenant about no pork and such.

Thank you kindly, and I hope it's possible to learn more about you, and your church.

[Mary Etheldreda]

Re: Here to learn more

Hello, I've recently come across your site and am hoping to learn more and look at some of the differences between this and Lutheranism. From what I see we both at least agree on the most important thing, that Jesus is the way to salvation!

I'm a member of a local church in my area, Diamond Lake Lutheran Church (DLLC) and have been going since I was young. Grown up living through Christ, and wouldn't have it any other way.

I would say one of my favorite Bible verses has always been Mark 3:35 (apologies, I'm not familiar enough with forums to know for sure how to link this) as it shows the brotherhood nature of following the Lord.

I was curious though, you seem to continue to adhere fully, or at least mostly to the OT words and teachings. I was always taught that, not being a Jew/direct descendant of, that much of the OT had little application. Do you view this differently? I mostly ask because of the old covenant about no pork and such.

Thank you kindly, and I hope it's possible to learn more about you, and your church.

Hello, and welcome! You seem like a nice person. Are you married? Do you have children? I know the men will want to know what hunting stuff you enjoy most, but I love to hear people's personal testimonies! I know you say you grew up "living through Christ," but of course that's just thing people say. No one is born in Christ, for no one save Christ was conceived without sin (Psalm 51:5; Job 14:4). Coming to Christ is what happens when one realizes they are a foul sinner, an offence unto the LORD, a blight on the land and a cancer in the spirit of mankind. Only when one feels genuine repentance for having been born wrong can one find, and then, live through Christ.

I'm also curious why you dismiss the first 3/4 of the Holy Word of God. Did you not read up to the part where Christ Himself says He did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17)? If Christ Himself doesn't want the Law dismissed, why on earth would your church encourage its people to ignore it?

[Mister Brasil]

Re: Here to learn more

Welcome Mr. O'Johnson!

I would say one of my favorite Bible verses has always been Mark 3:35 (apologies, I'm not familiar enough with forums to know for sure how to link this) as it shows the brotherhood nature of following the Lord.

That's a great one! Allow me to quote the inspired Text:

For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

And indeed, you'll see many at Landover taking this literally (as they should!) and referring to each other as Sister and Brother. Of course, the qualifier in Mark 3:35 is as important as any of God's Words!

I've found a useful trick for learning codes on this forum. When I see a post that does something I don't know how to do, I quote the post, then switch editor mode (the button in the top right corner of the reply box) and look at the code used. That helps me learn all sorts of posting tricks!

I was curious though, you seem to continue to adhere fully, or at least mostly to the OT words and teachings. I was always taught that, not being a Jew/direct descendant of, that much of the OT had little application. Do you view this differently? I mostly ask because of the old covenant about no pork and such.

A lot of so-called Christians tie themselves into knots trying to justify their modern lifestyles. This community believes that the Bible should be read as written, and we, as Christians, are clearly instructed to obey the entire Word of God. A good example is Romans 15:4, but there are a lot of places where this is made explicit. Almost as if God knew how people would want to pervert the Good Book! Lol of course He knew.

However, God has cleansed all animals. Acts 10: 12-15:

Wherein were all manner of fourfooted beasts of the earth, and wild beasts, and creeping things, and fowls of the air.
And there came a voice to him, Rise, Peter; kill, and eat.
But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

Which is great, because I love bacon!

[Gary O Johnson]

Re: Here to learn more

Hello, and welcome! You seem like a nice person. Are you married? Do you have children? I know the men will want to know what hunting stuff you enjoy most, but I love to hear people's personal testimonies! I know you say you grew up "living through Christ," but of course that's just thing people say. No one is born in Christ, for no one save Christ was conceived without sin (Psalm 51:5; Job 14:4). Coming to Christ is what happens when one realizes they are a foul sinner, an offence unto the LORD, a blight on the land and a cancer in the spirit of mankind. Only when one feels genuine repentance for having been born wrong can one find, and then, live through Christ.

I'm also curious why you dismiss the first 3/4 of the Holy Word of God. Did you not read up to the part where Christ Himself says He did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17)? If Christ Himself doesn't want the Law dismissed, why on earth would your church encourage its people to ignore it?

I am currently single, no children. Grew up in a dense city, and father never did hunt so it was never something I did or learned to do sadly. Though I do enjoy going out fishing when I get the time to! This would be one of those differences I was discussing I think. We do indeed share a similar view, but what we have is confirmation, whereupon we confirm our belief in the Holy Trinity, and placing our love and trust in Jesus. It isn't so much about what you have described, as acknowledging that we are flawed and only through faith and Jesus can we ascend into Heaven. So I suppose it's a similar thought process in many ways actually.

As for the OT, that was some of my question. Again, it's always been that much of the OT is ascribed to and instructions to the Israelites, and the Jews. It's not a subject I have ever fully understood myself, and it's why I'm curious about how you reconcile a few of the oddities that seem to crop up between OT and NT scripture. Such as Matthew 10:16 versus Psalm 143:12 ? It was my home churches way of reconciling the apparent push for violence against non-believers, with the peaceful proselytizing of Jesus' words, as they viewed them. Hence my curiosity, as you state to take the whole bible at face value, so I'm interested in your view on these things, as I've never understood the dismissal of much of the OT.

Thank you as well for your kind greetings Mister Brasil, as well as the information! Although it looks like the site parses for bible verses and links them automatically? Very neat!

[Mister Brasil]

Re: Here to learn more

I'm curious about how you reconcile a few of the oddities that seem to crop up between OT and NT scripture. Such as Matthew 10:16 versus Psalm 143:12 ?

Well, if you're referring to a change in tone, you don't have to go to Psalms; compare Matthew 10:16 to Luke 19:27.

But I don't see any contradiction myself. How could there be?

Might I remind you of another OT verse, Ecclesiastes 3:1?

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

[Nobar King]

Re: Here to learn more

Hunting is done with joy and pride, not sadness.

[Gary O Johnson]

Re: Here to learn more

Well, if you're referring to a change in tone, you don't have to go to Psalms; compare Matthew 10:16 to Luke 19:27.

But I don't see any contradiction myself. How could there be?

Might I remind you of another OT verse, Ecclesiastes 3:1?

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

So it isn't just about the context of the speaker or the chapter itself, but more understanding how the pieces of each part fit together in each 'season'? How does one know the season in this then?

Nobar King, my apologies I appear to have missed a comma. I was saying that, sadly/unfortunately, I never learned to hunt, as it wasn't something my immediate family did while growing up. We did fish however.

[Nobar King]

Re: Here to learn more

Nobar King, my apologies I appear to have missed a comma.

I nominate this post for understatement of the year.

[Mary Etheldreda]

Re: Here to learn more

So it isn't just about the context of the speaker or the chapter itself, but more understanding how the pieces of each part fit together in each 'season'? How does one know the season in this then?

You still don't understand. The Holy Bible is not a text to be broken apart, detail by detail and analyzed. It is to be consumed, body and soul. It is to be conjoined with the Heavens. Christ promised a Comforter to help the True Christian™ understand the Mind and Will of God (John 14:16), not a Bible Study curriculum. This comforter is the Spirit of Truth, and without it the best you can do is theory.

If you don't understand the context or season or purpose of any particular passage, it is because you read it with human eyes, created from corruptible seed. What you need is to be Born Again, created from uncorruptible seed (1 Peter 1:23), and read it through the eyes of the Holy Ghost. There are no eyes like ghost eyes, and no ghost like the Holy Ghost. Do not trust your own heart in these things, for it will deceive you (Jeremiah 17:9). Trust instead in the LORD (Proverbs 3:5-6).

What you want is Salvation. Only then will all the pieces fit together.

[Mister Brasil]

Re: Here to learn more

So it isn't just about the context of the speaker or the chapter itself, but more understanding how the pieces of each part fit together in each 'season'?

No, it's about the context; seasons are context. And, as you can see, there's one context for Matthew 10, another context for Psalms 143, and another context for Luke 19. But the Bible's overall exhortation is neither to peace nor violence exclusively. That the Bible advocates violence in some circumstances is no contradiction to the fact that it advocates peace in others; there is a season for each. Thankfully, the Bible tells us when each is appropriate.

For instance, we are commanded to violent judgment in multiple places, both OT and New, but consider Leviticus 24:16 for an example. But is it currently the "season" for that? Hebrews 13:17 says it's not, not in most modern nations; one way in which the West is not quite so advanced as we like to believe ourselves.

But I don't want to monopolize this conversation. I might be approaching the Bible very differently than you, and if carefully qualified tolerance isn't a Christian value, I don't know whose it is! You suspect some contradiction between Matthew 10:16 and Psalms 143:12, or, if not, you've met people who have tried to "push" some sort of contradiction between these two verses. Maybe you'd care to explain further? Where exactly does the contradiction seem to lie?