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True unity

What many have missed. First, truth and love define Gods nature. Two aspects that coexist for unity and perfection. The word truth defined the physical presence of God. Truth is the only word that can stand solely by itself and speaks about the eternal reality of Gods nature. Truth cannot have a beginning actually it’s impossible for truth to not exist. But for truth to be perfect it cannot conflict or contradict itself. This is what it means for God to be perfect and defines the reality as to why truth is moral. This comes from Deuteronomy 32 verse 4. In that scripture God is described as a rock whose ways are perfect a God who is righteous without injustice. It God went around creating only to them destroy that which He had just created truth would not be perfect or moral because His very nature would be in conflict with itself. He would be contradicting Himself at that point. It’s amazing to think that God has never once done anything to contradict any of His actions by another action. So out of a perfect truth comes love. We are told that loves binds the nature of God. God is set on reconciliation so out of love comes true mercy and forgiveness. But here again He cannot contradict His nature as truth meaning He can’t extend mercy and grace in anyway that denies His word as truth, that violates His word as truth, nor in the process declares Himself to be the father of all lies thus declaring us to be the person of truth. If He were to do so He has sinned against Himself. Ironically what would represent sin for Him is exactly what He states is sin for us. So, the word truth defines the reality of His physical presence and the word love the morality that arises out of a perfect truth. This is what is missed by so many. As for marriage it speaks about the wedding between Christ and the church. For us to be a part of the bride we must realize that it’s an arranged marriage based on our acknowledgment that God is truth, understanding He can’t deny Himself therefore there are restrictions and not everyone will be a part of the great wedding. So, He set the same limits on marriage for us meaning any form of an adulterous relationship is not a true relationship. If we say He is love only and say I love Him therefore I am right in His sight then we are claiming our love as the reason for our justification. This would mean love wasn’t built on sacrifice but on desire alone. The very definition of an adulterous relationship. Second, we are told not to take away or add to His word but why? If I for instance deny the depth of the relationship that He has made possible then in am stating His word is a lie. Example we are called to be holy as He is holy and to be perfect as He is perfect but if we say we aren’t called to be perfect we deny the depth of the relationship He has made possible. If we were to truly live out our life in the relationship describe in John 17 we wouldn’t have to worry about compliance to the law it would just happen, most including conservatives deny the depth of the relationship made possible between God and us. By the same measure when we add to His word that which is not of Him we are declaring Him to be the Father of lies and ourselves to be the person of Truth, God. Progressives are doing this through promoting an adulterous relationship between God and the church. These are the things I missed for years and while I can’t speak for anyone else I know I am not the only one.

Lee 75 days ago

Loving the church

You all state that you love the church - so much you're going to have to kill it, I suppose. Because even though I'm a new Methodist, all I've heard from the progressive side is that it must be their way or they're going to "resist" (which I presume means a lot of obstruction and fighting).
There is no honor in what you're doing. The vote was done and a decision was made - and upheld by judicial review. All you are doing is showing what petulant children you are. How lost you must be, to follow Satan like you are and be willing to destroy another Christian denomination.

Ellen 115 days ago

So if there are significant protests...

And GC2020 is brought to a standstill, just exactly how is anything going to change in your favor? Why are you investing all this energy in perpetuating a war that is destroying the church rather than in ending it so everybody can live as they se fit? And just for the record, I do not view you as evil, you have a very different understanding about many things. What I do find extremely troublesome is how your beliefs play out in how you view and treat others who simply disagree with your perspective. Progressives being angry at traditionalists for not believing like you do has not accomplished anything and never will. When it comes to oppression, you are the one that deserves to wear that badge.

joan w. 117 days ago

Great points!

You make several great points in your comments. I agree 100%!!

Ellen 115 days ago

Please show integrity

It has been stated many times, however one more try... As a traditionalist, I just want the progressive side to show integrity. Why have progressives stayed this long? You entered the UMC with knowledge of what our marriage and ordination standards were but have repeatedly broken covenant. Now, we see the threats of how you will resist and break covenant again. Rules for Radicals has no place in the Church of Jesus Christ but that seems to be the playbook for the progressive side. As a traditionalist incompatibilist, I'm wondering what you mean when you see we will have a hard choice to make? I do know that we surely have the integrity that had the One Church Plan passed, we would have formed a new Methodism and we would begin to thrive as the Anglicans have in the U.S. Now, we continue to wrestle over a dying denomination, with disastrous consequences for our witness to the world. Everyone I talk to is in favor of an amicable separation. We truly wish God's peace for you and hope you will do what is honorable. How I wish we would've listened to Bill Hinson in 2004.

Exasperated 120 days ago

I hear you

What would you be willing to give up to allow a break?

Would you be willing to allow any church that wishes to leave to do so, as long as they are up to date on apportionments? What if they are NOT up to date, would you allow them to leave anyway? What happens to their pastors? What happens to their property under the Trust clause?

There are a lot of questions that have to be answered before anything can happen. Under the current rules, a church leaving the denomination is very very hard.

JR 107 days ago



Thank you!

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