----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, April 02, 2004 5:04
PM
Subject: [TruthTalk] Education - Is it
evil?
Billt: Judy, So when saying you agree with DavidM, you do not
really mean you agree with his use of the term Christian perfection.
Is that what I should understand you to be saying?
jt: I don't really understand the outworking of what
DavidM
believes, I thought he was talking about
sanctification/holiness from
scripture rather than from John Wesley.
BT: I thought you said you agreed with him.
Why didn't you qualify what you meant at that time of agreeing with
him?
Billt: Because I don't think we have to wallow in the mud either.
jt: Glad to hear this, however most Christians I've
been in contact
with are not living overcoming lives especially in
their thought lives.
BT: How do you know what they are
thinking?
I do think there is less deceptive ways of saying that than with the
language of "Christian perfection"; because "perfection" implies
perfection, doesn't it?
jt: I wouldn't exactly call it deceptive because
after all scripture does
use the same language ie "Be ye holy (perfect) for I
am holy" I
understand this means mature so I have no problem
with the word.
BT: See my qualification of "deception" in my
"PS" post. Please answer my question: "Perfection" implies perfection, doesn't
it? If you mean "mature," why not use the word mature? Why agree with the use
of a term with the denotation and connotations of "perfection" to say that you
are mature?
Do you know what I mean? You don't really expect to be functionally
perfect on this side of death, do you?
jt: My goal is spiritual maturity so that I am able
to walk consistently
in God's blessings
and I do believe this is attainable on this side of
death. jt
BT: Me too. I agree with you. But you didn't
answer my question. Do you really expect to be functionally
perfect on this side of
death?
Billt:
Judy, Allow me to expand a little bit. Maybe this will help me
to
understand the term. Judy says All truth is not positive
and all error
is not negative - and noone has arrived that I know of so
far. Judy,
how does this statement jive with your Christian perfectionism?
Doesn't the idea of perfection necessitate arrival? Bill Taylor
jt: No it does not. Salvation is present progressive. We should
be
headed in that direction however. We have a sacrifice and a
throne of
grace to go to in time of need. So why wallow in the
mud.
jt.
Judy says
All truth is not positive and all
error is not negative -
and noone has arrived that I know of so far.
Billt:
Judy, how does this statement jive with your Christian
perfectionism?
jt: I'm not sure what you perceive to be my "Christian pefectionism"
Bill.
I don't think it is positive or fun to look in the mirror (of His
Word) some
days and it hurts to be pruned. It's not all joy when I
find I have been
deceived in some area and need to repent. Satan
comes as an angel of
light and can say some mighty smooth and good sounding
things.
Tell me about my "Christian perfectionism" Billt,
jt
