Walter_Mitty

Mr. Matthews:

1) What do you consider to be the "truth" in regards to Christianity, and what do you base this truth on?

2) What do you consider to be "sound doctrine"?

3) What flavor of Christian are you and how do you tell if someone is a "true Christian".

David Mathews

Hello Bibliophile,

David: At the most essential and fundamental level I consider the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Truth of Christianity. I base this truth upon faith as a decision of my intellect in response to the magnificent account of God's love and the magnitude of Jesus' sacrifice.

David: "Sound doctrine" is a subjective description of those doctrines that I believe and therefore is of only a little consequence to myself.

David: I am a Christian only, nothing more or less than that. I consider all people with faith in God and the gospel who base their religion upon the principles taught by Jesus and the apostles to be Christians.

Sincerely,

David Mathews

Philosoft

<strong>Quoth DM:

David: At the most essential and fundamental level I consider the life, death and resurrection of Jesus the Truth of Christianity. I base this truth upon faith as a decision of my intellect in response to the magnificent account of God's love and the magnitude of Jesus' sacrifice.</strong>

By extension, do you also believe that Adam and Eve were literally the first humans and were literally sinless before the fall? Or have you another reason why "Jesus died for our sins"?

Walter_Mitty

A few questions before I head to the peanut factory:

1) I assume--based on your web page--that you belong to the Church of Christ?

2) How can something from God be subjective? If God--via the Holy Spirit--is guiding doctrine, it should not be hard to tell that which is sound. Are you saying you have your own doctrine which you find sound? How do you show another person that which is sound doctrine?

The <a href="http://www.watchtower.org/library/jt/index.htm" target="_blank">Jehovah Witnesses (click on "what they believe")</a> and the <a href="http://www.mormon.org/learn/0,8672,802-1,00.html" target="_blank">Mormons</a> have faith in God and the Gospel. They also base their teachings on Jesus. Do you consider them Christians?

[ July 22, 2002: Message edited by: Bibliophile ]</p>

abe smith

2C's worth: IMO, bothering to ask D.Matthews any kind of qy, esp any *rhetorical* qy, is a waste of time (but of course don't let that deter us.), because it appears that Mr Matthews's certainty is such that no qy could ever touch him nor give him a qualm. My Impression Izz (from the very small amt of his opinions that I've had the stomach to read here) that Mr Matthews"s position is "EYE believe it; that-fact makes it SO; hence there's nothing, really, to discuss.". Why don't we just not bother? Abe