Which are COC'rs more concerned with....?

[l.a.providence]

i have a girlfriend who is baptist and she told me i needed to lighten up because i'm too hard on myself...
so concerned with being too legalistic in my life.... mainly i think about my righteousness too much

i analyzed the members of my congregation and looked at them after this....
we're all pretty stove up spiritually.... we pay so much attention to the laws...
and we really don't know the potential of the blood....and the blood is what this is all about anyway
if we're so hard on sin then aren't we letting jesus bleed to death for no reason?


anyway?

[HRoberson]

Righteousness isn't about law-keeping. It's a declaration by God that acquits you - even if you're guilty.

Christians are not called to live by law, and CoCs have traditionally been stuck on Law. Such a pity since we are actually called "to be" rather than "to do."

Now, that doesn't mean we get to get all willy-nilly. That attitude has already been addressed in Scripture. It does mean that we ought to eventually know how to live rather than having to "look it up." A mature, righteous person will control their behavior, but won't beat themselves up for messing up once in a while.

So yeah, give yourself a break.

God already has.

(but then again, she's Baptist......so what does she know?) 

[Bocephus]

If you all had all your ducks in a row, you would be part of the Lord's Church, the School of the Bible, aka The Bible Church.

[HRoberson]

...but of course.

[larry2]

Dear l.a.providence, you might give extra consideration to being equally yoked. By your testimony she is a believer, but you are not of like faith in your walks with the Lord. It will always bring about compromise in conscience producing stumbling in purpose.

My thoughts in Jesus' name - larry2
 
 

[l.a.providence]

my friend, by that statement, you are telling me she is not a christian!

baptists don't get along with COC because we never give them credence in their faith!

i have good friends who both have baptist wives...whom go to their churches now and who have never been rebaptized...

i just left a methodist/COC unifiied revival of sort tonight... where the COC and methodist both claim each other as brothers in christ....


equally yoked brethren, yes, i would have made that statement many years ago, but
i don't dare discount things these days, especially because of a retroactive understanding of scripture.

[larry2]

my friend, by that statement, you are telling me she is not a christian!

baptists don't get along with COC because we never give them credence in their faith!

i have good friends who both have baptist wives...whom go to their churches now and who have never been re-baptized...

i just left a Methodist/COC unified revival of sort tonight... where the COC and Methodist both claim each other as brothers in Christ....

equally yoked brethren, yes, i would have made that statement many years ago, but
i don't dare discount things these days, especially because of a retroactive understanding of scripture.

I didn't even consider her or you not being Christians. What I am saying is that two Christians walking together in purpose with equal growth in the Lord are not going to
have conflict. You said your girlfriend already says you are legal, and that means she believes differently than you as to the security she has in Christ. That doesn't make you or her less of a Christian; you just do not see things in the same light.

Let me give an example though I'm not sure what you observe in a life lived for Christ. You belong to a church that does not allow music with singing, yet your girlfriend feels a need of that when she sings to the Lord. You might not allow pork in your home, and she craves it. She wants her children brought up in a Baptist environment, and you insist on COC; you're off to a good start, and in marriage you would find countless differences.

A dear friend and marriage counselor said we should never marry someone we evangelize because you or them may compromise because you think things with them will change, or something like that. Always look for someone with your value system, and with a track record of walking in that. The marriage may last, but peace is something to be sought to start with. I've now been married 52 years, and know from experience the problems involved of having married a young Catholic girl, and even converting to her faith before leaving that years later. God did have mercy on us and give us a life filled with joy and real love for one another.

May God give you wisdom in these things in Jesus' name - larry2

[phoebe]

Dear l.a.providence, you might give extra consideration to being equally yoked. By your testimony she is a believer, but you are not of like faith in your walks with the Lord. It will always bring about compromise in conscience producing stumbling in purpose.

My thoughts in Jesus' name - larry2
 
 

If they both believe in Jesus as God's Son, our Savior and Redeemer, then they ARE believers, ARE of "like faith", ARE equally yoked, are they not??

[phoebe]

i have a girlfriend who is baptist and she told me i needed to lighten up because i'm too hard on myself...
so concerned with being too legalistic in my life.... mainly i think about my righteousness too much

i analyzed the members of my congregation and looked at them after this....
we're all pretty stove up spiritually.... we pay so much attention to the laws...
and we really don't know the potential of the blood....and the blood is what this is all about anyway
if we're so hard on sin then aren't we letting jesus bleed to death for no reason?


anyway?

It sounds like your congregation is pretty tightly wound, and maybe you would be wise to spend some time in Scripture to see how well Jesus has you covered.  Jesus lifted you up.  Don't let anyone beat you down.

All CoC's are not as you described.  But there are many Baptist churches that are just as bad. So try not to go pointing fingers.

[DCR]

You might not allow pork in your home, and she craves it.

You might have us confused with someone else.  Pulled pork barbeque is a common staple of "many a" CoC fellowship potluck I've been to.

[larry2]

Dear l.a.providence, you might give extra consideration to being equally yoked. By your testimony she is a believer, but you are not of like faith in your walks with the Lord. It will always bring about compromise in conscience producing stumbling in purpose.

My thoughts in Jesus' name - larry2
 

If they both believe in Jesus as God's Son, our Savior and Redeemer, than they ARE believers, ARE of "like faith", ARE equally yoked, are they not??

Dear phoebe, as believers they are certainly equally yoked. As to how to live their lives pleasing the Lord, or raising future children, they could be completely opposing one another. Can that produce strife? Should we seek a partner for life that will glorify God?

In Jesus' name - larry2

[BornToReign]

mainly i think about my righteousness too much

YOUR righteousness?

we pay so much attention to the laws...
and we really don't know the potential of the blood....and the blood is what this is all about anyway
if we're so hard on sin then aren't we letting jesus bleed to death for no reason?

Maybe she has a point?
You don't need to be concerned with His righteousness as He is already accepted by the Father and through Him you are also.

God bless you both. 

[Johnb]

The OP was directed at the CoC.  It is much more diverse than in years past.  There is no way the CoC that I preached for and attended for over 30 years would have a joint meeting with the Methodist or any other "denominational" goup.   The mainline CoC is legalistic and judgemental.  Many like many on this board are now more grace centered than law centered.  However, there is still a significant miniority that believe they are the "one true church that one must belong to to be saved.

[DCR]

The mainline CoC is legalistic and judgemental.  

I would even take issue with this statement, by today's standards.  Those who most of us would consider to be legalistic and judgmental, I don't think of as being "mainline."  But, that may depend on who defines what the "mainline" is, and it may also depend on what you're considering to be legalistic and judgmental.  It could be that there are now at least two branches in the "old mainline."

The more "grace-centered" types are more common now IMO and, I think, have a greater presence in the "mainline" compared to the old school thought.

[Jaime]

I'm personally appalled at a previous reference to pork BBQ. Everyone knows pork BBQ is an abomination ;-)