Hi everyone. I am new to this forum. I was yesterday in a forum for debate on evolution v. creation. The forum was 'transitional fossils'. I posted some of my thoughts on this subject and was shouted down by a collection of 'we' evolutionists. Closed mind about the whole subject, saying I was ill-informed and basically ignorant. Perhaps I am, but they were not able to say or show me anything to challenge my views. So I've left that forum. The administrators were terrible people. They can beleive what they want in their superior manner. I am basically a Christian, with some unorthodox views. I have investigated creation v evolution for a long time, and have sort of concluded that creation is more likely. I've looked up some creationist websites and the evidence is convincing. But there are a number of issues that I don't agree with. Carbon dating of coal and other things. I am not a young-earth'er, and not a fundimentalist.
I hope that the attitude on this forum will be more open-minded and relaxed. And I also hope that I will be able to gererate some interesting discussion, without the admin. interfering all the time.
love. pompuspom

Well let's see now...if I recall the title of this forum site is Fundamental Preaching.com. In fact here is a copy of the masthead of the site:

Bible believers discussion board...I cannot speak for the administration here but I am a Bible believer. I do not believe the things of the Bible open to debate or argument. I don't care what any man has to say on a subject, the only thing I care about is what does Almighty God have to say about it? I believe the Bible to be the sole authority for both faith and practice.

If you are looking for openmindedness and relaxation of the standards of God's Holy Word you will get no compromise from me.

In Christ,
George

To post on this site requires one to agree with the statement of faith. If you post contrary to this, you will most certainly be rebuked. We try to be soft in our answers, but do not stand for heresy. And yes, I most certainly will interfere if I see this going on as will Ray, the site admin.

Arrogance and pompousness doesnt only come from a moderator or site admin.

Speaking for myself, you will not get this from me either. As George has already stated, Gods Word is the final authority, not man's opnion. Remember what God's Words says?:

There are many wonderful learned men of God here on the site. If a man can come in with a meek spirit to learn, then please come. If a man comes just to spout haughtiness and will not accept learning, then he just needs to leave.

Love in Christ,

Jim

Welcome. I rarely "interfere" with anyones posts, but if the post is just designed to cause trouble, I or Jim will.

As Jim said our statement of faith shows you where we stand. We wont compromise. If you make a post and everyone disagrees with it and tells you so, dont get your feelings hurt.

Heresy will be deleted.

Ray

In the beginning, God created heaven and earth.

Genesis 1: 1.

Yes, perhaps this site isn't for me.

Not only perhaps, but if you want to compromise any part of the Word of God it definitely is not.

In Christ,
George

Great that you are fervent defending the God’s Word, but it’s not necessarily an Antichrist who doesn’t understand the Scripture at once. An educated Jew, Nicodemus, couldn’t understand what Jesus was talking about, but Jesus was patient. Praise the Lord, He is patient both: with His children and with those who are not such at the moment. All I want to say, 2 Pet 1:1-8, God wrote through Peter that Christians should be patient. Impatient fisher does not succeed, don’t you agree?

Just a brief testimony on a sad tendency recognized on Russian forums… Well, they call their sites “Christian”, but a Christian knows what he believes. Most Russian Baptist site admins don’t believe in grace. Such an ignorance… using a word “grace”, they trust in their works for salvation. Alas! Devil uses them more than anyone else to steal souls. False teachers are those I don’t have enough patience for. So the situation on Russian Christian forums is the following: most active members are satanists—3 times as active as Christians. A crying shame, that Christians soldiers yield easily today, having left their sword somewhere on a dusty shelf. That’s why I had to come to an English-speaking forum, though English is not my native language. However, doctrine and faithfulness is more important than language, culture etc. So where we were…And the patience of Russian site admins is not appropriate or godly at all. Can you imagine, they don’t delete blasphemous posts? However, lukewarm Christians who know the truth and bear no testimony are no better. They are WORSE. Too bad… I saw one man on that forum, who called himself a Christian and who said there’s no Satan. Well, Satanists got very upset and had to switch the topic. They never saw such a crazy Christian (funny and sad at the same time). A Christian who doesn’t search the scripture is going to sound either mad or… a non-Christian. However, with no-Christians we should be patient and not easily provoked, because Jesus was so. Sometimes, I attend secular forums (pertaining to my hobby) and after 10-15 post whether I want it or not, God makes me talk about Him and His free gift of salvation. Amazing it is, to bear testimony to hundreds… not even going out of office or home. Of course, not all people accept that, but God said about His word in Isaiah 55:11: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereunto I sent it.
Grace

Ah yes, that is true, however we have no idea if Nicodemus was ever saved. We are not told that in the Bible. Witness the following:

(Rom 10:13) For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

That is a requirement to be saved. We are told nowhere in the New Testement that Nicodemus called on the Name of the Lord. While it is true he did not understand it is also apparently true he was not saved.

That is true of so many who hear the Gospel. It is a sad commentary. Many people, as you mentioned in your introduction, try to make something that is really simple into something that is terribly complex placing all kinds of requirements on salvation.

I am reminded of that same Simon Peter being rebuked by Paul for trying to require that the Gentiles live like Jews.

Oh by the way, welcome aboard! It appears you are in Russia?

In Christ,
George

Heidi George,
Nice to meet you. I’ll start from answering your question. I was born in Kiev (city), Ukraine. You should know the city, it’s the very heart of the orange revolution (as Kiev is not only a cultural, but also it’s a political center of our country). Honestly, I’m not much interested in politics and I don’t expect anything from politicians, I rather set my eyes on New Jerusalem and Jesus Christ . So if you don’t mind, I’ll switch to Nicodemus topic. Notice: Jesus could have talked with Nicodemus on Old Testament , but our Redeemer cared not about education process and understanding in general, but Nicodemus’ soul in particular . What I meant in previous post was: it IS essential to know how to become saved from hell and a child of God. Faith is of HEARING. What I wanted to say was :when a Christian is going to spread gospel in person, Satan is going to attack his patience.
Have you ever experienced devil’s patience? Patience of witnesses of Watch Tower, for instance? They lack everything: understanding, wisdom, truth, everything, but what they don’t lack is diligence and patience . Unfortunately, the newborn in Christ find excuses not to be as diligent and patient as servants of devilish Tower . That’s what plagues today’s Christian army, we don’t know the true value of one soul. It’s invaluable . Today’s ministry of the saved: “if you don’t accept the truth, I can’t talk to you, so go YOUR way, sinner (that is to hell) etc”. However, God wants us to be diligent and patient in doing His work. We don’t know who’s going to accept the free gift of salvation after our testimony. Who knows, maybe it’s going to be our persistent 7th ot 9th effort to win, for instance, our neighbour’s soul. Soul is worth those efforts.
Recently, I’ve talked to an ex-preacher (on a Russian forum). He was preaching 7 years at a Baptist church and now he says Holy Bible is just a Jewish book and also other blasphemous things about Jesus. People were listening to his sermons over 5 years and he denies Jesus, because someone hurt him at his church. Personally, I see no connection between good God (His Holy Word) and sinful people (their vain words). Now perilous times have come (2Tim3:1) and it takes time to tell who’s who at church. No wonder that we don’t know if Nicodemus got saved or not. Frankly , I’m not sure who’s saved and who’s not saved at my church. Everybody speaks handsome and does ugly . No wonder, neither hot nor cold, it’s era of lukewarm Christians.

Wow, that was sort of hard to read with all of those "smiley face" things in there!

You are absolutely correct in that statement. It seems that Christians today want to live as close to hell and perdition as they can without actually going there. A lot of folks these days speak of the age of grace and how they are covered by grace yet the Bible says that when covered by grace that grace will inspire us to live godly lives and not live as close to the ways of the heathen as we can.

It is a sad commentary on the state of a lot of today's Churches. Fortunately the independent, fundamental Baptists are one of the fastest, if not the fastest growing denomination in the world.

In Christ,
George

Sorry, I didn’t know emoticons were annoying. I saw Jim criticizing bold, italics, capitalization, bright colors, but he didn’t say anything about grimaces. Anyway, it’s my fault, I placed too many emoticons. Thanx 4 being frank. As for me, it’s hard to overemphasize role of gestures, eye contact, mimics in communication. Too bad, Internet cannot provide that emphasis and expression… Emoticons help... sometimes, sometimes not.

I’ll be frank with you as well, I am not optimistic about this world.
Brief reminder of what the world is:
2 John 5:19: And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
John 16:33: These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
1 John 2:15-16: Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For ALL that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
1 John 3:13: Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
John 16:11: Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
Romans 3:19: Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
The Bible says that the world is given its guilty verdict.

Bible says what God wants to see in His children (the saved): Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. (1Cor4:2). Faithful to whom: pastor, brethren, ministry, congregation? Faithful to God. First commandment which rules out idolatry. What I see at churches today in my country? I’ll tell you: admiring and worshipping ministries and ministers (pastors, missionaries etc).
To me they are nothing, but people. And people are infamous with iniquity. You’re absolutely right, churches are growing …and let me specify in what: definitely not in Spirit, but in finance. However, it doesn’t bother me, because God is a great auditor.
George, how long have you been saved? How long have you been attending your congregation?