Category Archives: Fork in the Road

The Fork in the Road: On Building Fences (with an extra random thought or two)

I stumbled across a very intriguing website — the Pleasant Valley Church of Christ site. Now, I’m sure I’m not the first to made this association, but we have to get this out of the way before we can go … Continue reading

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The Fork in the Road: The Path to Safety

A reader asked, It would seem to me that we should try to worship, etc. as closely as possible to the way they did in the NT. We would know that that was right. Why take a chance on something … Continue reading

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The Fork in the Road: Definitions: “Faith,” Part 2

In the last post of this series, I pointed out how the conservative Church of Christ preachers often treat “faith” as including a comprehensive doctrinal system, rather than simply faith in Jesus. Wayne Jackson, in the Christian Courier, gave a … Continue reading

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The Fork in the Road: Definitions: “Faith,” Part 1

One of the most important differences between conservative and progressive Church of Christ theology is our different use of some key words. For example, to a progressive, New Testament references to “faith” are references to faith in Jesus. To a … Continue reading

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The Fork in the Road: “Will Worship”

When we in the Churches of Christ disagree over how to conduct the Sunday assembly, at some point someone will inevitably accuse the other side of “will worship.” And will-worship is sin. The assumption is that “will worship” means worshiping … Continue reading

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The Fork in the Road: Moral vs. Positive Law: Created to be Like God

Argument 4 (Eph 4:22-24) You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; … Continue reading

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The Fork in the Road: Moral vs. Positive Law: Worship in Spirit and in Truth

Quite a while ago, I wrote some posts that were a pretend debate between two friends over lunch regarding instrumental music. The friends are IM and AC. Here’s an excerpt — _______ IM: In the story of Jesus and the … Continue reading

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The Fork in the Road: Moral vs. Positive Law: It’s Not a Positive Law Unless It’s a Law

Words to live by: It’s a not a positive law unless it’s a law. I won’t live long enough to refute every claimed positive law among the Churches of Christ. I could spend the next few weeks just making a … Continue reading

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The Fork in the Road: The Four Streams

In an earlier post, I quoted some excerpts from a recent article in the Tennessean newspaper about the rise of the progressive Churches of Christ. The article quoted one source as saying the progressive Churches are creating a “a fourth … Continue reading

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The Fork in the Road: Moral vs. Positive Law: Baptized into Christ

Argument 3. It would be a mistake, of course, to discuss morality without discussing Christology. We are baptized “into” Christ. We become a part of his body on earth. We are transformed by the Spirit into his likeness. Therefore, acting/becoming … Continue reading

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