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William said:
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When you say "Church" that carries so much baggage.
One must determine what the core beliefs are to be considered a true believer. This gets so subjective though.

Joe K
I know you meant the visible church but wouldn’t you say the church universal or the true believers can tell who an apostate is no matter what the definition. I mean doesn’t belief in the true (all things pertaining) gospel and a living faith determine a believer from an apostate or is this to simple and I’m missing something? I’ll take my answer over the air, thank you.


Kindly, William <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/scratch1.gif" alt="" />

This perhaps could be under the classification of Justification before men. The hard part is exactly like Christ spoke about in the wheat/tares. Both look alike. Act alike. Of course it is easy to determine blatant apostacy vs heresey. I am just not wired to spend time being a heretic hunter. There is a time and place for that, but when it becomes ones main focus in their faith, then there is a serious problem.

What is primary and What is secondary? The list is so subjective. Is Eschatology a Gospel issue? My personal list is very small.

Apostles creed sums it up well.

I do not consider independant churches Apostate.

So to answer your quesation, if you equate apostacy as blatant heretical beliefs, then yes, it is easy to tell, but to spot a tare? THat could be impossible

There never was a sinner half as big as Christ is as a Savior.