I've been reading along now, and I think I see the issue here; Tom gave me a jump start..
From what I have seen there are essentially TWO (2) issue we have been dealing with: no one is sure what the answer is to
1) What is essential, and why? and 2) Why is/isn't love included in essentials?
And the thread was hijacked by Question 2, while in the process of explaining question one. So, let me see if I can help.
1) I actually think Pilgrim answered this question, but it wasn’t completely understood by everyone: you see, the point here is that when any doctrine that has been clearly agreed upon through history is rejected by our modern counterparts, we should be on the lookout. Not because it necessarily means they are heretics promoting a false God, but rather because often these “doctrinal differences” are indicative of a far deeper and much more serious doctrinal error. Ordaining women Pastors (which is clearly, and utterly forbidden, and should be as clear as day to anyone with eyes) can be evidences of apostasy or false Churches, simply because they are either
1) dismissive the Word (not believing it’s inspiration, and therefore its authority) or 2) rejecting the Word, because “the times have changed.” Either way there tends to be a deeper problem at the heart of the matter that would cause us to examine whether they are truly in the faith.
Therefore, it is safe for us to really be a bit narrower in our understanding of what is “essential,” mostly because most doctrinal difference have, at their root, something more serious. Also, we want to be careful that “what is essential” is actually something that would SEPARATE us from the other Christians around us. I don’t mean that in the 1 Cor 3 way, that most espouse to Biblical separation; but rather that, as was said, must separate us from Pelagianism, Anti-Pelagianism, Arminianism, and the like bunch of damnable heresies. Pilgrim, you let me know immediately if I have misrepresented your apologetic on the matter in any way. This is meant to try and simply what was said.
2) The matter of “love as an essential.” I first want to point out that when you read the texts of “love” it is almost always attached to the idea of “truth,” or some sort of “obedience.”
John 5:42-45 reads this, but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves. 43 "I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another shall come in his own name, you will receive him. 44 "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?
It should be easy to ascertain that the meaning behind “loving God” was “seeking the glory that is from the one and only God.” So, how would we do this? Let me continue before I hit you with the big question… (maybe you’ll beat me to it). Here’s some more text…
5 And now I ask you, lady, not as writing to you a new commandment, but the one which we have had from the beginning, that we love one another. 6 And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should walk in it. [2 John 1:5-6]
Here’s my point: no one disagree about love; the Scripture clearly teaches it.. the question however is (the big question!) how are YOU defining love? When you think of love are you running to 1 Cor 13 and placing all of that in? Ah, this is a picture of how love walks, but not a definition of what love is.
I want to ask another question… were the qualifications for God’s servants any different than us? Were they not required to walk in the same manner? I would think so, since God never changed, but rather gave us Christ to help us do what we could not do. So, the Old Testament picture of God and His prophets (who were given the Decalogue, upon which Christ said was summed up by loving God and loving others), was a picture of true love.
Let me tell you what IS essential: a right knowledge of God (Phil 1:9). THIS is the critical difference between a believer and the reprobate; THIS is the thing God gives His children specifically. This will do for now. I welcome a response if I have misrepresented anyone; or anyone finds a cause of error in my words. May God bless you as you walk with Him.
---------------------------------------------------------- "Exegesis": n. pl. critical explanation or interpretation of a text or portion of a text, especially of the Bible. "Critical": adj. involving skillful judgment as to truth, merit, etc.
I hope that I have completed the above definition by God's power, and gifting.
