Introduction
This morning, I awakened at about 5 AM, roughly an hour or so early for me. I told Mrs. Appalachian Irishman, who was up already, as usual, that I was fine. I dreamed about Mom (Betty Lou Wood Ferrell, 11/24/1932–12/27/2000), other family members, and friends at the homeplace. I won't share the details; however, it was neither pleasant nor unpleasant. The dream had weird moments. I still wonder why I couldn't get the living room curtains (which were green, not antique white) to stay in place properly! (Antique white is the fancy word for white that has a sandy color.)
Also, this morning, “Microcrap” wanted me to reboot the computer to install an update. I gambled that it would work, and it did. Afterward, for some reason, I started checking through some old folders in File Explorer (the yellow folder) on the computer. I found a forgotten document in an old yellow folder.
The discovery of that forgotten document inspired this article. My God is bigger than that! Please continue reading to understand. This article is deep and theological, in contrast to my humorous article yesterday.
2012 Discussion
Just over ten years ago, in September 2012, I browsed upon a website, which is renamed but still active. The renamed website is Pre-Denominational Christianity. In 2012, it was named Preacher of Truth.
I had read “It Doesn’t Taste The Same: The Problem of Denominationalism,” by Jon Mitchell, Preacher of Truth, 8/30/2012. The content of the article had compelled my comment. The forgotten document, which I found in an old yellow folder on my computer, still contains my records. From those records, I found the above-referenced active website and the 8/30/2012 article. That article shows 22 comments. My comments are still included.
My first comment, a simple question, was on 9/11/2012, at 9:14 PM. I had asked:
Are all those who are in so-called denominations lost, bound for hell? Why or why not?
The author replied the next morning in nine paragraphs, which did not answer my question directly. I continued the discussion that evening (9/12/2012, 8:41 PM) by asking:
May I infer from your comments the answer of “Yes” to my initial question? May I further infer that the reason is due to not being saved, due to not perfectly, or accurately, interpreting and following scripture, and it alone?
Later that evening (9/12/2012, 9:23 PM), the author replied:
Yes to both questions, with the qualifier again being that this is what the Bible teaches.
The next day, 9/13/2012, at 6:37 PM, I continued by asking:
Are you, sir, then, saved, because you perfectly, or accurately, interpret and follow scripture?
I did not receive a reply; therefore, on 10/16/2012, at 7:52 PM, I indicated the lack of reply and asked the same question again:
Are you, sir, then, saved, because you perfectly, or accurately, interpret and follow scripture?
Apparently, I visited the author's website for a few days and found no reply to my 10/16/2012 question. I had moved on.
2022 Continuation
Early this morning, however—while checking through those old folders in File Explorer—I discovered the author's reply from 10/22/2012—six days after my 10/16/2012 question (the same as my 9/13/2012 question). His reply was:
Good question, M. Fearghail. No, I’m not saved because I perfectly interpret and follow scripture. The scriptures teach that we are to continually grow in knowledge (2 Pet. 1:5-8; 3:18), which implies that our knowledge of scripture is continually growing as well.
I’m saved because, due to God’s grace, he forgives me whenever I, in my efforts to study and obey his Word, come to realize that I have not properly interpreted and/or obeyed his Word, and repent.
It all comes down to God’s grace and our obedience, the latter of which cannot happen without proper interpretation.
Today, ten years later, with this article, I continue my discussion, which I started on 9/11/2012, with the author. Further, I will comment later today on the author's 8/30/2012 website article after I publish this piece. My comment on his article will include the link to this entry, with my invitation to him to respond by commenting on this article. I will not continue the conversation on his article after today—since his original article was on 8/30/2012 and this entry is today.
The author's 10/22/2012 reply represented circular reasoning. He began by stating, “I’m not saved because I perfectly interpret and follow scripture.” He concluded, however, by stating that “our obedience ... cannot happen without proper interpretation.” I wonder if “proper interpretation” meant the same as “perfectly interpret” in the author's mind on 10/22/2012. Merriam-Webster defines the adjective “proper” as “7a: strictly accurate: correct.” Further, that dictionary defines the adverb “perfectly” as “1: in a perfect manner. 2: to a complete or adequate extent.”
The author, on 10/22/2012, appeared to have affirmed that saving obedience (in faith) to Christ is based on the “proper” interpretation (and following) of scripture. His 9/12/2012, 9:23 PM, reply affirmed his stance that Christians in “denominations” are lost and bound for hell.
The author is welcome to read at least the following two articles (among others on the topic): WHY I LEFT (published 3-7-2009) and Bible and Faith Discussions: Christian Viewpoint (published 1-31-2021; updated 9-17-2022). Therein, he will find my published stance.
Conclusion
My still unfinished and unpublished book, “Light at the End of the Tunnel,” will include the following tribute to my mother:
In Memory of Betty Lou Wood Ferrell (11/24/1932–12/27/2000), the finest Christian I have ever known.
My mother was a Christian. She attended a Baptist church. Mom was saved by her genuine and active faith in Christ. Her faith was not perfectly accurate in certain points of doctrinal understanding (i.e., church organization, etc.). She told me that she was immersed to please God, as he requires.
Christ's church is composed of the saved. His church is one body. His church started in the first century AD. Several church groups started during the Protestant Reformation, including the Baptist Church. The Church of Christ was started by Alexander Campbell and others. Christ's Church—which includes members of the Church of Christ, the Baptist Church, and many others—is one body, composed of those who are saved by God's grace through their active and loving faith response. Their faith may be inaccurate on certain nonessential doctrinal points. Their active and loving faith saves them—not their “proper interpretation” of scripture (on nonessential points).
I can unpack and expand in detail everything that I have stated above. I await the comment here by the author of his 8/30/2012 article.
My God is bigger than that!
Updated 10/26/2022
As of today, Wednesday, 10/26/2022, 14 days have passed, since I published this 10/12/2022 article. Website analytics verifies that this article has views in the three-digit range. It is nearing and may soon overtake my 20th most viewed article. The view total increases daily. My analytics do not identify viewers—only view counts. (My website has always secured viewer privacy.)
The author of the 8/30/2012 article receives email notices of comments on his articles. He reviews them to approve or reject them. He posts the comments that he approves. I have the same option to screen comments. I used to do so. Now, I delete spam comments after they post.
As of this update, the author has not chosen to publish my 10/12/2022 comment on his 8/30/2012 article—to continue our discussion from ten years ago. I will cite here, therefore, my 10/12/2022 comment to his 8/30/2012 article:
Today, 10/12/2022, I happened to notice that I had not seen your 10/22/2012 reply to my 10/16/2012 inquiry. Thank you for your reply. I apologize that I saw it almost ten years later. My 10/12/2022 article at https://www.appalachianirishman.com/2022/10/denominationalism-2012-discussion.html is my response (almost ten years late). I invite you to reply, if interested, in my website comments. I will not continue our conversation here.
The author is still invited to publish my above, 10/12/2022, comment to his 8/30/2012 article and to comment on this article. Further, he is welcome to use my “Contact Form” to email me directly.
The author—similar to Baal, for whom his prophets called—may be “... deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened” (1 Kings 18:27, NIV).
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