Leaving.

[teylacarter91]

First, I can't answer for 1Tim115. Each of us has to react/respond as based on our own convictions. 1Tim's opinion may be much different from mine. Nor am I saying that if our views are different that I'm anymore right or wrong than he may be. We both may be right, we both may be wrong, or some combo in God's sight.

With your bolded comment above, may I ask a question? Who's guiding that decision not to visit a Baptist church? Is the Holy spirit guiding you or are you reacting with human emotions because you don't agree with another human's opinion(s)? You said you were looking forward to visiting your MIL's church. Now you're making an iron clad statement that you will NOT visit her church.

IMHO, there's a very large difference between visiting another church in our faith and becoming a member of that church. When you say that you won't set foot into a particular church, you are in essence saying that you reject what they believe. We're not talking about a Christian participating in worship services in one of the eastern religions. At this point in my life I have no intentions of participating in a Hindu, Buddist, or Muslin acts of worship, for example.

Within our reasonable driving area there are an untold number of Baptist churches. While I do not agree with some of their approaches to faith, I'm sure there are members of the body of Christ attending those. I can't find it within myself to condem them because they don't agree with me. Condem them to the point that I wouldn't set foot in their church at the invitation of a family member for a simple visit. I'm judging them, based on my own yardstick. I'm judging them, based on opinions I've formed from what I've heard about them. Rather than letting the Lord use me for His purposes. Accepting the invitation to visit, may be have within it the opportunity to help someone else or could be the Lord's way of leading me to a deeper understanding, myself.

One thing for sure is that I can testify that the invitation to visit a Baptist church has changed my life.

And, no, I don't agree with everything that happens at my church. At this stage I don't know how much of that is my own lack of maturity in my walk with the Lord. I've already learned, with the help of the Lord, some things I thought I believed were not TRUTH. That includes the application of "Judge Not least ye be judged also". Simply put, I'd forgotten the verses that follow that one. Maybe failed to study those following verses is a better way to word it.

As to the second quote above. 1Tim made a good point. Discussions, like the ones in question here, help IMHO, for each one of us to fine tune our own statements of faith. I know they do my own. When someone disagrees with me, it forces me to take a deeper and harder look at what I really do believe. (This is a matter of choice. Choose to focus on the subject, with the Holy Spirit's guidance or reject it simply because I don't agree.) Once I do that, it either strenghtens my own beliefs or forces me to reconsider if my own stubborn attitude is causing me to miss something the Holy Spirit is waiting to reveal when I'm ready to listen to Him.

I see that 2Tim215 has replied while I'm writing this post. IMHO, he's done a better job than I have in conveying his thoughts.

My mother in law has been very hostile toward me and my husband because I do use the NIV. I do reject her churches thinking of KJV only so since I reject one of their core beliefs, I doubt I will feel welcome. In Fact her pastor has also been hostile towards me.
I never even wanted to willingly visit her church, it took me a while to be willing to do so.

In closing....
My life, hope, faith is in God alone. Not in certain Bible translations.

[2Tim215]

I stand on what I wrote earlier. I also emphatically state that any believer that is "hostile" in their attitude regarding the Word of God is a believer to steer clear of. I was taught in a staunch IFB bible college that teaches KJV only that any person with an agenda that does not include the ENTIRE Word of God is a cultist and many IFB believers take a doctrine and turn it into a cult where the doctrine becomes more important than everything else in the bible. The bible is the WHOLE truth and there are many doctrines in the bible that make up the whole, not just one or two that appeal to a individuals personal tastes.

Regarding your MIL and her Pastor - you alone will stand before Christ one day and they will not be there holding your hand and you can not point a finger in accusation So stand fast to what you believe until God shows you otherwise, but be ready to humble yourself when He does and ignore the "I told you so's" that always come out of the mouths of proud baptists and until then remember Rom 12: 19-21

Rom 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Rom 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.
Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

Almost the same in either version

¹⁹ Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰ On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
²¹ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.