[Mel]

Hello,
I would like to introduce myself in the hopes that it may help in any discussions I may have with any of you in the future.

• Where did you grow up? I was born and raised in the Seattle WA. area and have lived here all my life.
  We have been considering relocating lately.
  
  
• How did you come to be interested in spiritual things? I have to credit my parents for my interest in spiritual things. They never missed a chance to take us to church and teach us at home. They also tried to walk out what they thought to be the truth.
  
  
• Do you have any affiliation to a particular church, person, document, etc.? I attended pentecostal type churches for the first 46 years of my life. About 1 1/2 years ago I was shown truths in the Bible that I had not been taught and that I had failed to discover for myself. Since then I have been meeting with brethren in the Church of Christ.
  
  
• What spiritual topics are the current focus of your thoughts and studies? Because my wife and I have had to unlearn so much of what we thought to be truth and learn what is truth, I am interested in many topics. The ones I would put at the top of the list are... What is the church's work? Attendance? Instrumental music? as well as a host of others. We have studied many of these already but one can never study too much.
  
  
• For what are you looking on the forums? Why are you here? Another avenue of study.
  
  
• Do you have personal goals you wish to accomplish on the forums? Do you have any topics that you consider important, which you wish to discuss with others? I would simply like to discover all the truth I can find and possibly share some as well.
  
  
• Just as a note of interest, you all may find it interesting to find out that my wife and I have 10 children. We studied birth control for quite some time and decided that God should be in control of how many children He chose to give us. There are several passages that speak of God opening and closing the womb.That, by the way is an interesting subject should anyone wish to delve into it. I'm not saying that I know all the answers but I do know that many forms of accepted birth control are really an abortion.That may be a wake up call for some.

I look forward to listening and gleaning truth from what others have to say and possibly getting a chance to share some truth.I already recognize one person on here who was instrumental in connecting me with a like minded fellow who showed me "a more excellent way". You know who you are and I would like to once again say THANKS!
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Because of his love,

Mel

[Mel]

6/24/07 I would like to update my profile a bit. After studying my way out of denominationalism into the"Church of Christ", I have studied my way back out of the "Chuch of Christ".
Here is why. On the cross Jesus said "It is finished" There is absolutely nothing that we as people can do to add to the finished work of Jesus Christ. The "Church of Christ" teaches among other things that one must be baptized in order to be saved. This is adding to the finished work of Christ. I am no longer a member of the "Church of Christ" I am a child of God but only by faith. Faith is all that is required. My works perfect my faith. My works (including baptism) are a result of my faith. One can not say that you are saved by faith and then add that you must be baptised also. If this is the case one is saved by faith and works. Although the people that taught me are good people, they are very decieved. I hope to make the time to post some thoughts in the near future.
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Because of his love,

Mel

[m273p15c]

Since this is the "Introduction" category, may I simply say that I appreciate your update and compassion; however, I disagree with your conclusion.

Could you be inserting too much meaning into Christ's phrase, "It is finished"? According to the context what is "it"? Please have a look at the following post:

http://forums.insearchoftruth.org/viewtopic.php?p=1937#1937

If you would like to respond, please do so there, or start a new thread. But, I'd rather not deviate from the purpose of this category any further.

This is a forum devoted to truthseekers, so I pray we will have further opportunity to discuss God's truth on this matter as revealed in His Word.
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May God help us to love truth sincerely and supremely (II Thessalonians 2:11-12)