quote:It causes one to wonder... if you can gain greater rewards in heaven by doing extra works while on earth, then heaven cant be COMPLETELY "heavenly" for those who havent gone that extra mile while in the physical. ...
I've also wondered about this as well. But assuming the millenial kingdom and paradise thereafter will be perfect justice and peace, I don't see how any of that will matter much. I would think all of us would be satisfied just to be there.
Another huge TWI belief that I now think is error, has been tithing for prosperity.
According to Victor Paul Wierwille in his book "Christians Should Be Prosperous", Christian believers are limiting God's prosperity when we fail to tithe. When Christians fail to tithe, according to Wierwille, they become "afflicted, oppressed, diseased and defeated." When we tithe, we "open the way for God's financial and material prosperity to flow to us."
Tithing as defined by Wierwille is:
"God's Basic Law of Prosperity"
"God's Law of Supply"
"The Law of Systematic Giving"
"God's Absolute Minimum Law of Financial Liberty, Prosperity and Abundance"
"Our Minimum Financial Insurance, Health and Accident Insurance"
Another key TWI belief is remission and forgiveness of sins.
Remission of sins (whereby one gets a "totally clean slate") is reserved for unsaved sinners. When the unsaved sinner receives Christ (Romans 10:9), they receive remission of sins. A totally clean slate.
Forgiveness of sins is for the saved sinner. When the saved sinner sins, they break fellowship with God, and in order for that fellowship to be restored, the saved sinner must confess the sin to God. At that point, the saved sinner once again is in fellowship with God because of God's promise of forgiveness. Here's how Wierwille writes it, his comments of I John in brackets:
quote:I John 1:3-2:2:
... and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. [Fullness of joy in a Christian's life depends upon keeping the fellowship with God unimpaired.]
This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness [out of fellowship is walking in darkness], we lie, and do not the truth:
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another [because we as believers are in Christ], and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin [wherever we are out of fellowship].
If we say that we have no sin [no broken fellowship], we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us [in our minds].
If we confess our sins [broken fellowship], he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins [broken fellowship], and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [every sin is unrighteous].
If we say that we have not sinned [broken fellowship], we make him a liar, and his word is not in us [in our minds].
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not [it is God's will that we do not get out of fellowship]. And if any man sin [breaks the fellowship], we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
And he is the propitiation for our sins [broken fellowship]: and not for ours only, but also for the sins [broken fellowship] of the whole world.
"Fellowship is the Secret"
Victor Paul Wierwille
The New Dynamic Church
pp. 78-79
It should also be noted that the above belief necessitaties the additional belief that there are no "degrees" of sin when it comes to confession and getting back in fellowship with God. Whether it's murder, adultery, stealing, lying, or another sin, the promise of forgiveness is there when one confesses the sin.
Another key belief not yet mentioned is that of salvation by grace.
being converted=saved=born again
Once you're born again, or saved, or converted (via Romans 10:9) you are heaven bound and no power from hell can stop you from going. You have eternal life and will be in God's kingdom with Jesus Christ forever.
Agreed. The teaching here is that when a person becomes a Christian, he is born of God's seed. One cannot become "un-born again." Once you're saved, you cannot lose your salvation, no matter how egregious a sinner you become afterwards. You cannot do anything to remove the seed of your earthly father, so you cannot do anything to remove the seed of your Heavenly Father.
A separate matter: I feel a need to expand on what I wrote earlier.
quote:5. All believers can and should speak in tongues, interpret and prophesy.
Like Jehovah's Witnesses, TWI taught that the holy spirit is not a person, but a power. Jehovah's Witnesses call it "God's active force." TWI called it "power from on high." TWI taught that this holy spirit is the incorruptible seed and a token of our inheritance. The "nine gifts" of the spirit recorded in I Corinthians are not gifts, but nine manifestations of one gift. That is why anyone who has the spirit has the power to "operate" all nine manifestations. All believers have the gift of holy spirit.
Someone already pointed out tithing. I can't believe I left that out, but yes, the importance of tithing is a key belief.
I also agree with Oldiesman in placing the remission and forgiveness of sins as a key belief.
A final point that I do not see mentioned elsewhere: It is a key belief of TWI that water baptism is not necessary. Ephesians teaches there is one baptism, and that is the baptism of the holy spirit. TWI, to the best of my knowledge, does not perform water baptisms.
As a TC they told us in the early 80's that if someone really wanted it done they'd accomodate them, but I never heard of anyone who actually did it. Besides, sooner or later they would hear Tom Burke's song making fun of water baptism. I dunno.
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oldiesman
Refiner
I've also wondered about this as well. But assuming the millenial kingdom and paradise thereafter will be perfect justice and peace, I don't see how any of that will matter much. I would think all of us would be satisfied just to be there.Link to comment
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oldiesman
Refiner,
Another huge TWI belief that I now think is error, has been tithing for prosperity.
According to Victor Paul Wierwille in his book "Christians Should Be Prosperous", Christian believers are limiting God's prosperity when we fail to tithe. When Christians fail to tithe, according to Wierwille, they become "afflicted, oppressed, diseased and defeated." When we tithe, we "open the way for God's financial and material prosperity to flow to us."
Tithing as defined by Wierwille is:
"God's Basic Law of Prosperity"
"God's Law of Supply"
"The Law of Systematic Giving"
"God's Absolute Minimum Law of Financial Liberty, Prosperity and Abundance"
"Our Minimum Financial Insurance, Health and Accident Insurance"
"The Proportionate Giving Principle"
"The Law of the Renewed Mind Financially"
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WordWolf
Just as a footnote to that,
lcm's famous saying about the tithe ("tenth") is that 10 percent is the
bare minimum, and without it,
"GOD WON'T EVEN SPIT IN YOUR DIRECTION."
I was already out when he started that, so I never got to ask if this was
supposed to be some sort of goal-God spitting in our direction.
I STILL think it's a good question.
But now it's all sweetness and light at twi.
If you believe that, meet me in Manhattan.
I have this lovely bridge to sell you that leads from it to Brooklyn.
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Raf
Actually, my lycanthropic friend, you were still in at the time. As was I. It was on an older tape (pre-1989).
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oldiesman
Refiner,
Another key TWI belief is remission and forgiveness of sins.
Remission of sins (whereby one gets a "totally clean slate") is reserved for unsaved sinners. When the unsaved sinner receives Christ (Romans 10:9), they receive remission of sins. A totally clean slate.
Forgiveness of sins is for the saved sinner. When the saved sinner sins, they break fellowship with God, and in order for that fellowship to be restored, the saved sinner must confess the sin to God. At that point, the saved sinner once again is in fellowship with God because of God's promise of forgiveness. Here's how Wierwille writes it, his comments of I John in brackets:
"Fellowship is the Secret"Victor Paul Wierwille
The New Dynamic Church
pp. 78-79
It should also be noted that the above belief necessitaties the additional belief that there are no "degrees" of sin when it comes to confession and getting back in fellowship with God. Whether it's murder, adultery, stealing, lying, or another sin, the promise of forgiveness is there when one confesses the sin.
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Raf
Agreed. The teaching here is that when a person becomes a Christian, he is born of God's seed. One cannot become "un-born again." Once you're saved, you cannot lose your salvation, no matter how egregious a sinner you become afterwards. You cannot do anything to remove the seed of your earthly father, so you cannot do anything to remove the seed of your Heavenly Father.
A separate matter: I feel a need to expand on what I wrote earlier.
Like Jehovah's Witnesses, TWI taught that the holy spirit is not a person, but a power. Jehovah's Witnesses call it "God's active force." TWI called it "power from on high." TWI taught that this holy spirit is the incorruptible seed and a token of our inheritance. The "nine gifts" of the spirit recorded in I Corinthians are not gifts, but nine manifestations of one gift. That is why anyone who has the spirit has the power to "operate" all nine manifestations. All believers have the gift of holy spirit.
Someone already pointed out tithing. I can't believe I left that out, but yes, the importance of tithing is a key belief.
I also agree with Oldiesman in placing the remission and forgiveness of sins as a key belief.
A final point that I do not see mentioned elsewhere: It is a key belief of TWI that water baptism is not necessary. Ephesians teaches there is one baptism, and that is the baptism of the holy spirit. TWI, to the best of my knowledge, does not perform water baptisms.
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johniam
As a TC they told us in the early 80's that if someone really wanted it done they'd accomodate them, but I never heard of anyone who actually did it. Besides, sooner or later they would hear Tom Burke's song making fun of water baptism. I dunno.
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