[ndigila]

Originally Posted by grip_daddy

I have found many (bible alone mentally minded people) claiming to follow biblical doctrines but cannot provide satisfactory answers as to why they cling to such doctrines even from the bible itself.

For example, debating with someone about rapture; when the quoted texts have been shown to mean something else, or could have a different meaning scholarstically, they cling to the Holy Spirit and such like excuses. Personally if it is scriptures alone, I stick to that and explain my stand rationally and consistently by valid inferences as I did on the seal of God post.

I agree. I went through a similar encounter when debating with someone about tongues, prophecy and the whole charismatic movement in general. And nobody was willing to accept the possibility of the other side being right, in fact, a better biblical argument against tongues exists rather than for it, yet people aren't willing to admit the possibility that they could be wrong.

However, if you actually run into someone who could actually biblically back up their beliefs, then you more often than not run into stalemates. Especially the Calvinist vs Arminian (Predestination vs Free will) debates. Also the Pre-trib vs mid-trib vs post-trib debates. Here's a good place to find discussions from people who are very educated about their faith.

Originally Posted by grip_daddy

On this concluded argument, I would also say that it was the traditions of the apostles to meet on the Sabbath day according to the commandment, and because no one can prove that they profaned the Sabbath, through scriptures, history, or otherwise, I can also say that the Sabbath was important to them.

Perhaps it would help understand where I'm coming from. When I came to college, I met this one Orthodox Christian who stands outside this one building and engages students in public debates every Monday-Friday during the semester. One day, he offered a challenge to Protestants to defend their beliefs, about sola scriptura faith alone, and he also offered the challenge to show where the Orthodox church went wrong. I had little knowledge of Orthodoxy at that time, and having grown up near the Coptic Orthodox church on Ngong' road, I simply assumed they were "Catholics gone wild" but anyway, having done some research (which took about a year), I was unable to show a significant difference in the Orthodox tradition that could be labeled as a "falling away from the faith". The Reformation was infact a response to the additions to the faith that the Catholics made. I read this one source that said if Martin Luther looked east to the Orthodox Church, there may have never been a reformation. This is why I trust the doctrine of the Orthodox church, because they have historical evidence to back up their claims.

Originally Posted by grip_daddy

PS. I believe in the new earth's Sabbath from Isaiah, not Revelation.

Doesn't matter, it could just as well be symbolic too.