Millions of these EO Christians have given their life for Christ- most of the martyrs we hear of in other parts of the world, are from the 'backslidden' (as you assume) Christianity- having their heads cut off when given the choice to deny Christ and live- or die- I have known some very devout Christians that were baptized as infants and serve the Lord now-ken_sylvania wrote:Away out of simple Biblical obedience.Valerie wrote:I guess it is because all schismatic groups were started by 'someone' who started them with their own teachings- which you cannot find with EO- there is no one person that led this entire group away out of- 'well out of where?lesterb wrote: That's true. But what bother us me is your constant references to the EO as being the only church that is not a schismatic group, and holding the original teaching of the apostles. That is so obviously not true that I think you would be doing yourself a favor by not continuing to repeat it.
The effect is the same, whether the group drifted away under the leadership of one person or a group of people.
Your suggestion that every group other than EO was each started by a single person is historically inaccurate.
You can assume that the entire Church fell away and all over the world these Believers are self deceived or not, I have a feeling many will be surprised on the other side- but it is for God to judge- they do also baptize adult converts, (out of simple obedience) but the claim is the Apostles taught to baptize infants- (even whole households) those who said this are either liars or telling the truth- I am not going to assume they are liars. Almost all my life I believed in Believers baptism as well, for same reasons- but I believe Jesus and how He said suffer not the chidren to come unto me, for such is the Kingdom of Heaven- and they are welcome to be in His family, baptized, anointed, and raised in the fear and nurture of the Lord by their parents- some will leave the faith, some will stay- we are not forced to stay but I will not judge the whole world of Christians who believe this was taught by the Apostles, and why- and to them, they are being just as faithful to the Holy Spirit's guidance, as those who believe differently- I think the Church will truly be reformed when the pride of assuming we are right about everything and others are deceived, leaves- we are praying our way through this- not set in our own past teachers influence, seeking to understand- but I at this point don't see a reformation happening on this side- because some follow this person's beliefs, some that- and all seem thoroughly convinced-