Articles Of War [Archive] - Christian Forums

MarkEvan

29th September 2006, 10:28 AM

Andy Broadley

30th September 2006, 02:11 PM

Hi everyone, I hope I am not overstepping the boundaries by posting a question here, but I would like to ask, do you all still believe in the Articles of War, every last one, and have they changed at all since they were first penned. I ask this because I have read a bit about William Booth and personally I think he was one of the few real men of God that this country has had, so I would like to ask do you still hold to William booths teachings?

Answers in order....

Yes, don't know (but I bet ITF does), and Yes.

First of all mark, welcome to Cyber Corps. great to have you with us. And you are by no means overstepping the mark (no pun intended) with your question.

Personally speaking, yes, I do agree with the articles of war. I happen to think that a few changes could be made, but that we would cause more problems than we solve by changing them.

I genuinely have no idea if they have changed since they were first penned, but I suspect that they may wellhave been, if only in language used.

I certainly do hold to General Booths teachings, and the Army would benefit greatly if we got stuck closer to them than we do.

Some broad generalisations in that reply, I agree, but in essence thats my thoughts

catlover

30th September 2006, 04:05 PM

What, exactly, are "The Articles of War"?

Andy Broadley

1st October 2006, 02:11 AM

What, exactly, are "The Articles of War"?

HAVING accepted Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord, and desiring to fulfil my membership of His Church on earth as a soldier of The Salvation Army, I now by God’s grace enter into a sacred covenant.

I believe and will live by the truths of the word of God expressed in The Salvation Army’s eleven articles of faith:

We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God: and that they only constitute the Divine rule of Christian faith and practice.

We believe that there is only one God, who is infinitely perfect, the Creator. Preserver, and Governor of all things, and who is the only proper object of religious worship.

We believe that there are three persons in the Godhead—the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost—undivided in essence and coequal in power and glory.

We believe that in the person of Jesus Christ the Divine and human natures are united, so that He is truly and properly God and truly and properly man.

We believe that our first parents were created in a state of innocency. but by their disobedience they lost their purity and happiness; and that in consequence of their fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved. and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God.

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ has, by His suffering and death, made an atonement for the whole world so that whosoever will may be saved.

We believe that repentance towards God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and regeneration by the Holy Spirit are necessary to salvation.

We believe that we are justified by grace, through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; and that he that believeth hath the witness in himself.

We believe that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ.

We believe that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked.
THEREFORE

I will be responsive to the Holy Spirit’s work and obedient to His leading in my life, growing in grace through worship, prayer, service and the reading of the Bible.

I will make the values of the Kingdom of God and not the values of the world the standard for my life.

I will uphold Christian integrity in every area of my life, allowing nothing in thought. word or deed that is unworthy, unclean, untrue, profane, dishonest or immoral.

I will maintain Christian ideals in all my relationships with others: my family and neighbours, my colleagues and fellow Salvationists, those to whom and for whom I am responsible, and the wider community.

I will uphold the sanctity of marriage and of family life.

I will be a faithful steward of my time and gifts, my money and possessions, my body, my mind and my spirit, knowing that I am accountable to God.

I will abstain from alcoholic drink. tobacco, the non-medical use of addictive drugs. gambling, pornography, the occult, and all else that could enslave the body or spirit.

I will be faithful to the purposes for which God raised up The Salvation Army, sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, endeavouring to win others to Him, and in His name caring for the needy and the disadvantaged.

I will be actively involved, as l am able, in the life, work, worship and witness of the corps, giving as large a proportion of my income as possible to support its ministries and the worldwide work of the Army.

I will be true to the principles and practices of The Salvation Army, loyal to its leaders, and I will show the spirit of Salvationism whether in times of popularity or persecution.

I now call upon all present to witness that I enter into this covenant and sign these articles of war of my own free will, convinced that the love of Christ, who died and now lives to save me, requires from me this devotion of my life to His service for the salvation of the whole world; and therefore do here declare my full determination, by God’s help, to be a true soldier of The Salvation Army.

MarkEvan

2nd October 2006, 09:50 AM

Hi Andy, I was wondering what you and others think of the second to last article, the one about entire sanctification, personally I believe that it is available for believers, would the salvation army still hold to that teaching? And what is meant by entire sanctification? Perhapse the latter should have been the first question.

Thanx

Mark :)

JoshuaCh1v9

2nd October 2006, 12:50 PM

Hi mark.

Seems to be another way of saying what Jesus said in John 3:16

I'd certainly hold to it, as i'm sure the Army does.

So, it seems we agree.

Timyone

3rd October 2006, 11:09 PM

ive been checking them out, and i agree pretty close to all of them.
im not total arminian though.

JoshuaCh1v9

4th October 2006, 07:50 AM

ive been checking them out, and i agree pretty close to all of them.
im not total arminian though.

Neither am I, I'm English.

Don't even know where Arminia is.....:holy:

MarkEvan

6th October 2006, 10:34 AM

Ok thanx for all the info, as I said I was just wondering whether the salvation army still held to William Booths teaching. What started it all off was, a freind at the church i go to bought a book that I think was written by William Booth about his basic teaching and we all thought it was spot on, and I wondered do you still agree with that teaching, hence the question.
As I said thanx for the info.

Mark :wave:

Don't even know where Arminia is.....:holy:

You know though, I bet there is a country somewhere called Armenia or something similar.

Captivated

11th October 2006, 04:26 AM

Armenia is indeed a country, in Eurasia.Arminia appears to be a German football team.

You can tell I've got nothing better to do this morning, can't you!

JoshuaCh1v9

11th October 2006, 04:32 AM

Lol. Knoew someone would find out.

sreno7

14th October 2006, 10:15 AM

Doesn't the last line say I will true to the Salvation Army until I die?

JoshuaCh1v9

14th October 2006, 10:24 AM

Doesn't the last line say I will true to the Salvation Army until I die?

I'm not sure, but if it doesn't, it should;)

sreno7

14th October 2006, 04:36 PM

and that is why I never became a soldier.

JoshuaCh1v9

15th October 2006, 02:10 AM

Indeed. The Lord requires a high level of committment from those who wish to serve in His Army.

TheDag

15th October 2006, 05:41 AM

Doesn't the last line say I will true to the Salvation Army until I die?

In the copy I've seen the phrase can be interpreted two ways. I interpret it the same way as you in that you must go to a salvo church. That is something I would never agree to. However my wife sees it as saying if possible you will go to a salvo church. My corps leader thinks the same way as my wife on that issue. I agree that it shouldn't say it. You should be free to go to any church God leads you to but if you've made a promise like the soldiers covenant then you can't. At least I take promise making very seriously and I won't make a promise if there are any factors beyond my control that could affect my ability to keep the promise.

sreno7

15th October 2006, 11:05 AM

Exactly. The time I was considering it I was much younger and didn't know where life would take me. Most Corps were full of elderly ladies singing out of the red song book. Not like my local corps but who knew if I would stay in that town.

Gwen'sMom

16th October 2006, 09:32 AM

Are there times when a soldier can be less enthusiastic about the whole soldiership thing? Like can you feel hot and cold? Sometimes really loving being a soldier and sometimes you don't feel like going to worship on Sunday? Or should you feel excited about being a soldier all the time? It may sound funny, sorry.

sreno7

16th October 2006, 12:29 PM

I would imagine it is like the christian life in general. You can't go by feelings. Sometimes you feel God's presence and you want to be in chuch all the time and it is great and sometimes you want to stay in bed on a rainy Sunday morning and it is hard. Those are the times you have to struggle through. If you read Psalms sometimes David felt God's presence and sometimes he felt like God had abandoned him.

Gwen'sMom

16th October 2006, 01:27 PM

Thanks sreno7! I sometimes become afraid that being a Christian and one day a Soldier is just a passing fancy. I have had other hobbies and interests that have been forgotten. I certainly know that my new lifestyle is MUCH MUCH more than a hobby but I still get scared sometimes. But at least I know it's normal to want to sleep in on some Sunday mornings!! I just know that I want to be close to Jesus and have him as a close friend.

sreno7

16th October 2006, 03:00 PM

I have been "sleeping in" for a while now but I have been ill too. Perhaps if you have someone you are supposed to meet at church or you have lunch plans after it will help you get there.

JoshuaCh1v9

17th October 2006, 02:36 AM

Either that or fins a Corps that has an afternoon/evening meeting. Thats what I had to do. My work patterns mean that getting to a 10am meeting is only possible about 7 Sundays out of 16. By moving to a Corps with an afternoon meeting I can get there somehting like 10 in 16.

JoshuaCh1v9

17th October 2006, 02:37 AM

I also heard it said that it's when you least WANT to go, that you most NEED to go

sreno7

17th October 2006, 05:24 PM

I have heard the same thing. In my community there is only one corps.

JoshuaCh1v9

17th October 2006, 07:10 PM

I have heard the same thing. In my community there is only one corps.

I was quite fortunate in that area.

There are two corps about the same distance from me (8 miles), so I was able to go to the one with an afternoon meeting.

TheDag

18th October 2006, 01:04 AM

I also heard it said that it's when you least WANT to go, that you most NEED to go
I said that to someone once and got hit for my troubles! I didn't tend to use tact in those days.

JoshuaCh1v9

18th October 2006, 05:58 AM

I said that to someone once and got hit for my troubles! I didn't tend to use tact in those days.

Ah well....Jesus did warn us that it wasn't going to be easy:)

Gwen'sMom

18th October 2006, 09:15 AM

JoshuaCh1v9

18th October 2006, 10:16 AM

We actually do have an evening service but I have not gone to it yet. Seems we are always in the middle of dinner at that time. But I alway find that my day is so enjoyable after church. I just feel so happy and empowered. It's just having to get out of a nice warm bed that is hard!!

The best Sundays are when I can go to both.

But it's nice to have the option of either meeting if work interferes with part of the day