General Q and A

[David Timm]

I'm starting this thread because I feel it would be interesting for the members of this forum to learn more about one another.

I'm curious how long you've believed in infinite grace? In past fulfillment? How do people such as your spouse, bf/gf, parents, children, or friends feel about your beliefs?

David

[Amie]

I'm curious how long you've believed in infinite grace? In past fulfillment?

I grew up hearing that the kingdom had come, though I do not think that I had the fulfilled view until I understood realized redemption. I would say that I had reached the end of that journey (because it was a journey back to it imo) somewhere at the end of '02 or in the beginning of '03.


How do people such as your spouse, bf/gf, parents, children, or friends feel about your beliefs?

My hubby has never been big into bible study. I hear that's a common theme - one spouse's nose in the book, the other not so much or not at all. He has always believed that God's love is inclusive, for as long as I've known him. He didn't feel the need to study the bible to back it up. So I would say that he's relieved that I'm with him now, not just somewhere deep down (I always knew it there - think about it, how many Christians would condemn someone in the analogy about the person in the jungle never having heard of Jesus), but in awareness, know what I mean? I'm not nagging him about keeping laws anymore either, lol!

My children are happy with the view, and deal well with people who disagree (so far).

I'm not in touch with my family really. Sometimes I talk to my sister and brother.

My sister agrees with the concept, but has suffered many bible beatings that cause her to condemn herself still. It's like she feels that way about everyone but her.

My brother disagrees passionately and deals with me by ignoring it, lol. I guess you could say that I'm still an annoying little sister, because I like to try and get a rise out of him, hahaha. I know that he knows deep down.. I can SEE it.

Other family members vary, but mostly they just see it the same as they would another denomination's views. So do my friends and acquaintances. In my experience some will disagree and some will agree.

What about you David? What is your answer to those questions? :)

Amie

[Lauri]

David,
You asked
I'm curious how long you've believed in infinite grace? In past fulfillment?

I've believed in past fullfillment for about 10 years and infinite grace about 4 years.


How do people such as your spouse, bf/gf, parents, children, or friends feel about your beliefs?


Well thankfully my husband and I went on this journey together so we've always had each other for support. We lost some really good friends that we were helping to plant a church with and were asked to leave that church because of our beliefs. We now attend a small group from another church and as of yet have not shared our beliefs with them and are content just to fellowship with them. Our daughter is in her third year at a Christian college and forming her own beliefs which differ from ours now but are similar to the beliefs we raised her to have. Even though she doesn't agree with our beliefs, she just told me last time she was home that she doesn't think any less of us and I really appriciate that. The rest of my family does not have real strong religious beliefs one way or the other so it was never a big deal.

Lauri

[David Timm]

What about you David? What is your answer to those questions?

I have believed in infinite grace for almost 3 years and past fulfillment for 4 years.

I was raised in a non-practicing catholic family but remained agnostic until my freshman year of high school. I then became involved in a fundamentalist dispensational church called Calvary Chapel. I stayed active there for 4 years until I moved from Wisconsin to Texas in June of 2000. Monica was the reason I moved to Texas and I went to her family's SBC church with her and her parents until a few months after our wedding which was in April '02. During 2001 my personal study brought me to accept the partial preterist view and in December of 2002 I became a full preterist, mainly due to the study of material from IPA. A few months later I accepted infinite grace due to glaring inconsistencies in my view and was introduced to the work of Max King about the same time.

My wife agrees and is excited about how our beliefs have changed. She understands the overall picture and agrees that it makes sense but she doesn't understand the technical aspects.

I'm not sure how my parents or siblings feel. They've never said anything against it to me but we rarely talk about it. The Bible is usually not of interest to them. As for my mother in-law, Monica and I think she may be suspicious that we don't believe as she does but she has never brought it up. Monica and I think that is a good thing for right now because we don't want to deal with it.

As for friends they know about the past fulfillment and they respect my beliefs though they don't agree. Clint is open to the possibility that past fulfillment is biblical though and is the only friend I've shared infinite grace with. This happened a few weeks ago as some of you know. He is respectful towards my beliefs in IG and is interested, but has not brought up the subject for a few weeks.

David

[christyG]

You ask great questions, David.:clap2: I think that this is a great topic for us to explore and share.

As for me: Honestly, I think I've believed in God's infinite ability to love my whole life. I have always felt loved and have felt that all are loved, by God anyway, even if I was not capable of loving them. But to answer when I became aware of a movement like Infinite Grace, well that was about three years ago, I think. (time goes by so fast, I can't judge that accurately).

My brother-in-law introduced me to the concept of Preterism about 4 years ago and I later came to realize that my Pastor ("closet preterist") had been slowly introducing Preterist-leaning doctrine into his sermons and Bible-studies for quite some time. As I began to explore on my own, it was the concepts of natural sin and "age of accountability" that lead me to seek out further information about grace -- who has it and what is it. That is when I found Infinite Grace. And it was really like coming home. As I said earlier, I had always known it in my heart to be true, but had never heard it acknowledged as an actual movement to follow, so to speak. Even the preterist doctrine I was exposed to could not embrace grace fully and many church leaders mainly ignore it or superficially deal with in my experience.

As for my family: I am the youngest of 7 children, my parents are older and I live in a very rural area (all of these things contribute greatly to our belief systems IMO). I already mentioned that my brother-in-law introduced me to Preterism, and his wife, my sister, both would espouse to agree with much of the Preterist doctrine, they however, do not embrace Infinite grace and we have many friendly debates.:) Two years ago at Christmas I wrote a letter to may family about my beliefs and gave it to all of my siblings at our family get together on Christmas Eve. I followed it up last year with a "part-two" and plan to follow it up again with a "part-three" this year. I am very close to one of my sisters, two brothers, one sister-in-law and two of my nieces and one nephew. We talk a great deal about my thoughts on the subject of IG and they debate and ask questions and we talk openly about the subject. In fact, my one brother welcomes this subject as a coming home of sorts for me as well and welcomes the open, and accepting attitude that I believe can't help but accomany a full understanding of IG. As for my other two brothers and their wives and children and my other sister and her husband and child, they again know of my views as I have shared them in passing conversation and through the Christmas "letters". So far, no major problems. My family is pretty close and we have been through alot and usually have the stand point of "live and let live".

I echo the experiences that Amie has shared as per my husband. He is not into Bible study but I talk a great deal with him and have as I have grown and continue to grow. He listens to all of my ideas and new angles and even affectionately names my pet obsessions. Right now, he labels everything my "yoga stuff". I have started actually practicing yoga, but pretty much everything spiritual in nature my husband labels as "yoga". I think it is cute and it is a way we can laugh and draw closer as we journey together. He doesn't have to fully understand everything and he doesn't have to study as I do to support me and what I am doing. He seems to find humor in me and I in turn do not push him in any way. Laughter is love vocalized IMO.

As for friends, I have only a few close friends and I have shared my views with them and they seem interested and ask questions. My husband and I are very close with two friends that are Pastors in the Christian Missionary Alliance Church system. I debate with them a great deal and we give each other a hard time in fun, but no relationship problems so far. In fact, some of my family and most of my close friends are very involved in the Christian Missionary Alliance Church (CMA). All of my family members attend church now ranging from Methodist to Non-denominational, one sister-in-law is a practicing Mormon. I did not attend church growing up, only started in high school and then in the CMA church with friends.

This may be way more than anyone wanted to know, but I like sharing and like getting to know the journey's of others.

Christy

[christyG]

I see a theme of "enlightenment" coming 4-5 years ago as per IG for those whom have shared thus far. I have also noted a theme throughout my studies of spiritual birth/ re-birth/ or major growth happening at around age 30. That was true for me. How about any of you? Jesus began his ministery at about age 30, so is believed. Many spiritual authors I have read name their re-birth, renewel happening around age 30. I am just wondering if there is a significance to this? Can such things be just coincidence?

Christy

[Amie]

Christy,

I'm not sure that David is 30 yet, nor am I sure that some of the folks around here were less than 40 in coming to embrace grace, so I'm not sure about the significance.

I can tell you that I'm intrigued. Maybe there will be further insight as others share their stories - and thereagain maybe not, lol!

Amie

[David Timm]

I'm not 30 yet but that age period may be significant, not because of anything biblical but due to the fact that many people get finished with college, get married, get out of the "partying" stage, etc. around that time. I accepted IG when I was 23 and I'm 26 now.

David