But.
Is avoiding God-ordained, commanded and created body-of-Christ being obedient to Gods word? (Even if your family is made up of other believers?)
Nope.
No matter what way you slice it to forsake the assembly is to forsake Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (NIV)
I know many people who claim to be Christians, and they very well may be, however I fail to see humbleness and submissiveness in their lives to The Lords commands. I only see pride, arrogance, self-seeking justification for inappropriate behaviour and avoidance of the truth. For years I have accepted this as just stunted growth....normal....but the point is that there has to be growth or The Holy Spirit lacks Power. I know what I write may or may not give the result I desire it to, but I know God has given me certain gifts and that is to say it boldly:
Stop pretending.
This saddens me, and is a reminder of how twisted and dangerous one left to their own devices can be. I lived this very life years ago before God said, "ENOUGH."
Satan is cunning, he'll whisper in the ear of all of Gods children saying, "As long as you study scripture on your own you will be good." He'll convince you that sitting by a river and meditating on His Holy word is enough. He'll convince you that doing Churchy things with your biological family is enough. I do believe that we are to 'chew on it', live it, memorize it, but not that we are to do it ourselves....alone, only once in a while bowing to the call of the Spirit and gathering with other believers. I can't tell you how much wrong I held on to, and had to give up, my understanding and thinking on scriptural theology, and I was taught well. Many of the biblical instruction I received growing up was correct, and much was not.
1 Timothy 3:14-15 We as the body of Christ Jesus are the Pillar of truth. We are to hold Gods standard, and bring others along who God leads to our local body. If you don't belong to my local body, God has certainly led you to your own local body. Are you united with each person in one mind, one spirit, one truth, one God? If not, why? Does God make special exceptions for anyone in His word? What makes you so special?
Luke 22:19 That being said, communion is the state in which Gods people are restored to a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, and this speaks of that Unity with other people right now. I can't be unified with a person who doesn't believe the same way I do. We can love one another, but we aren't united. God set up Churches the way He did so that real community can be lived, and learned and growth in the knowledge of Him may abound more and more. I need others to watch me, to makes sure my feet are always planted on the truth. My family life was only a stepping stone to get me to the spiritual family I was created for. We aren't a bunch of individuals that meet every week, no, we are a gathering of sinners redeemed and forging ahead to do the Lords Will, together. It is evident in the way I speak to my siblings, that their neck-hairs stand up and they recoil away from me, whereas the body of believers I belong to know that my words are spoken with pure love, and expectancy to be corrected if they are wrong....I don't change how I speak because I am who I am, and it is only God who an change me.
John 6:53 How do we partake of this command if we aren't members of a Church, to which there is no excuse nor exception in Gods word that gives us liberty to be on our own.
Hebrews 13:17 How can you believe a man is accountable for his family but church leaders aren't accountable for their flock? If Church leaders are in fact accountable to God for their flock, are you not disobeying God therefore by avoiding being a member of Church? Or, by not fully committing to meeting regularly, and being involved? Justify it all you want....God has commanded it, required it, and it is so. If God were to wink at any disobedience than Christs death was all for naught.
Picking and choosing parts of scripture to fit into your choice of life is no way to act. I implore you to stop misusing Holy Words this way.
God will not conform to humanity.
Through Christ Alone, humanity MUST conform to Gods word.
God will not conform to humanity.
Through Christ Alone, humanity MUST conform to Gods word.
Sola Scriptura is one of the most misused quotes of my day.
I am sure it is an insult to those who first spoke it, and wrote it to be used in such a weak manner.
But most of all, locking the elbow and denying God is not a life He'll let me live. I urge you dear Christian to deny your convictions and:
But most of all, locking the elbow and denying God is not a life He'll let me live. I urge you dear Christian to deny your convictions and:
 | Decide to return immediately. Let church leaders know of your decision. Make this a once-for-all lifetime decision, not a weekly one. |
| Adjust your schedule so that regular church attendance is a part of your life. If your work schedule conflicts, share your problem with church leaders. They and the congregation can pray with you for a resolution of the conflicts. |
| Return to the assembly. Church attendance is not an optional matter. It is a way of life. Make it a habit. See you in the assembly... |
Because if you claim to walk with Christ, you are a part of His body.
That is Gods design.
Will you obey?
That is Gods design.
Will you obey?
Men born blind can assemble and declare that there is no such thing as sight. Yet their agreement on the matter is not an indication of Truth.
ReplyDeleteThe men of Israel were in agreement that they should worship a Golden Calf in the absence of Moses, Idols such as this are an easy trap for any assembly of God. They were a self confirming unit, united in lies. So I do not agree with the idea that one must always have the same views as everyone else in their Church, more than that I adamantly disagree that one should conform themselves to their Pastor, rather than study Christ in His word for themselves and conform to Him in personal worship. This is a terrible elevation of the corporate body at the expense of our personal relationship with Christ.
Church Leaders are accountable for their own actions, not those of their flock. If at the direction of the Pastor the flock sins,(Ie; false teaching) he is accountable. But He is not accountable for those things he did not confirm as truth or lies.
Is God a god of individualism?
ReplyDeleteWhen converted, does our autonomy dissolve or are we to hold fast to it?
I believe what scripture teaches, and if left to my own device's I will misunderstand or misinterpret something and be incorrect because my sin nature never ceases. It is dangerous to be alone, to trust in myself. Personal worship will only grow to fruition if directed properly, and that can only be accomplished by submitting to Gods commands and His design.
God created the body of Christ perfectly, locally and universally. (locally to fill the tangible needs of one another now; universally to give encouragement from the past, present and future from other converted people.)
There is no exception's in Gods word.
Jesus established the apostles, and commanded them to go out and make disciples of all Nations. (Matt 28:19) God used the Apostles to select men gifted to teach, each local gathering had it's own leaders, and they doubled back and checked on them to make sure what they were teaching was correct! Since the apostles were mere men, they died, and still God has been the one who calls from among the congregation those who have the gift to teach. These men are accountable to God. It is a hard thing, a difficult thing, a heavy burden to be called as a Pastor.
Anyone not called by The Lord, that does not take the job seriously, is an imposter; no wonder there is so many Churches who don't preach Christ! They don't know him.
Matthew 13:52 He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."
Just like the verse I shared in Hebrews, it is the burden of the Pastor to teach his flock to conform to Christ. If the Pastor is teaching his flock to conform to anything else, woe to that teacher!
Thank you for your thoughts on the matter, and I hope my response will bring you to questions your pastor can answer.
Never will we have enough knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, but we can practice now being at the Marriage Supper of The Lamb!