The Illuminated Sign by the Church Door Read "Everyone Welcome".
I have visited some of these denominational welcome signed buildings called Church and found the people to be very denominational indoctrinated and set in their ways, regarding what they believe and do. For the people who conform to what they believe and do what they do, were without a doubt welcome to be there and eventually, in order to be a member had to sign a document to confirm that they conform to the beliefs of the denomination along with participating in their rituals and practises.
If the Jesus I see in the Bible was the head of that denomination and was leading the service, there is no doubt that the sign would read the truth, everyone would be welcome. But I somehow think these religious sanctimonious people would treat the Sunday-meeting-service CRASHERS as did the religious people in Jesus' day, then and now the ‘religious world’ didn’t and wouldn't want anything to do with such "degenerates”. Jesus met with and cared for the people who probably wouldn’t go to church, because they wouldn’t be welcome. If He walked among us in the flesh today He would not attend the “welcome signed” buildings on a Sunday, instead He would seek to minister and fellowship with the religiously rejected people on a daily basis.
What does that say about the "religious organized church" of today. Have they become so religionated and so consumed with the proper way of doing things that they have no love for the people whom Jesus demonstrated His love to by by coming to earth. Could we be so caught up in the trends of modern religion and relogisity that we hinder our relationship with the God and the people He loves?
We need to live in His Grace and concentrate more on living in fellowship with Christ on a daily basis, loving Him and loving others, and not worry so much about the Sunday-event-driven meeting attended by cloned indoctrinated people. The Church of Jesus Christ is not a building or the time people meet...it is the people of God themselves. The focus should not be on a segregated denominated building, but on a communal daily walk with Him loving the people we meet.
To love God with all our heart, soul and mind, and to love others fulfills the law. We no longer have to strive to keep the law or religious rules and regulations. We now have a new and better covenant which went into effect at the death and resurrection of Jesus. We now have the Living Word living within us through the Spirit of Christ. We no longer have need of any man to teach us the ways of God, because now the Spirit is our guide. Striving to keep the law is not a thing to do, it happens because we are indwelt by grace and love.
It is time to focus on Jesus and live in His Grace, and not live striving to keep the requirements of the law and religion. It is time to live our relationship with God and with people in our daily living, and do away with following Christ as a Sunday detour from our daily living.
Part 1:
ReplyDeletePerhaps you have membership confused with eldership.
In New Testament church Paul and other apostles welcomed everyone but when it came to eldership or those who would seek the office of overseer Paul laid down what the qualifications are. Paul also gives warning to those who would become overseers.
Warning: (Acts20:)
28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Qualifications: (1Tim.3:)
1 This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;
9 Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
10 And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless.
11 Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.
12 Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well.
13 For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
14 These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly:
15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Part2:
ReplyDeleteYou say and I quote:
We no longer have need of any man to teach us the ways of God, because now the Spirit is our guide.
You wont find the Apostle Paul saying that. That is why he warned the church overseers to faithfully feed the church of God and preach the whole counsel of God has he did.
It is these kinds of people that are open for deception who think that they only need to hear from the Spirit rather than sit under someone elses ministry and be fed.
Furthermore if Paul wanted us to stay at home on a Sunday morning and live a lone ranger style of life he wouldn`t have thought us how to behave in house of God. By giving qualifications for leadership.
1 Timothy 3:15
King James Version (KJV)
15 But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Paul says in Tit. 1:3 that God in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
If he advised saints to stay at home on Sunday and listen to Spirit why would God give him a commandment to preach for there would not be anyone to listen to him. Furthermore there would not be any need to ordain elders.
Titus 1:4-9
King James Version (KJV)
4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.