Posted on 06/13/2015 7:55:45 AM PDT by darkwing104
Thanks Bryanw92, you hit the nail on the head!
So do you think a person who goes to church on Sunday is better then one who reads the bible almost every day, and also tries his or her hardest to be better each and every day and also has that mustard seed of faith and maybe even more?
>>So do you think a person who goes to church on Sunday is better then one who reads the bible almost every day, and also tries his or her hardest to be better each and every day and also has that mustard seed of faith and maybe even more?
Better? None of us are better. But, there are a gazillion churches in America. Most of the “daily bible readers” are just that: readers. They choose the passages they want to read and make sure that they fit into their lifestyle. The people who go to church are forced to face tough questions that might make them question the success of their efforts to “be better each and every day”.
80% of Americans claim to be Christian. 20% go to church. Do you believe that the 60% are devout Christians who devote real time to reading the bible, real prayer, and time of reflection? Most of them do none of that. Many of the ones who do read a daily devotional and consider that to be enough.
There are some serious disciples who never go to church. So, I ask them “why?” The church needs people like that now more than ever. If you think that you are too good for church, then you are just the right person to be in a church.
Discrimination? The military can’t tell the difference between an insies and an outie? Barnyard animals can tell the difference. That’s a sorry military, right there!
Perhaps Paul can help you. He wrote to a number of so called churches. I can’t judge others.
Paul doesn’t need to help me. I understand my place and that of the church. I understand the work of Jesus on the cross and the hopeless of humanity without it.
>>I can’t judge others.
And therein lies the problem with the modern church. We are taught that “judging” is anything critical of another person’s decisions. We are then told, “Don’t judge”. and are surprised when the homosexual steps up to the pulpit to preach, the adulterers and fornicators demand that pastos stop “judging” them, the young girls start dressing like prostitutes and tempt the men with lust issues and then the mothers of those girls tell the church to “stop judging”.
We wring our hands, asking “why is our church so weak?” and then demand that NO ONE ever be critical because “that’s judging”.
No. Its not judging. Judgement implies a sentence and punishment. If you are telling someone that their decisions are wrong and that they should rethink them, then there is no punishment. That is admonishment, not judgement.
But, in the bible, there is even a procedure for earthly punishment for transgressors ( https://bible.org/article/church-discipline ). But that is still no “judgement”. Its just discipline. There is a difference.
Our churches are weak and pathetic because we insist that they be that way.
Understand about pointing out sin to a brother, to a sister or fellow church member, having others do it, etc. but; you are judging all based on church attendance. Tell me the passage about attendance? The Lord knows we have those who are ill and disabled and many seniors are. My wife is enroute to a nursing home again.
>>Understand about pointing out sin to a brother, to a sister or fellow church member, having others do it, etc. but; you are judging all based on church attendance. Tell me the passage about attendance? The Lord knows we have those who are ill and disabled and many seniors are. My wife is enroute to a nursing home again.
60% are not ill or disabled. I’m not talking about people who CAN’T make it. I’m talking about the people who have better things to do and/or don’t even have it on their list of things to do. I’m talking about the family who skips church because kickoff for the Patriots game is at 1 and the preacher might go a little long. For every ill or disabled person, there are probably 20 of the others. Surely, you can see the difference.
Folks, Bryanw92 is right.
We grew up in a generation that has been taught "judge not lest you be judged." Yet we ignore other scriptures that teach to do just that, judge others, but it's not the type of "judgement" that spells out another's eternal condemnation.
I found three words in the Greek that the Bible translates "judge" or "judgeth." Those words are:
1. Krino
a.Strong's Concordance: by implication to try, condemn, punish: - avenge, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem, judge.
b. Thayers: to be judged, i.e. summoned to trial that one’s case may be examined and judgment passed upon it
2. Diakrino
a. Strong's Concordance: discern
b. Thayer's: to determine, decide a dispute
3. Anakrino:
a. Strong's Corcondance: properly to scrutinize, that is, (by implication) investigate, interrogate, determine: - ask, question, discern, examine, judge, search.
b. Thayer's: examine or judge, to investigate, examine, enquire into, scrutinise, sift, question, specifically in a forensic sense of a judge to hold an investigation.
So you see, in many cases we are commanded to investigate matters and make judgements/discernment's/examinations of different topics and matters as a part of our Christian experience. Any pastor who does not teach this is either very misinformed, a bad pastor, or a false prophet himself. There's no other way to look at it.
The Lord Jesus warned us in Matthew 7:15 about "false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves." Even the Apostle Paul us of "grievous wolves" in Acts 20:29.
We must be on our guard, especially in these Last Days.
>>Dude, you must be a pastor of a church, either that or a well-informed parishoner.
>>Folks, Bryanw92 is right.
Thanks. I’m just a well-informed parishoner. I was studying to be a Lay Minister in the UMC when I began to doubt their theology. The more I studied, the more I doubted. The more I began to doubt their theology, the more that I could see where the weakness in their beliefs opened the door to liberalism and Satan. So, I quit and left the church because a church must be strong to survive and doubly strong to survive and maintain godliness in this age.
Several years ago I attended Free Methodist Churches. A female UMC Air Force chaplain referred to me as a "renegade Methodist" and ever since then I've had a low opinion of UM churches. The liberal stance of the UMC on the Bible and societal issues have further cemented those views.
I too have issues with Wesleyan teachings and truth to tell, I'm more Calvinist than Wesleyan, however, I don't go to the extremes of Calvinism. Momma always told me I was good "baptist" boy and I guess I've maintained some Baptist ways, though I do like the more laid back feeling of a old fashioned country church like the one I attend now.
Unfortunately I attend a church that is pretty much a dead church. Only about 12 people attend and that's on a good day when several people are bribed with a free lunch from the elderly pastor who practically has one foot in the grave but won't step down or retire (he's 75 years old and in very bad health). (YAWN - take a breath)
I'm trying to convince the pastor to give me more chances to preach from the pulpit and I think he's starting to warm up to the idea. Less work on his part and he gets a break.
Whew, that's a mouth full huh?!?!?
Edmund Burke is turning in his grave.
The brave men and women of the US military are doing their jobs in spite of their C in C.
>>I too have issues with Wesleyan teachings and truth to tell, I’m more Calvinist than Wesleyan, however, I don’t go to the extremes of Calvinism.
I’m at the same place as you. Not fully Calvinist, but more Calvinist than Wesleyan. I’m parking myself in the PCA right now and finding myself to be happier with the theology, but finding the polity to be stifling. My local Nazarene church is dying and the local Wesleyan Church is weak with an AWA of 50, but showing some signs of revival. Thinking about moving to the Wesleyan Church myself to help them grow.
Yes, I try to avoid the political threads most of the time because they remind me of mindless communism. They promise hope and deliver corruption.
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