Hello friends.....we seem to be living in perilous times indeed, when, make no mistake about it, spiritual abuse seems to be running rampant across the country in one way or another. Joshua,the son of a friend of mine, recently became suicidal after having gone to a "revival" and being told by a visiting "evangelist" he was no longer welcome in that church, and not to come back.
In front of the entire congregation and visitors, Joshua, age 30, already depressed and troubled due to health, marital and financial problems, was lambasted by this "evangelist" and told in a loud voice that he was a drug user, and wife abuser. I was told later by his mother, my friend, that Joshua turned to the people in the church, and said, "I love you all", and walked out. Later that night, he became suicidal. Fortunately, his family was able to console and comfort him, also reminding him that he had his children to live for.
How did the "evangelist" come by this information with which he deemed Joshua worthy of condemnation? From Joshua's wife, whom he had been separated from for several months. So, without any other witnesses to verify these accusations, this "evangelist" decided to put Joshua on trial, declaring him guilty as charged by reason of gossip and slander by an embittered wife who'd been systematically attempting to discredit her husband to everyone she knew he had contact with.
Even if what Joshua had been accused of was true, which it wasn't...how was it helpful to him, or anyone present, to verbally assault and accuse him in front of the entire congregation where he had gone, hoping to find spiritual comfort, solace and fellowship of other Christians, (and I use that term loosely in this case)?
The way Jesus told it in His Word, was that if a congregant was involved in some spiritual wrongdoing, that a responsible person such as an elder of the church, should take him aside privately, and reason with the person, pointing out the sinful action and attempt to gently and spiritually counsel and restore the person back into a right relationship with God. Then, if the person doesn't receive the counseling, two or more others should go to that person and talk it out with him or her. Finally, if the one accused of wrong doing doesn't accept it, then and only then should it be taken to the church in a proper manner. Frankly, in all my years, I've never seen this happen. However, what I have seen is that in many cases, it's the so-called "leadership" in churches who are guilty of wrongdoing...and no one ever calls them on the carpet for it.
Such is "church normal" these days. And unfortunately, a person who has been abused in a church for one reason or another, all too often become disillusioned with God, and throw the baby out with the bathwater. That's the problem with not only allowing "leadership" to rule over the flock with an iron fist, but also with equating "leadership" with God. That is to say, believing the pastor, teacher, or church is the source of their spiritual strength, instead of God.
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Do You Really Need a Church?
Monday, August 22, 2011
I just read this article, "Sunday go to Meeting", and it was almost like deja vu as I recalled many of the reasons I left the organized mainstream Nicolaitan "church" system. It was nothing new really, but yet another condemnation of how religion has corrupted the household of God, and the "faith that was once delivered unto the saints".
How is it that Christianity been replaced by "churchianity" and yet most all churches in the United States, and the West practice "church" in this manner? Yet, it happened, and what's worse, the majority of church going folks think nothing about it, and consider anything that deviates, or anyone that departs from "church as they know it" is a backslider and "has departed from the faith".
It's a situation that has grieved my spirit over the years since I left the apostate organized church system. I am now considered a black sheep, or a lone wolf....(if you can imagine such a creature). I'm surrounded by 5 so called churches within walking distance, but since I've "been there-done-that", I know of a certainty they all practice the Nicolaitan system of religious practice that Jesus said he HATED in the book of Revelation. Oh, they make have their slight doctrinal differences, but basically they have the same things in common.....pastor, pulpit, organized service, the taking up of the illegal tithes, (extortion), the rulership of the so-called clergy over the laity, and the same church service format offered up every Wednesday and Sunday, disguised as worship and the practice of their religion.
As a young Christian, saved outside this system, and not seasoned enough in the Word to be able to discern what constituted being a "good Christian", I too assumed back then, that I needed to "join a church". Boy was I mistaken........but well, as I continued eagerly pursuing God, studying my bible daily, and loving Jesus passionately, I began to notice the difference in the way the church I belonged to did things, and the way the early church was set up by the Holy Spirit back in the book of Acts, and the later epistles of the apostles. I wondered who gave these modern churches the right to change the way God set the church up? At first I made the excuse that these were modern times, so things have changed. But would God change His Word just to accommodate modern customs and cultures? Of course not!
So, eventually, God began opening my eyes to more and more truth, and I began to see the organized system to be corrupt, and had fallen into apostasy, the "falling away" warned about in the Bible. Then.......he pulled me out of it.
So, what happened then, did I indeed backslid, once out of the "church" where I had been told that if I left the sky would fall, that I had neglected to "assemble together as some do", and I would be out of fellowship with God? Actually, quite the contrary.....after working through my first feelings of separation anxiety, and "guilt tripping" by the devil ...and the church folks I left behind.... the LORD began to re-teach me His doctrine, and I entered into a stronger, more intimate and profound relationship with Jesus than I'd had before, where I had experienced all the negative things connected with being a part of a church system out of sync with God...coupled with a new sense of liberty and freedom. No, it was not a feeling of being independent of God, but quite the contrary, it was a brand new liberating and glorious experience of being totally being dependant upon my bible, the Holy Spirit as my teacher, protector, counselor, and covering. Jesus as my all in all.
It was true, that I was traveling alone at the beginning, because everyone else was "in church".
What was important to me then, as it is now, is that I'm obeying God in this and I refuse to go back into any church based on the corrupt Nicolaitan format. "Come ye out from among them, and do not partake of their sins, that you do NOT partake of their plagues".
If you are reading this now, it's more than likely that you have... or are experiencing some of the things I've been talking about, and if so, you have experienced spiritual abuse. You may have thought that "if" you could only find a different church, then you'd be OK...But listen, as long as any group, fellowship, building, "church" organizes themselves around a "Nicolaitan" system, sorry, but it is going to be abusive...period.
Now for those who are still wondering what this apostate Nicolaitan brand of churchianty is or means, thank God for the Internet...there are plenty of resources with which to check this out. Long story short.....what it means is Nico-(power over the people), Lao-(the people, laity). In other words where the "clergy, (leadership), rules over the laity, (the congregation). This is what you find in the mainstream organized church. Jesus said he HATED IT! What more do you need to convince you that if Jesus said he hated it, then he wants you out of it?
You have a bible, so if you love the LORD, you have the Holy Spirit........take it from there with all your heart, and the Spirit will lead and guide you into all truth.
God bless you.....
Constance
I just read this article, "Sunday go to Meeting", and it was almost like deja vu as I recalled many of the reasons I left the organized mainstream Nicolaitan "church" system. It was nothing new really, but yet another condemnation of how religion has corrupted the household of God, and the "faith that was once delivered unto the saints".
How is it that Christianity been replaced by "churchianity" and yet most all churches in the United States, and the West practice "church" in this manner? Yet, it happened, and what's worse, the majority of church going folks think nothing about it, and consider anything that deviates, or anyone that departs from "church as they know it" is a backslider and "has departed from the faith".
It's a situation that has grieved my spirit over the years since I left the apostate organized church system. I am now considered a black sheep, or a lone wolf....(if you can imagine such a creature). I'm surrounded by 5 so called churches within walking distance, but since I've "been there-done-that", I know of a certainty they all practice the Nicolaitan system of religious practice that Jesus said he HATED in the book of Revelation. Oh, they make have their slight doctrinal differences, but basically they have the same things in common.....pastor, pulpit, organized service, the taking up of the illegal tithes, (extortion), the rulership of the so-called clergy over the laity, and the same church service format offered up every Wednesday and Sunday, disguised as worship and the practice of their religion.
As a young Christian, saved outside this system, and not seasoned enough in the Word to be able to discern what constituted being a "good Christian", I too assumed back then, that I needed to "join a church". Boy was I mistaken........but well, as I continued eagerly pursuing God, studying my bible daily, and loving Jesus passionately, I began to notice the difference in the way the church I belonged to did things, and the way the early church was set up by the Holy Spirit back in the book of Acts, and the later epistles of the apostles. I wondered who gave these modern churches the right to change the way God set the church up? At first I made the excuse that these were modern times, so things have changed. But would God change His Word just to accommodate modern customs and cultures? Of course not!
So, eventually, God began opening my eyes to more and more truth, and I began to see the organized system to be corrupt, and had fallen into apostasy, the "falling away" warned about in the Bible. Then.......he pulled me out of it.
So, what happened then, did I indeed backslid, once out of the "church" where I had been told that if I left the sky would fall, that I had neglected to "assemble together as some do", and I would be out of fellowship with God? Actually, quite the contrary.....after working through my first feelings of separation anxiety, and "guilt tripping" by the devil ...and the church folks I left behind.... the LORD began to re-teach me His doctrine, and I entered into a stronger, more intimate and profound relationship with Jesus than I'd had before, where I had experienced all the negative things connected with being a part of a church system out of sync with God...coupled with a new sense of liberty and freedom. No, it was not a feeling of being independent of God, but quite the contrary, it was a brand new liberating and glorious experience of being totally being dependant upon my bible, the Holy Spirit as my teacher, protector, counselor, and covering. Jesus as my all in all.
It was true, that I was traveling alone at the beginning, because everyone else was "in church".
What was important to me then, as it is now, is that I'm obeying God in this and I refuse to go back into any church based on the corrupt Nicolaitan format. "Come ye out from among them, and do not partake of their sins, that you do NOT partake of their plagues".
If you are reading this now, it's more than likely that you have... or are experiencing some of the things I've been talking about, and if so, you have experienced spiritual abuse. You may have thought that "if" you could only find a different church, then you'd be OK...But listen, as long as any group, fellowship, building, "church" organizes themselves around a "Nicolaitan" system, sorry, but it is going to be abusive...period.
Now for those who are still wondering what this apostate Nicolaitan brand of churchianty is or means, thank God for the Internet...there are plenty of resources with which to check this out. Long story short.....what it means is Nico-(power over the people), Lao-(the people, laity). In other words where the "clergy, (leadership), rules over the laity, (the congregation). This is what you find in the mainstream organized church. Jesus said he HATED IT! What more do you need to convince you that if Jesus said he hated it, then he wants you out of it?
You have a bible, so if you love the LORD, you have the Holy Spirit........take it from there with all your heart, and the Spirit will lead and guide you into all truth.
God bless you.....
Constance
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