Why do I always get the chopping cart that has a bad wheel, it happens every time I go to the store. Its a plot....to what end I do not know.
Thanksgiving was great! I spent four and a half days with my Uncle and Aunt in Northern Virginia. Uncle Pete and I have had great conversations in various topics.
One thing we discussed was whether the church is doing church biblical. Go back with me to the church in the early days in Rome. The church was made up of slaves and the poor, though I am sure well to do and rich people also attended. The point being, slaves were the lowly part of society they had no money and would come to church dressed how? It was sub-standard dress which would be frowned upon in today's church environment. How much emphasis do we put on outward appearance? How much money do we spend to insure our outward appearance is acceptable to the established standard. (were did the standard come from in the first place?) Materialistic comes to mind as well. The scripture teaches in I Peter 3 that we are to focus on the interior not the exterior aspect of our lives. We should take care of ourselves but not become caught up in our appearance. James tells us in chapter two of his epistle how we are to treat our fellow neighbors regardless of appearance. Now all who are reading this, for the most part, agree with what I have just written but the rub comes when we are faced with how we respond, you have the head knowledge but will you allow these truths to change your actions. This is always the hard part for me as well.
You may wonder what this has to do with the churches doing church biblically, it is one facet of imposed ideas by the church which contradict scripture. Others being, not following the leadership which God has placed over us, allowing the neo-evangelical philosophy to take root in the church, the emphasis we place on music, it should be the preaching, church is no place to be entertained. Church has become a social club were people come, hear the word and leave. But to what affect!? Does the average church member know what the point is to being a Christian. What does separation mean to the Christian? Maintaining the same distance from the world or following the scripture? The same distance from the world means as the world moves so does the church. The engine of the train and the caboose are separated but they are on the same tract and going in the same direction. A few examples, pants on women where once unacceptable, going to the movies were once considered wrong, mixed swimming was frowned upon. (Notice I am not telling you my position on any of these and I have a good reason.) The point is culture has influenced the church, it always will but needs to be subject to the scripture. So were has the church gone astray in accepting those things the world has introduced just so we fit in or don't look so different. Its not up to me to tell you.
Many preachers make up a standard which may or may not be biblical for this simple reason; rules are easier to preach then personal responsibility before God, topical preaching. You see if believers would study their bibles themselves they wold grow but it is much easier to go and be told what to do and follow rules, men followers. So now we have rules which few actually are convinced of biblically. If they are biblical or not they don't know. The problem occurs when you are not studying the word yourself your not walking with God; then the preacher says something you don't like you decided to kick him out and get a new one. Its a nasty cycle which must stop. Conclusion preachers need to preach spirit filled living and not rules to be followed.
Gods word is the supreme authority no matter what the world may say. It judges from a pedestal of perfection and can not be subordinate to culture change, religious bent, it rules over all. The final conclusion is the individuals which comprise the church do not know what it really means to serve a Holy Living God, myself included. May God grant me the courage disciple and desire to know the bible the way I should and then to practice what I know according to his divine purpose.
