Why are so many churches and church leaders insisting on submission and obedience, and some even claiming exclusivity? Can a church or denomination have a monopoly on the gospel? Can it claim to be the one true church? With such strange doctrines ringing in our ears, it may not always be clear to churchgoers that question the behavior and authority of their denominations and leaders, or if we use a trendier term, “mentors,” whether they can or should leave a particular congregation or denomination. It is definitely a question which should be considered very carefully.
According to Paul's letters, God has provided the church with pastors, elders, shepherds, overseers, and deacons. They have a certain God-given authority over the Christian congregation that they oversee. But how far does this go? Can and should they have absolute control over the congregation members? The local congregation, on the other hand, has the authority to judge the character of their leaders and appoint them to that position or tell them to step down. So a leader's position is not absolute. We will look at this in more detail later. The local congregation can decide to appoint someone to a ministerial position or remove him. A minister's duties as a whole are to preach the Gospel, teach the Word of God, encourage and edify the congregation, protect them from false doctrine and correct immoral behavior. These duties can be divided among some in the congregation. If one considers the first letter of Peter, all believers are part of the priesthood (2:9) and other verses as well, that we are all priests under Jesus Christ, our high priest. The role of priest as an intermediary between God and man is no longer necessary, because Jesus fulfills this role and lives eternally, Paul discusses this throughout the book of Hebrews. The privilege of accepting, rejecting and re-accepting believers in a congregation after repentance is not reserved for ministers alone. By Jesus' definition, the whole congregation should take part in such a process which follows a guideline given by himself.
For Scriptures see:
Divine Appointment of Ministers: 2 Cor 3:6; 4:1,2; 5:18; Eph 3:7; Col 1:25; 1 Tim 1:12; 2 Tim 1:11; 1 Cor 4:14-17.
When not exactly divine appointment, under what conditions did one choose responsible persons? Acts 6:1-4 tells us, “In those days, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecians Jews among them complained against those of the Aramaic-speaking community, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God, in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.’” Here the body of believers itself was trustworthy enough to choose servants of the church. That should not be a problem today either, nor should it be forbidden. Not all churches function in this way.
2 Tim 1:6 Timothy was chosen by Paul, "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands." (Gal 1:11-12). Paul could not have any power of his own, therefore God was the one that approved of Paul’s choice, selected Timothy for service and prepared him for it. If Paul had not been a man of God or if his choice were made based on the flesh rather than the Spirit, God would not have to honor his choice. God cannot be made to do what we want him to. There is, contrary to the preaching of some, no magic formula that can make him perform miracles or send his Holy Spirit at our beck and call. Laying on of hands alone will not bless or anoint someone for Godly service.
What are ministers supposed to do?
Here is a by no means exhaustive list.
Ministers are to preach the gospel and teach:
Mt 28:19,20 (KJV)“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with your always, even unto the end of the world.“
Ac 28:31 “Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God, and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Lk 9:1-6 “When Jesus had called the twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them outto preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick. He told them: ‘Take nothing for your journey, no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. Whatever house you enter, there stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony agains them.’ So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel, and healing people everywhere.”
Acts 9:19,20 “And after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.”
Ministers (sharing this duty with the congregation) should warn and protect the church against false doctrine:
Acts 20:30-31 “Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard (or watch)! Remember, that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.” We will notice who these charlatans are, because they will be doing this for their own status, pockets, glory. True Ministers are selfless and humble and truly care for others, are willing to give of themselves to help others. Ministers should keep up with false doctrines that continually crop up to menace the church. "Church" means the body of Christ, the people, not the institutions. They should inform their sheep however many or few of the present dangers. They should read or delegate the reading of books before offering them in their churches and take the liberty to tell their congregations which currently popular books contain false doctrine and why. They should be careful before recommending books, sermons by other pastors, and any sort of material made available for the body of believers. Even a link on the church website to another website should be well considered. I am not talking about censorship here, everyone is free in Christ, but if he wants to become "holy" as Scripture puts it, he should excercise judgment and shield himself from harmful influences according to his own weaknesses. Everyone knows what tempts them. If an individual is not sure, he might follow the advice of a Christian that is more mature than himself. Ministerial work can be delegated and divided among the congregation. Jer 6:17; Mt 24:4,5,23; Gal 2:3-5; Gal 4:17-20; Gal 5:7-12. Everyone can be involved if it is done freely and without pressure, the love for others must come from the heart, from the change of character and maturity that comes from being in the Holy Spirit.
Ministers should encourage and edify:
Acts 2:40 “With many other words he (Peter) warned them; and hepleaded with them, saying, ‘Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.’”
They can correct:
2 Tim 2:25 (KJV) “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth”
How should ministers behave?:
The most prominent example is Jesus Christ himself: Matt. 20:25-28 “Jesus called them together and said, ‘Ye know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead whoever wants to become great among you, must be your servant; and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his live as a ransom for many.’“ Here we see that ministers should be humble servants, the most humble and giving of us all. The picture that should come to mind is when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, and when he died for us on the cross.
1 Tim 3:2-10 “Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to much wine, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him wit proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap. Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, an dnot pursuing dishonest gain. They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons."
2 Tim 2:15, 16 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly." This is talking about teaching false doctrine as described in verses 17 and 18, not about speaking the truth if one has been wronged in a church. V.22-24 “Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.”
2 Tim 4:1-2 “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the Word; be prepared in season aond out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction."
If your minister fits this description then that is good for you. Of course not everyone is perfect but anyone that leads should be a model of the abovementioned qualities for all of us. If he does not conform to the biblical definition at least most of the time and you do not see him trying to conform to it then he may not be someone that should have that high a standing in the Christian group that he is serving.
Accountability of pastors:
They that have been given responsibility are also accountable to God for their actions. What can happen to them if they neglect their duties or misuse their authority?
Ezekiel 33:6 “But if the watchman sees the sword coming, and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes, and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin; but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood."
Jer 23:1,2 “'Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!' declares the LORD. Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: 'Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done,' declares the LORD."
Behavior of False Pastors:
Paul had to warn the Corinthians because they were starting to follow false apostles that taught false doctrine. 2 Cor 11:3-15 “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For is someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or a diferent gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. But I do not think I am in the least inferior to those "super-apostles." I may not be a trained speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."
There are many pastors and preachers today that demand money before they will preach. Of course a leader that devotes much time to his church selflessly should be able to expect some support, but there are too many pastors these days that live like kings taking money from those that need it more. They put themselves in positions of importance without evidence of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, some even calling themselves apostles as Paul describes false apostles above.
Isa 56:10-12 “Israel's watchmen are blind. they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep. They are dogs with mighty appetites (KJV - greedy) they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding: they all turn to their own way, each seeks his own gain. 'Come, ' each one cries, 'let me get wine! Let us drink our fill with beer! And tomorrow will be like today, or even far better.'" Doesn't that sound familiar? Just turn on a Christian television channel and listen to what they say with these verses in mind. Most there will fall into this category, and not only those on television.
This particular scripture applies very much to today. Some leaders have realized that if they can increase their church memberships by any and every means (Church Growth Movement) they can take in more during the collection or through new gimmicks that they are always introducing. They even persuade their congregations to tithe substantial amounts from their earnings to give it to them. They fetch "wine" by calling on the Holy Spirit (a wholly unscriptural practice). What they receive is a counterfeit Holy Spirit that is very intoxicating like "wine" or "beer". People keep coming back for more. Promises of abundance of the Spirit, spiritual revival, even abundance of worldly goods are made to keep the churchgoers coming back to tithe more and get real but ungodly spiritual experiences. No opportunity is left out for promises and/or prophecies of "abundance", "overflowing", "new things" or "revival".
Ez 34: 2-5 “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: This is what the Sovereign Lord says: ‘Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flocks? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool, and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals.”
Have you been unfortunate enough to have witnessed or experienced this? Pastors and leaders fleecing church members, living richly while others in the church tithed what they couldn't spare out of a good heart or from pressure to belong? Have you seen others being belittled and insulted rather than being comforted? Have some gone to their leaders for help just to be turned away, told not to gossip, told to shut up, grow up, told to keep their problems to themselves? Have such people been thrown out of congregations, sometimes after years of selfless service, when they needed help the most? It is sad, but such things do happen. A German expression is "Es schreit zum Himmel." A translation would be - it screams to heaven. This means that a situation is so intolerable that God must hear of it from his throne. And he does. He intervenes, but expects us as his body, his hands and feet to intervene as well. Remaining in such churches would only be supporting those that practice their evil there, if they cannot be made to step down or the congregation cannot be convinced to reject such people. Everything possible should be done to prevent and eliminate such situations of spiritual abuse and misuse, especially in church settings, in my opinion. Keeping silent is not an option if the issue is ignored in the church setting. Much has been done to assist the abused and inform even society of such dangers, as has been done with various cults like the International Church of Christ - that is only one example. Unfortunately there are cult-like churches that are still accepted by other churches and even society so that only few warnings exist about them that go practically unheard, and the abuse continues.
Addition December 5, 2005 - Some further thoughts, already posted on an internet forum, think of this as a sort of blog:
The pastors want to hold us accountable to them, ideally we are accountable one to another, Scripture tells us to, "Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ," Ephesians 5:21, which is dying to self. We submit to other Christians that are all on the same level compared with Christ, church leaders are not excepted from this form of submission, they must be the ones that do it the best, the best servants of the others. Church leaders should not only be accountable to God, but to their denomination if they feel it necessary to belong to one and even more importantly to their congregation as well. Ideally, if they are the greatest, then they have made themselves the least - the most humble and serving. They do not and should not have absolute power over the congregation, they are only more knowledgeable of the Christian walk, generally older and wiser, but the relationship should be based on mutual respect and brotherly love.
One of the main requirements for a church leader that was in the list of verses I included above was humility. If you read what Paul wrote, you see his boldness when he writes about spiritual things, but by his own account he was not the most impressive man in person. His writing also demonstrates humility toward God and respect for others.
Oratory, managerial, and other talents are only secondary to that of humility, and those of the ability to respect and love others. No selfish people allowed, no proud ones, no greedy ones, no narcissists, no one out for profit, no controllers, no manipulators. Only genuinely selfless, humble, loving servants. If these criteria would be observed, we would have much fewer problems. The horrible experience I had with an abusive pastor should never have happened if those that are in charge of selecting them - including the congregations they serve - would insist on a scriptural basis for that service. I think that the worst ones should already be recognized at and thrown out of seminary, that character should be emphasized there more than knowledge, however important that might be. The fruit of the Spirit would be seen in a person's character, and that through his words and actions. No amount of laying on of hands can negate a bad character.
Also, the concept of pastor as a professional job might have to be rethought. Young men are...young. They still have a lot to learn. It may be better for them to learn something else first, and become pastors at a later age, when time and experience have proven their character - not necessarily their oratory or business skills. No one in the early church had "trained" to be pastor, except perhaps for Paul - who was raised and trained as a Pharisee. But he had to rethink everything he was taught in the new light of the gospel. A rethinking of the "profession" of pastor today and what their qualities should be may be something the Christian world should address for its own benefit.
False Prophets:
See above: Dt 13:5
Jer 5:30,31 “A horrible and shocking thing has happened in the land: the prophets prophesy lies and the priests rule by their own authority; and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?”
The apostolic and prophetic movement or it may be called “five-fold ministry” is currently misleading whole churches according to the “prophecies” of false prophets that are then implemented by self-appointed apostles. These churches are often filled to the brim, apparently many like this “new thing”, and the leaders find it necessary to “plant” new ones to have enough room for all the members or to spread their form of spiritual sickness. To counter anonymity they form “cell-groups” composed of a few families or roughly 12 individuals of the congregation. The groups can be everything else but personal, themes discussed there are implemented in a pyramidal structure from the top down and any personal information given there could be databased, but not for access by the person who supplied it. The false doctrine preached at large gatherings is thus better applied in small strictly controlled groups. Some churches consist only of these cell-groups and have no permanent structures.
Mt 7:15,16 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruits you shall recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles?”
Mk 13:22, 23 Jesus said, “For false Christs and false prophets will appear, and perform signs and miracles, to deceive the elect if that were possible. So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time.”
False Teachers:
Mt 15,7-9 “You hypocrites, Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 'These people honor me with their lips, and honoureth me with their lips; but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'.”
1 Tim 1:5-8 (KJV) "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, an of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: from which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully” 1Tim 4:1,2 “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.”
2Pe 2:1-3 “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there willl be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them - bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping."
1Tim 6:3-5 “If anyone teaches false doctrines, and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to Godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and arguments that result in envy, quarreling, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain."
General Christian Behavior and Duties:
This is of course only a summary and by no means complete.
2 Cor. 13:11 “Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.”
Col 3:16,17 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Heb 3:13 “But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today; so that none of you be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.”
1 Th 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up; just as in fact you are doing.” Also Ro 14:19.
1Th 5:14 (KJV)"Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.”
1 Cor 14:12 “Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church” ("church" does not mean the institution but the individuals that belong to the church).
1 Pet 1:22,23 "Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.”
Mk 11:25 “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
This, of course, also applies to forgiving non-Christians as well.
These duties to one another can be performed in or out of a church building whenever and wherever there is an opportunity to do so. Encouragement can even be given over the telephone, by mail and e-mail. Usually one has more time and opportunity to be with other Christians when outside of church services and help them on a daily and more spontaneous level. Jesus helped others whenever and wherever they needed him. He was there for them all of the time.
Witness 1Cor. 9:19-23 “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."
Look like the others when telling them about Jesus, use your knowledge, experiences, strengths and even weaknesses to help them, but do not be like them if it constitutes sinning. “Be merciful to those who doubt; snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear - hating even the clothing stained by corrupt flesh." Jude 1:23
Seek wisdom Pr 8:32-35 “Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways. Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the LORD.”
Be industrious Jn 9:4 “As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming when no one can work.”
Charity Acts 20:35 “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
Pray Luke 10:2 “He told them, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’” See Matt 6:9 The Lord’s Prayer.
Mature Heb 5:12-14 “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk and not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish (KJV - discern) good from evil.” Also see Gal 4:14,15.
Col 3:15 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
1 Th 5:16-22 “Be joyful always; pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Do not put out the Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything; hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” Just a caution here, not everyone that utters "prophecies" is a prophet, questioning whether what they say is a prophecy does not go against these verses, since at the same time Paul is warning the Thessalonians to test everything - including prophecies and teaching. If someone that claims to be a prophet or teacher tells you not even to question what he says, then that is a very big reason to suspect that person of being a false prophet or teacher.
Ro 12:1,2 “Ttherefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy, and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, his good, pleasing and perfect will.” This verse is speaking about conforming yourself to the will of God, not the will of man and is not to be confused with a “transformation” of the church using new systems or a “paradigm shift” toward a dialectic mode of thought – which is just another form of deception. Conforming to the will of God is not conforming to a man-made set of rules or an institution, but is rather a maturing process of dying to oneself (which constitutes worship) to forward the gospel and serve other individual Christians, not church organizations.
Christians should be discerning to protect themselves from the effects of sin. Here are some items pertaining to discernment:
Keep blatant sinners out of the Christian meetings.
1 Cor 5:11-13 “But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. "Expel the wicked man from among you." (Deut. 17:7, 19:19, 22:21,24; 24:7.) This may sound harsh to us today, but corruption in Christian churches would not be so rampant if blatantly wicked persons would be ushered out rather than being accepted, even in the role of pastors as some have been. We are not talking about isolated incidents that can and should be repented of and forgiven, but blemishes in character, fullblown corruption, that is not being addressed by those persons that have it, they continue in such sin because they do not care that they are soiling the body of Christ with it, soiling the name of Christ with what they do. If they really would love other Christians they would work on their character for the sake of others, dying to self, and a steady improvement would be seen. One cannot say that they are not born-again - this judgement is left to God only. But since evidence of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit would not increasingly be seen in their actions and character, one wonders why they would even want to associate with other Christians at all. They don't belong in a church group and would probably be happier elsewhere anyway in my opinion.
Congregations can accept, reject and re-accept believers, this is not just a ministerial privilege.
Titus 3:10,11 “Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned."
What did Jesus say?
Matt 18:15-17 “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector."
If expulsion of an errant individual out of the church has had an effect on his conscience and the person is repentant then he can be welcomed back. Caution is to be used here, the person is not to be manipulated to false repentance just so that he conforms to group standards, but simply shown that his sinful behavior cannot be accepted as Godly and fit for the church. A true change of heart reflected in behavior is the goal of such an exercise. 2 Cor. 2:6-8 “The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him. Now instead you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.” See the next paragraph for some cautions based on my experiences.
No mention is made of the first acceptance of believers or of those from other communities. One needs time to see whether they start to show the fruits of the Spirit. If we consider scriptures that contain passages about love and mercy, it seems that newcomers are to be given the benefit of the doubt. Only in the case of severe breaches of conduct (according to 1 Cor 5:11-13; Romans 16:17 Eph 5:11; 2 Thess 3:6; 1 Tim 6:5; 2 Cor 11:13; Matt 18:15-17) should someone be excluded from church gatherings. This does not mean exclusion from society, since society is not the Church. This does not mean that that person should be absolutely shunned or ignored, he is simply excluded from church gatherings. Paul was vehement in 1 Cor. 5:11, saying not even to eat with such a person, but he was zealous to protect those that he saw as his charges. What if these people are part of a Christian family? They are still a part of it and cannot simply be sent away even if they cannot take part in church activities. Judgment is necessary in such cases, so that we cannot be accused of turning the needy away from us as long as they pose no immediate threat. One is reminded of unwed mothers (and fathers), those that struggle with substance abuse and gay or lesbian family members that need an example of love and mercy rather than complete rejection. Some church members have been rejected for as little as a "wrong" hairstyle, "wrong" clothing and owning the "wrong" books and films like Harry Potter, for example. These are not valid reasons in my opinion, they still fall in the realm of individuality and the control of the individual and family. Let us not overinterpret things into Scripture that are not there. A move toward extremism and ultra-fundamentalism is as unhealthy as one toward total permisiveness in my opinion. From seeing the results of such rejection in the lives of believers, I would rather advise moderation instead of being too strict in such cases.
Reject false prophets:
Deut 13:1-5 “If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams, appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder, and if the sign or wonder of which he has spoken takes place, and he says, 'Let us follow other gods' (gods you have not known) 'and let us worship them,' you must not listen to the words of that prophet or dreamer. The LORD your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the LORD your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. That prophet or dreamer must be put to death, because he preached rebellion agains tthe LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery; he has tried to turn you from the way the LORD your God commanded you to follow. You must purge the evil from among you."
Of course we do not have the authority to kill false prophets today nor anyone else, but the meaning is quite clear to put the evil away from us. Such false prophets exist today in churches that purport to be Christian only because they are not collectively thrown out. Often they use a verse, 1Chronicles 16:22 to justify that no one throw them out as prophets, but this is only a valid verse if they really are prophets. Quoting it doesn't make you one. Accepting them as brothers in a Christian environment and even in society would be wrong. That would be welcoming their false messages in a passive way.
1 Jn 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God: because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” Many do not even question what presence they are feeling during worship (if one should be expected to feel anything at all). They automatically assume that it is the Holy Spirit. This may not be the case. Even some church leaders have neglected to question spirits and have even founded congregations and whole movements that follow a false Holy Spirit. Feelings of ecstasy and supernatural feelings of joy and even love can accompany these manisfestations, but they are not a guarantee or proof of the real Holy Spirit. Addiction to these feelings can keep adherents bound to such groups for years before they realize that these manisfestations are not edifying and do not bring wisdom or betterment of character.
If most churches would be following Scripture or at least consulting the guidelines given by Paul, we would not have many problems. Unfortunately there is increasing evidence of multiple deceptions that have penetrated every denomination and many independent churches. Strategies have been planned and implemented for decades to infiltrate whole denominations from the top down with false doctrines using new systems of control, modern psychology and the latest in computer programs, databases and networks. What does the bible liken this to? Aren’t these deceptions a form of seduction? And isn’t this recent craze for calling the Holy Spirit and surrendering to whatever comes a form of spiritual prostitution to other spirits?
Proverbs 7 tells us to keep God’s commandments having wisdom as one’s sister and understanding as a kinswoman. These are comforting women to be with, like family members that would protect rather than harm us.
But outside the beholder sees a man going to visit the prostitute on the corner, “dressed like a prostitute...with persuasive words…She is loud and defiant: her feet never stay at home;: now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.” She, the apostate church, is practically everywhere trying to seduce anyone who will come. She is not satisfied with those that she already has and wants even more.
Let us see exactly what she says to us: “I have fellowship offerings at home…So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!, and I have found thee. I have perfumed my bed…let's drink deep of love till morning…my husband is not at home, he has gone on a long journey…and will not be home till full moon.”
The apostate church is “purpose-driven” to seduce us to come and have fun with her. Jesus has gone away for a long time. Most that succumb know deep inside that it is wrong to go with her. Notice that she claims to know when he will return. No one knows this, though. She thinks she will not get caught. One of the latest fads is to use the constellations to predict when Jesus will return. Using constellations to predict events is an old pagan practice. Many want to know even the exact date. What did Jesus say himself? “Be dressed (not undressed) ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." Luke 12: 35-40
What is going to happen to us if we go with her, this prostitute that claims to be the church? “Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. Her house is a highway to the grave (KJV - hell), leading down to the chambers of death." Well, it is hard to be more explicit than that.
It is one thing to be a member of a good bible-believing church if there is one to be had. If there are only prostitutes on every corner of the neighborhood then we had better stay away from them.
But I must belong to some sort of a church don’t I? Won’t I be disobeying God if I don’t meet in a church building with others? Won’t that mean that I am not a Christian?
What really defines a Christian?
A Christian is someone who follows Jesus Christ. This might mean anything these days so to avoid being wishy-washy I will back this up with scripture as a Christian should be able to.
Acts 2:36-38 “'Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.' When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?' Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'”
Acts 4:11,12 “He is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
Ro 8:3-11 “For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit, Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace; the sinful mind is hostile to God. Itr does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. You however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.”
John 3:16-18: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son."
Ro 10:8-13 "'The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,' that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him up from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. As the Scripture says, 'Everyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.' For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile - the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'"
This taken in a nut shell means that everyone in their original state is steeped in sin and does not want to have anything to do with God. God, who has already condemned the world, sent his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ in the form of a servant; he is not a sinner and never has sinned. It pleased God to offer up his own Son for our sins. Jesus was rejected by the religious leaders and most others of his time and crucified. He rose from the dead because death could not hold him down, he was not guilty. Anyone that believes in him in his heart by hearing or reading this message can say this with his mouth and he will be saved from the wrath of God. He will receive the Holy Spirit to guide and help him and nothing can separate him from the love that is in Christ Jesus, not even death (Romans 8:28.39). He will rise from the dead to be with God along with all others that have put their faith in Jesus and will live together with them forever.
Can I be a Christian while outside of any church congregation?
Considering the above biblical definition of a Christian, if this applies to you, this goes without saying. Every Christian is part of the Body of Christ and nothing on, above or below the earth can ever separate him from Jesus Christ who is interceding with God the Father for him. A popular saying is: "If going to church makes you Christian, does going to the garage make you a car?." The identity of a Christian is dependent on the presence of the Holy Spirit inside him and is not dependent on those he associates with or where he goes.
Scriptural examples of small groups of Christians:
There are examples in Scripture of small groups of Christians that met at their homes.
Ro 16:3-5 “Greet Priscilla and Aquila my fellow workers in Christ Jesus: they risked their lives for me. Not only I but also all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. Greet also the church that meets at their house.”
1Cor 16:19 “The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house.”
Col 4:15 “Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house.”
Here the word church refers to groups of Christians. They do meet in houses (no one wants to stand in the cold and rain getting his bible wet), but they are homes, not structures specifically constructed for the purpose. Notice that no mention is made how often they met together, how many there were at any one given meeting, how often they broke bread together or in which manner. Christian conduct is discussed elsewhere but guidelines for these points are never given. They are relatively unimportant. Aside from the temples that were constructed by the Jews in the Old Testament there is no mention of the necessity of a permanent structure. It is neither commanded nor forbidden.
But think on this: “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Eph 2:19-22. Also see: 1 Cor 3:16; 1 Cor 6:19; Heb 3:6 and 1 Pet 2:4,5. After Jesus had ascended into heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit to inhabit his body, us, as living temples. “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” 2 Cor 4:7. Now instead of a house made of earth we are the containers for the Holy Spirit, who is one with Jesus the Son and God the Father and now with us, making us one with another in him as well. It would seem incredible that the knowledge of the glory of God can be contained in something so plain and frail, but God himself wants it that way. We, Christian individuals, are the Church, buildings, institutions and even the machinery of organizations are not the Church.
What if I want to remain in a congregation that I know is teaching false doctrine? Can that damage my faith?
If you are new to Christianity I would rather advise getting together with one or two more mature Christians that you can trust rather than remaining in a congregation that you know will impair or pervert your growth in Christ. Perhaps you could meet with the person that introduced you to the gospel, if that person is sound and propriety permits. There are some Christians who are able to spread the gospel well enough but are still relatively immature.
If you are a more mature Christian you ought to know better than that. It is one thing to return to your old wayward church (I decline to mention particular denominations here) to help your friends as a mature Christian firm in the faith and the Word, but it is another thing to remain there as a “believer” when you know that what they teach is wayward. You are purposely putting yourself in a dangerous situation that could potentially destroy you. Proverbs 2:20 urges us to stay away from the prostitute “thus you will walk in the ways of good men, and keep to the paths of the righteous.” Proverbs 13:20 says, “He who walks with the wise grows wise: but a companion of fools suffers harm.”
Such a decision is not easy to make. You may lose friends and family. This is something that Christians have had to deal with since the very beginning. Jews that become Christians today are sometimes even declared as dead to the rest of the family and a funeral is held for them. Martyrs are joining the ranks daily in parts of the world that are more hostile to Christians. Most of us will not have to deal with such extreme situations for now.
Oh, but won’t others ridicule me, they will think I’m being too exact with the Word of God; too much of a moral mamma. Well, God has always taken his Word seriously and expects us to as well. We may receive ridicule, even hostility for having to leave a church. Especially for someone who is already in one of the many systems of church control such as a G 12 cell-group which functions like a cult, it will be more than difficult to leave. Looking inwardly, the more exclusive a congregation or denomination is, the more controlling it is, the more pressure is put on the members to avoid outsiders and ideas not promoted by that group. Looking outwardly, as far as the world is concerned, the things of God are foolishness and they cannot comprehend what the Word of God really means. That is why there are so many false doctrines readily available that are based on false interpretations of the Word, even falsely interpreted Christs. They have been initiated by those that did not have the Holy Spirit and so could not begin to understand Scripture or by those that did, but were following their own goals and ignoring him.
In 1 Corinthians 1:23 the bible tells us, “But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength…but God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
Chapter 2 tells us, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment;(only God's). For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”
The Holy Spirit, if he is in you, is your conscience now. Together with the Word of God it should be possible to find the answer to any situation. Of course we still have our flesh, our own wills to deal with, but with time one is better able to sort out which is which. Do what God wants you to do. Pray about the situation, search the Word of God for the answers and you will know what to do. Jesus is THE good shepherd, but we have to do our part in following him. I have fallen in some proverbial pits too because of my own stupidity but after calling him for help he has never failed me and I have learned how to avoid those particular pits. I even think that he let me fall into them on purpose as a punishment and a lesson. Always learn from your mistakes.
A meeting with one or two other Christians can be and is often more edifying than a church service which everyone attends and then leaves in a hurry in order to get home in time for lunch. Bible themes can be discussed at leisure and personal problems can be addressed specifically. Even if you have little or no direct access to other Christians because of being surrounded by churches filled with false doctrine, or just because you may simply not be acquainted with any Christians, you can find other ways to survive. You can have contact to others by mail, phone or internet if meeting them in person is not feasible. This can be edifying as well. According to personal experience I can tell you that by reading the Word and by Prayer one is able to get over lonely stretches. It is very difficult to be alone but Jesus is always there for us. Often, it can be an opportunity to increase our faith and depend on him alone to meet our needs. It also teaches you how to feed yourself and be less dependent on others standing on one's own two feet, which is something every mature Christian should be able to do.
It is true that many church leaders balk at the idea of an uncontrolled group of Christians that regularly meet. Recently many literary attempts have been made to convince these “errants” to join a “real” church, especially by those advocating the new non-biblical, doctrinally false systems of control. This article is meant to address those attempts as well as help believers already in or just outside one of their institutions. A home church can get away from biblical doctrine if the participants are not following the Word of God, if they are not under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Just observe how far off the path whole congregations and denominations can go without God’s guidance. I know of one American branch of an entire denomination, for example, that has long succumbed to false doctrine. But if groups of Christians however large or small are under Jesus’ guidance, are really obedient to him and deeply rooted in the Word nothing can go wrong. Jesus, THE good shepherd, is capable of guiding each and every believer without further human assistance. Of course the scriptures above prove that he prefers it when we can share our faith, encouragement, good works and so forth with other Christians. Who wouldn’t want to?
Especially for those with no acceptable church nearby the only alternative is to meet with a few solid Christians if one knows any, and/or to meet with those that one has led to the Lord “oneself”. It would not be reasonable to send new converts to a church whose doctrine you cannot support. Even if you are not a Peter or Paul, chances are that you are a more experienced Christian than any new convert is and can lead them at least for a while. Who knows, they may end up ahead of you some day. Paul says of himself, “I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation gfrom Jesus Christ.” Galatians 1:11,12. He was called by Jesus himself without the intervention of men.
Not every ordained pastor has been ordained by Jesus, and some who have never studied theology at a university are nevertheless qualified to teach by Jesus himself. Do not take me wrong. I do not suppose to know everything, much less to be wise enough to do this myself. Necessity and circumstance, however, force one to make decisions that one otherwise would never make and take steps that one would never consider taking. Sometimes God has to nudge us into doing something we would have never selected to do ourselves. See this as an opportunity to mature.
Whatever situations we are currently going through have been caused by our actions. But also, God has a hand in everything. There is nothing on this earth that he does not know about and has not permitted (The sovereignty of God is a study in itself which I cannot go into here). Every situation that we are in is an opportunity for a Christian to show what he is made of. We Christians are constantly being taught and disciplined by a loving Father. Will you pass the current test? Obeying God’s commands is the right choice in any situation rather than following our own wills. Do what you must do to obey him.
If this is alarming for ordained church leadership today then so be it. God does not look to man for a grass-roots opinion or even an expert one. His wisdom confounds the mighty, especially those that only think they are.
The remnant has to go outside the camp.
The bible exhorts us to run from evil. You must decide whether what you perceive in your church is simple error of doctrine or not. It may be something that you can tolerate in order to keep the peace. The bible tells us to be peaceable with other Christians wherever possible. Ro 12:10,18; Ro 15:1,5,7; 1 Cor 12. But if you perceive it to be evil, then it would be highly advisable to get away from it for your own spiritual safety. If other churches in your area are already in more than just minor error, you may have to consider staying away from them as well.
Some Christians very close to me were compelled to leave their church after over one and a half years of doubt. They observed how the bible teachers lost interest and at the request of the pastor they took over teaching the bible study even though they were relatively new to that congregation and not even belonging to the denomination. They are well versed in the bible and have wisdom but had never done more than the normal encouragement and one-to-one ministry that we all are called to do. The church had also introduced a new kind of music with a fast beat “for the young people” which was unfortunately not edifying. A music leader was brought in occasionally from another congregation that “led” the worship and encouraged much repetition of non-edifying song verses; at one service they sang one verse 27 (yes, that's twenty-seven) times! The couple could even live with this though it soured much of the general flavor of worship. The pastor had already been using prepared sermons for a year that were not as edifying as the sermons that he had previously researched himself. This could also be excused as he was only a part-time pastor that still had to earn his daily bread by other means.
Then one Sunday morning the pastor announced a new course to be given Sunday evenings based on the book the Purpose-Driven Church by Rick Warren founding pastor of ................. Church at Lake Forest, California. (Ironically his church started as a house church but has 16,000 in attendance now. He is called the “inventor of perpetual revival.”) The couple had previously read the book because they had seen it in the possession of some other members of the congregation and at work and were curious about it. Upon their mentioning it to me I was gladly able to provide them with information about this new false doctrine which I had already previously researched. Based upon this information and upon doubts already raised while reading the book they presented the pastor with the information and their serious doubts as to the doctrine of Rick Warren. The pastor then admitted that some of the Purpose-Driven Church doctrine was not entirely palatable to him but seemed to think that it was palatable for his congregation. He even criticized another fellow congregation that was too purpose-driven. They gave him time to reconsider his approach but he did not change his opinion. He then advised them not to attend that particular group (they were very involved in church life) because it would just make waves.
This was the straw that broke the camel’s back. After much searching and praying they were able to find a bible-believing congregation untainted by false doctrine. They still have friends in the old congregation, some of which are thinking about following them.
[Addition to the text, March 24th 2005: Since that summer of 2004 my friend's former church has dwindled in size, most sincere Christians have abandoned it and the pastor is preaching to an essentially empty church.]
Strangely enough, most of the members at their new church have found their way there after leaving other churches in the area because of the same sort of problem. I consider this to be the gathering of a remnant of true believers that is being removed from other congregations that wrongly choose to follow after illusions and emotions rather than the Jesus Christ of the gospel.
Does Scripture give us examples of a remnant? Certainly! In the Old Testament God was often displeased with various populations and either called his favored out of the rest or destroyed the evildoers. Enoch was taken from the earth because God was so pleased with him. Then came the separation of Noah and his family from the rest of humanity through the construction of the ark and the flood. Abraham was told to separate himself from his family and country to go to the country that would one day become Israel. Let us not forget Lot. Then came Isaac, Jacob and Joseph, all specially chosen by God. If you read about them you will note that being chosen does not depend on the best human starting material nor does it immediately come up roses, as Jacob cheated his brother out of his inheritance, and Joseph had to endure slavery and prison before seeing the fulfillment of his visions.
Later the descendants of Joseph and his brothers were separated from Egypt. At Mt. Sinai they went against the God that had just freed them from captivity with enough signs and wonders to convince the worst skeptic. After the fashioning and worshiping of the golden calf a new remnant had to be selected. The Levites were willing to forsake everything to obey the will of God, terrible as it was, Ex 32:29. The bible does not say that they had not worshiped the calf as well, but that they were willing to give up sinning to be on God’s side. From then on they were to serve Israel as priests. God, however, was so displeased with the rest that the tabernacle, the tent wherein he resided among the Israelites had to be put outside of the camp or he would have destroyed them all, Ex 33:7. He still allowed them to travel to the promised land, but from then on anyone who wanted to go to him had to go outside the camp.
Later, for a time God’s presence was at the temple constructed by Solomon 1Ki 8:10,11 but his glory left the temple shortly before the Babylonian captivity, Ezekiel 10. Ezekiel 43 tells us that the glory will return to the temple at the beginning of the 1000 year reign of Jesus Christ after the time of tribulation. This subject would warrant many studies, so let me suffice it to say that at this moment the Holy Spirit resides in the individuals, that make up the Body of Christ, a temple not made with human hands.
See: 1 Cor 3:16; 1 Cor 6:19; Eph 2:20-22; 1 Pet 2:5; Gal 2:20; Eph 3:17-19; Col 1:27.
God not only calls us out to separate us, he also demands that we separate ourselves from evildoers. Here are some examples of this:
Ezra 6:21 “So the Israelites who had returned from the exile at it (passover) together with all who had separated themselves from the unclean practices of their Gentile neighbors in order to seek the LORD, the God of Israel."
Here Jerusalem is addressed to keep itself pure, “Depart, depart, go out from there! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure, you who carry the vessels of the Lord.” Isaiah 52:11
Here God does the separating:
John 15:19 “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”
Mt 13:30 Jesus tells of the separation of believers and unbelievers: “Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: ‘First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned, then gather the wheat and brong it into my barn.'" "All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats:” Mt 25:32.
See also Mt 13:49.
Lk 17: 30,34-36 “It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed....I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left..”
Ok, this is all well and good, it is clear that one should separate oneself from the world, but what about other Christians, that is those that attend church or profess to be of the faith?
Matt 18:15-17 “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector."
Romans 16:17 “I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those which cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.. For such people are not serving not our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people." Here Paul is talking about those that introduce false doctrine, that tell people what they want to hear, not those that are trying to warn the rest about them, however irritating, that something about their doctrine may not be correct. “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” Eph 5:11.
See 1 Cor 5:11 and 2 Tim 3:5 above.
2 Thess 3:6 “ In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us." This does not mean new converts or newcomers, but over time one sees who is making an effort to follow Jesus Christ's teaching concerning love for others and the conduct that results from that love. Forgiveness and mercy are part of that conduct, nitpickiness is not, as written above, only for grave offenses and according to Jesus' procedure outlined in Matthew can a congregation - not just the pastor - decide to tell someone to stay away from church gatherings. The pastor himself or any church leaders are not exempt to that procedure either, they are as subject to it as anyone else.
I might add that if anyone sees corruption in such a procedure, that it is being used to get rid of those that try to reveal the truth rather than condone it, as in Ephesians 5:11, that this should be mentioned when all are present. This may lead to a major conflict, but the truth should not be hidden so that each person present can make up his own mind about the affair. Too often such things are decided by a church board or only by the pastor himself without full knowledge of the congregation, not giving the supposed offender a fair chance to defend himself, thus hiding the fact that the fault may better be found in the church board or with the pastor himself. No such decisions can be scripturally made without the presence of the whole congregation.
As I mention somewhere above, judgment is necessary to decide which offenses are grave enough to warrant sending someone away from a congregation. This cannot be stressed enough. Some have been isolated for as little as the "wrong" clothing or haircut, which in itself cannot constitute sin. They were criticized for watching certain movies like Harry Potter that would have been considered relatively harmless in other Christian circles. Whether they are harmless or not can be discussed elsewhere. These kinds of things are not the offenses that Paul listed as harmful to the congregation, they are up to the individual and individual family to decide, not the church congregation.
There is no reason to suppose that a separation, even among brothers, should not take place. It has happened repeatedly in the past; indeed it should happen in every generation although not always so that the world takes notice. But only do this when absolutely necessary. The binding force between Christians is Christ, thus God, and God is love. We have to put up with each other and forgive each other. Only separate yourself from other Christians when you really see no alternative.
Romans 11:2-5 “God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don't you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah - how he appealed to God against Israel: 'Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are tryong to kill me?' And what was God's answer to him? 'I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.' So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.".”
Martin Luther separated himself from what appeared to be the church of that time and later many came together to draw up various confessions thus separating themselves, usually for reasons of doctrine, from other Christians real or imagined of the time:
Most bible verses are taken from the NIV (Thompson chain-reference bible, 1983) unless indicated. I removed most of the KJV verses because that version has often been used to spiritually abuse people. Its language is quite characteristic and it can trigger those that have been spiritually abused and mislead by those using that version.
What does trigger mean? For someone that has been abused, a situation, word, way of speaking, action, uniform, even color, can cause them to have feelings that remind them or throw their emotions back to a situation of abuse, state of indoctrination or brain-washing. A trigger can consist of just about anything. For some that have been mislead and spiritually abused in churches a trigger can consist of certain words that were often used by the pastor to manipulate congregation members - even Scripture can be used as a weapon in this manner. Some that have experienced such abuse cannot read that particular version of the bible anymore without experiencing anxiety, fear, feelings of helplessness, whatever they felt as they were taken advantage of and oppressed. Some can use another version of the bible without problems, others cannot pick up one at all, which can greatly hinder their spiritual progress. Other possible triggers may consist of ecclesiastical dress, the smell of incense, the cologne used by the pastor, even the smell of the cleaner used in the church, stained glass windows, whatever the person associated with the situation he was in at the time he was abused. It is sad that Scripture can be used as a weapon in this way, and that the results of such misuse can affect lives negatively for years to come, but it has happened.
The list of confessions above can be found on: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/reformed or just go to en.wikipedia.org and look up “reformed”.
I would like to say a special thank you to Tricia Tillin of Banner Ministries www.banner.org.uk. Her article “The Church Outside the Camp” was very supporting to me at a difficult time. My experiences of that time, the advice of a friend and her article together with God’s prompting are what led me to write this article. If you are not familiar with her work of discernment I can heartily recommend her site. She has researched the field for years.
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