October 22, 2009
Re: Hebrews 10:25
Dear ?,
Thank you for your feedback. I can appreciate your viewpoint because for many years I shared it, as a pastor and teacher in Organized Religion. But I no longer have that viewpoint, and so I disagree with your conclusions and your advice. Here’s why.
As someone who values the written Word of God and teaches others to value it, I am particularly alert to any accusation that I am contradicting Scripture. However, in your case (and in the case of others with your mindset), I find that there is no contradiction of Scripture as you suggest, only a contradiction of your particular interpretation of Scripture. To suggest, as you do, that Hebrews 10:25 refers to attending church services on Sunday is quite a stretch of the imagination, since “church” as you attend it did not exist at the time the book of Hebrews was written. So I accept the Scripture, but I do not accept your interpretation. If I thought it meant what you think it means then I would be in church every time the doors were open. That was my manner of life for more than 25 years. But I was in error, and so are you. God showed me a “more excellent way”, and He can show you too, providing you allow Him to open the eyes of your heart (Eph. 1:17,18).
The crux of your error is based on several assumptions, among them, that the only way to assemble together with other believers is to go to church. This assumes only people who go to church are true believers; that there is no possibility of gathering together with followers of Jesus outside of a church service. That is incredibly naive and overlooks the fact that many do, in fact, gather together in the name of the Lord Jesus and enjoy Christian fellowship without being “attached to a local church body” – an interesting phrase you use that is not, in fact, mentioned in Scriptures, and certainly not in the manner in which you mean it.
Rather than rehash that whole discussion with you privately, I refer you back to the website, where the issue of the Ekklesia and the “church” has been discussed, re-discussed, and presented from a Biblical and Spirit-led viewpoint. Any of the writings in the “Ekklesia” section under the “Read” tab will be beneficial to you, but in particular “Gathering: But Not for the Better” delves into Hebrews 10:25 and a few others.
There are many Scriptural principles that support coming out of a corrupted system. God brought Abraham out of Chaldea, the Hebrews out of Egypt, the Jews out of Babylon, and the Christians out of Judaism. God Himself withdrew His presence from the Temple when Israel persisted in open rebellion against Him and declared it “Ichabod – the glory has departed.” “Come out of Babylon” is the present-day call of God to His people in the Book of Revelation. Since you are concerned about the Scriptures being contradicted, how do you justify your continued support of a system that in your own words is “grossly out of step with Christ and with Scripture”?
And as much as I value the Word of God, I believe God Himself is the “final authority” in deciding what Scripture actually means. God reserves the right to interpret His own Word and will not allow us to elevate the letter of the Word over the God of the Word, which is precisely why the Pharisees failed to recognize Jesus even though they continually searched the Scriptures. When God spoke to Peter and said, “Kill and eat,” Peter protested that this violated the the written Word of God; why would God command him to eat something that Scripture said is unclean? But God is right, and even when we cling to the Word of God and quote verses, we must still, in the end, submit to God Himself. There are many instances where following the letter of the Word puts us in disobedience to the Spirit of the Word, and God reserves the right to come in and correct us when we mishandle the Word – which I believe has happened with Hebrews 10:25 and with many others.
In addition, your suggestion to go back and submit to leadership in a carnal religious system is dangerous and unhealthy. That would be like telling a married woman to go back and submit to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse from her husband because the Bible says, “Wives, submit to your husbands.” Using Scripture to justify submission to spiritually abusive leadership encourages the abuser to continue abusing both you and others; is that really what you want to do? Why not just submit to the Lord Jesus and do what He says to do? Why not just submit to one another in love, as Scripture says? You decry the carnality of the church yet you continue to support that carnality with your presence, just as Lot came under the influence of Sodom and found it harder and harder to leave it or even understand why he should.
Lot was fortunate enough to have two angels take him by the hand and drag him out of Sodom, but God will not do that with you and me. He expects us to judge righteously and use spiritual discernment, balanced with Biblical wisdom and some good old- fashioned common sense. Should you spend some time perusing the site and actually reading and listening to the teachings without trying to bring “correction” I think you will find we have a very high regard for both the Scriptures and for what the Spirit is saying. If you are truly grieved by what “church” has come to represent then please ask God to show you what the proper response to it should be. Stop putting yourself and others into bondage through the ignorant application of Scripture that you received from a fleshly leadership that has a vested interest in having you support their system. It is your response to Hebrews 10:25 (not our response!) that determines whether or not your spiritual life will progress or deteriorate. The wisdom of Christ’s approach in our lives, versus your approach, is evidenced by the fruit He produces in us.
Blessings,
Chip Brogden
http://www.TheSchoolOfChrist.Org
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Dear Brother Chip,
I appreciated the candidness and frankness of your open letter regarding Heb. 10:25. I am thankful for your willingness to cut straight the Word and help this person see the truth in the Word as Aquilla and Priscilla did with Apollos.
I suppose this comment really does not pertain to your letter directly but when you consider that most of the New Testament is composed of letters written to churches in a particular city i.e, church in Ephesus, church in Corinth, etc. one is led to wonder if God wanted a letter written to the body of believers today in a particular city or region – where would He send it?
I can’t really find any scriptural basis for the way organized religion meets and it doesn’t take a Bible scholar or theologian to see that the very standing of organized religion keeps it from standing in a position to receive God’s blessing. I am always reminded of Psa 133. Behold how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity (oneness)…For there the Lord commanded the blessing even life forevermore.
By the very existence of so many denominations they lose the ground of oneness upon which God is able to bless and pour out life upon the believers.
I also appreciated the love in which your correction and instruction to the recipient of the open letter was delivered. May the person receive it in such a way, in love, and may that person seek the Lord for His Guidance, Wisdom, and Light.
Continuing to pray for you and yours as you strive to be a faithful steward of His word,
tanya pettit
A special building has no Godly power. Paul had to rebuke the problem-ridden Corinthians. Solomon wrote in Proverbs of a stiffnecked person who was at the point of utter ruin in the midst of the congregation!
Christians think church is a place, its not, its a PERSON. We are constantly told we are in HIM, to abide in HIM and we are joined to HIM. We are the Body of Christ. We can meet in a coffee shop, a basement, a living room, a park bench, it does not matter where, or when. What truly matters that we are in HIM and becoming like HIM.
We have been warned to be aware of false Prophets, teachers. And where you have false apostles and teachers you are going to have false authority, they will tell you they have the authority of Christ- but do they. We have been warned not to be deceived. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ is the Head over all authority, there is no authority outside of Jesus Christ. If a group of believers join together and it makes no difference what label they put on it. The only authority they have, must be an expression of Christ’s authority if it is not. It is false, because there is no authority outside of Christ. Now I can’t judge the hearts of members in these groups, and I will not, but I believe if a member has really received the life he has a responsibility to live out that life, because he has entered into partnership with God. We both have a part to play God’s part is to show us His word our part is to do it. He is a just and loving God. He will reveal His word to each member in His time and at His pleasure. He will do His part. The problem is will we do our part. The root of the problem is some have usurped Christ authority and others have submitted to that authority which is not God’s. Lets pray that their eyes can be opened.
Donny
Well said Chip,
I do not believe anyone can understand where we who have left organized religion are coming from. I remember sitting in services and asking the Lord to forgive how I was feeling about those services. How angry I was at times because what was coming from the pulpit was not anything more than the same old fluff. Why it is that the Lord has some of us come out and not others I have no idea. Maybe we hunger for more than the system can supply. I do know that if we ask we shall receive just as the scripture says. Institutional thinking is a hard thing to shake and the guilt that goes with it.
I for one am thankful for you and your teaching brother Chip now with the web bible studies I feel like I belong again.
Thank you
Donna
As I read this, it is a reminder of where I was several years ago in organized religion. I too came out of the Charismatic movement and everything I had experienced and was told to believe came to me by the traditions of men. It was not until
after 11 years of trying to be a good Christian and performing works before men and God to get their approval that I began to see that something was missing. I began to ask God to show himself to me in a deeper way that I may Know who He really was and who I really was because I had started discerning that God was very different than what I had experienced. Somehow I knew (Revelation) I had to resign my position of Elder (elder) and leave the men’s tradition of church.
I just wanted to be free to hear the Holy Spirit speak to me.
God sent me and my wife to a Servant of His to teach us about our true Idenity in Christ. God began the decreasing of our Religious flesh and the Increasing of Himself and by His Grace we received another Revelation (Our True Identity). We wanted to tell all of our friend’s about the real truth which set us free. What we found was that our friend’s were blinded by the traditions of men in the organization we had previously left. I said all of this in order to explain that it took a strong desire to want to see who God really was and by steping out(in Faith) and away from the bondage we were in, we were able to receive (by Grace) His Revelation. People that are in an Religious Organization are blinded to the truth because Religious men,(before them)could not give them what they don’t have,(Revelation of who Christ really is and who they really are In Him). They have become Blind leaders of the Blind and if you try to argue with them, you subject yourself to fall in that same ditch, so Jesus said to “leave them alone”. This is what Jesus was up against with the Pharisees. They could not recognize who Jesus was because they were not given Revelation. When you have received this revelation, God begins to remove the Blinders from your eye’s so you are able to discern His Word, then you will be able to see clearly into the mirror (Gods Word) and see you ,In Him and Him ,in you. The Holy Spirit will teach you Gods Word.
As for as Heb.10:25, the Holy Spirit reveled to me that I can gather anywhere with Two or Three, and Christ in each one of us, is present .
In my limited thinking, I believe not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together means that we need each other because we can lift each other up and encourage each other in the Word. It does not necessarily mean in a building. Thank the Lord for the Internet and technology WE CAN ASSEMBLE online and get that encouragement and uplifting. However, I do believe that a smile and a hug and kiss does a lot for the heart. I know that there is NO PERFECT church because there are NO PERFECT PEOPLE. Wherever we go there will always be challenges because we live in a fallen world. But it is our responsibility to live the life that is pleasing to the Lord so that others can be drawn to Christ. The Word tells us that Iron sharpens Iron, and it’s sometimes when we are in the company of other believers that we can get the rough edges smoothed out. We need each other. Head can’t say to the leg I have no need of you. We are all members but one Body.
Dear Brother Chip,
I have a lot of respect for you and I know that sometimes when I do not understand what you are writing. I will put aside and take it as I am not mature enough to learn it now. I believe that when it is time for me to learn it, the Lord will bring to mind that paragraph or that article.
I am a slow learner and I don’t want to try to understand something that is beyond me. Truth is caught and not taught (that is how I feel). To me, being with the Lord and learning from Him is what I love to do.
“The Best Part of Life is Loving Him and the Best Part of Love is Serving Him.”
You are a anointed teacher.
Blessings
Sister Judy
My Views.
In all things I always fell that we need to agree to disagree.
As we are all in different spiritual level and made differently, what one sees now will or might be different in later years. As His Holy Spirit teach us and guide us, there is a need to for us to be humble and to obey as He Lead. We do not know everything.
To me, the church is not a building but it is when two or more gather together in His name, More importantly is that we do not neglect the fellowship of the saints with Christ being the CENTRAL of the fellowship which I agree with Chip in one of the articles that he had written.
Being Christ focus is the main thing (which I felt) and that is what our Lord had taught me when I write Poetry and Songs. It moves my focus from “SELF” to “CHRIST”.
If one find that being in Church and it is Christ focus fellowship, than go ahead. If one find that they are better outside of the Church and their fellowship is Christ focus, than go ahead.
Why do we argue on this ? (Sorry that is how I felt). Shouldn’t we let the Lord decide how He wants to lead us.
What does it benefit us to argue ? Does it edify Christ ?
We can win an argument but lose a brother. We can win an argument but lose a soul. So let us come to accept one another as we are, with all our flaws. Did not the Lord did that for us at the cross ?
This is written out of Love and not one of judgement. One that felt that if we were to carry on to argue because of our interpretation, it would grieve Him. Let us not argue but love one another by accepting them as they are. If they did not response likewise, then we just pray for them and bless them.
Always written In His Love
Sister Judy
Chip,
your reply regarding this matter is very well explained. I witness to the correctness of the reply.
In the end, each of us must rely on what we feel the Holy Spirit is leading us to do, ie. attend OC or not. I am burdened by those who choose to support the OC but still i am persuaded to allow them the freedom to make that choice based on what they think God leads them.
When some condemn or judge us who ‘hear differently’ from the Holy Spirit, i am spurred on to continue to ‘flow in the Holy Spirit’s direction’. In love i would reply to the judgement only as the Holy Spirit would have me reply, or not reply.
A reply that is ‘Life’.. nourishing to the ‘new creation man’ that we have become. Praying now for those who are less mature and knowing my calling to ‘go on to perfection’ are my response to a my brethren saddled in the ‘bondages’ of man made religiosity.
The day will come when we as a Body of Christ shall come forth as the perfect dwelling place for the Most High God. We shall be the ‘tabernacle of His presence’. He shall be our God and we shall be His people. In the perfect relationship that was planned and purposed from the beginning. No more in bondage to the ‘death’ that we embraced from the ‘fall of adam’, but transformed into His glorious Light. We are being changed..from mortal to immortal and from corruptable to incorruptable.
Hold on tight, it’s going to be a ‘wild ride’.
D
It is strange that people get so hung up on this, it is as if they have not read the whole book of Hebrews! If this verse meant we were to go to church, then the author contradicts himself because chapters 8, 9 and 10 are pretty clear that the old system of having a building to meet in was a pattern that has now been done away with (see Heb 8:13; 9:1,7-9,11-12,24; 10:1-2,15-22). Would someone who wrote all that, then say “by the way, don’t forsake meeting together in a building (made by human hands) every week”? He had already laid the foundation of the ‘more excellent Way’!
And the Greek word in this verse for gathering together is used only 3 times in the Bible, twice in this verse, and despite not saying WHERE to gather yourselves together, many interpret it to mean a church. BUT if that were true, then the other time the word is used does not fit with that interpretation because it DOES tell us where to gather together: “…in regard to the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of our gathering together UNTO HIM” (2 Thess 2:1).
HE is where we gather, that is why you can attend a church and be “joined to a local body” and not be gathered to Christ at all. This is not about where we are physically but where we are spiritually; where our heart is! When you gather together with Him, you are automatically gathering together with others who are also gathered in Him! THIS interpretation, has the words of Jesus Himself to support it: “Come to Me”, “Abide in Me”, “Where two or three are gathered, there I am” etc!
Also, the preceding verse is almost NEVER quoted, although it is part of the same thought and sentence; it is all about relationships, and you have no right to admonish someone you see only once a week! It is as an encouragement to “watch over” those heart connections that Father has made (having gathered us together in Christ) and to watch that nothing interferes with that togetherness and unity, fulfilling Christ’s prayer in John 17.
“Institutional thinking is a hard thing to shake and the guilt that goes with it.”
I totally agree with you sister Donna!
You put it perfectly Donna “Maybe we hunger for more than the system can supply”.
And thank you Chip for being so straightforward…this is what the world needs.
Have you ever considered running for President?!!
Amen! Oh how i can relate to your experience Kris. The only thing i ever got from any and every church i ever attended was anger, depression, and resentment. It is sick and very warped. Very very sick.
I am in agreement with You Shamim.
Thank you Shamim. I am in agreement with what you share. God bless you.
Shamin, I agree – seeing other believers, hugs, looking eye to eye, speaking face to face and hearing each other’s voice is infinately more profitable than internet chat. Seeing each other and bearing one another’s burdens, encouraging and confronting when necesary is GOOD. Singing songs is a wonderful way to lift your heart to God. For me, these elements are lacking in an internet setting. Heck, how can you determine if they are walking their talk?
That said, I do enjoy Brother Chip’s teachings on Thursday nights – he certainly does have good insight and provide much food for thought.
Brother Joe,
Beautifully said! I work in a doctors office and many of my coworkers profess Christ. We have on several occasions prayed for and with each other, discussed the scripture and learned from one another. Most still attend a local church but they do not condemn me because they know me and understand why I no longer attend.
Thank you, Alan, for your well-written response. I agree with what you have said. It reminds me of Chip’s message about not judging by “good” and “bad,” but by “Life” and “death.” And thank you, Brother Chip, for writing this open letter that is an encouragement to those of us who often encounter the disapproving questions of our friends and loved ones who do not understand. I thought about the far-reaching effects of Paul’s letters to the “Church.” Those saints could not congregate to sit with and be taught by Paul, yet his letters are still teaching us today. Please keep writing as the Spirit leads, my brother. We are listening … and LEARNING!
Dear sister Tanya
I have a big Amen! in my spirit.
Amen!
As I read through the comments to Chips letter, I am struck by the maturity in those comments – a maturity of individual relationship with God. Down here in New Zealand we tend to be isolated from the rest of the world – Internet has changed that on a physical level – Gods Spirit has long been here on a spiritual level.
God verbally called us out of the denominational church many years ago, and, like you Susan, we were spurned by ‘church goers’. During that time in the wilderness, our one-on-one relationship with Jesus Christ developed, and we were shown truths we had never been taught in church.
After a few years God began introducing us to others in the same place, living stones strategically placed by a living God as He builds His Church with Jesus Christ as the head. We were encouraged and we learnt of the decrease of ourselves and the increase of Jesus in everything we do and say – we are still learning..
We also were shown, by God, of many other living stones around the world – a network connected by Gods Holy Spirit, who are being trained and disiplined and moulded for His purpose.
We were still being spurned by other ‘church goers’ and they ‘challenged’ us with Hebrews 10:25 until God showed us that the ‘called out’ ones are not the divisive ones – it it those who remain in their individual denominational buildings who are divisive. God also showed us, literally, that unsaved neighbours would turn to us rather than the ‘church goers’ – we were no threat to them… how sad!
As you quoted Susan – ALL things work together for those who love the Lord and are called for His purpose.
..and His purpose is, I believe, to restore all of His creation, and He wants us to be a part of that under the headship and guidance of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
As others have said, we are individuals, the fingers, toes, eyes and ears – parts of the body. You are part of that Body too Susan – you said you were only called to pray… if you are called to pray and nothing more – that is huge! We all have our respective calling, and sometimes we can only pray..
Thankyou Chip for your faithfulness and your teaching, thankyou to all you others for your sharing on this site, and may you all be shown your placement as living stones.
What a beautiful testimony. Well spoken.
I love your analogy of the dogs in comparison to the church.
You are so right on with this. One thing about dogs that I have seen through the years is that they are always glad to see their master come home–even so come Lord Jesus come.
Lisha, thankyou for this. Neat! And yes, what i see in the organized religion/churches is that the people on the OUTSIDE are better and kinder people than the ones on the INSIDE. I found little to no integrity of the people who are churchgoers–in any denomination. This religious system thus only brings shame to Christ.
Donny…you said it best “there is no authority outside of Jesus Christ”…..I noticed you said something that needs to be addressed. “To Judge”! This has been misrepresented. When you said “you cannot judge the heart of others”, how true. In fact it is impossible for us to do so. God is the only judge!. What I mean by that, is that God alone has the authority to set before men what is right and what is wrong. We can only (by experience) recognize the right or the wrong of what God has shown us. No man has the wisdom or authority to set what is right and wrong for another. So let no man judge you…..
I think I am getting fat to all this good food tonight– May everyone who has brought to this table of the Lord be blessed.
Matter of fact, I think I am having personal revival here.
Glory to God!!
Beautifully said….speechless! Praise & Glory to the LORD!!
Hoo-wee,
How amazingly on-target and well-expressed. “Quietly going along with error…” is what i often felt what i was doing in church club meetings, finding no opportunity to vent or venture my unease or disagreement. I found myself seething at the speech of false teachers who were promoted and honored as guests and to whom we were encouraged to give money in order to “share a prophet’s reward.” What a relief to be rescued by Jesus! He is sweet! Thank you for a beautifully written letter GenericMystic.
Amen to that!!! LOL
thank you brother Chip for being a voice in the wilderness..the wilderness is a place where we all must journey to sooner or later… Jesus is our example and He also went into the wilderness and when he was done he came out full of power and ready for his destiny…Don’t fear the wilderness,it may be difficult at times but its a very special place where you will discover who you really are in Christ~ and when you come out you will be leaning on your Beloved <3 …..
lisa it can be hard to see a man of God, who’s fruit is far from what it should be yeilding.Pray for this man that God will break his self love and that he will be broken. remember david questioned why do so people prosper he wondered untill he went into the santuary and saw there End.. Love this man and forgive for the end will be hard and some will not make it/
~Dear Lisa,
I know that this is a hard time that you are in but be of good cheer. My first discovery of the “wiles of organized religion” was not a pretty one… it all started when I began to seek out truth for myself, I had QUESTIONS and QUESTIONING was forbidden. My pastor of nearly 6 yrs. came to our home sat across my husband and I and handed me a list of “rules” that he wanted me to sign and then he proceeded in telling me that I was ” rebellious, jealous, unfaithful, and inadequate… the whole reason for the meeting was for us to keep unity and work these questions out between us… that never happened my husband and I never returned. The next night was a Wednesday and after not attending the wed. night service he called and asked us where we were telling my husband “That we were not hearing from God , that Saten would destroy us and that we would not be blessed”! Lisa, I don’t know your situation but I do know that when someone who is being motivated from a controlling and manipulative spirit begins to feel threatened then you better be ready. Any accusation or hint of accusation will be dealt with! The Lord had prepared me to a degree a month or so before our departure… What I heard in my spirit was “You cannot serve 2 masters” I knew I had to make a decision and I knew that things were going to get pretty ugly when I did.
In saying all of that I would say to you ” Get in the business of SEEKING and Pursuing Christ! You have found a great place to find Tools that will help you on your path… That is what I love about this ministry… Christ First!!! That is the good that came out of all that we went through, I even had to get on anti-depressants for a season and you know what set me free from depression was a revelation of What Christ really accomplished at the Cross and what it Really meant for me ! You press into to Him and rest in what IS YOURS ! I pray strength for you during this process.
Your Sister in Christ.
Timi McLemore
Do not let anyone be your Holy Spirit.
Seems to me that you are walking in the Spirit as you care enough to pray for these people who would persecute you.
There is error in most churches and if you are seeking Him, He will give the truth. Keep your focus on Him.
May Father wrap His arms of love around you now that you be blessed and approved by Him.
You said a mouth full!!! To be in the wilderness, one must do an exodus, with pharaoh in pursuit. The time is coming that the voice will be heard of let God’s people go that they may serve Him. In deed it is a special place.
If you were to read the entire 10th chapter of Hebrews (let alone the entire book) it speakes of the preeminence of Christ, the absolute sufficiency of His sacrifice in securing our complete salvation, His superior role as our Eternal High Priest, and the Mediator of the new and better Covenant. These are just a few of the lofty and glorious things mentioned in the book of Hebrews that our Lord accomplished for us when He shed His precious blood as the perfect sacrifical Lamb of God. Utterly astounding, is all I can say
(for lack of a more worthy description)in response to the power and wonder of the sacrifice of Christ and all He accomplished, as it is so eloquently laid before us in this book. And to think in the midst of all that wonder and power and glory that we would be asked to assemble together to do anything less than remind and encourage one another with the very words and wonder and spirit of the letter, which is Christ and all that He Is, and all that He has accomplished for us and in us; so that we may not in Paul’s words “cast away our confidence” and “draw back” would appear to be out of context. Did not the gathering Paul called them to also include warning each other of the dangers of continuing in sin (once enlightened with such wonderful, life-transforming Truth) and of taking lightly the Blood of Christ, therefore insulting the Holy Spirit and disregarding the grace of God?
The Book itself (Hebrews) breathes of the Holiness of God and Christ and the sacredness of His Truth. That being said I find it hard to imagine that Paul had the average Sunday morning church service in mind when he instructed them not to forsake to assemble. If in our gathering we are not being reminded and encouraged and even warned of the Truth of the true Gospel of Christ I would venture to say it would not be in keeping with the spirit and context of the call to assemble in verse 25. If I knew of such a place in my city I certainly would not have to be instructed to assemble. But again Scripture must be put into it’s proper context. The believers Paul wrote to in the letter were facing serious persecution for accepting the Gospel of Christ; they were being tempted to either revert back to Judaism or Judaize the Gospel; which would have made life much easier for them. Some didn’t gather for fear of their lives, not because they would rather sleep in. Chip, please continue to uphold the Truth of the Gospel of Christ…It is the power of God unto salvation.
True. I do believe the Lord would rather Believers had some face to face contact. It does not have to be a church building however. It could be a cafe, a closet, a park/picnic, a jungle, a home, a basement, etc. As times grow darker in this nation however, internet is all there is going to be.
True. And nowhere in the scripture do i find any basis whatsoever for bringing UNbelievers into the church. Instead, Christians are told to “Go out” and make Believers of all nations.
I did not get “saved in Organized Religion”, I got saved outside of it! Jesus came to right where i was. I do not know a SINGLE PERSON who has gotten saved inside a church/organized religion. Hopefully some get saved IN SPITE OF IT.
Interesting, Peg. Thanks for sharing. Indeed, only those who deny Truth and love that which is false would eventually remain in such a system, a system of lies and charades. How good to be out.
The last church i attended on any regular basis was about 6-7 years ago and every time i went i just came away feeling depressed and frankly suicidal. Being there among those people only made me feel lonely, whereas i was not lonely before i went! Their “Christianity” only went so far as the front door, if it made it that far. But I was so hungry for some kind of fellowship with “Believers” and a spiritual family, and wanted to obey God (or what I thought was of God, as i had not learned the truth about that verse on “assembling” yet) that for a while i kept going. When i finally stopped going to church altogether i began to feel SO much happier! I am FREE!
Hi there,
Yeah you are right. Jesus meets us where we are. He is the one who touches us and yes indeed Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. I totally agree with you.
Do you believe that there are people who love the Lord and still are in Organised religion? I actually see nothing wrong attending a local church with other believers and loving the Lord with all my heart. I am not saying that I cannot do without going to a local church but equally don’t think it is wrong to do so.