Never-mind the Exclusive Brethren for the moment
and getting away from this clerical hierarchy idea, why not just let the congregation
choose their own pastor? What’s wrong
with that?
Don’t forget, we live in a different culture - this isn’t the 1st century.
Don’t forget, we live in a different culture - this isn’t the 1st century.
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| That's him/her on top! |
Is that really a good
excuse for now doing whatever we like in God’s house? The apostle
Paul gives us clear instructions in his letters to Timothy and Titus:
"These things I write to thee, hoping to come to thee more quickly;
but if I delay, in order that thou mayest know how one ought to conduct oneself
in God's house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of
the truth." 1 Timothy 3:14-15
Besides there being no
biblical authority for this modern idea, we get a hint in the last Revelation address
to Laodicea, from laos meaning ‘people’
and dike meaning ‘decision’ – the
people get to choose!
Really??...in a church that’s wealthy but
lukewarm for Christ, hey. Sickening!
So where is the
pastor’s allegiance?...to Christ or to staying popular with his congregation?
Yeah, I suppose he has to be careful not to upset
people or he’s out of a job but I still think you’re being a bit of a pedantic
fundamentalist.
Let me show you how it
works by relating what I heard a pastor teaching recently, but first of all
here’s what early Christians were meant to avoid:
“…abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what is
strangled, and from fornication…” Acts 15:29
Fair enough….you can keep your idols and blood
puddings but fornication is still an issue for us today - although modern
translations seem to mostly leave that word out.
Just by the way, the
word 'fornication' is translated from Greek: porneia
which refers to not only fornication but prostitution, adultery and even incest:
all sexual perversions...it’s the root word for pornography….
…and with the internet, that is a BIG problem!....even
among Christians.
Now this well-respected
conservative pastor was teaching that, if for example a guy in the congregation
is known for being a womaniser we’re not to judge him because Jesus said:
"Judge not, that ye may not be judged..." Matthew 7:1-2
….he just needs some
private counselling, based on:
"Brethren,
if even a man be taken in some fault (paraptoma: a sideslip), ye who are spiritual
restore such a one in a spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest thou also
be tempted." Galatians 6:1
This guy sure needs counselling but he hasn’t just slipped up, he’s got a public
reputation as a womaniser!
You said it!...as a
result you’ll often find people like this present at communion, while here is
what the apostle Paul taught on that:
“…if any one called brother be fornicator...not to mix with him; with such
a one not even to eat…do not ye judge them that are within?...Remove the wicked
person from amongst yourselves." 1 Corinthians 5:9-13
Whoa!!...this pastor was using the teachings of
Jesus for individuals to contradict Paul’s teachings for the church!
Yep!...to immature
Christians who didn’t know any better and liked what they were hearing. If you read that chapter carefully you’ll see
that rather than avoiding upsetting anybody in the congregation, Paul’s concern
is that honour of the name of our Lord Jesus Christ be upheld:
"For I, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged
as present, to deliver, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ….him that has so
wrought this…” 1 Corinthians 5:3-4
I see what you mean…it’s all downhill once you
get away from the authority of Scripture.
Image credit:
firstbaptistchurcharchdale.com
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