Do you ever just get sick of lying to yourself? There are so many questions we have that are never answered because of the greater good or pragmatic traditional positions, not to mention the much work being done 24/7 building the Kingdom of the Lord, socializing and reforming all society! At what point is the body of Christ allowed to discuss our divisive matters openly? When do men just get together to plod through the scriptures on a subject that comes up continually? I don't care how long something has been happening or who says we should keep doing it.
Paul laid down specifics on sound doctrine and church discipline (withdrawing) with the intention to establish truth and put down heresy and false gospels, not to just to cast the sinners out or the ignorant heretic. Heresies are a work of the flesh like anything else (Gal 5:20). Heresies must be for the word of God to be established as the authority. You're approved by sticking to the Book, and those things left to the body of Christ, not by hanging around in the OT, the prophets, the gospels, and early Acts.
1 Cor 11:18-19 For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.
For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
If there is division, there is heresy. The body is meant to be unified. It's a work, and it won't happen overnight. Dealing with false doctrine is how a church comes to a unified position, established in the faith. The gospel being confirmed, and defended. When Paul talks of dealing with a man that is a heretic, it is an admonition (gentle reproof, counseling against a fault, instruction in duties, direction, to caution). It is one thing if a man is openly subverting, seeking preeminence, drawing sheep away, but for a brother in Christ to bring valid arguments to some long-standing traditions, he is not attempting to teach heresy, he is attempting to understand the present conditions of things as they relate to the scriptures, more specifically for us living today, parts of the NT to keep himself from losing his marbles!
Cognitive dissonance (discomfort caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously) is a phrase often used to describe what some go through when they can't reconcile conflicting ideas. A smoker knows the cigarette will kill him, but he chooses to partake in the act of buying and smoking them. A believer can go through the same thing, sitting in churches that follow traditions, while they themselves are somehow compelled, roped into joining and participating on things they strongly disagree on just for the sake of "not forsaking the assembling".
These instances of cognitive dissonance could be in the matters of minor traditional observances, that some may deem a complete waste, and all for show or in major doctrinal areas that have many errors being preached on a continual basis.
Now, in today's society, the way that we have "church" set up today, they way we actually operate our systems, the people, us dumb sheep that don't know how to read 6th grade English in the 1611 text, and can't discern the forest for the trees, and are just straining at gnats, we are just expected to listen to the same religionist rubbish, week after week after week. Not just from the pastors, but the missionaries traveling through, the evangelists funneling in, and all the other programs, clubs, events, parades, luncheons, focus groups, ministries, and everything in between.
The body of Christ has its functioning laid out specifically enough in Paul's epistles that we know enough about our modern day circumstances to know we are well off the tracks. Valiant attempts maybe, but if we are going to be honest, we have to see we have become as religious as Rome. And all the while, the flock is just expected to sit through, take it, like it, and never dispute it. Do we not see the hierarchy and elitism in our ways? The Bible calls it preeminence or pride.
I am aware not everything is discussed, certain details, length of services, songs used in services, preaching, teaching, etc. I think this is by design. It makes sense when you understand that there is to be a certain amount of order in our worship and fellowship along with an equal amount of spontaneity to allow the Holy Spirit to guide. But our typical way of doing things, quit fooling yourselves into thinking you are doing it Paul's way or some deluded "Bible" way. It's all traditions, everywhere you look, from Rome, to all Protestant branches, Baptist included.
Jesus was for our salvation, our conduct, things becoming the body of Christ, much of that was given to Paul, FROM Jesus Christ our Lord. It's not about those in the church house not being able to submit to Jesus, or the Pastor of the local church, it's about submitting to the written word of God, and at least making an attempt to examine if we are as steeped in traditions as the "unsubmissive rebels" keep implying.
Understand, many people simply feel just as trapped going to the normal, independent Fundamental Sunday morning church service as a Catholic would going to any standard Roman Catholic traditional mass. Completely different services, but still traditional bull. They know it's just bloody tradition, the bells and the whistles with the smoke and mirrors and all the "trade craft".
No comments:
Post a Comment