God doesn't want any spiritual Lone Rangers, we are in this together as the body of Christ. Some believers march to a tune of a different drummer from that of the church. They don't take part in any of the activities, especially Bible study, and shun contact or fellowship because they don't want to be held accountable. To be with the program of the church is vital and if you can't honestly agree with it you'd be better off in another church where you can consent. The book of Judges is about Israel doing their own thing and it says each man did what was right in his own eyes. They are doing their own thing! "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned each to his own way" (cf. Isa. 53:6).
The pastor of the church is the under-shepherd and will give account for you at the judgment. Heb. 13 and verse 17 says to "obey your leaders and submit to their authority." We are not lone wolves in the church that can survive on our own; we need fellowship, accountability, and support from other believers. Going to church regularly is like getting a spiritual checkup.
I am writing this from experience because I refused to do a Bible study that our pastor wanted everyone to do because I disagreed with some Pentecostal elements. Some Christians are really members of the "nod to God crowd" that just shows up on Sunday and doesn't have any intercourse during the week with the body of believers. If you don't like Christ's body you don't like Christ! Soli Deo Gloria!
The pastor of the church is the under-shepherd and will give account for you at the judgment. Heb. 13 and verse 17 says to "obey your leaders and submit to their authority." We are not lone wolves in the church that can survive on our own; we need fellowship, accountability, and support from other believers. Going to church regularly is like getting a spiritual checkup.
I am writing this from experience because I refused to do a Bible study that our pastor wanted everyone to do because I disagreed with some Pentecostal elements. Some Christians are really members of the "nod to God crowd" that just shows up on Sunday and doesn't have any intercourse during the week with the body of believers. If you don't like Christ's body you don't like Christ! Soli Deo Gloria!
>>I refused to do a Bible study that our pastor wanted everyone to do because I disagreed with some Pentecostal elements.<<
ReplyDeleteDid you change your views or change your church?
I chose to ignore the Pentecostal asides and try to get as much out of the study as I could--I didn't change churches, I changed attitudes.
DeleteBut God wants us to be like the Bereans, too.
ReplyDeleteThat's right, we are responsible and can't blame everything on our teachers to be right all the time. There is leeway for me to disagree and study on my own initiative in addition to the Bible study.
DeleteAmen! I am a Berean who studies the Word and I agree to disagree with Pentecostals on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and move on--We have a lot to learn from their sensitivity to the Spirit and manifestations of gifts that the Evangelical church lacks.
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