Avoiding church due to hypocrisy and lukewarmness

[Strong in Him]

Call it what you like. Jesus is all you need. The kingdom of heaven is within you. Truth is what matters, not the traditions of churchianity.

Which is another thing we agree on, so the accusation that I always disagree with you is simply not true.

Which is ironic - from someone who is passionate about truth.

 

[CallingInTheDesert]

If the church were not corrupted, they would be making true disciples that are Christ-like, but most of the churches are producing hypocrytes that keep on sinning and sometimes even sinning more than the world outside the churches.

I saw where someone said the churches are a hospital for the sinners, this would be a positive statement if the church patients were actually being healed of their sinful nature, but instead most of the churches give them comfort in their sins and enable them to emotionally feel healthy staying in their sins. This is not of God, but of the devil's making instead.

 

[Rev Randy]

If the church were not corrupted, they would be making true disciples that are Christ-like, but most of the churches are producing hypocrytes that keep on sinning and sometimes even sinning more than the world outside the churches.

I saw where someone said the churches are a hospital for the sinners, this would be a positive statement if the church patients were actually being healed of their sinful nature, but instead most of the churches give them comfort in their sins and enable them to emotionally feel healthy staying in their sins. This is not of God, but of the devil's making instead.

I'm not sure where you've been attending but the Church I love is baptizing and making disciples. And the gates of hell cannot prevail against Her.

 

[motherprayer]

Call it what you like. Jesus is all you need. The kingdom of heaven is within you. Truth is what matters, not the traditions of churchianity. The church today is a disgrace, and I am greatly disgusted!!!

Are you having trouble finding believers who are on your level, spiritually?

 

[CallingInTheDesert]

I'm not sure where you've been attending but the Church I love is baptizing and making disciples. And the gates of hell cannot prevail against Her.

Have these disciples taken up their cross and died to all their sinful nature and live fully by the Holy Spirit's power, where they don't fulfill the desires of their own flesh anymore?

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Avoiding church due to hypocrisy and lukewarmness

As a Christian I have always had a passion for truth. I will accept the truth even if it hurts. I just hate and loathe deception.

It's this kind of hypocrisy and lukewarmness that has made me stay away from church. Most church attenders are nice people, but they are just too soft and politically correct. They seem to put the teachings of their church above God's word, and this frustrates me. I'm not saying everybody has to have 100% agreement on scripture. But what I see happening today is that Christians are deliberately picking and choosing whatever is convenient to them. Instead of reading the whole Bible and allowing the scriptures to harmonize with each other, they will pick out the parts that agree with them and ignore the ones that don't.

I'm not saying the church has to be perfect, but in my opinion the church should have a passion for truth and be open minded. All I care about is the truth. If I'm wrong, I'll be happy to admit it. But truth is what I am passionate about.

Jesus didn't appear to like "lukewarm" churches either

Rev 3:15 I have known thy works, that neither cold art thou nor hot;
I would thou wert cold or hot.
16 So -- because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I am about to vomit thee out of my mouth;



.

 

[Gnarwhal]

Have these disciples taken up their cross and died to all their sinful nature and live fully by the Holy Spirit's power, where they don't fulfill the desires of their own flesh anymore?

So you're saying that you expect Christians to be sinless the moment they start their journey. Say a quick little prayer and presto-change-o they no longer sin?

 

[ST1TCH]

Avoiding Church due to hypocrisy and lukewarmness is being a hypocrite who is lukewarm. Not to mention missing the entire point of the Gospel.

The truth in 2 simple sentences. Thanks Rev Randy!

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Originally Posted by Rev Randy
Avoiding Church due to hypocrisy and lukewarmness is being a hypocrite who is lukewarm. Not to mention missing the entire point of the Gospel.

The truth in 2 simple sentences. Thanks Rev Randy!

Sounds pretty simple to me also




.

 

[CallingInTheDesert]

So you're saying that you expect Christians to be sinless the moment they start their journey. Say a quick little prayer and presto-change-o they no longer sin?

No, what I am saying is: a person is not a disciple of Christ if they are still a disciple of Satan's nature by keeping in their sin. So we should not call a apple an orange. We should not call a person a disciple of Christ when they are still following the devil and sinning.

God does fully expect Christians to come to a point of maturity when they no longer sin, then they will have taken up their cross and then they can truly follow Him. It is then that they can be called a Christ disciple.

 

[Gnarwhal]

No, what I am saying is: a person is not a disciple of Christ if they are still a disciple of Satan's nature by keeping in their sin. So we should not call a apple an orange. We should not call a person a disciple of Christ when they are still following the devil and sinning.

God does fully expect Christians to come to a point of maturity when they no longer sin, then they will have taken up their cross and then they can truly follow Him. It is then that they can be called a Christ disciple.

Regardless of any of that, I don't think the church is the causation of this demographic of people who consider themselves Christians yet fail to live Christ-like lives. I know a number of people, friends and acquaintances, who reject Church in favor of the lone wolf approach and yet they still descend into an antinomian, heretical lifestyle.

I'd rather they at least still be in the Church environment, even if they were struggling with a sin, than to be completely outside of the accountability of the Church.

 

[Rev Randy]

Sounds pretty simple to me also




.

I'm a simple man. Or simple minded at the least.

Shinedown - Simple Man - YouTube

 

[Rev Randy]

Regardless of any of that, I don't think the church is the causation of this demographic of people who consider themselves Christians yet fail to live Christ-like lives. I know a number of people, friends and acquaintances, who reject Church in favor of the lone wolf approach and yet they still descend into an antinomian, heretical lifestyle.

I'd rather they at least still be in the Church environment, even if they were struggling with a sin, than to be completely outside of the accountability of the Church.

Amen and God bless you.

 

[CallingInTheDesert]

Regardless of any of that, I don't think the church is the causation of this demographic of people who consider themselves Christians yet fail to live Christ-like lives. I know a number of people, friends and acquaintances, who reject Church in favor of the lone wolf approach and yet they still descend into an antinomian, heretical lifestyle.

I'd rather they at least still be in the Church environment, even if they were struggling with a sin, than to be completely outside of the accountability of the Church.

This is because the church is no longer different from the world, but has let the world take over in the church.

Whether it be the church or the rest of society, they need the real Truth of God and not some truth mixed with lies. It is believing the real Truth of God that sets a man free of sin. But believing partial truths will also mean they are believing partial lies as well - this will result in lukewarmness and God spitting them out of His mouth.

So, if most of the churhes are going to be spit out of God's mouth and most of the world outside the church is going to go to hell, then is it a positive thing to go to church or not to go to church. Either one ends up in destruction if they keep believing as they do - which is not the real Truth.

 

[Rev Randy]

This is because the church is no longer different from the world, but has let the world take over in the church.

Whether it be the church or the rest of society, they need the real Truth of God and not some truth mixed with lies. It is believing the real Truth of God that sets a man free of sin. But believing partial truths will also mean they are believing partial lies as well - this will result in lukewarmness and God spitting them out of His mouth.

So, if most of the churhes are going to be spit out of God's mouth and most of the world outside the church is going to go to hell, then is it a positive thing to go to church or not to go to church. Either one ends up in destruction if they keep believing as they do - which is not the real Truth.

I'm a bit confused. Either you're using the word 'Church" very lightly or you've found some sure 'nuff odd congregations calling themselves the Church. What you're describing sound more like the moose lodge.

I see the Church as alive, well and working. Perhaps we're just not attending the same ones? I fully admit that we all have some who are confused or not completely devoted people within our pews. I'd even suspect that we all have some non-Christians who show up (at least I hope so). But we need to remember that not all who are in the Church house are of the Church. But that's how one usually first shows up in a Church house.

 

[CallingInTheDesert]

I'm a bit confused. Either you're using the word 'Church" very lightly or you've found some sure 'nuff odd congregations calling themselves the Church. What you're describing sound more like the moose lodge.

I see the Church as alive, well and working. Perhaps we're just not attending the same ones? I fully admit that we all have some who are confused or not completely devoted people within our pews. I'd even suspect that we all have some non-Christians who show up (at least I hope so). But we need to remember that not all who are in the Church house are of the Church. But that's how one usually first shows up in a Church house.

I agree that most churches have a few older fully transformed born again believers, but for the most part the churches today are like a moose lodge.

Rev., what percentage of your congregation are fully living by the Holy Spirit and no longer knowingly sinning against God and/or their fellow man? I know it will be just a guess, because you don't actually know them good enough to know what they are like in their own homes or what they do behind closed doors. But if you would guess a percentage, what would you think it would be?

 

[TruthWarrior]

Which is another thing we agree on, so the accusation that I always disagree with you is simply not true.

Which is ironic - from someone who is passionate about truth.

Fine, if you agree with me then stop encouraging me to go to church.

 

[motherprayer]

Fine, if you agree with me then stop encouraging me to go to church.

Why?

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Originally Posted by Strong in Him
Which is another thing we agree on, so the accusation that I always disagree with you is simply not true.

Which is ironic - from someone who is passionate about truth.

Fine, if you agree with me then stop encouraging me to go to church.

Why?

Perhaps he is afraid of melting if he walks in to one

Trailer for the Movie: The Omen (1976) - YouTube




.

 

[Strong in Him]

Fine, if you agree with me then stop encouraging me to go to church.

I'm not, not really. I'm just saying that I think both you, and they, are missing out.

But if you want to be a lone Christian - not part of the body of Christ as it says in Scripture - and if you don't care about challenging, or encouraging, a church to do and be better for the Lord, go ahead.
It's between you and him ultimately. If the Lord is ok with you staying away, fine.