Back to Babylon?

[GODSown1]

I jus wanna say,
                         Amen brothers Darren & Bradigans uz hav jus woken me up, I feel I mustve dozed off abit Thanks so much coZ U r so right GOD is in Control & 1 mus rememba HE aint jus in Control of us! only! HE is in Control of ALL!, & Thanks again Susan, Y!? bcoz if it werent 4 U dis wouldntve cum out lol! , But! in sayn all d@ ALL Praise must go to GOD az HE is in CONTROL!! , PEACE! & BLESSNZ! 2 uz all.
                          muchLOVE!! Pera

[seminole]

Help! I still don't understand what "the church" is here. In ne of Matt's posts he was sying something about going to a church but not the church that some people here. What does it mean? Matt, old buddy, if you are there, clear me up! Thanks!

[Bradigans]

Help! I still don't understand what "the church" is here. In ne of Matt's posts he was sying something about going to a church but not the church that some people here. What does it mean? Matt, old buddy, if you are there, clear me up! Thanks!

There's only one true Church (ephesians 4:4-6) comprised of lively/living stones (1st Peter 2:5) connected by and through THE HOLY GHOST. God's Spirit dwells in living/lively stones. 1 Corinthians 6:19 - What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? The true and living God needed a true and living Church comprised of true and living stones (1st kings 8:27) Christ hmiself being the chief cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). I believe Christ came to build God an habitation and/or dwelling place (Revelation 21:3). Mark 14:58 says - We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands.

[seminole]

Hey yeah, I knew that Christ makes us His church. I was just confused because sometimes it mixes me up thinking people are talking about a church building. Thanks!

[indianabob]

Dear Friend Skydreamer,

You hit the nail on the head squarely.

We must be about God's business and that puts us or leaves us IN the world.
We cannot hide from the world's influence or change it by being stubborn or by acting as if we were pouting when our former church or our family members don't agree with us after a few months of explanations.  We need to keep in mind that these other folks are just as intelligent and just as valuable to God as are we.  It is God who is not calling them at this particular time and it is not their fault that they do not understand.  They are not a worse influence on our children than others in the world, that is a serious misunderstanding.

I'm quite sure that anyone of our relatives would lay their life on the line to protect their own flesh and blood if it became necessary and they wouldn't think twice about it either.  That being true. . .

I wonder if it is not a gross insult to a Grandparent to indicate to them that we believe that they no longer love their Grandchildren just because of some new truth that has come into our lives.  Truth that they have no possible way of checking on.  Truth that comes to us only by a direct miracle from God and which they obviously have NOT been given as yet.

The most important character trait mentioned in the Bible concerning Christ followers is that they have LOVE for one another.  True, sacrificial love.

Does that somehow exclude flesh and blood relatives?  God forbid.

indianabob

Hi Roy,

Yes, those are of course important scriptures to consider.  But if I may offer my perspective on how I understand them, or how I apply them to my life (and this is of course, only my understanding at present )

As you so rightly point out:

Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Therefore, I can be physically in a room full of unbelievers  and yet be spiritually NOT fellowshipping with them, as I hold fast to what I believe and see as the truth, in my spirit.

In my heart and in my spirit I can come out of Babylon and not partake of her sins, though I may physically be surrounded by Babylon.  (By the way, I agree with others who have said that Babylon is not just present in the church....and I can watch TBN ministers [which I do on a rare occasion for a laugh] with no harm to my spirit, if anything it's a constant confirmation in me that these ministers are "off"....I think as you come out of Babylon, God gives you the gift of discernment where you begin to see the lies like a red light flashing...but this "coming out of Babylon" still is occuring even after you "physically" come out of the church....IMHO)

And so, if I am amongst "unbelievers" and they see that I take a different stand by the questions they ask of me, they will either kick me out of their presence, or they will ask more questions...as the Lord wills.

There are "unbelievers" everywhere!!!!  I know of 9 people (that I recently had the joy of meeting for the first time after two years) in my own HUGE city that believe the way I do.  We are few and far between....a scattered bunch.)

Now, if I were to attend church for the sake of my family (which admittedly I'm not in the position of having to do), yet all the while they become aware of where I stand through every opportunity that comes up to add comments and answer questions, am I not just "becoming as one of them so that I might save one of them"?

1 Corinthians 9:19-23
19  For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.

20  To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law.

21  To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.

22  To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.

23  I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.


Peace,
Diana

[gmik]

Matt, are you still w/ us??? Haven't heard from you in awhile.  Miss your posts.

[sonofone]

I had a thought about this very topic today,and am currently going through a similar situation myself. My thought was concerning the Church or Babylon which I really don't like using that term because it sounds so dismissive and pompous. In the case of the Pharisees they had become evil because they kept their followers in blindness. Matthew 23 vs 13-36. Jesus was very hard or harsh toward them but not the people of Israel.Look at vs 37 same chapter and the compassion for the lost souls. Just the same the Church members are our brothers our family, most are deceived through the false teaching. They are not as the Pharisees, but more like the lost sheep of Israel,in terms of there blindness to God's truth.

[dawnnnny]

Hi Sonofone,

I understand how you feel.  When I first got to this forum, some of the things said here "appeared" to be kind of harsh.  That was several weeks ago and as I learn more, I understand that Babylon isn't a mean spirited insult that the Forum members made up.  It's from the Word.  As far as most people being deceived through false teaching - agreed.  But I've notice many/most are like I was at first, they sit and listen to a pastor without digging into the Word for themselves.  God of course calls us to dig so in some respects, maybe they can be seen as victims.   But on the other hand, we - all of us - will be held accountable for our lives.  Anyway, just my thoughts