> General Discussions

A Question

<< < (2/4) > >>

Kat:

I had been in church all my life pretty much, but as an adult and very serious church going 'Christian' for 25 yrs.  I had always been aware of many problems in the church, but felt that was just the way it was and we were 'suppose' to go there to worship God.  I stuck with it, but the last few yrs there, were especially difficult.  
When I came across the Bible Truths website a couple of years ago, it was with joy that I left the church and have never looked back.  I did have a few good friends there and we have visited a few times since I left.  But now we don't seem to have much in common and our visits are less and less, I haven't actually talked to any of them in months now.

mercy, peace and love
Kat


Here are a few emails on this subject.

http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,1188.0.html ----

Funny you should ask "where" one should go to worship, and where I go to worship.  Someone once asked Jesus this very question, and so I will give you His answer:

"The woman said unto Him, Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet.  Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and you [you Jews] that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship....Jesus said...You worship you know not what...but the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshippers [do you want to be a "TRUE" worshipper?] shall worship the Father IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH:  for the Father seeks such to worship Him" (John 4:19-23).

If you go to "a church" composed of people who are NOT "like-minded belivers of the truth," as yourself, how is it that you think that you can "fellowship" with them?  "Be ye NOT unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what FELLOWSHIP has righteousness what unrighteousness? and what communion has light with darkness....WHEREFORE COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM, AND BE YE SEPARATE, says the Lord...." (II Cor. 6:14-18.  See also Rev. 18:4).

God be with you,
Ray  

http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,1584.0.html ---

The sugar-coated candy religion of Christendom appeals to lusts of the carnal mind. When God begins to humble us of our carnal mind the church looses its luster and the candy is no longer sweet.  God isn't calling us to a feel-good religion.  What feels good is the truth, even if the truth is often painful it still feels good because the destiny of Christ's religion is eternal righteousness and love for all.  There certainly is nothing good about a heaven that allows its guests to view their grandmothers and grandfathers, and maybe even their own children, being tortured in a fire of an eternal hell.  As Paul stated: "Yes woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel."

God be with you,
Ray  

http://www.forums.bible-truths.com/index.php/topic,1304.0.html ---

No, you will not have success in converting your pastor.  Neither would I have success at such an impossible task.  People ask me about "where to go to church" almost on a daily basis. They know that their church and all other churches that they know of, do not teach the truth (worse: they teach lies and heresy).  And so they think that maybe I know of a church a few blocks from where their home or a few miles from their home that does teach all of the truths of God.  Sorry, there is not such thing that I am aware of.
 
If there were churches scattered through BABYLON THE GREAT WHORE, then there would be no need for God to admonish those whom He is choosing, to "COME OUT OF HER MY PEOPLE" (Rev. 18:4).  Are we to just come out of her spiritually, but remain good social friends with them on a weekly basis?
 
Church is not now and never was, a physical building to congregate in to worship God.  Could all the hundreds of thousands of Israelites congregate inside the tiny little tabernacle in the wilderness?  Could ALL JUDEA congregate in the tiny Temple in Jeruslem every sabbath?  The synagogues became corrupted and the churches today are corrupted.  So where do you want to go?  If you want fellowship why not join a social club and keep the false religion out of your fellowship.
 
Jesus taught us that we are to worship God in spirit and in truth, not in this mountain or in Jerusalem, or in a building, or another other "place" that is corrupted.  I can't tell people what to do. If "christian fellowship" means more to them than "Godly worship," then I guess they just  have to keep looking.
 
Being a follower of Jesus Christ was never designed to be a "feel good religion" as many christian churches promise if you join their particular tents on living a worldly life for Jesus.  I trully never miss, "CHURCH"!  I "go to church" every time I open my Bible."

God be with you,
Ray

Samson:
Hello Doubting Saint,

                             I asked myself the same question after leaving the JW's, I started to wonder if I could separate the Fellowship aspect with the divergent beliefs I would encounter when attending different Denominations of "Christianity". I attented a few meetings with the Dawn Bible Students(Those who still follow Charles Russell) and although they weren't Legalistic like the JW's(Rutherfords), I still didn't feel comfortable with some of their Prophetic assertions and their 144,000 interpretation. They did emphasize the Christian Character(fruitage of the Spirit). I tried to keep in mind,Hebrews. 10:23-25, realizing that it wasn't necessary to gather together or assemble with a group of people in a Church-type building, also the Scripture, " Where their are two or three gathered in my name, my spirit is in their midst".
I wondered of what value would it be to assemble with others that believed in Eternal Torment or Eternal Separation, when I couldn't conceive of a Loving and Merciful God punishing anyone for all Eternity, based on what one did or didn't do in 70-80yrs of life. To me, the punishment would greatly exceed the crime. Kat brought out that important Scriptural passage at John. 4:19-23 and also 2Cor. 6:14-18. You might want to read Rays Article on being " Unequally Yoked", its' very good and will also aid in answering your Question, although Ray is applying it primarily to Marriage in this case, but it will answer on a greater scale about being " Unequally Yoked with Unbelievers". I found that article to be very helpfull, in my case, since my Wife doesn't share all my Spiritual views, but is very tolerant of them and supportive and seems to be responding as she views it having a calm and peacefull affect on me. 

                              When leaving the Watchtower, one of the Scriptural points that was brought to my attention, that helped me in this regard about " going somewhere else", insofar as Fellowship is concerned was the following: John.6:66-69, Peter asked Jesus, Whom shall we go away to, not where, because Jesus has sayings of everlasting(age-lasting) Life, not some particular Church Organization. The JW's usually throw that scripture at someone that considers leaving or is leaving by substituting the word WHOM with WHERE.

                               Also going to Church usually amounts to more like joining some Social Club, that can be better accomplished by joining a Club that focuses around some Hobby(like Tennis, Weightlifting or whatever your personal interests). All the spiritual fellowship one can need and want is to be found here.


                               All of this is not meant to imply you can't have a variety of friends elsewhere, its' just that, when disscussing these Spiritual Truths with those who don't share these views, its' pointless to engage in some heated debate that has no end in sight, it certainly won't do you any good and it won't help the other person anyway, your conduct and how you present yourself to the other person, especially in these cases, will be a greater Witness. As a JW or of another former denomination, we might have been overly concerned with " saving them" from Endless Death or Eternal Torment, now we are liberated from having to worry about the Salvation of our Loved ones and others.(1Tim.4:10 & many other Scriptures).

                             May you continue to fellowship with all of us and partake of the wonderfull spiritual feast provided at this Site, Your Brother in Christ, Samson.

rjsurfs:
Repent & Come Out is my input.

Revelation 18:4  And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

Read the Lake of Fire Series.

Bobby

Deborah-Leigh:

The further AWAY and OUT of Babylon I have come, the more I see Babylon like God sees Babylon.

Babylon or God? Tares or Wheat? Chosen or called? The many or the few? The old wine or the new?

All of these parables that were given to us by Christ are here to understand through the study of the LOF series and the many exquisite teachings we have through Ray.

As Bobby says, keep studying and reading what is taught here in BT! :)

Peace be to you

Arcturus :)

David:
There is no way I can have any fellowship or partake of what goes on and what is taught in the Church anymore. When I left my Church 9 months ago, at that point I could see and hear that what was being taught and practiced was contrary to Gods word, in particular the Hell fire torment and torture preaching. The Pastor would interject it in every single sermon, every single prayer meeting, no matter what the subject etc, Hell would be mentioned. I remember asking one of the Deacons if he believed that Christ will resurrect the dead, and judge all according to their works etc..to which he said yes he did believe that, and that he believed none believers and the wicked would go to Hell. I pointed out that if this be the case then, Hell is going to be full of repentant believers, which to anyone here and anyone that believes Gods word is utterly stupid. He couldn't see how this could be. I said that if the most wicked, and the most fervent atheists are brought before Christ, in his presence and the presence of his saints, well they sure are not going to be none believers anymore are they. Then if this Dante's inferno actually exists and they are shown their punishment, well even Hitler is going to repent wouldn't you think? So now we have a repentant believer and he's going to be cast into hell forever, and after 20 trillion centuries he is not 1 second closer to the end of his torture? Total insane depraved nonesense. I also ask them at what point Christ stopped being our savior, stopped loving all of mankind, stopped being the Man that healed the sick, the crippled, the blind, raised the dead, forgave adulterers, forgave even those that had him killed.....and became a vengeance filled, hate filled, vile depraved monster that will inflict more torture misery and pain on humanity than a thousand Hitlers.....well at that point I was accused of blasphemy etc. That was all 9 months ago.
Very recently something quite profound happened to me, and I would be very interested to hear if anyone else has had a similar experience. I very good friend of mine, a brother in Christ has an elder brother in ministry. He is the pastor of a Baptist Church in Preston in Lancishire. My friend gave me a link to his Church and asked me if I would listen to some of the audios. I clicked the first one. The first five minutes was one of the congregation reading from Numbers, then the Pastor started to preach. Not even five minutes in I had to turn it off. I actually felt physically sick, to the point where I could feel the bile rising in my mouth, that's the effect of hearing his blasphemy had on me. In the first few minutes he said that God had obeyed man in Numbers (I forget which chapter and verse it was), and he talked about overhearing a conversation in a super market where a young girl said to her Friend "I can't help the way I am, God made me this way"......to which the pastor said he wanted to go to her and tell her that "no, God did not make her this way, that Eve was made perfect until she sinned, and now we are the creation of the Devil until we believe in Christ"........so now Satan is our creator???????? It really did make feel very sick to hear such blasphemy and heresy.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page