No more church

[newlove]

 Is n t that a bit steep ? Wherever two or three are
gathered in  my name ?I supose we could jut have
coffee in Mcdonalds.
Would that be sufficient ? Some churches suit us better than others so wouldn t it be best
to shop around ?
But chucking it in fully can you do that and remain christian ? :eek:

[Tom]

There weren't any "churches" around for the early believers. Two or three can gather anywhere anytime even right here on the forum. If you go to church, you're going to be subjected to church doctrine which ain't cool. You can get out of church and into God by reading an accurate translation of the word of God, and you can communicate with fellow believers anywhere anytime. You don't even have to wait until Sunday.

[dajomaco]

It is better to remain in Christ than remain in a church.

[Tom]

Amen

[rosered]

 
  I personally believe   if the Holy Spirit  convicts you to  go
  You should go by all means        we have many tutors   that lead us to Christ   

  The Law is good   and many are  still under the  law   of Moses   we have to  die  in   the  law first before we can be    made alive    by faith in Jesus Christ ,   the   very same baptism   that Jesus showed by  us  by being baptized  first    in the Jordan    by John the Baptist   ,   preparing the Way    for the One who comes after


Being Jesus Christ ...   Paul speaks of not having to go though all the  ceremonies      of that baptism   , being the circumcision   of the flesh[  going into captivity of Babylon ]   giving   your utter all and it all for nothing       , taste not handle not touch not ...   

BUT 
    we know he was referring the the   circumcision of the heart   ,      That the Lord  baptise you with by Holy Spirit and fire       being the Cross  of Jesus Christ we are to take up and follow Him  ALONE to the end   Luke 12   48-52
     this to me is the Lord separating the sheep from the goats     being  the division   in one house , you are that house    and Judgment begins in the house of God            the old and new covenants  by laws       ,  love mother more than me not worthy of Me   Father  more than me    son or daughter  in laws more than me     etc ...  take up your cross and  follow me , this is the narrow path that leads to Life   , not the broad path most take   

   I know this thinking may sound odd to  most , but I do see this time   , this short time in the days of our flesh  as individually     plucked   by Gods own hand   and power    , we are all in different places     in the LORD       &, Spiritual growth   as God gives the increase        ..

   JESUS CHRIST knew all things    and when he come   and walked in the days of His  flesh   he suffered for it greatly    and  no one considers this      , He learned obedience though the things He suffered      just as we ought to  also      in the days of our flesh     

He had so much adversity    and no one understood him , even  the 12   struggled to understand so   many things he was telling them   , we are also in the same  way    , so we trust  and believe by faith the things we do not understand  till the Lord comes to reveal it by His Light   and knowledge     the Truth  that leads to all truth         We are all thankful for what we have  been given by His own   mercy  on us   :HeartThrob:


 

 

[rosered]

It is better to remain in Christ than remain in a church.

  Christ body is the true Church    ,  we are to learn to discern His Body         eat my  body and drink my blood that you may have LIFE in You !



...28But a man must examine himself, and in so doing he is to eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

29For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself if he does not judge the body rightly.[      statement /cause ]

30For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep....[ result ]   


  Remember  how they judged  according to appearance  , the flesh and not in the  right spirit       Jesus Christ himself   

  They were  just as   satans   children/judges      accusing    the brethren     before God day and night   NOT DISCERNING     THE  LORD HIMSELF [Head /  leader authority ]  :eek:  ...

Luke 7:34
The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.



GOD judges the heart and motive  of the heart   , and if your heart is circumcised     by  cutting off the flesh   in  judgement  , you are on the right track in my opinion       LOVE     should always be the motive of the heart and      judging  in mercy should be     the result   

[Tom]

I don't want to start any trouble because I know a lot folks like to use the word "church" instead of "ecclesia" which is why they have to distinguish between the "true church" and what ain't, but the Greek word "ekklesia" is best translated "ecclesia" not "church." If it is, the confusion is eliminated. My personal concept of "church" is the institution I was raised in where I learned all about false doctrine. Now I no longer allow myself to be subjected to that because I don't go to "church" anymore. I do however have the knowledge that I am a member of the "ecclesia," the "body of Christ," and I get my fellowship wherever whenever I can often here on the forum. I realize some folks have a hard time giving up the "church" tradition, but I just can't do it anymore because I know "church" history and "church" doctrine. It's not for me anymore, but everybody has to make up their own minds about that. I would rather have nothing but virtual fellowship in spirit and truth than to be a hypocrite sitting in "church" because I would not be believing what is being said or believed. But, like I said, that's my thing, and you have to decide for yourself what's important to you. 

[newlove]

I have a clear idea of the churches i d rather not attend .To give but two examples
one is where i feel the preacher is whipping
up high emotion. I feel manipulated. Another is where
ritual of word holds the stage only this
Past sunday a womanwith a microphone
read out this long list of saints a.d aftet each name thecongregation had to chorus "pray for me"
Where is the life and spirit in that ?!
However over and above objections to service procedure i do see value in,for example , offering
the chance for people who live alone
to share a meal after the service .Alot of
people are alienated and lonely these days ,the online world is a great help but better still is the online AND
offline world.

[Tom]

Well, I've tried to find like minded believers around here unsuccessfully. So I get my fellowship where I can with folks who at least believe in universal reconciliation, and that's mostly right here. The problem is I think believers like us are spread out all over the place. I mean, if you want to minister to people in need in your community, go for it. I'm hanging out where I am because I have to help my 90 year old dad who I need to make sure gets his meds and food and visits to the doctor and whatever.

[Tom]

I agree it would be good to get together in the real world, but, like I said, I don't know anybody around here that's not into hellfire and brimstone except a Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship in a town kind of close to here. I'd really rather get together with folks in homes though without any "church" hierarchy involved. I think you can have groups meet anywhere to study scripture together which is what I think it should be all about, but I wouldn't want to do it with folks who are going to be preaching about getting tortured in fire forever.

[Tom]

Most people on this forum don't even publish where they are, and I can understand that. But, maybe if we all did, we'd find out somebody lives close by that we could get together with once in a while. I've seen some lists of places on other sites where people could meet. One of them was on a site that pushes Christian Universalism, but there weren't any close to me even though there were a couple in my state. The ecclesia is a big old bunch of folks everywhere, but not too many close together that believe in universal reconciliation that I can see. Maybe somebody is blessed with some others nearby, but I'm just a virtual monk here.

[eaglesway]

I have a clear idea of the churches i d rather not attend .To give but two examples
one is where i feel the preacher is whipping
up high emotion. I feel manipulated. Another is where
ritual of word holds the stage only this
Past sunday a womanwith a microphone
read out this long list of saints a.d aftet each name thecongregation had to chorus "pray for me"
Where is the life and spirit in that ?!
However over and above objections to service procedure i do see value in,for example , offering
the chance for people who live alone
to share a meal after the service .Alot of
people are alienated and lonely these days ,the online world is a great help but better still is the online AND
offline world.

:thumbsup:

[newlove]

I m sorry to hear the offline world
Is that bad for you good folks i get the feeling you are inthe states. Between UR believers and hellfire types
there are here in France some " good" churches that
Seem chiefly concerned with the message of love and
forgiveness be that always hard to live .
What i don t get about the hell fire churh
Is how it accepts so passively that message
what they ought to do is make it their
church's number one mission to tirelesssly
Petition their tyranical God to change his
policy as eternal damnation doesn t measure up
ethically to the best (or even worst) humans
achieve .Shame on them.
Thank God for tentmaker with all my heart!

[newlove]

All the same even if they aim for the love message and they don t think hellfire
those i ve questioned reckon its anihation
for some because of the mention
of gehenna.

[Lazarus Short]

The church has left the building...in more ways than lack of attendance.

[eaglesway]

The church is being built of living stones, coming down out of heaven adorned as a Bride for the Bridegroom.