Do you have to attend a church to be a Christian? (paradise, believer)
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Location: Comunistafornia, and working to get out ASAP!
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No you do not. Being saved by the grace of God and going to Church are two separate things. However, as a Christian you should desire to be with the family of God when possible. It is very difficult to find a fellowship that is true to God and His word.
You get inspiration out of it. You will not grow to spiritual maturity on your own.
So if a person was (for instance), living in isolation, on some island, they could not "grow to spiritual maturity" without a pastor? Bull. There is one mediator between man and God, and that is Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit is who (whom?) I trust, to teach me, lead me and so on........saying that I can never grow to spiritual maturity without a pastor is just absurd.
Makes the pastor awfully powerful, though, doesn't it..... (how convenient)
Quote:
Unless you have the gift of Pastor/teacher you simply don't have the ability to dig out and discern the doctrines of the word of God.
Thanks for your concern, but I am perfectly capable of reading and understanding scripture....I don't need someone to "interpret" it, for me. That is what is wrong with many folks today, they only know what they are TOLD, by someone else....they've never dug into the Word on their own, never solidified their beliefs to their own satisfaction; just took someone else's word for it.
Sorry, I want to have unshakeable faith, and that comes from studying the Word myself, and knowing that I know what I believe, and why....
Quote:
You will never know how much is in the Bible that you simply are not aware of without being under the teaching of a man with the God given gift of pastor/teacher, who has studied and trained for years in the original languages, and in the methods of isogogical, categorical and exegetical teaching of the word of God.
That's your opinion. I have sat under the teaching/preaching of many different pastors and teachers.
And I don't think the Bible is so complicated and difficult to understand, that anyone feels they have to bow to the supposed "greater knowledge" of someone who has "studied and trained for years in the original languages," as you are saying. God's word, and Jesus's words to us, are simple. Some people like to make them complicated, for their own reasons.
I have learned more since I no longer regularly attend a building where they have "church," than I ever did before.
Sorry if that bothers you.....
I'm not debating the point further, there's no need. I know what the Lord is doing in my life and no one can change that, so we just agree to disagree.
There is nothing you can say, that can change the reality of the work Jesus Christ is doing in my life.
Nothing....and when I face God, I want to know THAT I KNOW. Not because someone else "explained" things to me. No one is going to answer for me, except ME. I am responsible for my own knowledge and my own behavior - I'm not going to be able to blame some pastor for this or that, I want to know what I know, because I learned it myself, and have unshakeable faith.
The Bible is not so difficult to understand, as you are making it. You're welcome to your own opinion, but I am not at all wavering in mine.
No further discussion needed.
So if a person was (for instance), living in isolation, on some island, they could not "grow to spiritual maturity" without a pastor? Bull. There is one mediator between man and God, and that is Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit is who (whom?) I trust, to teach me, lead me and so on........saying that I can never grow to spiritual maturity without a pastor is just absurd.
Makes the pastor awfully powerful, though, doesn't it..... (how convenient)
Thanks for your concern, but I am perfectly capable of reading and understanding scripture....I don't need someone to "interpret" it, for me. That is what is wrong with many folks today, they only know what they are TOLD, by someone else....they've never dug into the Word on their own, never solidified their beliefs to their own satisfaction; just took someone else's word for it.
Sorry, I want to have unshakeable faith, and that comes from studying the Word myself, and knowing that I know what I believe, and why....
That's your opinion. I have sat under the teaching/preaching of many different pastors and teachers.
And I don't think the Bible is so complicated and difficult to understand, that anyone feels they have to bow to the supposed "greater knowledge" of someone who has "studied and trained for years in the original languages," as you are saying. God's word, and Jesus's words to us, are simple. Some people like to make them complicated, for their own reasons.
I have learned more since I no longer regularly attend a building where they have "church," than I ever did before.
Sorry if that bothers you.....
I'm not debating the point further, there's no need. I know what the Lord is doing in my life and no one can change that, so we just agree to disagree.
There is nothing you can say, that can change the reality of the work Jesus Christ is doing in my life.
Nothing....and when I face God, I want to know THAT I KNOW. Not because someone else "explained" things to me. No one is going to answer for me, except ME. I am responsible for my own knowledge and my own behavior - I'm not going to be able to blame some pastor for this or that, I want to know what I know, because I learned it myself, and have unshakeable faith.
The Bible is not so difficult to understand, as you are making it. You're welcome to your own opinion, but I am not at all wavering in mine.
No further discussion needed.
It doesn't bother me at all. You must live your own spiritual life as unto the Lord. If you are willing to be a pauper instead of a prince, so to speak, in eternity, then feel free to disregard my words.
It doesn't bother me at all. You must live your own spiritual life as unto the Lord. If you are willing to be a pauper instead of a prince, so to speak, in eternity, then feel free to disregard my words.
Originally Posted by Mike555
It doesn't bother me at all. You must live your own spiritual life as unto the Lord. If you are willing to be a pauper instead of a prince, so to speak, in eternity, then feel free to disregard my words.
Oh, I feel very free to disregrard your words.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kentuckydad95
Sounds like a little judging to me.
Exactly. This sort of nastiness is why I am happy we do Home Church!
You guys need to ask forgiveness and make-up.. You know I have come to a place where I have realized you cannot change people and you cannot put people in a box. Everyone is different.. Printed words are very hard to read into and I pray that you guys are sensitive to the fact that you are both hurting each other with your words.
Isn't there a better way to discuss this without fighting? Maybe just asking questions would be a better option than finger pointing and judging... Love covers a multitude of sin...perhaps you could agree to disagree. It is fine to not agree sometimes.
It doesn't bother me at all. You must live your own spiritual life as unto the Lord. If you are willing to be a pauper instead of a prince, so to speak, in eternity, then feel free to disregard my words.
No wonder the church has nothing to offer because it's drawing it's resources from an empty well, the well being itself, if it believes it's the sole source of the wealth of God , which sounds like the Catholic church system most fundamentalists hate.
As all the incomparable riches and treasure of His grace towards us are in Christ . Ephesians 2 verse 7, and are obtainable by faith alone , and not by commiting yourself to going to 3 church meetings a week or 4 if you are reaaaaaaaaaally commited to the church.
perhaps you could agree to disagree. It is fine to not agree sometimes.
I realize that - that's why I said that we should agree to disagree. He came back with a nasty remark - which I disregard.
Basically, anyone can say anything they want. This is a free country. They can say you have to go to church to be a Christian, they can say "you have to wear a purple shirt to be a Christian," just a lot of static if you know where you stand.
I've pretty much heard it all, at this point.
I hear if you wear jewelry, some folks say "you're headed for hell"......and I wear make-up and jeans, sometimes, to boot. Am I worried? No, because those are doctrines of men, that is religion.
Jesus Christ hated religion while He was on earth with us, and He hates it, now. He was revolutionary then, and He continues to confound all except those who seek Him.
So all the "you're going to hell," is falling on deaf ears here. I know in Whom I believe.
You get inspiration out of it. You will not grow to spiritual maturity on your own. Unless you have the gift of Pastor/teacher you simply don't have the ability to dig out and discern the doctrines of the word of God.
You will never know how much is in the Bible that you simply are not aware of without being under the teaching of a man with the God given gift of pastor/teacher, who has studied and trained for years in the original languages, and in the methods of isogogical, categorical and exegetical teaching of the word of God.
Mikey...you don't honestly believe that do you? You think that because someone has a Theological degree or went to some school that makes them better qualified to teach than someone who just studies on their own? There is NOTHING a pastor/teacher can learn that we can't learn....are you really so spiritually insecure that you think you need someone else to tell you what the bible says and means? This is some seriously dangerous thinking....and actually resembles brain washing and is very cultish talk.
Mikey....anyone can study and grow spiritually from their own studies of the bible....ANYONE. True spiritual revelation comes from GOD and only GOD...not from some "man". I do not need someone who claims to be a pastor/teacher to teach me and neither do you. This is why so many of your posts do not contain any original thoughts from you...you just repeat or cut and past what someone else has taught you. Please seek GOD for spiritual insight and quit relying so heavily on "men" for your teaching.
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. It is fine to not agree sometimes. 
