Posted on 02/02/2016 8:30:41 AM PST by Salvation
Nonsense: the one true church is the corporate body of Christ as it alone 100% consists of only believers, while the visible church is an amalgam of both wheat and tares, esp. the church of Rome and liberal Prot churches, yet as even the church of the Laodiceans was called a church then perhaps this allows the church of Rome to be called a church.
While arrogantly refusing to consider evangelical churches as worthy to proper be called churches, though converts from which she covets to enliven her pews,V2 generally affirmed such as being children of God in whom the Spirit resides, but in addition to the fundamental and substantial deformation of the NT church that Rome is the most manifest example of doctrinally, as she treats even publicly known proabortion, prosodomite public souls as members in life and in death, then for that reason alone we must separate from her.
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (2 Corinthians 6:14-15)
This is a mindset which the church needs to address with a program of spiritual conversion. This begins, in my opinion, by recognizing that the parish is dealing with a "new normal," which can be difficult in an old parish. (In the suburban South, where everything is new, the expectation that things will continue "as they always have" is usually not there.)
I'm not saying the prospect is easy or guaranteed successful, but if we say it's not possible, we're saying God is not omnipotent.
Your comment: “the one true church is the corporate body of Christ as it alone 100% consists of only believers”
Yes, there is one true church that is one holy catholic and apostolic. We welcome all sinners and even non believers as did Jesus.
Our mission is to baptize and spread the Word of God. We are not the judge of sinners or non believers, as that is God’s role.
The sinners and non believers need to hear the Word of God.
You may believe in your own church or your own fallible views of religion as certainly man has created many churches over the years separate from the one founded by Jesus Christ.
The man made churches may do many good things in spreading the Word of God, but do not always follow the teachings of Jesus.
That makes sense that it is more understandable with newer structures. Here in NJ any attempt to raise money is met with complaints that the Church is “all about money”...
There are always going to be people who have that attitude. However, the more parishioners are involved in the parish, the more they are likely to donate. Financial support is a result of spiritual and social engagement. Building this takes the right approach and *time*.
Up here (unfortunately) many people view the Church as they do the State; what can they get out of it? If a parish school with 80 students closes, a number of people leave the parish and never return; they may go to another one, but their giving days are over.
Our hierarchy hasn’t set a good example here, and they are reaping what they’ve sown.
I sympathize! Thinking of yourself and what you can get is human nature, unassisted by grace. Unfortunately, the government at all levels encourages it. A lot of people don’t get the idea of being a contributor to a group project (so to speak) as opposed to being a recipient of services that *someone* has paid for, but not you.
Consider all the people planning to vote for Bernie Sanders!
“Yes, there is one true church that is one holy catholic and apostolic. “
Ah, but you don’t belong to the “holy catholic”, but instead to the roman catholic church.
If you ever notice Satan is a counterfeiter.
Full Definition of counterfeit
1
: made in imitation of something else with intent to deceive : forged <counterfeit money
So you must be God pontificating -— err just another heresy.
May the Holy Spirit open your heart and mind with the Truth.
Many, if not all of these things mentioned has also happened to my church (Wesleyan denomination). I started there in ‘81 and much in the area has changed.
While it was a predominately white, older church - it had a very large percentage of youth. As they grew up, married - they moved away - to the suburbs, and found a new, larger churchs there.
We were a slowly dying church; also filled with the older folks who lived in the area.
After slowly losing members to death, things down the road didn’t look to rosy.
After much searching around for answers, things began to happen.
A mostly black church that was meeting in a storefront, in an almost abandoned strip mall, was invited to use our building. It has worked out well, even though they lost some members. “Felt like we moved to Mayberry!” was the reason. ;^)
We now have a Hispanic (pentacostal) group that meets in our fellowship hall.
We’ve have had combined services throughout the year that are quite ell attended.
When we old, white, folks finally die off; GOD will STILL have a place in the neighborhood!
Let HIS kingdom grow!
Which if equating the visible unholy Catholic amalgam of tares and wheat as being one and the same as the corporate body of Christ of 100% believers is blasphemous.
Our mission is to baptize and spread the Word of God. We are not the judge of sinners or non believers, as that is God’s role.
That is simply not Scriptural, as the spreading the Word of God includes judging of sinners and non believers:
The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil. (John 7:7)
Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: (Acts 2:23)
But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; (Acts 3:14)
And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: (Acts 14:15)
And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee. (Acts 24:25)
Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost. (1 Thessalonians 2:16)
You may believe in your own church or your own fallible views of religion as certainly man has created many churches over the years separate from the one founded by Jesus Christ. The man made churches may do many good things in spreading the Word of God, but do not always follow the teachings of Jesus.
And what is the basis for your assurance that this one true church is uniquely today that which was founded by Jesus Christ, and always follows the teachings of Jesus. Which is much the opposite, while i come short also.
AMEN!
You’re right; they did it twice with Obama as well. While NJ is facing tough times economically, it is nice to see the areas where residents contribute little to nothing suffering the most. They complain about lack of police or snow removal, but don’t want to kick in for either.
They sacrifice their own young to have a life of idle leisure...
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