Posted on 03/22/2005 5:58:03 AM PST by Dr. Marten
CLEARWATER - Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge George Greer left his church last week after the pastor wrote him a letter suggesting "it might be easier for all of us" if he leave.
Greer, whose orders on the Terri Schiavo case have brought him criticism, is a Southern Baptist who attended Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater.
Though he had other unrelated problems with the church, Greer's attendance faltered after a Baptist publication the church supported criticized his decisions in the Schiavo case. He stopped his donations to the church, but remained a member. He briefly discussed his relationship with the church in a March 6 St. Petersburg Times article.
Four days later, Calvary Pastor William Rice wrote Greer a letter: "I am not asking you to do this, but since you have taken the initiative of withdrawal, and since your connection with Calvary continues to be a point of concern, it would seem the logical and, I would say, biblical course."
Rice's letter became public when he sent a copy to the Clearwater courthouse. Rice also said the church supports keeping Schiavo alive, though he said he was "truly saddened and embarrassed by the level of harassment and vitriolic nature of so many comments that purportedly come from people of faith."
Rice, who has been pastor at the church for five months, added: "But you must know that in all likelihood it is this case which will define your career and this case that you will remember in the waning days of life. I hope you can find a way to side with the angels and become an answer to the prayers of thousands."
Greer responded with a letter severing his relationship with the church.
Here is Pauls Christian response to a man who was engaging in open sin in the church
1Cor 5:3-5
For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, .........
To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
Churches have no obligation to keep fellowship with a person claiming the name of Christ while engaging in open rebellion and sin
2Thes 3:6
Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
I don't have a legal degree and I don't have a medical degree but I know a living human being when I see one.
Terry Schiavo is a living human being and these wicked judges need to repent.
In the Church discipline case I'm most familiar with, the person, after being approached with his sin by the session (the Pastor and elders) and acknowledging his sin yet choosing to not repent and turn away from sin, was asked to not come to the Table..ie, take communion with the congregation. For him to come to the Table while in unrepentant sin is considered blasphemy...for all of His children.
He still attends regularly and we love him the same, yet he chooses to remain unrepentant and away from the Table.
When a strong disagreement with fundamental church teaching comes to light, the church identifies the issue, offers advice to the individual, and urges the individual to repent. If the individual does not repent - to include reversing his or her sin, if possible - and further decides to withhold their donations to "punish" the church, the church really has no choice but to hold the individual accountable, even if it means disfellowship.
Your post assumes that the individual can enjoy full communion with the church while openly defying it. That is a corruption of the meaning of the quote. If the church adopts silence as its response, then it is tacitly supporting the actions of the individual.
Is cohabitation by a married person with a third party lawful in Florida? It is not in Alabama.
Sounds like you pick the punishment based on who the sinner is vs giving them the chance to repent. By your reasoning confession would be a one shot deal where if you sin again you are ex-communicated. Where is this sinner-free church you attend?
I would think so, I think the Pastor of this church acted appropriately, he has a WHOLE church to consider. I am sure this is not the first time this judge has been chastised by this church. Only God knows but I doubt his faith, it seems to be one of convenience only (for him).
Just planting some GOOD seeds.
"a real opportunity to show Jesus' love"
maybe you could explain it to us, since we just don't get it
The point is that he should follow the law (whatever the law is) and not what his religion instructs him to do.
When we found a denomination and church we chose to attend and join in fellowship, we learned all we could about the denomination and how it functions. When we joined we acknowledged Christ as our saviour and agreed to uphold the biblical foundations of the church.
Just like parents discipline children for their betterment, so should the church. This is an uncomfortable topic for many and is ignored by many churches, yet its process is biblical, IF the church follows the guidelines put forth in the Bible.
PLEASE, PLEASE Call or FAX!!!!
Larcenia J. Bullard
850-487-5127 (Tallahassee)
305-668-7344 (District Office)
305-668-7346 (Fax)
Walter Campbell Jr.
850-487-5094 (Tallahassee)
954-346-2813 (District Office)
Mandy Dawson
850-487-5112 (Tallhassee)
954-467-4317 (District Office)
954-467-4331 (Fax)
JD Alexander
850-487-5044 (Tallhassee)
863-679-4411 (District Office 1)
863-679-4413 (Fax 1)
863-386-6016 (District Office 2)
863-298-7677 (District Office 3)
863-298-7680 (Fax 3)
Nancy Argenziano
850-487-5017 (Tallahassee)
352-860-5175 (District Office 1)
352-402-6664 (District Office 2)
Lisa Carlton
850-487-5081 (Tallahassee)
941-486-2032 (District Office)
941-486-2050 (Fax)
Paula Dockery
850-487-5040 (Tallahassee)
863-413-2900 (District Office)
863-413-2902 (Fax)
Evelyn J. Lynn
850-487-5033 (Tallahassee)
386-676-4000 (District Office)
850-487-5542 (Fax)
Burt L. Saunders
850-487-5124 (Tallahassee)
239-417-6220 (District Office 1)
239-417-6223 (Fax 1)
239-338-2777 (District Office 2)
239-338-2779 (Fax 2)
Always good to plant good seeds. The harvest will be better.
The point is if the judge places secular law over his Church's teachings, that Church has every right to expel him. That Church is not subordinate to secular beliefs among its wayward members.
Ditto. Same with Catholics dealing with Catholic lawmakers that pass pro-abortion law.
If every church or religious sect did that, we should expect and, indeed, want every judge to be expelled from his denomination, as I expect and want every judge to put the secular law above his church teachings when he puts on his robes and rules from the bench.
as I expect and want every judge to put the secular law above his church teachings when he puts on his robes and rules from the bench."
Not when it comes to destroying innocent human life.
"If every church or religious sect did that, we should expect and, indeed, want every judge to be expelled from his denomination, as I expect and want every judge to put the secular law above his church teachings when he puts on his robes and rules from the bench."
You have just called for the ousting for every secular judge on the bench, secularism is a religion and it is NOT Constitutional. Only those Christian hating publicans have status, I think NOT!
Christ did foretell US all things.
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