The Disciples and Apostiles were more in line with Missionaries and Evangelist of today. A way of spreading The Gospel which has also been around 2000 years and not in any shape or form part of the RCC. The early churches were more in line with churches of today whom some of which start churches even in their homes, get them established in a community, and move on to establish others. There are two churches in my neighborhood within two miles which were started by my neighbors. One of them after forming a church moved on to many more before returning too our community.
No Church is The Church. No church holds that right too call itself The Sole Authoritve Church. All Churches who confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and teach the Gospel are on equal standing and Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Yes that means Catholic, Baptist, Church of GOD, etc. Not one, not a single solitary one has the sole claim too being The Only Church founded by Jesus Christ.
I do not believe any church teaching The Gospel is going to send it's members too hell. But I do believe ALL have some laws, rules, traditions, written by man which serve no other purpose than either to control the lives and thoughts of the membership or have some warped sense of power they feel over others salvation. Too such no one will ever ake them happy. They will find more things too add till Christ Second Coming to trouble the faithfull over.
The Bride of Christ is formed from all persons who acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior and believe they are saved through His New Covenant. Why do we need some person be it a Preacher, Priest, Pope, etc writing and adding too what Christ, Peter, Paul, Matthew, Luke, James, John, John Mark, Jude, etc gave us? We don't. Why should I believe some 10th Popes writings over that of say Oral Roberts?
If I need forgiveness and too confess my sins to The LORD I go somewhere alone and pray alone. Jesus Christ is faithful too forgive. That is how Christ said too pray and confess your sins. Now if I take $100 from the offering plate then yea the church would deserve confession of it. As well if I have sin I can not overcome which is the basis of James 5 16. For example we should not worry for GOD provides for our needs. Worried? Take it too the church and ask for prayer. But as for our everyday lives? This is Christ answer and for me that settles it.
5“And now about prayer. When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I assure you, that is all the reward they will ever get. 6But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father secretly. Then your Father, who knows all secrets, will reward you. 7“When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again. 8Don’t be like them, because your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! 9Pray like this:
Our Father in heaven,
may your name be honored.
10May your Kingdom come soon.
May your will be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven.
11Give us our food for today,£
12and forgive us our sins,
just as we have forgiven those who have sinned against us.
13And don’t let us yield to temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.£
Where does it say walk in a booth with a man on the other side listening too you?
You can pray it in your home in a room alone, you can pray it in the woods walking, when you pray the above words you are forgiven because The High Priest in Heaven at the Right Hand Of GOD intercedes for you.
Ask in Jesus name as believers we all have been given that privlidge. If we pray to GOD in Jesus name there is no one else higher and we need not pray to any beings lower for any favor that is not what Christ said to do. It's not like the military where you must ask this or that person also or first.
Amen and Amen. Well written and exactly right.
Preach it.
Freedom in Christ. Something those in bondage will NEVER understand.