[ravenwolf]

You really weren’t looking for guidance on which church to choose to attend. You already had a pretty complete idea what you were looking for.

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Yes, that is just my way of explaining why i do not attend Church.

According to acts the early Church members were servants in the work of preaching the gospel.

Acts 4 31 through 37 shows where the early Church started.

Acts 5:i through 13 shows the seriousness of becoming a member of the Church.

v 13
And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.

So did all of the believers become members of the Church? i do not think so.

V 14
And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

Any one can be a believer but being a member of the Church is another thing entirely, they are a servant of the Church, and if they can not completely give their life to the Church they should not be a member of the Church.

1 Tim 5 1 through 8 describes how the Church should treat people in general.

Verses 9 through 16 show some requirements of being or not being an actual member of the Church.

A widow under 60 years old who was also qualified in other ways.

A younger woman and with out those certain qualifications would spend her time being a busybody or looking for a man.

A man or woman who had widows to care for, mothers, aunts or etc was expected to care for their own rather than becoming a member of the Church and giving the care of them to the Church.

These people who had such responsibilities should work to take care of their own rather than becoming a member of the Church so that the Church would take care of them.

These kind of things are what defiles the church.

I sure don,t want to be one who takes part in that.

[xzins]

Your choice can’t be no church.

We already went over it being Jesus’ church.

I can’t help it if nothing aligns with your standards, but your standard is suggesting that the “gates of hell did prevail against it” when Jesus said the “gates of hell will not prevail against it.”

[Elsie]

I sure don,t want to be one who takes part in that.

There must be hundreds that feel exactly the same as you.

Perhaps NOW is the time for YOU to gather them together and start the TRUE church of the Living God.

[DouglasKC]

A younger woman and with out those certain qualifications would spend her time being a busybody or looking for a man. A man or woman who had widows to care for, mothers, aunts or etc was expected to care for their own rather than becoming a member of the Church and giving the care of them to the Church. These people who had such responsibilities should work to take care of their own rather than becoming a member of the Church so that the Church would take care of them. These kind of things are what defiles the church. I sure don,t want to be one who takes part in that.

I think your post pointed out some very good points about the early church. It was very much focused on relationships and how to get along better. Much of Paul's writings and the lessons of Christ were how the church was to be different, to knit and grow together. Love between it's members was to be the identifying mark.

Paul summed it up:

1Co 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
1Co 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Doctrine is important, but it's purpose is to teach us how to love God and how to love others.