My Thoughts. . .

Monday, 05-25-2020

I wish we were not the only church in town.

What do you mean?

If we stay as a member here, I know I will lose my soul.

Really?  Why is that?

This congregation is so deep into error that the elders, deacons, preachers, and members are without the Spirit of God.

I agree that we have our problems, but Paul told us only one member needed to be disciplined.  Besides, we have not lost the Holy Spirit nor His indwelling.  Why would you want to leave an assembly that God has not left?

One disciplined?  This whole church needs to be disciplined, not just ONE member!  Why is Paul overlooking the denominating, the abuses in the communion, lack of faith, rejecting the resurrection, and all the other infractions?  How can God’s Spirit continue to dwell in us with all this mess going on?

True, we have our shortcomings, but you are just as much a part of the problem as anyone else.

I am part of the SOLUTION.  We are the faithful Jesus’ group because we go by His name.  The other groups are following men.  We are following the Savior.

Yes, but Jesus is the one who prayed that his followers would be one.

We are ONE.  We follow Jesus.  We are not running after Cephas, Apollos, or Paul.

Yes, but neither Jesus, Cephas, Apollos, or Paul agreed to the congregation being divided into four divisions or denominations.

We are not denominated because we following Christ!

Yes, but you have created a division by separating yourselves from us and using Jesus as your excuse.  No one is correct.  All four groups are in error.

We are not in error, WE FOLLOW JESUS!

But you want to leave “the church of God” and create a second church.  By doing that, are you not separating yourself from Jesus?

What do you mean?

Paul refers to all four groups as “the body of Christ,” does he not?

Yes.  So, what is your point?

Do you want to pull out of the assembly that God continues to dwell in?

But you folks are teaching and practicing error.  Once we leave, God will follow us!

You are correct about our being in error, yet your group wants to pull out of the assembly that the Holy Spirit continues to reside in?  Would that not mean that you are the one who is leaving, not the Holy Spirit?

We cannot continue to fellowship error in teaching and practice.

True, but did the Holy Spirit tell you to leave and establish an assembly that is without erroneous teaching and practices?

No, but if we stay, we will be fellowshipping error and its practices.

Is that what the Holy Spirit is doing by remaining with us?

He is only staying since Paul is writing to correct your errors.

Perhaps, but the Holy Spirit has remained with us even before Paul knew about our condition to write anything.  God continued to indwell and inspired us.  Was the Holy Spirit guilty of fellowshipping our error by not leaving before you do?

No, God was not guilty, but you certainly are.

You recognize that God has not withdrawn His fellowship from us, but you want to do what God is not willing to do?

Our group just wants to do what is right, so we are commanded to leave and establish the true disciples’ church.

So, Jesus’ prayer found in John’s gospel does not mean anything to you about being “one”?

You and the other two divisions are in the ones who are in error.  We are going to do the Lord’s will which is the RIGHT thing to do.

And that is how denominationalism started.