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If someone tells you not to go to church....
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Posted by: JeriRose12
19Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
7Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.
2On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come. (1 Corinthians 16:2)
19And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (2 Peter 1:19 - 21)
It seems, that "having boldness to enter into the Holiset place by the blood of Jesus" and to "draw near with a true heart full of assurance and faith", and so that we may "consider one another in order to stir p love and good works," we are to attend a church -- NOT FORSAKING THE ASSEMBLING OF OURSELVES TOGETHER.... so much more as we see the day approaching. If judgement and the great and terrible day of the Lord is really coming, we had better stay connected with a body of believers so we can be encouraged to keep right with Jesus so we don't miss His return.
In other words, they assembled or gathered or went to church regularly. And Peter said that ALL scripture is Holy Spirit inspired. So, the Holy Spirit is not going to go against Himself and tell you not to go to church.
In Revelation Jesus wrote TO the churches and He never once said withdraw from the churches. He said that the churches needed to repent and get right in certain areas, but he DID NOT say to forsake the church just because they needed to repent. Jesus always works THJROUGH and IN the churches.
Just before my brother-in-law went into this cult, he was disallusioned with the church. They just weren't giving him enough God, etc. Now, he believes in reincarnation, no literal hell, that we are in "the harlot church," that Satan is our Lord and a lot of other herasy. He preaches "the Spirit of truth," not meaning the Holy Spirit. He has added A LOT of sutff on to the Bible, that just ins't there.
If we error by saying we don't need church, which all through the the New Testement, there were established churches that the epistles were written to and shared between, then where might we error next? It is a silippery slope. And, any time, I see a "truth" being promoted that goes against the Bible HUGE warning bells go off.
I tried staying home one Sunday to seek God, but He convicted me of it, and I missed church. I missed singing praises to God with other believers and feeling His Presence there and hearing the sermon that encourages me to obey the Holy Spirit and live right. I can seek God the other six days of the week, so why can't I go Sunday to seek Him with other believers? I NEED this, and so much more as I see the day approaching! I can find God in any church -- even a "dead" one. It is ME, not the church. If I am really looking for Him, I can find Him ANYWHERE.
Church IS NOT bad. Those minsiters are put there to equip the saints. We MUST be under the authority of an earthly father or mother. It can seem like "organized religion," but it is IN THE BIBLE. Sure, there are problems, and it isn't perfect in ANY church (if I go there it sure won't be!). But it had to be Jesus who established this, because how else did the desciples know what to do? And they met together regulary.
It says all things must be done "decently and in order." Why when anyone tries to have a little structure does everyone say we are quenching the Holy Spirit? Hey, I say it myself. But it says plainly that all things must be done decently and in order in our church services. (1 Corinthians 14:40). Why was all this even written about our conduct in church services, if we are not supposed to go to church? The Holy Spirit is not going to tell us so many years later the church was a bad idea so leave it, when He has worked through the church from the day Jesus ascended into heaven.
~JeriRose~
Finding HIM in church!!! 