Breaking Through Churchianity Deadness

[rockytopva]

Arriving into a revived Methodist church. very much alive.. In the course of an hour I was at my uncle's. He was surprised to see me, but gave me a cordial welcome. The first thing he did was to disarm me, and that ended my pistol-toting. I have never had one about my person or home to this good day. And I never will understand just why I had that one. A good dinner refreshed me and I soon unfolded my plans and they were satisfactory to my kind-hearted kinsman. He was in the midst of cotton-picking and that afternoon I went to the field and, with a long sack about my waist, had my first experience in the cottonfield. We then would get ready for the revival occurring that night…

After the team had been fed and we had been to supper we put the mules to the wagon, filled it with chairs and we were off to the meeting. When we reached the locality it was about dark and the people were assembling. Their horses and wagons filled up the cleared spaces and the singing was already in progress. My uncle and his family went well up toward the front, but I dropped into a seat well to the rear. It was an old-fashioned Church, ancient in appearance, oblong in shape and unpretentious. It was situated in a grove about one hundred yards from the road. It was lighted with old tallow-dip candles furnished by the neighbors. It was not a prepossessing-looking place, but it was soon crowded and evidently there was a great deal of interest. A cadaverous-looking man stood up in front with a tuning fork and raised and led the songs. There were a few prayers and the minister came in with his saddlebags and entered the pulpit. He was the Rev. W. H. Heath, the circuit rider. His prayer impressed me with his earnestness and there were many amens to it in the audience. I do not remember his text, but it was a typical revival sermon, full of unction and power.

At its close he invited penitents to the altar and a great many young people flocked to it and bowed for prayer. Many of them became very much affected and they cried out distressingly for mercy. It had a strange effect on me. It made me nervous and I wanted to retire. Directly my uncle came back to me, put his arm around my shoulder and asked me if I did not want to be religious. I told him that I had always had that desire, that mother had brought me up that way, and really I did not know anything else. Then he wanted to know if I had ever professed religion. I hardly understood what he meant and did not answer him. He changed his question and asked me if I had ever been to the altar for prayer, and I answered him in the negative. Then he earnestly besought me to let him take me up to the altar and join the others in being prayed for. It really embarrassed me and I hardly knew what to say to him. He spoke to me of my mother and said that when she was a little girl she went to the altar and that Christ accepted her and she had been a good Christian all these years. That touched me in a tender spot, for mother always did do what was right; and then I was far away from her and wanted to see her. Oh, if she were there to tell me what to do!

By and by I yielded to his entreaty and he led forward to the altar. The minister took me by the hand and spoke tenderly to me as I knelt at the altar. I had gone more out of sympathy than conviction, and I did not know what to do after I bowed there. The others were praying aloud and now and then one would rise shoutingly happy and make the old building ring with his glad praise. It was a novel experience to me. I did not know what to pray for, neither did I know what to expect if I did pray. I spent the most of the hour wondering why I was there and what it all meant. No one explained anything to me. Once in awhile some good old brother or sister would pass my way, strike me on the back and tell me to look up and believe and the blessing would come. But that was not encouraging to me. In fact, it sounded like nonsense and the noise was distracting me. Even in my crude way of thinking I had an idea that religion was a sensible thing and that people ought to become religious intelligently and without all that hurrah. I presume that my ideas were the result of the Presbyterian training given to me by old grandfather. By and by my knees grew tired and the skin was nearly rubbed off my elbows. I thought the service never would close, and when it did conclude with the benediction I heaved a sigh of relief. That was my first experience at the mourner's bench.

As we drove home I did not have much to say, but I listened attentively to the conversation between my uncle and his wife. They were greatly impressed with the meeting, and they spoke first of this one and that one who had "come through" and what a change it would make in the community, as many of them were bad boys. As we were putting up the team my uncle spoke very encouragingly to me; he was delighted with the step I had taken and he pleaded with me not to turn back, but to press on until I found the pearl of great price. He knew my mother would be very happy over the start I had made. Before going to sleep I fell into a train of thought, though I was tired and exhausted. I wondered why I had gone to that altar and what I had gained by it. I felt no special conviction and had received no special impression, but then if my mother had started that way there must be something in it, for she always did what was right. I silently lifted my heart to God in prayer for conviction and guidance. I knew how to pray, for I had come up through prayer, but not the mourner's bench sort. So I determined to continue to attend the meeting and keep on going to the altar until I got religion.

Early the next morning I was up and in a serious frame of mind. I went with the other hands to the cottonfield and at noon I slipped off in the barn and prayed. But the more I thought of the way those young people were moved in the meeting and with what glad hearts they had shouted their praises to God the more it puzzled and confused me. I could not feel the conviction that they had and my heart did not feel melted and tender. I was callous and unmoved in feeling and my distress on account of sin was nothing like theirs. I did not understand my own state of mind and heart. It troubled me, for by this time I really wanted to have an experience like theirs.

When evening came I was ready for Church service and was glad to go. It required no urging. Another large crowd was present and the preacher was as earnest as ever. I did not give much heed to the sermon. In fact, I do not recall a word of it. I was anxious for him to conclude and give me a chance to go to the altar. I had gotten it into my head that there was some real virtue in the mourner's bench; and when the time came I was one of the first to prostrate myself before the altar in prayer. Many others did likewise. Two or three good people at intervals knelt by me and spoke encouragingly to me, but they did not help me. Their talks were mere exhortations to earnestness and faith, but there was no explanation of faith, neither was there any light thrown upon my mind and heart. I wrought myself up into tears and cries for help, but the whole situation was dark and I hardly knew why I cried, or what was the trouble with me. Now and then others would arise from the altar in an ecstasy of joy, but there was no joy for me. When the service closed I was discouraged and felt that maybe I was too hardhearted and the good Spirit could do nothing for me.

 

[rockytopva]

Needing help to come through spiritually... After we went home I tossed on the bed before going to sleep and wondered why God did not do for me what he had done for mother and what he was doing in that meeting for those young people at the altar. I could not understand it. But I resolved to keep on trying, and so dropped off to sleep. The next day I had about the same experience and at night saw no change in my condition. And so for several nights I repeated the same distressing experience. The meeting took on such interest that a day service was adopted along with the night exercises, and we attended that also. And one morning while I bowed at the altar in a very disturbed state of mind Brother Tyson, a good local preacher and the father of Rev. J. F. Tyson, now of the Central Conference, sat down by me and, putting his hand on my shoulder, said to me: "Now I want you to sit up awhile and let's talk this matter over quietly. I am sure that you are in earnest, for you have been coming to this altar night after night for several days. I want to ask you a few simple questions." And the following questions were asked and answered:

"My son, do you not love God?"
"I cannot remember when I did not love him."
"Do you believe on his Son, Jesus Christ?"
"I have always believed on Christ. My mother taught me that from my earliest recollection."
"Do you accept him as your Savior?"
"I certainly do, and have always done so."
"Can you think of any sin that is between you and the Savior?"
"No, sir; for I have never committed any bad sins."
"Do you love everybody?"
"Well, I love nearly everybody, but I have no ill-will toward any one. An old man did me a wrong not long ago and I acted ugly toward him, but I do not care to injure him."
"Can you forgive him?"
"Yes, if he wanted me to."
"But, down in your heart, can you wish him well?"
"Yes, sir; I can do that."

"Well, now let me say to you that if you love God, if you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior from sin and if you love your fellowmen and intend by God's help to lead a religious life, that's all there is to religion. In fact, that is all I know about it."

Then he repeated several passages of Scriptures to me proving his assertions. I thought a moment and said to him: "But I do not feel like these young people who have been getting religion night after night. I cannot get happy like them. I do not feel like shouting."

The good man looked at me and smiled and said: "Ah, that's your trouble. You have been trying to feel like them. Now you are not them; you are yourself. You have your own quiet disposition and you are not turned like them. They are excitable and blustery like they are. They give way to their feelings. That's all right, but feeling is not religion. Religion is faith and life. If you have violent feeling with it, all good and well, but if you have faith and not much feeling, why the feeling will take care of itself. To love God and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, turning away from all sin, and living a godly life, is the substance of true religion."

That was new to me, yet it had been my state of mind from childhood. For I remembered that away back in my early life, when the old preacher held services in my grandmother's house one day and opened the door of the Church, I went forward and gave him my hand. He was to receive me into full membership at the end of six months' probation, but he let it pass out of his mind and failed to attend to it.

As I sat there that morning listening to the earnest exhortation of the good man my tears ceased, my distress left me, light broke in upon my mind, my heart grew joyous, and before I knew just what I was doing I was going all around shaking hands with everybody, and my confusion and darkness disappeared and a great burden rolled off my spirit. I felt exactly like I did when I was a little boy around my mother's knee when she told of Jesus and God and Heaven. It made my heart thrill then, and the same old experience returned to me in that old country Church that beautiful September morning down in old North Georgia.

I at once gave my name to the preacher for membership in the Church, and the following Sunday morning, along with many others, he received me into full membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. It was one of the most delightful days in my recollection. It was the third Sunday in September, 1866, and those Church vows became a living principle in my heart and life. During these forty-five long years, with their alternations of sunshine and shadow, daylight and darkness, success and failure, rejoicing and weeping, fears within and fightings without, I have never ceased to thank God for that autumnal day in the long ago when my name was registered in the Lamb's Book of Life.

 

[Wynona]

Not all of what the masses glean from attending churchianity is deadness. If it were, they would almost all stop attending.

What's troubling, however, is that I can ask almost any of the attendees at any of the local church organizations what was taught the previous Sunday morning, some would remember at least some aspects of it and others would remember almost nothing of the topic(s). In other words, few go away with enough of a spiritual charge to look forward to the next session with great expectation. It seems that, for most, it's more of a ritual to continue returning in the hopes of getting through to the warm fuzee from attendance while hoping the teaching(s) and message(s) have something that they can carry away that is of use beyond the usual fare of Sunday school classes making use of lesson books that dabble more in Bible trivia from stories they've heard over and over through the decades, thus catching some little tidbit they had not noticed before.

There are better forms and life-growth expressions in gathering with other believers that defy the weekly repeat of the same old motions from which very few ever rise up to spiritual gianthood. More meaningful and meat-packed content is available to all while discovering fellowship far deeper than they have ever known compared to the usual fare of fellowshipping with the backs of other people's heads...a skill I never was able to settle for in this smorgasbord line of church pots and kettles along the line filled with the same gruel of mush that has little to no variation in taste or texture.

What about you? Who among you have broken through that barrier into something more meaningful and growth-friendly. HOW did you and others grow within it? What did it look like? How did it flow? Who is better suited to mutual edification?

What questions do YOU have that go to the core of the need in the lives of fellow believers around you for them to grow along with you? Do you even know what YOU need in order to grow? What is that need?

BTW

My husband and I have given up on denominations and try to see our own family as the place where we live out our faith. My husband is essentially pastor of our home.

As a homemaker, I practice the faith everyday in the little things and pass it on to our children.

 

[BeforeThereWas]

How would you elaborate "that deep-seated need for genuine fellowship?"

Good question.

Romans 14:19 — Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 — Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

1 Corinthians 14:26 — How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

The God of the program and service within churchianity disallowing these things on the basis of these things allegedly disrupting the historic and modern concept and man-made god of "order," with institutional pastors protecting their pulpits against all the laity, thats pure nonsense.

Some inevitably will point to their cell, house, Bible study groups, et al, as if those were legitimate bandaids and makeup additions to properly supplement the main gathering. Congregations the world over have been robbed of their birthright for true and genuine fellowship in the main gatherings of believers to be replaced by other man-made gods of service and program.

Now, that's not to say there's no place for teaching and corporate praise, but to disallow all the other elements Paul addressed as the purpose for the gathering of believers, that's just plain wrong. It's ecclesiastical theft. Those groupings who don't want fellowship so that they can continue fading into the woodwork of the structure when sitting as just another audience member to the spectacle up front, more power to them. I say, stick with it all you want, but as for me, I want something more meaningful than placebo warm fuzzies of mere religion. Some are content with religious practice, and again I say go for it.

BTW

 

[BeforeThereWas]

My husband and I have given up on denominations and try to see our own family as the place where we live out our faith. My husband is essentially pastor of our home.

As a homemaker, I practice the faith everyday in the little things and pass it on to our children.

Amen to that. I've been planting house churches for over 30 years now. More people are gravitating to the house church model after leaving the institutional model.

BTW

 

[ScottA]

Good question.

Romans 14:19 — Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 — Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

1 Corinthians 14:26 — How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

The God of the program and service within churchianity disallowing these things on the basis of these things allegedly disrupting the historic and modern concept and man-made god of "order," with institutional pastors protecting their pulpits against all the laity, thats pure nonsense.

Some inevitably will point to their cell, house, Bible study groups, et al, as if those were legitimate bandaids and makeup additions to properly supplement the main gathering. Congregations the world over have been robbed of their birthright for true and genuine fellowship in the main gatherings of believers to be replaced by other man-made gods of service and program.

Now, that's not to say there's no place for teaching and corporate praise, but to disallow all the other elements Paul addressed as the purpose for the gathering of believers, that's just plain wrong. It's ecclesiastical theft. Those groupings who don't want fellowship so that they can continue fading into the woodwork of the structure when sitting as just another audience member to the spectacle up front, more power to them. I say, stick with it all you want, but as for me, I want something more meaningful than placebo warm fuzzies of mere religion. Some are content with religious practice, and again I say go for it.

BTW

First--that is correct, the guidelines given have been fulfilled poorly at best. Most have done what you say, adopting a form of religious practice, even putting religious leaders on a pedestal forming a barrier between God and the common people.

But having said that...it is a couple thousand years late, and should have been going on all this time.

That is why I also referred to Paul's teaching as you also did. Because, yes, things should have been done differently all this time--but "why" is perhaps more important to understand. More important now, than now adopting what should have been the practice a couple thousand years ago--because we are not at the beginning of the times Paul was preparing the church for, but the end of those times.

In other word, yes, at the beginning of Paul's lengthy teachings of how to do Christian life--because we would be at it for a while--those good practices he taught that you now bring up as a reminder, where what should have been done all along. But now that the church age is waning--what else did Paul say that was perhaps not about the beginning of the church age, but the end. And what of the other prophets--what did they also say about the end? The point being, that whether we did what was right or what was wrong--we have been so preoccupied with those things--playing church either wway, that we have as much as forgotten to expect those things to come to an end--and to expect more!

Meaning, whichever preoccupation it is--we stand to be taken completely off guard and unaware of what was to come when the fullness of the times of the gentiles is come. Either way--playing church comes to an end!

 

[BeforeThereWas]

First--that is correct, the guidelines given have been fulfilled poorly at best. Most have done what you say, adopting a form of religious practice, even putting religious leaders on a pedestal forming a barrier between God and the common people.

But having said that...it is a couple thousand years late, and should have been going on all this time.

That is why I also referred to Paul's teaching as you also did. Because, yes, things should have been done differently all this time--but "why" is perhaps more important to understand. More important now, than now adopting what should have been the practice a couple thousand years ago--because we are not at the beginning of the times Paul was preparing the church for, but the end of those times.

In other word, yes, at the beginning of Paul's lengthy teachings of how to do Christian life--because we would be at it for a while--those good practices he taught that you now bring up as a reminder, where what should have been done all along. But now that the church age is waning--what else did Paul say that was perhaps not about the beginning of the church age, but the end. And what of the other prophets--what did they also say about the end? The point being, that whether we did what was right or what was wrong--we have been so preoccupied with those things--playing church either wway, that we have as much as forgotten to expect those things to come to an end--and to expect more!

Meaning, whichever preoccupation it is--we stand to be taken completely off guard and unaware of what was to come when the fullness of the times of the gentiles is come. Either way--playing church comes to an end!

Thanks for your post. Many others I have discussed this with were of the opinion that antiquity is a basis for legitimizing something, which is a false basis entirely and which I think we both agree. Paradigms established through generation after generation of ignorant masses who had a preference for tradition and established status quo, pure religion is easy to acquiesce and leave everything to the clergy class of hirelings. Held in perpetual sheepdom rather than to function as a viable and vital part of the local body whereby they may mutually edify one another in ways that no one man band could ever accomplish.

Blessings

BTW

 

[ScottA]

Thanks for your post. Many others I have discussed this with were of the opinion that antiquity is a basis for legitimizing something, which is a false basis entirely and which I think we both agree. Paradigms established through generation after generation of ignorant masses who had a preference for tradition and established status quo, pure religion is easy to acquiesce and leave everything to the clergy class of hirelings. Held in perpetual sheepdom rather than to function as a viable and vital part of the local body whereby they may mutually edify one another in ways that no one man band could ever accomplish.

Blessings

BTW

There are biblical one man bands appointed and sent by God...but I know that was not your point when speaking about the church as a body.

 

[BeforeThereWas]

There are biblical one man bands appointed and sent by God...but I know that was not your point when speaking about the church as a body.

I've known good pastors and bad ones. You're right. The good ones, who are few and far between, have a heart for the congregations they minister to each week, and often feel powerless knowing they're trying to do the nearly impossible using a system and model that, by design, holds the masses back from being allowed to effectively function in order to transform from perpetual fledgling status to flying like eagles through effectively engaging mutual edification and ministry toward one another.

The bad pasrors always seemed tonthink their schooling at some Bible Cemetary made them something. Without telling them of my theological background, I gracefully would bring them to shameful silence in how little they know of scripture and biblical history. You likely know it's not the education that makes the real man of God. It's all about Holy Spirit and a willingness to lose it all to serve the Lord and love others more than self. I'm nothing, but He is everything, and all those the Lord used me to help raise up to spiritual maturity so that they can duplicate the growth pattern that works far better than what churchianity has ever turned out by proportional comparison.

I've known good ones who also walked away from the pulpit because of the inherent weaknesses of that model only to strike a new path where real growth is the prime driver fornthe models they developed. I've known some who turned out to be criminals and served prison sentences for their crimes, ranging from indecent liberties with children to money laundering for drug cartels that turned out to be federal agents. People are people...some godly and some not so godly, but I loved them all in spite of their failings or their successes.

One thing I will also add is the fallacy behind the belief so many have in thinking the institutional model is God-breathed. The Lord uses it to His own ends, yes, but the belief that it's the most legitimate of all models because of its massive, collective wealth in the trillions worldwide, it's unimpressive overall.

Blessings to you and yours.

BTW

 

[Brakelite]

Reading scripture is absolutely important, and even religious zeal for attending churchianity every time the doors are unlocked is also admirable as far as that goes, but this thread is not about those things. This thread is about that deep-seated need for genuine fellowship that's deeper than the surface niceties one gets at churchianity.

BTW

Serving the community together. Working together in providing meals, fellowship, and medical help for those in the community in need. The homeless. The orphans. The widows.
All the suggestions so far are about what can the church do for me. How about focusing on what we can do for our neighbors?

 

[Jay Ross]

I wonder, "Is this thread just to help the sharpening of the respective members', who are posting, AXES?"

 

[BeforeThereWas]

I wonder, "Is this thread just to just help the sharpening of the respective members', who are posting, AXES?"

What's your point? I stated mine, which diverted over into the institutional arena by describing some of the weaknesses of the institutional system as a whole, yes. That's not an axe, but rather strengthening the point outlining the lack of mutual edification on a scale and magnitude the scriptures outline as the core reason for the gathering of believers.

BTW

 

[BeforeThereWas]

Needing help to come through spiritually... After we went home I tossed on the bed before going to sleep and wondered why God did not do for me what he had done for mother and what he was doing in that meeting for those young people at the altar. I could not understand it. But I resolved to keep on trying, and so dropped off to sleep. The next day I had about the same experience and at night saw no change in my condition. And so for several nights I repeated the same distressing experience. The meeting took on such interest that a day service was adopted along with the night exercises, and we attended that also. And one morning while I bowed at the altar in a very disturbed state of mind Brother Tyson, a good local preacher and the father of Rev. J. F. Tyson, now of the Central Conference, sat down by me and, putting his hand on my shoulder, said to me: "Now I want you to sit up awhile and let's talk this matter over quietly. I am sure that you are in earnest, for you have been coming to this altar night after night for several days. I want to ask you a few simple questions." And the following questions were asked and answered:

"My son, do you not love God?"
"I cannot remember when I did not love him."
"Do you believe on his Son, Jesus Christ?"
"I have always believed on Christ. My mother taught me that from my earliest recollection."
"Do you accept him as your Savior?"
"I certainly do, and have always done so."
"Can you think of any sin that is between you and the Savior?"
"No, sir; for I have never committed any bad sins."
"Do you love everybody?"
"Well, I love nearly everybody, but I have no ill-will toward any one. An old man did me a wrong not long ago and I acted ugly toward him, but I do not care to injure him."
"Can you forgive him?"
"Yes, if he wanted me to."
"But, down in your heart, can you wish him well?"
"Yes, sir; I can do that."

"Well, now let me say to you that if you love God, if you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior from sin and if you love your fellowmen and intend by God's help to lead a religious life, that's all there is to religion. In fact, that is all I know about it."

Then he repeated several passages of Scriptures to me proving his assertions. I thought a moment and said to him: "But I do not feel like these young people who have been getting religion night after night. I cannot get happy like them. I do not feel like shouting."

The good man looked at me and smiled and said: "Ah, that's your trouble. You have been trying to feel like them. Now you are not them; you are yourself. You have your own quiet disposition and you are not turned like them. They are excitable and blustery like they are. They give way to their feelings. That's all right, but feeling is not religion. Religion is faith and life. If you have violent feeling with it, all good and well, but if you have faith and not much feeling, why the feeling will take care of itself. To love God and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, turning away from all sin, and living a godly life, is the substance of true religion."

That was new to me, yet it had been my state of mind from childhood. For I remembered that away back in my early life, when the old preacher held services in my grandmother's house one day and opened the door of the Church, I went forward and gave him my hand. He was to receive me into full membership at the end of six months' probation, but he let it pass out of his mind and failed to attend to it.

As I sat there that morning listening to the earnest exhortation of the good man my tears ceased, my distress left me, light broke in upon my mind, my heart grew joyous, and before I knew just what I was doing I was going all around shaking hands with everybody, and my confusion and darkness disappeared and a great burden rolled off my spirit. I felt exactly like I did when I was a little boy around my mother's knee when she told of Jesus and God and Heaven. It made my heart thrill then, and the same old experience returned to me in that old country Church that beautiful September morning down in old North Georgia.

I at once gave my name to the preacher for membership in the Church, and the following Sunday morning, along with many others, he received me into full membership in the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. It was one of the most delightful days in my recollection. It was the third Sunday in September, 1866, and those Church vows became a living principle in my heart and life. During these forty-five long years, with their alternations of sunshine and shadow, daylight and darkness, success and failure, rejoicing and weeping, fears within and fightings without, I have never ceased to thank God for that autumnal day in the long ago when my name was registered in the Lamb's Book of Life.

What that author missed is that the names in the Book of Life were written before the world was. The only thing that happens, then, is the blotting out. There's no verse anywhere indicating any additions to that book but only the blotting out. That tends to shatter yet another traditional belief within Protestantism-Evangelicalism that holds to some measure of fables and false teachings contrary to not only what scripture actually says but also what it does not say. The silence is a great tool for ferreting out those pesky additions so many inject into the scriptures.

Additionally, that there is any name blotted out from that book disproves TULIP, even though none of that matters to adherents to that false doctrine.

Interesting story.

BTW

 

[BeforeThereWas]

Continuing the above post:

1 Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

This backs up the derived understanding that ALL names were written in the Lamb's Book of Life before the world was. See that? Think about it...TULIP defies the very words of Paul, and yet some will try to explain it away or add something to the context that simply not there.

That the Lord desires [present tense and yet covering all of time] that ALL men be saved, and that every name of every person who were ever conceived or ever will be conceived, coupled with every name having already been written in that book, with the blotting out only occurring in relation to those who go to their graves or accept the mark of the beast, rather than to, by faith, allow the washing away of their sins by what Christ accomplished on that cross or fail to endure unto the end by taking that mark soon to come, TULIP becomes an archaic relic of Gnostic-style nonsense held only by those who love casting shadows and evil upon the very Justice of God, making Him out to be a tyrannical god akin to those made up in the minds of men within man's god-manufacturing plant style mind.

Someone is bound to try and throw into the mix the battering ram of "interpretation," as if that's their magic ticket out from under the embarrassment for believing or having believed in the lazy trashiness of TULIP. The idea that they are allegedly elevating or magnifying God to a higher plateau for a measure of sovereignty by believing that trashy doctrine, their error is glaringly obvious. Sovereignty, even God's sovereignty, always has limits:

Titus 1:1-3
1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

That there is right here strong and absolute mention of something that God CANNOT do, that shatters the extremes to which the followers of TULIP harbor within their belief system and parse out to others, pushed to the extreme of His allegedly determining who will populate Hell and who will be saved at the exclusion to personal faith. Paul clearly stated that we are saved by grace THROUGH FAITH. Mechanizing faith into something that can only be expressed and exercised if given to each one by God on the basis of some precursor that they cannot name nor identify anywhere in scripture, other than to manufacture a level of sovereignty nowhere stated in scripture, it's insidious and seedy. Manufacturing such an extreme and unjust measure of a character rooted in sovereignty nowhere stated within scripture, it's something that has the powers and principalities of the air celebrating.

So, every name written in that book of every living soul who would ever be conceived throughout all of time on this earth, coupled with the Lord's own inspired writing that He desires ALL men be saved, that should clue people in on the facts that defy the TULIP model.

BTW

 

[BeforeThereWas]

Churchianity's deadness can be blamed upon, to a great degree, the loss of the life-giving power of the gospel Paul preached and the failure to walk in the identity and calling of the Body of Christ.

Here are some helpful, biblical reasons why churchianity seems so dead to many, especially through the portal of Paul's teaching in his epistles.

Churchianity Preaches a Mixed or Confused Gospel​

Paul warned against adding law to grace because of such a mixture tending toward the killing of spiritual life. Some people experience warm feelings after attending one of those things that confuses many by blurring the lines of distinction between the gospels, thus failing to rightly divide the word of truth, but its a false warm fuzzy because of the failure of their false teaching pastors in establishing the distinctions between biblical truths, some of which apply to us and many that do not, all while helping them feel good about falsehoods that some propagate with gusto in conversations in person and in forums like this.

• “Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Gal. 3:3)
• “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.” (Gal. 5:9)

A church that erroneously preaches:

• Grace plus works,
• Faith plus performance,
• The Kingdom gospel mixed with Paul’s gospel,

…will always remain lifeless, because law and/or works of personal effort for salvation and an alleged retention of salvation produces bondage, not life. That is a ditch filled with the sewage of indifference and apathy for any desire to seek out the truth. The powers and principalities of the air are more than happy to assist professing believers remain in that ditch of sewage-based doctrines of men and tradition.

Institutionalized Churchianity, in General, Ignores and Even Denies Paul’s Distinct Apostleship​

Paul said:

• “I magnify mine office.” (Rom. 11:13)
• “In me first… He might show forth all longsuffering for a pattern.” (1 Tim. 1:16)

Most of churchianity, on the other hand:

• Preach the red letters addressed to Israel while ignoring the revelations Christ gave from heaven to Paul for the identity and edifying of the body of Christ.
• Teach the Sermon on the Mount (kingdom law) instead of Romans–Philemon (Body truth).
• Mix Israel’s earthly promises with the Body’s heavenly calling and destination everlasting.

Spiritual confusion leads to spiritual death in the pews and chairs that fill so many alleged "sanctuaries." They're mostly sanctuaries against TRUE fellowship, with the people relegated to pretending they're experiencing true fellowship, but only with the backs of each other's heads. This arrangement fosters separation and isolation away from truly experiencing mutual edification that, in many institutions of churchianity, has been supplemented with the band-aid "home groups" programs, the vast majority of which still fail to immerse themselves into biblical fellowship because of the people not being trained up in what that level of fellowship really entails. Instead, they generally plunge downward into the lower regions of "Bible study" they can and should do at any time on their own and/or social clubs with each individual still being as distant from one another as if they were a million miles away from each other.

There's Therefore No Clear Gospel in the Midst of the Mixture​

A church that cannot clearly answer the question:

“What must I do to be saved?”

…cannot produce spiritual life.

The only gospel that saves today is:

Christ died for our sins,
was buried,
and rose again.
(1 Cor. 15:1–4)

...not by including water baptism as was preached by Peter in Acts 2.

Most churches:

• Preach “give your life to Jesus,”
• “Make Him Lord,”
• “Turn from all your sins,”

…none of which is the gospel of grace and is somewhat doctrines of demons because nobody can MAKE Christ Lord given that He is Lord over all and always has been and will be, which includes ALL of humanity. The idea an individual can possess any measure of righteous virtue worthy of the Lord's attention and consideration as an addition to the sufficiency in the shed Blood of Christ, that's nothing but fleshly pride, which the Lord hates.

Nobody can retain their salvation by grace because they cannot earn their salvation by grace, which is defined as "unmerited favor." Why so many people completely miss the ramifications of those terms can only be rooted in the blinding by the enemy of our souls those who willingly give themselves over to that lie.

A foggy gospel, therefore, produces a foggy churchianity that preaches "another gospel," which is not a gospel; for the Law cannot give life today given we are saved ONLY by grace through faith alone.

Entertainment Has Replaced Edification​

Much of Churchianity today often majors in:

• Light shows
• Emotional music
• Motivational speeches
• Social programs

…all the while minoring in:

• Doctrine
• Scripture
• Rightly dividing
• Sound preaching

Paul warned of this:

“They will not endure sound doctrine…
and shall be turned unto fables.”
(2 Tim. 4:3–4)

Churchianity Has Abandoned the Authority of Scripture​

Much of churchianity is driven by:

• public opinion
• cultural pressures
• marketing
• psychology

…instead of biblical-based Scripture.

Without the Bible, there is no life, because the Book is where Christ’s life flows.

Churchianity Suppresses the Power of the Cross​

The cross cannot help but to:

• humble human pride,
• expose our inabilities,
• give all glory to Christ.

Churchianity preaches:

• self-help
• self-improvement
• self-esteem

Paul said:

“The preaching of the cross… is the power of God.”
(1 Cor. 1:18)

When the cross is silenced, which characterizes much of churchianity, the power is gone.

Holy Spirit Only Works Through Truth​

Holy Spirit doesn't empower:

• false doctrine
• mixed doctrine
• watered-down doctrine

Holy Spirit empowers truth rightly divided.

The Spirit’s sword is the Word of truth (Eph. 6:17).
If the Word is neglected, the Spirit is quenched.

Churchianity is Focused on Programs, Not People​

Activity ≠ spiritual life.

Many churches are busy while remaining barren. Emotional, warm fuzzies about being a part of something bigger than self, that fosters a false sense of well-being in relation to the One who alone is the Giver of all life and spiritual vitality. Spirituality is not a felling, it's a state of being.

Paul never built programs; he built saints through doctrine, teaching, correction, and edification...never through entertainment and inclusions of worldly humor and rudiments of culture and secular scholasticism.

Churchianity, being full of programs, is generally empty of edification and will therefore always remain mostly dead apart from the few spirit-filled souls within them who move about in dutiful, although misguided, loyalties to what they think is something the Lord built and endorsed.

Churchianity Has Abandoned Heavenly Identity​

When the Body of Christ tries to live as Israel because of some false sense of even having replaced Israel, those who dabble in that end up trying to:

• keep a selective set of Israel’s laws,
• claim Israel’s promises for themselves,
• hire false teaching pastors who preach Israel’s gospel,
• pursue Israel’s kingdom that is not at all meant for the body of Christ,

…churchianity therefore loses its identity and purpose, thus failing to align with the Bible it claims to preach.

Churchianity without identity with the Truth is churchianity without vitality.

People Aren’t Being Trained for Ministry Within Churchianity by Their Hirelings​

Paul taught that every believer is a minister:

“For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry.” (Eph. 4:12)

Instead, churchianity trains people to be:

• spectators,
• dependents,
• supporters of the career staff, their real estate with office space, lawn care, token outreaches and missionary support,
• customers who pay their dues as they would the Lion's Club or Moose Lodge.

Because the saints aren't growing as they should, churchianity becomes characteristically stale.

In Short, Churchianity is Dead Because it Has Abandoned Paul’s Pattern​

When the body of Christ ignores:

• Paul’s gospel,
• Paul’s doctrine,
• Paul’s pattern,
• Paul’s revelation,

…it disconnects itself from the very source of spiritual life for this dispensation...a word that many Evangelicals and religionists alike hate with a passion, even though it's used in the Bible FOUR times contextually consistent with differing gospels.

BTW

 

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