Problems will arise . . .

[Pearl]

I was thinking about the wheat and the tares this morning and feel sure that many churches have a mix of both and probably quite right too. But as I see it problems will arise if the tares are given positions of authority or allowed to run things their way.

In the church I joined as a new born again Christian way back this mix was very noticeable and the vicar’s hand were tied over a number of issues by the views of some of the regular church goers who had no notion of allowing the Holy spirit to be in control and who continued to expect things to be done as they always had been.

The vicar was a lovely man who was definitely Spirit filled and wanted his congregation to follow his example. To this end he did his best to encourage people to put aside the old traditions and embrace the teachings of the bible with regard to the power that comes when a church is filled with the Holy Spirit.

He introduced a more modern form of praise service once a month instead of the more customary evensong and those of us who were born again and Spirit filled loved these meetings – there were even guitars! The traditionalists complained loudly as was to be expected but the rest of the little flock couldn’t get enough of the new way church was presented to us and would meet each Sunday evening in the vicarage to learn more about the Holy Spirit and how he was at work in our lives.

After one of these meetings a number of us were filled with the Spirit; Jenny drove home singing in tongues all the way and remembered nothing of her journey until she pulled up on her drive. Tony had a similar experience and drove through every red light on his way home as he was aware of nothing apart from the power of the Spirit within him. The next day I couldn’t stop singing in tongues as I worked in my kitchen.

In order to try to weaken the hold of the traditionalists the vicar approached all the born again believers and suggested we put ourselves up for election the PCC – the group who more or less made all the decisions. I was honoured to serve and so were others who were Spirit filled and in time that strangle hold loosened.

But the ‘tares’ were still around and critical of the new life. So the purpose of this post is to wonder if we should remain in a church where the ‘’tares’ hold people back or whether this is being ‘unequally yoked’ and we should, ‘Come out from them and be separate,” as it says 2 Corinthians 6:17

 

[Pearl]

@Nancy @Rita @Helen

 

[Rita]

Hi Pearl,
I came out of a church because all the Spirit filled members left - the older members of the church didn’t want the openness to exist, they wanted to go backwards. I remained for as long as I could, but I had already started to wake up to all the ‘ Religion ‘ within the churches I had been a part of , and couldn’t deal with it.
I have no idea if I will ever go back to a church x
Rita

 

[quietthinker]

I was thinking about the wheat and the tares this morning and feel sure that many churches have a mix of both and probably quite right too. But as I see it problems will arise if the tares are given positions of authority or allowed to run things their way.

In the church I joined as a new born again Christian way back this mix was very noticeable and the vicar’s hand were tied over a number of issues by the views of some of the regular church goers who had no notion of allowing the Holy spirit to be in control and who continued to expect things to be done as they always had been.

The vicar was a lovely man who was definitely Spirit filled and wanted his congregation to follow his example. To this end he did his best to encourage people to put aside the old traditions and embrace the teachings of the bible with regard to the power that comes when a church is filled with the Holy Spirit.

He introduced a more modern form of praise service once a month instead of the more customary evensong and those of us who were born again and Spirit filled loved these meetings – there were even guitars! The traditionalists complained loudly as was to be expected but the rest of the little flock couldn’t get enough of the new way church was presented to us and would meet each Sunday evening in the vicarage to learn more about the Holy Spirit and how he was at work in our lives.

After one of these meetings a number of us were filled with the Spirit; Jenny drove home singing in tongues all the way and remembered nothing of her journey until she pulled up on her drive. Tony had a similar experience and drove through every red light on his way home as he was aware of nothing apart from the power of the Spirit within him. The next day I couldn’t stop singing in tongues as I worked in my kitchen.
No doubt Jesus and his mates were seen as tares in their synagogues.

In order to try to weaken the hold of the traditionalists the vicar approached all the born again believers and suggested we put ourselves up for election the PCC – the group who more or less made all the decisions. I was honoured to serve and so were others who were Spirit filled and in time that strangle hold loosened.

But the ‘tares’ were still around and critical of the new life. So the purpose of this post is to wonder if we should remain in a church where the ‘’tares’ hold people back or whether this is being ‘unequally yoked’ and we should, ‘Come out from them and be separate,” as it says 2 Corinthians 6:17

No doubt Jesus and his mates were considered tares in their synagogues.

 

[quietthinker]

Hi Pearl,
I came out of a church because all the Spirit filled members left - the older members of the church didn’t want the openness to exist, they wanted to go backwards. I remained for as long as I could, but I had already started to wake up to all the ‘ Religion ‘ within the churches I had been a part of , and couldn’t deal with it.
I have no idea if I will ever go back to a church x
Rita

Spirit filled believers never focus on the Spirit Rita. The Spirit always directs folk to Jesus never to himself. The Spirit that directs people to itself is not the Spirit of Truth, it is another spirit and not one the scripture calls holy.

John 16:13-15 ....Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

 

[Sabertooth]

So the purpose of this post is to wonder if we should remain in a church where the ‘’tares’ hold people back or whether this is being ‘unequally yoked’ and we should, ‘Come out from them and be separate,” as it says 2 Corinthians 6:17

The way Jesus taught that parable, I'm not sure that you could even if you wanted to. He said that their lives were so intermingled with those of true believers, that you couldn't reject the former without isolating/neglecting the latter. Like if a couple was mixed or a family was divided. And some naysayers just might be immature believers who haven't warmed up to the changes, yet. (That is why the angels were told to leave them alone.)

 

[theophilus]

Tony had a similar experience and drove through every red light on his way home as he was aware of nothing apart from the power of the Spirit within him.

Are you sure the Spirit was the Spirit of God? God wants us to obey the laws of the land we live in.

 

[Pearl]

Hi Pearl,
I came out of a church because all the Spirit filled members left - the older members of the church didn’t want the openness to exist, they wanted to go backwards. I remained for as long as I could, but I had already started to wake up to all the ‘ Religion ‘ within the churches I had been a part of , and couldn’t deal with it.
I have no idea if I will ever go back to a church x
Rita

Me too Rita. And when I wanted to be baptised I couldn't until I left.

 

[Rita]

Spirit filled believers never focus on the Spirit Rita. The Spirit always directs folk to Jesus never to himself. The Spirit that directs people to itself is not the Spirit of Truth, it is another spirit and not one the scripture calls holy.

John 16:13-15 ....Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Perhaps I should have worded it different, people who were led by The Holy Spirit, open to the Holy Spirits leading. I don’t particularly want to get into an argument about what the Holy Spirit is or isn’t.
Let’s just say there were Christians who wanted to be open and move forward , but the majority of people there wanted to go back to how they had always done things - traditionally.
Rita

 

[Pearl]

Perhaps I should have worded it different, people who were led by The Holy Spirit, open to the Holy Spirits leading. I don’t particularly want to get into an argument about what the Holy Spirit is or isn’t.
Let’s just say there were Christians who wanted to be open and move forward , but the majority of people there wanted to go back to how they had always done things - traditionally.
Rita

Agree Rita, that's what my post is about.