my3angels
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Joined: Feb 04, 2007
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 Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2007 2:24 pm Post subject: Losing Faith in a Liberal Church |
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As our country continues to turn more and more liberal, I can't help but to notice our church is heading down the same path. We have spoken up many times on how we disagree with the changes going on, but it seems we have just been ignored. My husband has gotten into arguments with the pastor. We have been denied participation in certain programs because of our more conservative feelings.
We long to be involved in the church. Now that we have children, we want them to have even greater love for church and for our Awesome God. But we feel we're not really welcome. We have attended other churches in town, but none of them feel right in our hearts.
My husband doesn't even want to go to church anymore because we haven't found what we're looking for. So we have started doing more at home to make up for what we're not getting in church.
I am now looking for help/advice from anyone. Is it wrong to go to a church even though it doesn't feel right? Is it wrong to stop going to church because we don't agree with the governing powers? How do we go to church to enjoy the Word of God and still dislike where we are? Where do we go from here?
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nam-eno
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Joined: Jul 05, 2007
Posts: 77
Status: Offline
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| Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 9:00 pm Post subject: Disappointments |
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Dear My3Angels,
I know you posted your question several months back. I understand how such a situation can be perplexing and a disappointment when what you seek is the warmth and blessings of God's church. I hesitate to attempt an answer, because I am hardly one to give advice, but I offer these thoughts for your consideration.
Satan's goal is to separate us from God. He presents us with temptations, he works to create divisions, he seeks to create failures in those who would lead us in our faith. Satan's deceptions are many and many of us fall into his traps. He only needs to be successful in only one of these deceits and suddenly, before we realize it, we find ourselves separated from God.
You asked, “Is it wrong to go to a church even though it doesn't feel right?” The answer is complicated, but take a moment to consider the following scripture:
Matthew 5:16
"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5: 43-48
"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.“
Matthew 7: 1-5
"Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' and behold, the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.”
Matthew 22: 36-40
"Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" He said to him, "You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments."
Mark 2: 16-17
"Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus heard this and said to them (that), "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."
Luke 22: 17-20
"Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said, "Take this and share it among yourselves; for I tell you (that) from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you."
John 14:12
“Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father.“
John 15: 9-12
“As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. "I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I love you.”
1 Peter 3: 13-18
“Now who is going to harm you if you are enthusiastic for what is good? But even if you should suffer because of righteousness, blessed are you. Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God.”
Of course, there is much more in the Bible, but in these few passages we see that Jesus calls us to community. He asked us to share His body and His blood in memory of him. We are called to His supper. He called us to love one another as the second of the greatest commandments. He commanded us directly to love one another as he loves us. He does not seek the self righteous, rather He seeks to save the sinners. His message was that of forgiveness, that we should not judge others. We will face those who do not believe as we do, but if we believe in Him, we will do the works that He does. We are called to serve and live in His example so that others may believe. If we do not participate in God's Church, then, it is the same as hiding the light of the Lord.
Luke 11:33
"No one who lights a lamp hides it away or places it (under a bushel basket), but on a lampstand so that those who enter might see the light.”
If we seek those who are only as we, then, what word of the Lord do we spread? If we separate ourselves from God's community, we separate ourselves from the opportunity to fulfill the second of the greatest commandments. If others in that community struggle to keep God's commandments, they need to see the example of others who seek to live in the light of Christ.
If we remain isolated, we cannot do the good works that glorify our Father who is in heaven. But to complicate the answer, we must also keep in mind that Jesus told His disciples to leave the towns that would not accept them.
Matthew 10:14
“Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words--go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.”
Perhaps part of the answer is in asking yourself, what is intolerable about this community? If you find some who are faithful, there is hope. Perhaps the leadership does not serve well, perhaps there are those who need guidance, but can you make a difference? If there is no hope, then, you must shake the dust from your feet and seek another place. Still, if there is but a seed, seek to be the water that spurs growth through your presence, your example, and your works. Seek to be the light through which others will understand and perhaps join in God's works.
Remember, Jesus did not seek out those who were perfect, He called those who were flawed. He challenged them to live in His light. Even the apostles sinned, despite walking in the presence of the Lord. We are all sinners, so should we be surprised if there are those among our community who are imperfect in their faith?
You wrote: “So we have started doing more at home to make up for what we're not getting in church.”
In isolating yourselves, you may feel that you are protecting yourself from the influences of others. Perhaps, though, you should consider that if you remain at home, you will not influence others.
Consider the following scripture:
Mathew 25: 14 – 29
"It will be as when a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master's money.
After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy.' (Then) the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, 'Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, 'Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.' His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
If we are filled with the spirit, we have an obligation to share it. If we are strong in spirit, others will benefit from that strength, and our own spirit will be nurtured through sharing. God has given each of us gifts to share within His community. Consider the following scripture:
1 Corinthians 12: 7-12
“To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To one is given through the Spirit the expression of wisdom; to another the expression of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit; to another mighty deeds; to another prophecy; to another discernment of spirits; to another varieties of tongues; to another interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit produces all of these, distributing them individually to each person as He wishes. As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ.”
I am sure that many have questions such as yours. I would suggest that the true answer to your questions can only be found through prayer. As I mentioned, I am hardly one qualified to give advice, but the one piece of advice I would give is to pray for guidance and the blessings of the Lord.
Proverbs 3: 5-6
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not; in all your ways be mindful of Him, and He will make straight your paths.”
May God bless you and grant to you and your husband the strength to face those who would persecute you. May God grant you the wisdom to know where you should live in the light and where you should shake the dust from your feet.
Amen
Nam Eno
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