I would like to as a reminder of what true obedience really is. Obedience is practicing what God has commanded us to do or not to do. If it's not in Scripture there is NO reason to practice it.
NOT EVEN ONE VERSE?
Are you prepared for a shock?
These should be obvious, but the truth is the MAJORITY of Christians have swallowed many a lie. How simple and easy it should be for a person who reads the Bible to see the obvious traditions and practices of Christianity which HAVE NOT A SINGLE VERSE to support them.
Yet the majority of Christians willingly accept the following as "Christian". Many of these subjects are further developed in articles on this site. In order to help you think in scriptural terms, here is a short list of unscriptural practices within apostate Christianity:
"add thou not unto His Word lest He reprove thee and thou be found a liar" "that ..ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written; ..." -1Cor 4:6
It is impossible to show these as a verse or phrase in our Bibles:
1. "Accept Christ as personal saviour" spoken in scripture
2. "ALTAR CALL" as a response to the gospel
3. a. "Pastor": used as a formal title. For example: "Pastor Smith", "Pastor Larry" .....
b. "Senior" Pastor, "Associate" Pastor, or "Assistant Pastor"
c. "Rabbi" (Mat.23:8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your teacher, and all ye are brethren.
d. "Chaplain". Have you ever read of one in your Bible?
4. Any woman named in any TITLED position (for example "Pastor Mary", "Prophetess Sue") teaching or having authority over a man. (none of the named elders of scripture were women).
The Greek word for pastor is "poimen" a masculine noun. You would never call a man a "prophetess" or a queen, feminine nouns. The same applies for the office of "pastor", a masculine noun.
5. "Service", "church service" "our service is at..." as used to describe a gathering of Christians
6. female angels. (whoops! folks seem to find them in this world but there is not even one mentioned in all the scripture!)
7. Fundraiser, raffle, auction, bake sale, food sales, Church sponsored businesses like thrift shops.
8. a. The Church Board
b. "membership" "voting member", or formalized "member" of a church assembly.
9. CLERGY Robes, vestments, formal church attire that distinguishes from others in the body of Christ.
10. Christians tithing
11. A "Worship Leader"
12. Church record keeping of who gave an amount
13. elders submitting to a pastor as a form of church government
14. the "church" instructed to: buy property, have a "building fund", or "building program".
15. a programmed church "service". i.e.: prayer, 3 songs, offering, sermon, closing prayer.
16. Positions of overseership. (superintendents, Districts, Stakes, Wards, etc.)
17. The "Sinners Prayer" as a rote or liturgical response to the gospel.
18. A Pulpit
19. Christians celebrating Christmas, Easter, HELLoween, or Sunday becoming the Sabbath.
20. a "Song Service"
21. A Church Choir
22. Sunday School (Sabbath school)
23. "Spiritual Covering" by a pastor or hierarchy.
24. Any "church" referred to as the "Storehouse".
25. Prayer or homage to Mary, any "saint", Rosary, or statue.
26. Cardinal, Pope, "Your Eminence", or "Father" used to address any Christian.
27. Purgatory
28. The Mass
29. Lent
30 Prayers for the dead.
31. The phrase "God uses doctors"
32. "Repeat after me...." as in "leading" someone in prayer.
33. Pastors given a "vision" for the church.
34. Pledges, promissary oaths, swearing to perform an action such as a fundraiser or allegiance.
35. Anything resembling patriotism to a kingdom of this world.
36. Any "clergy" titles: "Doctor", "Prophet", "Bishop", "Apostle", "Elder", "Pastor" "Co-pastor", "chaplain" "Associate Pastor", "Youth Pastor", "Reverend" (see Those Wonderful Titles") or the short article "Titles"
37. "God helps those who help themselves". -not in scripture..
38. Any church or saint directly instructed to "Keep the Sabbath" (as observed in the Old Covenant). see our article "How to REALLY Keep that Sabbath"
39. Any church or saint in the New Testament commanded to observe the Old Testament feasts.
40. Any church or saint in the New Testament being commanded to observe circumcision and/ or keep the Law of Moses.
41. Palm Sunday
42. Ash Wednesday
43. Easter (the word easter pertains to Ishtar, a pagan Babylonian goddess).
44. "worship" service. (find a mention of one in the New Testament)
46. "Voting" in a pastor
47. a LITURGY
48. Anyone taking "sacraments". False works give false assurance.
49. A parsonage (house) given to any pastor by a church.
50. The word "Trinity"
-one of the great sacred cows. A name invented by men never given in scripture. If you were a Christian living in 100 AD you would never had heard the word because it had not been invented yet. Anyone who simply reads the Bible for themselves without attending any Christian religion will not be leavened with the unscriptural word, "trinity". None of the writers of scripture ever used the term.
It is true, all the above are without a single verse in the New Testament scriptures and are red flag warnings of apostasy to one degree or another. That should alarm you and cause you to consider in Godly fear, all the warnings in scripture regarding "be not deceived", false teachers, false prophets, and the Nicolaitanes who serve the Harlot church, "Mystery Babylon the Great".
Men are real good at rationalizing, justifying, and explaining what they do that is contrary to God's Word.
Do NOT accept any "puffed up" human reasoning or explanation for continuing in an unscriptural religious practice. "that in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other."
Belief is as the scripture says, not tradition, not your priest, not your pastor, not the guy on TBN, not me, and not blind ignorance of God's Word. You are capable of hearing from God for yourself without me or anyone else trying to convert you to their way of thinking.
My job is to point you to the Bible to read it for yourself. We can teach the scriptures but only God gives revelation and understanding. The Lord is a much better instructor than me or anyone wearing an eccleastical title.
Apostasy from God's Word is exactly what the prophets confronted.
Ezekiel 34 is a clear prophecy about the shepherds and leaders of Apostate modern Christianity. Jeremiah 23 is another.
And here is:
Isa. 3:1
And in that day seven women (as the 7 churches in Revelation ch 2,3)
shall take hold of one man, (calling on Jesus)
saying, We will eat our own bread, ( we will follow our own faith & doctrine)
and wear our own apparel: (putting on false outward righteousness)
only let us be called by thy name, (Christian in name but not disciples)
to take away our reproach. (they want sins forgiven but do not obey the covenant)
a reader wrote: Comments: I just read your "NOT in Scripture List" and I'm rather surprised... not at what is on the list, but that others have noticed. I've been in and out of churches since I was a child and at the age of 28 I "heard" the call of Christ to "come follow me". Just over a year later, I got up the nerve to read the bible for myself, since many of the people I respected in my "church" discussed what they were reading often. I started in the new testament because it was immediately about Jesus and he was the reason for my being. Well, I foud out the same things that were in your list and I was shocked, angry confused... It was also immediately clear that the whole Idea of the modern church was nothing like the churches in ACTS. Anyway, I've been labled a "radical" and ignored by others when I attempt to discuss these things and asked where we went wrong. I have only one couple who "get it" too. thank you, -Reader in Florida
2007 Rory Moore www.preparehisway.com
This article may be reproduced and distributed free of charge as long as it remains in its original form.
Do you get what "the phrase" throwing the baby out with the bath water means?
Good thing God looks upon our hearts and doesnt consult "mimi" for our standing in Christ!!!
Provided just for you!!!
Apostasy in Christianity refers to the rejection of Christianity by someone who formerly was a Christian. The term apostasy comes from the Greek word apostasia ("ἀποστασία") meaning defection, departure, revolt or rebellion. It has been described as "a willful falling away from, or rebellion against, Christianity. Apostasy is the rejection of Christ by one who has been a Christian...."[2] "Apostasy is a theological category describing those who have voluntarily and consciously abandoned their faith in the God of the covenant, who manifests himself most completely in Jesus Christ."[3] "Apostasy is the antonym of conversion; it is deconversion."[1]
I agree that the church as it sits is predominantly apostate .
But, I do not agree with your all inclusive "copy and paste " list!!! That is dogmatism.
You posted the article so you must agree with it.
I see a self righteous critical spirit of religion here amongst us............
Examine yourself.
You just may lose every one of your rewards you think youve earned !!!
Its one thing to pass on correct understanding within the body of Christ but it is quite another to beat people over the head with non essential rhetoric!!
God will hold YOU accountable for making a baby stumble with your dogma.
I fully explained and refuted the nonsense you agree with in error. Your false understanding is most assuredly not RIGHT in the eyes of God. Right standing with our Lord is all about obedience and striving for holiness but it is NOT all about nit picking every jot and tittle of NON ESSENTIAL NON SALVATION ISSUES.
The ones I responded on were exactly that and there were more . I see no reason to expound on all listed that I saw as legalistic . I need only try to get you to see >>> what I originally said: Dont throw out the baby with the bath water!!
If you dont think you could ever be wrong you have an incredible pride problem.
: expressing personal opinions or beliefs as if they are certainly correct and cannot be doubted
dogmatic
[ d�gˈmatik ]
ADJECTIVE
inclined to lay down principles as incontrovertibly true
My Lord and Savoir and my King of Kings is not dogmatic. You may want to do a study on that word and repent of your saying Yahwah is dogmatic:)
I included more scripture for you so you may see and ear the words of God.
We are not to judge others regarding legalistic adherence to ordinances such as holyday (holiday) observances and what to eat or drink, for such are only matters of faith (Romans 14:1-23; I Corinthians 8:7-13; I Corinthians 10:28-33; Colossians 2:16-23). Scripture states that in Christ we have liberty which frees us from the law of sin and death (Luke 4:18; Romans 8:21; I Corinthians 10:29; II Corinthians 3:17; Galatians 2:4; Galatians 5:1, 13; James 1:25; James 2:12; I Peter 2:16; ). This is the same liberty that allows Paul to say, "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not." (I Corinthians 10:23) Although the Son has made us free, we can only walk in this liberty to the degree that we have faith in God. This is why we are told to be "fully persuaded in our own minds" because "whatever is not done in faith is sin." (Romans 14:5, 23) If someone - whom the Scripture describes as having weaker faith - chooses to adhere to such ordinances, they are doing so as unto the Lord. To judge them is to place a stumbling block before them because you are attempting to get them to commit what in their minds is sin. (Romans 14:13; Romans 9:32) This is why we are warned, "But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak." (I Corinthians 8:9) Likewise, those who are walking in the liberty of Christ should not be judged by those who choose to adhere to such ordinances. As stated in I Corinthians 10:29-30, "Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?" Those who make judgements in these areas are mistaking matters of faith for matters of doctrine.
We should not base judgements on malicious lies or evil misrepresentations. "Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?" (James 4:11-12) To speak evil of in this Scripture is the Greek word Katalaleo which means to malign, vilify, or traduce. It means exposing someone to contempt or shame based on false witness. This is why James says that such judgements are actually judgements of the law, because false testimony is a perversion of the law. Obviously, we should not judge others under these conditions. It should also be noted that these are the circumstances under which Jesus was judged by the religious leaders of His day (Matthew 26:59-66; Mark 14:55-64). They sought false witnesses by which they could judge Him for blasphemy. Further, we are warned that as Christians, we should expect to be subjected to these same "evil" judgements by the world. "Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ." (I Peter 3:16, also I Peter 2:12)
I have more than refuted your false standing . I will NOT be replying back to you. It is not my desire to keep repeating myself. I have provided you with enough scripture to meditate on for quite some time. Ask The Holy Spirit to give you a new understanding.
