Col 3:11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Gal 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
1Cor 12:13 For by one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
Heb 10:17 And their sins and their iniquities I wilI remember no more.
How is it that God can say that?
10:1-The law given to Israel was but a shadow. It wasn't the real thing. This verse emphasizes the repetition of the sacrifices. Year after year, continually, with the same sacrifices, those who bring them are never cleansed and perfected.
10:2-For if they were cleansed, they would no longer have any consciousness of sins and they would cease offering the sacrifices.
10:3-Consequently, in those sacrifices, there is a remembrance of sins year after year.
10:4-because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
10:5-When Christ came into the world, he said "you didn't want sacrifice and offering, but you prepared a body for me."
10:6-"In burnt offerings and sin offerings you took no pleasure in them."
10:7-Christ said I come to do your will.
10:8-God did not desire nor take pleasure in those things offered according to the law.
10:9-Christ said "I came to do your will." He came to take away the first covenant(the law) and establish the second(Hebrews 8:7).
10:10-It is by God's will which was accomplished through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all, that we have been made holy and sanctified. We are made saints.
10:11-every priest stands, day after day, continually offering the same sacrifices which can never take away sins.
10:12-but Christ, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, he sat down.
10:18-where forgiveness of these(sins) is, there is no more offering for sin.
Now that Christ has accomplished His sacrifice, there is no more need for the law. There is nothing we can add to His work on the cross. If God doesn't remember our sins, why do we? Some Christians add little things to the work of Christ, others add big things. The sacrifices in the temple were repeated. His sacrifice is never repeated.
For others, it is their way of making a living that is threatened. In the end, it is fear of something. Some people think God needs our help to control things and get believers to do things. Then why do we have the Holy Spirit? oops, I forgot, the Holy Spirit and the Word aren't enough, so they say.
Sometimes we as believers hear somethings that we haven't heard before. That can scare us, depending on how serious we think the issue is. For instance, if we believe that water baptism is essential to salvation and someone tries to show us the truth about rituals and ceremonies, that can feel like having the rug pulled out from under us. If you think of a house, that would be like having the foundation destroyed.
Regarding the post from the internet, I want to focus on one thing that the author said.
"The popular view today, however, is that the Holy Spirit teaches believers directly through the Bible."
The broader context is that the author is talking down to and against the above quoted viewpoint. He is promoting professionalism and institutionalism, an educated clergy. He is speaking against those who promote smaller churches and house churches. He actually said those concepts were the source of error. He isn't Roman catholic but he promotes the similar idea of a higher educated class who can tell other christians what to believe. That is the context of the above quote. The Holy Spirit teaching through the Word isn't enough. God does use other believers to teach us. But in the end, the Holy Spirit teaches us through the Word.
1Cor. 14:26 What is it then, brothers and sisters? whenever you come together, each of you has a song, a teaching, a language, a revelation, an interpretation. Let all things be done to build up.... 29 And let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. (Note that when others speak, others have the right to judge, and that means right then and there publicly. It also means that the prophets aren't to hog the time, two or three at the most).
30 But if there is a revelation to another sitting there, let the first be silent. (in other words, say whatever you have to say but don't hog the time, let the others have the opportunity to speak).
31 For you all are able to prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all be encouraged. (he uses the word "all" and one by one or each one, Romans 12:5; all have the Holy Spirit and have been gifted in some way, verse 26, so they can function in the meeting so that all can learn and all can be encouraged.)
Why is this scary to people? Some people like to have the control and authority in their hands. Some people actually believe this passage doesn't apply anymore.
II Timothy 1:15 You know this, that all those in Asia turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.
As Paul writes from prison in his last year, he said that all those in Asia (a province in modern day Turkey) had fallen away from him. Does that mean that the methods that Paul and Timothy used were to blame? Of course not. There are sinful people in every church, whether it is a small home group, an independent or some institutional or denominational church.
I Corith. 3:1 and I, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as to spiritual ones, but as to carnal (fleshly), as to babies in Christ.
2 I fed you with milk, not with solid food; for you were not yet able to bear it: but not even now are you able.
3 for you are yet carnal (fleshly): for whereas there is among you jealousy and strife and divisions, are you not carnal (fleshly), and do you not walk (live) according to human standards?
Was Paul a failure because the Corinthian church lived in error and permitted sin among its members? Divisions and denominations existed in Corinth. Paul rebuked them for it. This sin is a mark of carnality and living according to the flesh. This has been the mark of the church for the last 2000 years. Big churches and little churches are all guilty. We have divided from other Christians over every thing.
When Paul wrote to the saints at Corinth, he wrote "to the church/assembly of God which is in Corinth." Paul called them to unity by this very statement. He addressed all the saints at Corinth as one assembly. He spoke to the Thessalonians in the same manner. he wrote "to the assembly of the Thessalonians." He doesn't address the saints at Philippi as an assembly. But he tells them "that you stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel (Phil. 1:27)." He continues with the same idea, " 2:2 Fulfil my joy, that you think the same thing having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind." The Roman Catholic church followed the Roman Empire mentality-control and authority equal oneness. The reformers did the same thing. The only difference was they couldn't control as wide a geographical area. They established state churches.
Methodology doesn't contribute to error. Wrong teaching/error leads to wrong methods. Those who promote little churches or house churches are just as prone to error and sin as institutional churches because they both are composed of sinful people.
God's not against worshipping in a Church building
Posted : 29 May, 2022 04:50 AM
It should be noted that larger churches, in a way, are catering to the idea of small groups. some have "cell" groups. They may use other names. But they still function the same way' One writer years ago said that nothing should be done without the pastor. Even the cell groups function in a controlled manner. I attended one when I visited a larger church. It was simply a review of the message that the pastor had preached the previous sunday. They didn't even want to look at the passages that the pastor talked about. Pretty sad.
God's not against worshipping in a Church building
Posted : 29 May, 2022 04:40 AM
"In classical education theology was taught last—for it builds on many other disciplines that cannot be learned from the Bible alone. Therefore, some degree of higher education was usually sought before one became a teacher of the word (James 3:1). The popular view today, however, is that the Holy Spirit teaches believers directly through the Bible. "
The early Christians did not go to Bible college or seminary. The author of this article is attacking the believers of the New Testament as well as believers down through the last 1900 years who did not go to seminary. That author is promoting "professionalism." Note well his comment that "the popular view... is that the Holy Spirit teaches believers directly through the Bible." I will be very clear here. According to this mentality, every believer should submit to some form of human authority such as the Roman Catholic Church teaches. they claim they are the official interpreters of the truth of God. This is a horrendous claim by the writer of that article. Protestants rejected that idea of the Roman church. Unfortunately, I think that writer knows exactly what he is writing.
"This idea might lead people to believe that whatever the group teaches is from God and is therefore safe from error. But the Bible does not teach that this is the case, and it is clear that most believers disagree on at least some issues, and most simply end up "interpreting" the Bible according to their churches' teaching anyway."
"The answer to the interpretation issue requires another article, but the problem it creates becomes more ominous when dealing with home churches. The New Testament is full of warnings against heresies coming from within the church. Since it was written in the first century, these would actually be warnings regarding house churches."
This reasoning is circular. He is contending that house churches are the problem, the source of error. Of course, that would be true because weren't institutional churches. The writer attacks the modern home church movement. Error was present In Paul's day. It was present in the days of Luther and Calvin. It has been that way for 2000 years. The house church movement is not to blame for error. Luther and Calvin and the other reformers were at each other's throats. the reformers supported the killing of the anabaptists. they killed anti-trinitarians. Torturing and killing people who don't agree with your faith is worse than an error. is that the way to spread the Gospel and show christian love?
The only thing I can find in this article to agree with is that the place where believers meet doesn't matter.
