“CHURCHIANITY” vs. GOD’S MODEL - Part II

[Reformer]

"CHURCHIANITY"
VS.
GOD'S MODEL
Part II

Buff Scott, Jr.

HISTORY IS UNIQUE

It might interest you to know that William Tyndale's translation of the New Testament scriptures was published in 1525, almost 100 years before The King James Version made its appearance. He translated ekklesia "congregation" and baptizo "immerse" and was condemned to death as a heretic by the "Unholy See" of Roman Catholicism. Additionally, Hugh J. Schonfield's Authentic New Testament (1955) renders Matthew 16:18, "Upon that rock I will found my community." So regardless of how we peel the orange, "church" is a total and absolute mistranslation.

    And so is King James' "Easter" (Acts 12:4). The Greek is pascha, which delivers "Passover." If we reject "Easter" as a correct rendering, why is it so difficult for so many of us to reject King James' "church"? Partisan religion has been built around "Easter," just as partisan religion revolves around "church."

BILLY GRAHAM WAS RIGHT IN 1965
"Multitudes of Christians within the church are moving toward the point where they may reject the institution that we call the church. They are beginning to turn to more simplified forms of worship. They are hungry for a personal and vital experience with Jesus Christ. They want a heartwarming personal faith. Unless the church quickly recovers its authoritative Biblical message, we may witness the spectacle of millions of Christians going outside the institutional church to find spiritual food" (Quoted in "World Aflame," pp. 79-80).

PLAYING AROUND WITH "CHURCH"
We have played around with "church" far too long. We have taken a mistranslated word and erected sectarian walls around it. Those walls have formed the Baptist Church, Methodist Church, Lutheran Church, Presbyterian Church, Catholic Church, Church of God Church, Christian Church, Church of Christ Church (a cappella), Assembly of God Church, Evangelical Free Church, Pentecostal Church, and a host of others.

     Here is where the fundamental and inexcusable sin has been committed. We have built our own brand of wall around "church" and excluded far too many sincere believers who do not "belly up" to our brand of religion. We call that wall "The Lord's Church" and dare anyone to breach it. The English term "church," and what it breeds, denotes a sect, a religious party, a schism, but never the one body of believers. As Jesus is not the author of religious parties, neither is He the author of churches, for both are equal to each other.

    Yes, unquestionably, there is only one body of believers, as per Ephesians 4:4. But we have misused and misapplied that divine passage by applying it to the wall we have erected in the form of "church." It is shameful and disgraceful. If Ephesians 4:4 ("There is one body" of believers) can be desecrated by creating many bodies, it may also be violated by concocting many Gods, Spirits, hopes, Lords, and faiths. The obvious truth is that we have sinned by dividing  that  one  body  of  believers into a profusion of sects and factions. We ought to get down upon our knees and petition the Lord to forgive us.

ECCLESIASTICAL ABUSE
Even "congregation," "community," and "assembly"—correct renderings of the Greek ekkesia—are not immune from ecclesiastical abuse. And if our English "church" had never surfaced and exploded into a major problem, the sectarian mindset and its offspring would have devised another foreign icon to use as their sacred cow. Like the children of old Israel, we never learn.

     When God came down and disrupted the language of the people at the building of the Tower of Babel, they groped about in the darkness of confused tongues. Today's clerics, popes, "Reverends," and other churchy elitists have constructed another "Tower of Babel" in the configuration of churches and religious jargon. Considering our divisive plight and language barrier, it is no surprise that so many are groping about in spiritual darkness.

     The one body of believers, which was once pure and tranquil when originally founded by Jesus and His ambassadors, has evolved into an apostate system of religion. Unless she undergoes complete reform, she will eventually self-destruct.  Although she once shined as a bright light, she is now only a flicker.

[Look for Part III soon.]

[Texas Conservative]

Faulty logic.

The one body of believers, which was NEVER pure and tranquil because it is made of broken people on the journey of sanctification, were recipients of letters from Paul, Peter, and others to correct them.

And these same issues are still here.  That is why the epistles are so powerful. 

Further, there will be no self destruction.  Nor will the gates of hell prevail!

[3 Resurrections]

Reformer, I second most of what you have written concerning the sectarian divisions of the body of Christ.  Seven years ago, I myself left a 16-year membership where I had been married back in the late 70's.  It was and still is a very benevolent congregation for the most part, but with some doctrinal errors which I could no longer support and walk together with them in agreement. 

The senior pastor expressed concern in our last meeting together that, without the congregation's influence around me, I would inevitably devolve into serious error biblically.  I have not found that to be so. I have actually found it to be beneficial to my own personal Bible studies, now that I am not pressured to "follow the party line", and can freely research others' observations on scripture content online.   

As believers, we were never meant to be "islands" unto ourselves.  However, not having an official "membership" in a "church club" somewhere doesn't necessarily lead to one becoming an "island" with nothing but private interpretations and no interpersonal relations with fellow believers, which I believe you would also agree with, Reformer.

The one paragraph on which I would disagree with you is your final paragraph.  The body of believers in the early church was never "pure and tranquil".  There was just as much division between individuals back then as there is now.  People's natures have not changed in 2,000 years.  The book of Acts and all the epistles in the NT give ample evidence that correction of attitudes and doctrinal errors in the early church was a common problem requiring the Apostles' attentions.  And just as in the early church with the Jewish religious leaders persecuting the believers, the religious establishment since then has always oppressed those wishing to reform or set aside its corrupt practices.  There truly is "nothing new under the sun".

You have written that if the church does not reform, that it will self-destruct.  That isn't even possible for the body of Christ to self-destruct, because it has a deathless high priest Christ Jesus, and an eternal Holy Spirit of God indwelling every single believer. 

Even Paul sitting in prison wrote confidently that "the Word of God is NOT bound".  Regardless of how believers manage to mess things up, the Word of God will accomplish whatever God intends it to do.  Scripture has given us every promise that even the gates of Hell will not withstand the advance of the gospel message.  The effects of the Holy Spirit's work in this world are as certain as leaven growing silently within the bread dough until the whole is leavened - as certain as the growth of the mustard seed which becomes the greatest of all herbs - as certain as the growth of the "stone" kingdom of Christ which will eventually fill the entire world with its effects. 

Not even the "Churchianity" which you describe that plagues the body of Christ is an enemy that can hold back the work of the Holy Spirit in this world. 

Try to look at the current state of the church with the optimistic perspective of Habakkuk the prophet.  This prophet knew very well that the then-current state of affairs for his own nation was desperate, saying, "Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife, and contention.  Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgement proceedeth." (Habakkuk 1:3-4).

In spite of this desperate case for his own people and God's promise of coming disasters, Habakkuk finished his prophecy with a triumphant declaration of his faith, saying, "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.  The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places." (Habakkuk 3:17-19). 


God first causes hunger and thirst for Himself before He fills His people with good things.  He that wounds will bind up.  He that makes low can certainly raise up.  It is a good thing to sigh and cry for the evils that plague the body of Christ.  God marks these prayers, and in His own good time and manner, He answers.

[Reformer]

3 RESURRECTIONS:

You noted, "That isn't even possible for the body of Christ to self-destruct, because it has a deathless high priest Christ Jesus, and an eternal Holy Spirit of God indwelling every single believer."

Please understand that the body of Christ and "Churchianity" are two different elements. "Churchianity" is sectarianism and/or partisan religion. The scriptures condemn this divisive system. The scriptures do not condemn the body of Christ, the congregation of the redeemed.

Much of your response is right on target, however.

Buff

[Reformer]

Texas Conservative:

Keep reading me, please, and you - and others - will better understand. Look for PART III tomorrow, Wednesday.

Buff

[Texas Conservative]

Texas Conservative:

Keep reading me, please, and you - and others - will better understand. Look for PART III tomorrow, Wednesday.

Buff

The following statement you made is absolutely false:

The one body of believers, which was once pure and tranquil when originally founded by Jesus

[Reformer]

TEXAS CONSERVATIVE:

"The following statement you made is absolutely false:"

'The one body of believers, which was once pure and tranquil when originally founded by Jesus'

You are partially right and partially wrong. The infant or newly-born community of believers was pure and tranquil. As it progressed in the faith, humanity surfaced and differences and doctrinal errors developed. This is why I said, "The one body of believers, which was once pure and tranquil when originally founded by Jesus and His ambassadors..."

Buff

[4WD]

PLAYING AROUND WITH "CHURCH"
We have played around with "church" far too long. We have taken a mistranslated word and erected sectarian walls around it. Those walls have formed the Baptist Church, Methodist Church, Lutheran Church, Presbyterian Church, Catholic Church, Church of God Church, Christian Church, Church of Christ Church (a cappella), Assembly of God Church, Evangelical Free Church, Pentecostal Church, and a host of others. 

And you have formed the "I'm not Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Catholic, or any of those Others" Church.

Here is where the fundamental and inexcusable sin has been committed. We have built our own brand of wall around "church" and excluded far too many sincere believers who do not "belly up" to our brand of religion.

You are doing the exact same thing with your "church".

Most of those churches that you have such a distain for have not actually excluded anyone.  It is just that most sincere believers prefer to congregate with those who hold similar beliefs as they.

[Texas Conservative]

TEXAS CONSERVATIVE:

"The following statement you made is absolutely false:"

'The one body of believers, which was once pure and tranquil when originally founded by Jesus'

You are partially right and partially wrong. The infant or newly-born community of believers was pure and tranquil. As it progressed in the faith, humanity surfaced and differences and doctrinal errors developed. This is why I said, "The one body of believers, which was once pure and tranquil when originally founded by Jesus and His ambassadors..."

Buff

I am 100% right.  We are perfect in the sight of God because of Jesus. 

However, our flesh was still a problem in the very beginning of the church as it is today.

Acts and all of the Epistles testify to what I am saying.

[Amo]

Birds of a feather flock together. It is natural for denominations of like believers to form. As long as these denominations remain separate from state or other modes of involuntary membership, financial support, or adherence to their teachings or dogmas, all is well. If people are free to join them or leave them as they deem right for themselves, then no removal of personal liberties are involved.

Nevertheless, the world has already been moving back toward forced or mandated religion again for some time now. Whether it be the religion of Secular Humanism, Islam, or Roman Catholic and or apostate Christianity. Personal liberties are being sacrificed at the alters of idolatry the world over.

[Reformer]

TEXAS CONSERVATIVE:

"I am 100% right.  We are perfect in the sight of God because of Jesus."

I accept that, but our sects, religious parties, denominations, and other divisive systems are very imperfect and foreign to God's model. Paul condemned religious parties within the Corinthian congregation [See I Cor. 1:12-13].

Buff

[Reformer]

AMO:

Thanks, brother, for your insight.

Buff

[Reformer]

And you have formed the "I'm not Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Catholic, or any of those Others" Church.
You are doing the exact same thing with your "church".

Most of those churches that you have such a distain for have not actually excluded anyone.  It is just that most sincere believers prefer to congregate with those who hold similar beliefs as they.

4WD:

You are absolutely, totally, and otherwise in left field, where the wild ones roam. Instead of nightmares, you are experiencing daymares. Come down to earth and sensible logic. [See #10 post above to confirm my dianosis you are wrong.]

Buff

[4WD]

4WD:

You are absolutely, totally, and otherwise in left field, where the wild ones roam. Instead of nightmares, you are experiencing daymares. Come down to earth and sensible logic. [See #10 post above to confirm my dianosis you are wrong.]

Buff

Paul's complaint in 1 Corinthians was divisions within the church.  That certainly could be his complaint of today's church.  There is no doubt whatsoever that divisions exist. Do you, with your tirade against today's religious organizations, think you are doing anything to combat those divisions. I don't.  And your lambasting of me was a pretty good description of your own self with respect to all of this.

[Reformer]

4WD:
 

Keep reading me. Lord willing, Part IV will be available tomorrow [Thursday]. The post will, I hope, clarify even more - and you might possibly be enlightened.

Buff