Marking as well.
I'm happy for you, butterfly! It feels so good to help someone else get mentally free of this, especially if it's a relative!
Encouragement letter, insight on the truth behind Jehovah's Witnesses
by Butterflyleia85 22 Replies latest jw experiences
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LongHairGal
godrulz:
I pretty much agree with most of what you say, especially the part about how there is no need for the human organizations you mentioned insinuating themselves into the equation between men and Jehovah.
However, you then go on to say how those who avoid a church are wrong and unbiblical. This is the problem: which church??? And what happens when a church becomes like the aforementioned offenders (which it WILL do) when it gets big enough? Just look at history.
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godrulz
Christian local churches follow a biblical pattern as the family and army of God. They have godly servant leadership to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, provide edification, encouragement, etc. They are not a mediator to God, not a policing organization that controls people, etc. They are a place for corporate worship, instruction/discipleship, fellowship, evangelism, service, mission, giving, loving, venue for spiritual gifts, etc. It is God's plan to preserve truth, help people mature, etc. What is not biblical is a centralized, autocratic organization like WT GB, LDS Utah, Catholic Vatican, etc. There are many autonomous local churches that are Bible and Christ-centered. A NT ecclesiology (study of church) shows that we are part of His invisible, universal Church/Body through faith in Christ. It is then normative to identify with a local expression of this. Going to church does not make you a Christian anymore than going to a barn makes you a cow. Lone Ranger Christian is an oxymoron. It is not uncommon for people who leave cults to wonder where else we can go? They have been poisoned to think everyone else is Satanic. Christ loved the Church and died for it (Eph. 5). To be in right relationship with Him is to be in right relationship with His people. Just because their are corrupt, controlling organizations/groups does not mean there are not 1000s of godly churches where one finds freedom in their relationship with God and others. Looking for one organization is not the way to go. I would personally avoid Catholic, nominal, liberal groups in favor of evangelical ones that put the Bible above tradition (JWs are wrong to think that they alone do this). Some legit churches can be sectarian and controlling in their own way despite sound doctrine. Just because it is possible to become part of a negative church is not a reason to assume there are not many local churches worth identifying with. There are many great churches among the nations, but they will not be under one centralized banner like the uniformity of cults provide.