The Ministry Loyalty Contract and the seduction of evil

But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a complete and pure devotion to Christ. 2 Cor:11:3

But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a complete and pure devotion to the Christian Ministry Organization, Policies, Contractual Requirements and Leadership.

But I fear that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your minds may be seduced from a complete and pure devotion to The Church Membership Contract and The Pastor.

Wait, what? That’s not what the verse says.

The serpent deceived by means of the lie. The lie was the foundation of evil. The lie is evil because it seduces God’s people away from pure devotion to Christ.

Many Churches require members to sign a loyalty contract. Some of these are online; go see for yourselves. One extremely successful International Christian, Neo-Evangelical/ecumenical ministry requires their staff members to agree to or promise to submit to certain behavior, for example, not ever being critical of the ministry or the leadership.

A quote from one ministry policy handbooks states, “A critical attitude of fellow staff, of the — ministry or of other individuals or groups shall be considered as evidence of disloyalty to Christ, and shall be accepted as an act of resignation.”

(The previous phrase was bolded by myself.)

So basically, if you are a member of this Church or Christian Organization, you better not question it! You better not disobey it! You better not critique it! You better not examine it! You better not discern it! You better not think critically! You better not ponder your unquestioned loyalty to it! Because if you do, this proves your disloyalty to Christ!

If you have to agree to requirements such as these, or sign any Church loyalty contract or any Christian ministry loyalty contract, in which you covenant your allegiance and obedience and submission to the organization, and to the Leaders,

you simply are not free in Christ.

If you have to agree to or sign a contract in which you covenant yourself to not criticize, or question or challenge the group, then you are not free in Christ! You are bound.

Dear ones, Be free! This is why Christ set us free! For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1.

Loyalty and devotion to Church Inc., or Ministry or Christian Organization or Leaders is NOT equal to loyalty to Christ.

If you are told that they are equal, you are being LIED TO. You are being asked to submit to evil, for evil is always founded on a lie. The mind must be seduced for one to agree to and submit to this lie. The seduced mind has therefore been deceived into believing and accepting a lie. The lie is then put into practice (translated into actions or obedience to the lie), and the mind is bound to evil, no longer free in Christ.

Remember: lies=evil.

Submit not to evil; rather submit to Christ. Be devoted not to evil, be devoted to Christ. Be loyal not to evil, be loyal to Christ.

new wineskins for new wine

New wine must be put into new wineskins. Luke 5:38

Jesus, the new wine!

The old wineskins: Religions, Churches, Pharisees, Legalists, Leaders, Experts, Theologians, Religious Professionals, Gurus, Gnostics, Scribes, Monks, Councils, Creeds, Synods, Authors, PhD’s, Clergies, Consultants, Seminaries, Institutions, Organizations, Ministries, Movements, Buildings, Traditions, Laws, Contracts, Conferences, Committees, Conventions, Conclaves, Seminars, Advisory Boards, Panels, Governments, Parties, Societies, Philosophies, Plans, Kingdoms, Nations, Cities, Merchants, Armies, Family Empires, Financiers, Corporations, Business ventures, …..

The new wineskins: you and I!

Witness to the Christians

He witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the kingdom of God, and from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets he tried to persuade them about Jesus.
Acts28:23…He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ–with all boldness and without hindrance! Acts28:31

A Christian parent did a short devotional lesson with 150 kids and teens from Christian families. He then asked them to get in groups and discuss the question, “What do you want to be doing, or what would you like to see happening in the world, 20 years from now?”

A teen boy stood up, it was his turn to share for his group. He joked in silly manner, “World peace!” The parent leader said, “Oh yeah, how you gonna do that?” The boy said, “Kill all the people who are against world peace!” and he laughed and sat down.

No. No! Not kill all the people who are not “for world peace”. My heart breaks.

His parents are ministry leaders in Church. Has the boy not been told about the Kingdom of God and the Way of Jesus? He does not know.

Do they not know the new covenant way about love, doing unto others, about loving neighbors and enemies? About denying self? About LIFE in Christ? About being born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead?

Have they heard about the Way of the Kingdom? Do they know about the new and living way? American cultural-Christianity is nearly identical to the world. Does it see the Kingdom of God as something they must violently bring in, via force and Dominionism? Do they not know it is here now among us? This kind of carnal Christianity is part of the “Roman Empire”. His kingdom operates in an entirely different way than the world system. How can they know if they have not heard? How beautiful are the feet of those who bring tidings of good news.

They have not heard the basic teachings of the kingdom. “My kingdom is not of this world.” We must tell them. We are His witnesses. The Father has transferred us from the power of darkness to the kingdom of His beloved Son. We are ambassadors for Christ, God is making his appeal through us. We implore those in Churchianity on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

Related post: Heed not the motivation of fear

 

4 Questions to ask before joining a Church

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” John 8

This post is a response to this article by the “The Gospel Coalition”:

Link:  4 Questions to Ask Before Joining a Church

1. Is this a Church where my family will be safe from sexual predators? Is this a Church where my family will be safe from deceptive pastors who will do anything to cover up evil in order to protect and preserve what they have worked so hard all their lives to build?

2. Is this a Church where I am convinced I will not be lied to by the endless false doctrines and traditions of American Churchianity?

3. Is this a Church where my family will experience truth and freedom and love, and not shame, bondage, lies, oppression, condemnation and shunning? (And disenfranchisement if we question anything or speak truth?) Is this a Church where the PASTORS have accountability and do not circle the wagons in “good old boy” fashion to protect their kingdoms (Churches/ministries) and reputations, fame and income, at all costs?

4. Is this a Church where I am allowed to use my gifts and serve Christ and the saints by the leading and power of the Holy Spirit, as led and directed by God, without having my work and service nullified, shamed and disallowed by the Church Clergy hierarchy? Is this a Church where I am allowed to obey Christ above the Church leadership and not submit my service to Christ, my conscience and very soul to the “Clergy”?

Important final note: You and your family must understand that it is Christ who is your Lord, not the Institutional Church, not the “Clergy” (self-appointed pastors) and not the religion and hierarchy of Roman Catholic based Hierarchical Christendom. You must understand that you are accountable to Christ Jesus who leads you by His Spirit. You must understand that you are not under the authority of “local shepherds” you are under the authority of Christ. And understand that YOU, saint, also have authority in Christ not just the “Clergy” which is a man-made construct of the Roman Catholic Church, based in ancient paganism and religious Old Testament Judaism. You have authority; you are a priest of God, yes you. This wonderful truth is brought to you by the Kingdom of God, in Christ Jesus our Lord. The Kingdom of God is within you.

You must understand this hierarchy, with men lording it over you, is not of Christ, that you are all brothers, equals in Christ and free in Him to love God and neighbor and serve according to the leading and power of the Holy Spirit. You must all submit to one another, it is not about the lowly “laity” submitting to the higher ranking “Clergy”. You must understand that men requiring you to be under them in an authoritarian hierarchy of lordship over you, is sinful and not of Christ. Watch out for men who want you to submit to their “shepherding” (control and dominance and suppression) of you.

You must understand that it is being IN Christ that makes you part of the flock, not attendance at an institutional, man created, 501c3 Church business franchise. You must understand that Jesus Christ Himself is the real Shepherd and you all are the church (ekklesia, the called out assembly) and wherever you are, with other saints, there is the church, there is the people and flock of Jesus Christ. You may meet in a dirt floor shack, a coffee shop, an empty lot, at a kitchen table, on the street corner or in a prison cell. Christ is with you and in you (Christ in you hope of glory) and there you have the church, wherever YOU are, dear saint of God. Do not let the hireling “shepherds” lord it over you, shame you or stop you from being who you are in Christ.

Do not let them lie to you and deceive you. Do not let them shame you. Do not let them turn your joy of your first love (Jesus Christ) into a lifetime of oppressive bondage to serve them and maintain the existence of their man created, business marketing managed, flesh powered organizations. Do not let them turn your first love joy and Christ Life into a lifetime of serving, slaving for and financing a “Thing” to keep it going. (The man created Church System is a “Thing”, an “it”.)

Therefore friends, do not join a “Church”, join Jesus Christ and stay joined to Him. Listen not to Churchmen who are NOT focused on Jesus Christ, they are completely focused on The Institutional Church, especially THEIR CHURCH and making it “successful”. Jesus Christ is your Shepherd and you are in His flock. He will lead, guide and teach you. HE will care for you. Listen to Jesus Christ and continue in His word. You will know the Truth, and the Truth will make you free. Peace in Christ, my beloved brothers and sisters.

more encouragement to women who witness for Jesus

“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples” Matt.28:18-19

In response to this blog post article:
http://spiritualsoundingboard.com/2014/03/17/learn-to-discern-can-women-read-scripture-aloud-to-men/#comments

Any professing Christian “leader” who tells any disciple of Jesus, that they “should not” or “must not” be obedient to Christ, evangelize, speak of Jesus, preach the gospel, proclaim the Truth, or make disciples of Jesus, (which is part of loving your neighbor as He commanded) is a false teacher and is not speaking for Jesus Christ but is very much working against Christ. Woe.

To make evangelism and proclaiming the gospel about being obsessed with sex (that is, male roles, female roles) authoritarianism, power, control and domination over women, is to create a cult.

Jesus Christ Himself is the power and the authority. His Spirit indwells the female saints as well as the male saints. HE has given His authority also to the daughters of God (the sisters in Christ) to witness and speak of Him, or read scripture, to any person, as HE leads and empowers them by the Spirit.

allegiance to Jesus

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life John6

Churchianity puts allegiance to ‘The Church’ (and often, also to ‘The State’) above allegiance to Jesus.

In the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk!

Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. Acts 3:6

Silver and gold have I none, but what I have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk free from what hurts, deceives, confuses, cripples, binds and hinders you: that 501c3 Government controlled State Church. You are now free to follow Jesus Christ!

You are now free in Christ! You are released from bondage and lies! Be healed in the name of Jesus Christ!

You are now the temple of the Lord!

You are healed: rise up and walk on out of that Babylon Church!

Walking leaping and praising God! Jumping with joy!

(Please see video in comments.)

One master

Love the Lord your God with all your heart… and love your neighbor as yourself.  Luke 10:27

If The State or The Church tell me or suggest that I must look to them for salvation, I will disobey The State and The Church.

If The State or The Church tell me or suggest that I must be enemies with Iran or Muslims or anyone else, I will disobey The State and The Church.

 

your identity

“your life is now hidden with Christ in God” Col.3:3

The corrupt Church System loyalists’ identity is found in being “Evangelical” or “Reformed-Calvinist” or “Pentecostal” or “Lutheran” or what have you. Thus they do not want to be separated from those things. Their Church identity is their life.

Our identity is found in Christ Jesus our Lord. Thus we do not want to be separated from Him. He is our life.

He loves His own

“..having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.” John 13:1

The corrupt Church System loves its own.
Jesus Christ loves His own.
That’s just not the same thing.