Who is Qualified to Oversee A Church according to GOD?

Who is Qualified to Oversee A Church according to GOD?

1st Timothy 3:1 Faithful is the saying, If a man desires the office of a bishop, he desires a good work.

A "bishop" is defined by the scriptures as an "overseer", and is one who watches over the "called out ones".

But the modern church has perverted the term "bishop" into a titled "Bishop" position in an ecclesiastical structure unknown in scripture.
We will see the apostles never ordained solo pastors or a priest over the churches.

 The responsibility of an overseer is to watch over, protect, and feed the flock of God. 
Sad to say that today most "elders" are yes-men to a pastor and the "sheep" are meat for their table. The sheep are rarely defended but the wolves and hirelings usually are.

1  Faithful is the saying, If a man seeks the office of a bishop, he desires a good work.
     (bishop means simply  "overseer")
2   The bishop therefore must be without reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, orderly, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3   no brawler, no striker; but gentle, not contentious, no lover of money;
4   one that rules well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5   (but if a man does not know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6   not a novice, lest being puffed up he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7   Moreover he must have good testimony from them that are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. 1Tim. 3:1-7

There are twelve masculine nouns and pronouns in that passage. There are no feminine nouns.

In Titus 1, he wrote a second time regarding elders:
 Titus 1:5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that you should set in order the things needed, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed you:

The qualifications for those elders that are to be the "overseers" of the churches:
6)   if any man is blameless, husband of one wife, having children that believe  not accused of riot or unruly.
7)   For the bishop must be blameless, as God`s steward; not self-willed, not soon angry, no brawler, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre;
8)   but given to hospitality, as lover of good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled;
9)   holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching, that he may be able to exhort in the sound doctrine, and to convict the opposers.

1Peter 5
1)   The elders among you I who am a fellow-elder exhort, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, who am also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
2)   Tend the flock  (i.e. feed the  flock) of God which is among you, exercising oversight, not of constraint, but willingly, according to the will of God; nor yet for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
3)   neither as lording it over the charge allotted to you, but making yourselves ensamples to the flock.

Although this may upset a few people, the most often repeated qualification begins with the nouns "man" and "he", a total of 14 times.  11 are in 1Timothy and 3 more in Titus.  

Masculine nouns are used repeatedly in multiple verses and is the first qualification specified and is referenced 14x times.

The noun for the office itself "bishop", Greek "episkopos", is also a masculine noun. (Strongs 1985). 

So when the Scriptures speak in terms of the office of an overseer and the elders that rule, it always does so with men. Even the word "pastor" ("poimen" in Greek), is a masculine noun, and there is no such thing as a wife being "co-pastor" or "pastor" over an assembly.

Having swallowed the "red pill" of truth from the Word, let us look at the points Paul gave in 1Timothy 3.
In our 24 years of church involvement and leadership, we never heard these taught or reviewed in regard to the people who were appointed or put in places of leadership.

This is example of how the church departs from scripture as church leaders are usually those who demonstrate loyalty, financial support, natural gifts for speaking, or a willingness to support and volunteer.Pastors are hired.

We also see that among the elders that minister, no one office such as the pastor, prophet, or apostle, is given pre-eminence above the rest. Notice that no titles are mentioned for those exercising oversight of the churches in these qualifications which apply equally to all ministries and the elders. 

QUALIFICATIONS IN 1Timothy 3

1.   without reproach:  not open to censure, irreproachable. He is honest and his word and motive is good. He is not hiding any sin.  

2.   Husband of one wife: He is a "husband" of one wife. He does not divorce and remarry another, unless the first wife committed adultery,  or she died.

3.   temperate; sober, not given to alcoholic drinks and not a food glutton.

4.   sober-minded: curbing one's desires and impulses, self-controlled, temperate, prudent , sensible

5    orderly:  well arranged, seemly, modest. This speaks of his life not being disorderly or out of control.  

6.   given to hospitality:  He is hospitable and generous to guests. Their home is made comfortable to others and they are made to feel welcome.

7.   able to teach: He is apt and skillful in teaching in order to benefit and spiritualy mature others in the Scriptures.

8.   not a brawler: Not ready for a blow, not a pugnacious, contentious, or quarrelsome person. "Not" means not. Contentious means argumentative. He is peaceable.

9.   no striker: He does not hit others, nor his wife, nor his children. seemingly, suitable
equitable, fair, mild, gentle

10.  gentle:  He is reasonable, listens and considers the words of others. He is equitable, fair, mild, and gentle. He is not over-powering, a bully, overbearing, stubborn, or hard.   

11. not contentious: after "gentle" comes not contentious again.
That is posturing as not to be withstood, acting as invincible, and abstaining from fighting whether it be with WORDS or ACTIONS.

12.  not greedy of money: He is free from the love of money, and not given to deals and scams.

13.  one that rules well his own house: He manages over, superintends, presides over, provides for, and is a protector or guardian

14.  children in subjection with all gravity: His (not adult) children  are under control, obedient, in subjection, submissive.   With dignity: the characteristic of a thing or person which entitles to reverence and respect, dignity, majesty, sanctity,honour, purity.

15.  not a novice: He is not newly planted, a new convert, or neophyte (one who has recently become a Christian. -No matter how gifted they are, sincere, or giving of financial support.

16.  Lest he be puffed up. An imature overseer will try to meet his ego needs through the church. he will imagine himself to be above others, he will think those who disagree are going over his head, he will feel threatened easily.  He will see himself as being something he is not and entitled to things by reason of his position or title.

17. having a good testimony from outsiders: His bills are paid, his word is known to be good, he has a good name and reputation for honesty.

In Titus 1:

18. blameless:   He cannot be called into account, un-reproveable, un-accused, blameless. What if he sins? If he is walking in repentance and forgiveness, he is blameless.  Except from the devil.

19.  husband of one wife:  He is once married unless widowed, and did not divorce for any cause other than adultery by his ex-wife.

20.  children that believe and are not riotous:  His children believe in the Lord and are not those that cannot be subjected to control, disobedient, unruly. His children are not in rebellion.

21.  not self-willed:   He is not self-pleasing, self-willed, arrogant.

22.  not quickly angry:   He is not prone to anger, irascible, hot-headed, fiery, hot tempered. 

23.  not given to wine:   He is not a drunkard, given to wine, or drunken.

24.  no striker:   Not ready for a blow, not a pugnacious, contentious, or quarrelsome person. "Not" means not. Contentious means argumentative. He is peacable.

25.  not greedy of lucre:   He is free from the love of gain, desire for wealth and substance, eager for base gain, or greedy for money.   

26.  given to hospitality:   He is hospitable and generous to guests.

27.  a lover of good,   He is of a sound mind, sane, in one's senses,
curbing one's desires and impulses, self-controlled, temperate. 

28. sober-minded: He is safe (sound) in mind, that is, self controlled (moderate as to opinion or passion): - discreet, sober, temperate.

29.  just: In a wide sense, upright, righteous, virtuous, keeping the commands of God
of those who seem to themselves to be righteous, who pride themselves to be righteous, who pride themselves in their virtues, whether real or imagined
innocent, faultless, guiltless

30. holy: undefiled by sin, free from wickedness, religiously observing every moral obligation, pure holy, pious.

30.self-controlled: strong, robust, having power over, possessed of (a thing) mastering, controlling, curbing, restraining, controlling one's self, temperate. He can control his apetite.

31. holding to the faithful word which is according to the teaching:  He cleaves hard to the Word, the sayings of God, not just in head knowledge, but in action. He speaks as an oracle of God.

32. able to exhort in the sound doctrine:  To refute, comfort, establish, correct, reprove, to console, to encourage and strengthen by consolation, to comfort

In 1Peter 5:1
"The elders among you I exhort, who am a fellow-elder",  the elders are to:

33. tend the flock: to feed, to tend a flock, to rule, govern, shepherd
of rulers (overseers)
to furnish pasture for food
to nourish
to cherish one's body, to serve the body
to supply the requisites for the soul's need

34. exercising the oversight:
to look upon, inspect, oversee, look after, take care of the church which rested upon the elders, to look carefully after, beware in regard to protect 

35. not by constraint: not to shepherd and tend by using compulsion or force of title or position. (carnal authority)

36. willingly: of one's own accord, voluntarily. -not as a hireling, but as a volunteer.

37. according to the will of God. As a man sent from God, according to and from the Will of God, not by men or a Bible College Certificate.

38. nor yet for filthy lucre. To do so NOT for gain, i.e. money. How plain that is. No tithes or salary

39. of a ready mind. eagerness, willingly. Ready to help, work, and of the faith, fully persuaded.

40. neither as lording it. Not as to lord against, that is, control,subjugate: - exercise dominion over (lordship), be lord over, overcome.

41. ensamples to the flock an example to be imitated, of men worthy of imitation.

Can you imagine the typical church reading these scriptures from the pulpit?
Deacons were not the titled, name tagged folks with offering plates in the original church.
They were more typically the hosts of the people who met in their homes and they were servants to the church. 

Do you want to see a deacon's role model?  You have the church selecting seven of them in Acts 6, one of whom was Stephen.

"seven men of good report, full of the Spirit and of wisdom",
And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus a proselyte of Antioch;
And Stephen, full of grace and power, wrought great wonders and signs among the people.

Now there's some real deacons, full of FAITH and the Holy Ghost.   

In Summary: we have given the direct instructions and meanings from the scriptures for those holding "positions" in the church. It is very convicting to realize how far our old churches had departed from God's Word on this. Do you realize a pastor is not above correction? Pastors were only one ministry among God's people, they were not singled out as the head of the church.  

What is presented here should make it obvious that the church structure around us is hopelessly departed from the Word of God. It is as it was at the time of Christ when Jesus called His sheep out from the sheepfolds of the false shepherds.. 

Does this list sound like what any elders do that you know?
This is not a life of managing, giving orders, adjusting the thermostat, making announcements, governing as a  CEO.

If we set aside the traditions and look just at scripture, we can see an elder as a vigilant, self-sacrificing, humble, giving, working servant of the flock.
He might be an apostle, he might be a prophet, he might be a teacher, he might be a pastor.
He may be a matured saint in life and spiritual experience.

These older ones could recognize a wolf even when it looked like another shepherd.
These older ones knew how to love, to care for and to feed God's sheep.
 It was not a job for the power-hungry or those seeking position or special privileges.
It was not a call to showcase our name, knowledge, or personality.
It is not a call for those who crave the pre-eminence in an assembly.

The church at Ephesus Paul spoke to in Acts 20, was overseen by elders, not one man.
 The pre-eminent pastors and Nicolaitanes Paul warned about would come later.
He called them "wolves", they would do the very things Paul told them not to do.
If the church did not follow the scriptures, a wolf could come right in and explain why the scriptural qualifications did not mean what they said.
 It happens every day. 

An Unscriptural Offering Plate?

Back to Malachi and just what are God's "offerings"?

It was not just a matter of tithes in the passage from Malachi 3 so often used to manipulate 10% from the gross or net.

God gave equal emphasis to the "offerings" He required under the Law.

Church often skips over that part of the verse, just as with the "ordinances" in verse 7 with what God said He abolished in the new Testament.  "From the days of your fathers ye have turned aside from my ordinances"...

Let's look at what God required in those Old Testament "offerings",

because the tithe was cursed if the offerings were not brought.

Malachi 3:8-10: Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! 

                     But you say, 'In what way have we robbed You?'  In tithes and offerings.      

The Levite priests (not the people) were robbing from God in Malachi 3.

Those "offerings" were just as lawful as the tithes. When we see how God defined what the offerings were, we will see Christians do not give correct "offerings" as required in the Law from which Malachi was referring in 3: 7

Here is a list that includes most of them:

Ex 13:12 First offspring of every womb

Ex 29:14 Sin offering   the flesh of the bullock, and its skin, and it dung

Ex 29:18 Burnt offering  thou shalt burn the whole ram upon the altar

Ex 29:40 Drink offering   according to the drink-offering

Ex 29:41 Grain offering  the meal-offering of the morning

Ex 30:10 -16 Annual atonement (vs 13 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, ...the offering of The LORD, to make atonement for your souls)

Lev 3:1    Fellowship offering 

Lev 5:15  Guilt offering his trespass-offering unto Jehovah, a ram without blemish,

and    the shekel of the sanctuary, for a trespass-offering

Lev. 7:11 Thanksgiving offering    offer ...of thanksgiving unleavened cakes

Lev. 7:13 Peace offering   cakes of leavened bread he shall offer his oblation with the sacrifice of his peace-offerings

Lev 7:12   Thank offering  offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes

Lev. 7:32  Heave offering       the right thigh shall ye give unto the priest for a heave-offering 

Lev 7:37   Ordination offering  he law of the burnt-offering, of the meal-offering, and of the sin-offering, and of the trespass-offering, the sacrifice of peace-offerings;

Lev 19:24  Praise offering for new fruit trees  all the fruit ..shall be holy, for giving praise to Jehovah

Lev 22:18  Freewill offering  of the house of Israel, or sojourners in Israel, that offereth his oblation, whether it be any of their vows, or any of their freewill-offerings, which they offer unto Jehovah for a burnt-offering

Num 5:15 Grain offering for jealousy      meal-offering of jealousy,

Num 5:15 Reminder offering    a meal-offering of memorial

Num 5:26 Memorial offering for discovering sin the priest shall take of the meal-offering, as memorial

Num 19:17 Purification offering   for the unclean ... the ashes of the burning of the sin-offering

Num 28:14 Monthly burnt offering  in the beginnings of months ye shall offer a burnt-offering...

Deuteronomy 16:10  ...feast of weeks unto the LORD thy God with a tribute of a freewill offering .... according as the LORD thy God hath blessed thee:

Deuteronomy 12:11... Then there (in Jerusalem)  shall be a place which the LORD your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; there shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the LORD:

Those that insist on the tithe to avoid the curse and earn the blessings, often fail to keep the rest of Malachi 3:8

Those mandatory "offerings" very seldom get proper attention.

This is primarily because most church spokesman focus on that 10% to fund the church.

To add insult to injury, tithing may curse you for adding  practice to the New Testament scripture that neither God nor the apostles ever commanded Christians to do.

Have you ever heard of a tither getting sick, having problems with his children, borrowing money, losing their home, suffering pain or affliction? Those are some of the things mentioned in the "curse" that Malachi referred to, as also Paul in Galatians.

We have considered Malachi's tithes before, now let's turn on the truth-spotlight on Malachi's offerings.

We saw the weekly tithes and offering plate and envelopes distributed every time, and in every service, like God set it up that way in the Bible.

The truth is there is neither tithes NOR offerings are given to the church in the New Testament. Have you ever heard the phrase "bring your offering" or similar in church?

Here is every New Testament verse with "offering":

1  Mark 12:33 and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself, is much more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices.

2  Luke 21:5   And as some spake of the temple, adorned with goodly stones and offerings..

3  Acts 24:17  Now after some years I came to bring alms to my nation, and offerings:

4  Hebrews 10:6        In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hadst no pleasure:

5  Hebrews 10:8        Saying above, Sacrifices and offerings and whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein (the which are offered according to the law)

1  Matthew 5:23         If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the altar, ...brother hath aught against thee...

2  Luke 23:36   And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, offering him vinegar,

3  Acts 21:26  Then Paul took the men, and the next day purifying himself with them went into the temple, declaring the fulfilment of the days of purification, until the offering was offered for every one of them.

4  Romans 15:16      that I should be a minister of Christ Jesus unto the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be made acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

5  Ephesians 5:2       and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell.

6  Hebrews 10:5        Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, But a body didst thou prepare for me;

7  Hebrews 10:10  ...we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

8  Hebrews 10:11      And every priest indeed standeth day by day ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, the which can never take away sins:

9 Hebrews 10:14      For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

10 Hebrews 10:18    Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

11 Hebrews 11:17    By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son;

12 Hebrews 13:11    For the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned without the camp.

With few exceptions, offerings mentioned in the New Testament scriptures reference back to the offerings defined by God from back under the Old Testament Law which is done away in Christ.

Let's see what a search of the New Testament church yields in regard to what the church practices. 

We find  "collection" and "collections" mentioned once.

Chapter 16:1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I gave order to the churches of Galatia

2 Upon the first day of the week let each one of you lay by him in store, as he may prosper, that no collections be made when I come.

The word "giving" is found 26 times in the New Testament and only once in the epistles to the church:

Phillipians 4:15   And ye yourselves also know, ye Philippians, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church had fellowship with me in the matter of giving and receiving..

This "matter" Paul spoke of was relating to his needs being met.

He was in prison and prisoners were supplied by friends and family.

"Gift":

2nd Corinthians 1:11   ye also helping together on our behalf by your supplication; that, for the gift bestowed upon us by means of many, thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf. and to the Philippians,

Phillipians 4:17   Not that I seek for the gift; but I seek for the fruit that increaseth to your account.

The word "give" is used many, many times (176 times) in the entire NT, but never in a context of a weekly church collection. The one collection mentioned was for giving TO the saints at Jerusalem.

However, there are many, many exhortations and reminders to meet the needs of others such as illustrated by these passages:

2nd Cor    9:9            as it is written, He hath scattered abroad,

                                    he hath given to the poor; His righteousness abideth for ever.

Galatians 2:10          only they would that we should remember the poor;

                                   which very thing I was also zealous to do.

Romans 15:26          For it hath been the good pleasure of Macedonia and Achaia to make

                        a certain contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem.

Acts 2:45        and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according

                        as any man had need.

Acts 4:35        and laid them at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto each,

                        according as any one had need.

Phillipians 4:16        for even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my need.

Ephesians 4:28   ... let him labor, working with his hands the thing that is good, that he may have whereof to give to him that hath need.

1st John 3:17   But whoso hath the world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his compassion from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

Acts 20:35     In all things I gave you an example, that so laboring you ought to help the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.

And let's throw in a Proverb:  (28:27)  He that gives to the poor shall not lack; But he that hides his eyes shall have many a curse.

Did Jesus teach His disciples to gather, collect, and take up offerings for themselves?

Mat. 25:35 for I was hungry, and ye gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in; 36 naked, and ye clothed me; I was sick, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came to me.

To whom was He referring?

40  And the King shall answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it to me.

As it works in the typical church today, the building, organization, and most ministers are taking what the Lord intended for the needs of others, for their own  benefit.

The average pew-member participates with a nice, comfortable building once or twice a week for great music and a sermon from a hired messenger. 

This passage caught my attention and is very convicting for us former church-goers that were trained to feed the offering plate instead of God's people. And let's rethink where those offerings are to go while we are at it.:

 Jesus said in the strongest of terms: (Please read these and ask yourself, Did HE really mean what he said here?)

Mat.25:37        Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink?

45  Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of these least, ye did it not unto me.

46   And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life.: 

Isn't it odd that God's people enrich famous ministers and for the most part ignore the poor? 

The comparison to our enrichment of preachers and televangelists is in stark, convicting contrast in our treatment of the poor. I saw a picture of the Jesse Duplantis estate the other day and was astonished. But there are many just like that and you can google their name and the word "house" to see for yourself.

The leaven of tradition has spoiled the definitions and meanings of both tithes and offerings as defined by God.

Church leaders have redefined (the scripture uses the word perverted) the meanings of both tithes and offerings for many years, right down to that weekly offering plate for which there is no instruction that it was to be an on-going permanent practice.

The Worldly Church?

Just like the World?? You are watching TV and a big "Crusade" featuring a famous evangelist is giving an "invitation" to"come forward" and or "make a decision" for Christ".  You then see streams of people move toward an area in front of the stage.  Or perhaps you have been in a church service where the minister says something like "with every eye closed and every head bowed, if you want to be saved, ask Jesus into your heart (no one looking now, to give everyone privacy), indicate yes by raising your hand".    This action may be followed by asking them to "come forward so we can pray with you", or from the pulpit pronouncing the hand-raisers "saved".  Others may include baptisimal salvation. Having watched this scene or a variation played out countless times over the years, I suppose we just ignored the still small voice inside that softly nagged at us with doubt because we had never read of these methods or statements in the Bible. But we trusted our leaders as we thought they knew what they were saying was true...  Still, questions flitted through our minds like "did they repent? what about being baptized? Are they really "born again" like Jesus said?   We were part of a 150+ member assembly, regular church attendees, tithers, and read the Bible and there was much exhortation to "be faithful". (attendance, participation in programs, and of course, "giving" in the form of tithes and offerings...) We followed our leaders and were busy doing church "stuff", but in looking back, I wonder how many of the "brethren" were really even "born again"?  If "accept Christ", "going forward", or "ask Jesus into your heart" was how you get saved, then WHY wasn't that in the Bible?  Those last couple of years "in church", as we considered our own lives and those in our assembly, it became painfully clear we were all a pretty worldly bunch, -all the while we played the church routine.                                         What do I mean by "worldly"?  We talked about the things in the world, we borrowed and charged to finance our wants just like the world, we pursued financial gain and security like the world. we saw church people divorced and young people pregnant without marriage like the world, we listened to worldly music and even had a dance or two in the church just like the world. we watched the same movies and entertainment produced by the world... we followed sports and news just like the world. we broke traffic and other laws just like the world. We coveted wealth just like the world, we over ate and indulged in fleshly appetites like the world, we accepted blatant sin among us just like the world, we fund-raised and sold merchandise for profit just like the world...  we avoided taking loving responsibility for others just like the world, we looked down our self-righteous noses at those we disagreed with just like the world, we held grudges just like the world, we got political just like the world, we pledged allegiance to a worldly kingdom, we got angry and resentful just like the world, we murmured and complained just like the world. we told a few risque jokes like the world. We sought help from lawyers, tax specialists, psychologists, and doctors just like the world without seeking the Lord's help first.. We substituted church attendance and membership for discipleship, we substituted "seeker sensitivity" for repentance, we substituted tithes for giving to the needy, we substituted a few catchy songs for real worship, we traded fellowship in a building for reaching out to the lost, we traded holiness of character  for the comforting acceptance from a pastor or the group.  ......... and we justified every bit of it just like the world. The main difference was that we called ourselves "Christian"and a lot of our time was centered around church activities. If we believed the preachers on TV or behind the pulpit we could convince ourselves it was so, but when we dared to compare the gospel and message of Scripture with what the religious leaders said, and we gave attention to that "something is missing" sense inside, then we might have cause to rethink the smooth and easily acceptable "salvation". Let me ask you, is "going to church", living a moral life, being a nice guy and a "good" person, taking communion or the mass, listening to Christian radio or watching Christian TV, but still doing the things listed in the blue paragraph above, evidence of a disciple of Jesus Christ? It might ease our conscience to put a church-patch over a gaping wound, but it truly grieves me to say much of the church-world has lost its salt.  Some might want to do what Paul told the church in 2nd Corinthians 13:5 Examine your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless indeed ye be reprobate. Reprobate means: unapproved, that is, rejected; by implication worthless (literally or morally): - castaway, rejected, reprobate. You see, it is easy to build an assembly if you water down the gospel by offering a pleasant sounding, comfortable, easy-to-accept message. What we have done is removed our cross from the gospel; by this we have walked away from the gospel of scripture. I realize most of the readers of this are no longer "in church" and many of you have walked away from the hollow shell of church services.  Some of you are trying to make sense between the conflicts of scripture and the Christianity that is mostly represented by traditional church.  You may find you really don't know much about your walk with God until you walk away from a church building ++++++++++++ And if you are reading this and wondering if you have obeyed the gospel, there is GOOD NEWS for you. Salvation is free, but God requires faith in Jesus Christ, rrepentance from dead works of sin, and for a life of obedience where Jesus Christ is Lord. Those who are "born from above" will produce the fruit of the nature, character, and authority of Christ as evidence of a truly transformed life. The works Christ did, we shall do also. Matthew 7:13 Enter ye in by the narrow gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many are they that enter in thereby. Luke 13:5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Luke 14:33 ..whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. to the church, Jesus said: Revelation 2:5 Remember therefore from where you are fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except you repent. Repentance is a change of mind and heart that brings forgiveness and was never a one-time response to the gospel. 8   And he entered into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, reasoning and persuading as to the things concerning the kingdom of God. 9   But when some were hardened and disobedient, speaking evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, (from among the unconverted Jews at the synagogue) reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. That friends, is how several dozen new believers were added to the church. And not a word about:      Is there any wonder when we shuffle people through the wrong door into Christianity that we get an altogether different looking Christian from those in the Bible?  -And this is why Jesus Christ is once again calling His people to come out from the religious institutions of man.