It should be simple for a person
who reads the Bible to see the obvious traditions and practices of
Christianity which HAVE NOT A SINGLE VERSE to support them, if one reads and questions what is observed in most churches and confidently proclaimed by Bible teachers.
In
order to help us think in scriptural terms, here is a short list of
unscriptural practices found around various churches.
Remember this warning,
"add thou not unto His Word
lest He reprove thee and thou be found a liar"
"that
..ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written; ..." -1Cor 4:6
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It is impossible to show these as a
written verse or phrase in our Bibles:
1. "Accept
Christ as personal savior" is never written in
scripture
2. "ALTAR
CALL" as a response to the gospel.
3. a. "Pastor":
used as a formal title. For example:
"Pastor Smith", "Pastor Larry" ..... Shockingly, not a single Titled pastor is addressed in the Bible, in contrast to what we commonly see.
b. "Senior" Pastor, "Associate" Pastor, or
"Assistant Pastor" c. "Rabbi" (Mat.23:8 But be
not ye called Rabbi: for one is your teacher, and all ye are
brethren.
4. A man or woman in any TITLED
position in church authority. (for example "Pastor Mary", "Apostle Mary", "Prophetess Sue", any woman called "prophet ,a masculine noun>)
-The
Greek word for pastor, "poimen" is a masculine
noun.
-as are the words "apostle", "bishop", "prince", "priest", "husband", and all words pertaining to order and authority in God's kingdom.
5. "church service" as used to describe a
gathering of Christians
6. Naming a church body or ministry
7. Fundraiser,
raffle, auction, bake sale, food sales, or a Church owned businesses.
-for the benefit of the
group of people that do them
8. a. The Church
Board. -a by-product of creating a church-business incorporation.
b. "church membership"
"voting member", or formalized "member" of a church
assembly.
9. CLERGY Robes,
vestments, or formal church attire that distinguishes any minister.
10. Anyone promoting any man called Pastor.
11. A "church" building
or group referred to as the "Storehouse".
12. record
keeping of giving (the opposite of Biblical secret giving) (done for tax benefits)
13. elders submitting
to a pastor as a form of church government.
14. a congregation instructed to: buy property, have a "building fund",
or "building program".
15. a Christian Bible college or Seminary, none were ordained by the apostles as a means of teaching.
16. Official Clergy Positions: superintendents, Districts, Stakes, Wards, Diocese, Archbishops, Cardinals, etc.)
17. The "Sinners
Prayer" as a repetitive response to the gospel.
18. One man controlling and ruling an assembly. -danger.
19. Christians “celebrating”
a day called Christmas, Easter, Halloween.
20. "Song Service"
21. Church Choir
22. Sunday School (Sabbath
school)
23. "Spiritual
Covering" by a pastor or hierarchy.
24. Babies or
infants being baptized.
25. Prayer or kneeling in homage to Mary, any
"saint", Rosary, or statue.
26. Cardinal, Pope,
"Your Eminence", or "Father" used to address any Christian.
27. Purgatory
28. The Mass
29. Lent
30 Prayers
for the dead.
31. "The Eucharist", a word and ritual never given in the scriptures.
32. People baptized by
sprinkling.
33. Pastors
or church leaders given a "vision" for the church.
34. Pledges, promissory oaths,
swearing to perform an action such as a fundraiser or allegiance.
35. "Stand with Israel" a kingdom of this world.
36. Certified "clergy"
titles: "Doctor", "Prophet", "Bishop",
"Apostle", "Elder", "Pastor"
"Co-pastor", "chaplain"
"Associate Pastor",
"Youth Pastor", "Reverend", "Worship Leader".
37. "God helps those who help themselves". -not found in scripture..
38. Any
church or saint directly instructed to "Keep the Sabbath" (as observed in the Old Covenant). -see article "How to REALLY Keep that Sabbath"
39. Any church or saint in the New Testament commanded to
observe the Old Testament feasts.
40. Any believer in the New Testament commanded to observe circumcision or keep the Law of Moses.
41. Palm Sunday
42. Ash Wednesday
43. Easter (the
word easter pertains to Ishtar, a pagan Babylonian goddess).
44. A "worship" service.
(find a mention of one in the New Testament)
46. "Voting" in
a pastor
47. Repetitious prayer or liturgy performed by a pastor or priest.
48. "sacraments". False works give false assurance.
49. The word
"Trinity": - a sacred cow but in truth a name invented by men never once given
in scripture and not a single writer of scripture referred to it . If you were a Christian living in 100 AD the word “trinity” had not even been invented
yet. 50. "Jews are God's chosen people".
51. Defining "holiness" according to a pastors or denominational "standards".
52. the phrases: "Jesus is God" "dual nature" "God-man" "God incarnate" "God became a man", "fully God-fully man", "hypostatic union". -not one verse says those commonly used phrases. 53. Educational degrees bestowed upon theology school graduates. (a great way to certify professionals without a saving relationship and personal conversion with Christ. 54. Packaged church growth programs. We did many of them and every one of them failed. -Man's attempts to build a tower of Babel in the name of Christ.
Yes, people reason and justify the above but the truth is they are without a single verse in the New Testament scriptures and are red flag warnings for us to re-think what they say and what is written. The overlooked Book of Acts is the key to filtering out the practices and teachings men have added to the foundation of Christianity that Jesus' apostle established.
a reader wrote:
Comment: I just read your "NOT in Scripture List" and I'm rather
surprised... not at what is on the list, but that others have
noticed. I've been in and out of churches since I was a child and at
the age of 28 I "heard" the call of Christ to "come follow
me".
Just over a year later, I got up the nerve
to read the bible for myself, since many of the people I respected in my
"church" discussed what they were reading often.
I started
in the new testament because it was immediately about Jesus and he was the
reason for my being. Well, I found out the same things that were in
your list and I was shocked, angry confused...
It was also
immediately clear that the whole Idea of the modern church was nothing like
the churches in ACTS. Anyway, I've been labeled a "radical"
and ignored by others when I attempt to discuss these things and asked
where we went wrong.
I have only one couple who "get it"
too. thank you, -Reader in Florida
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