Many people are wondering why church discipline is suddenly such a hot topic. Do you think it just might have anything to do with Mars Hill, and Mark Driscoll? Well, maybe. But the fact is that church “discipline” in one form or another has been in effect since the early church. Unfortunately much of it was not done scripturally, but based on many other factors, one of which is the churches best kept secret, spiritual abuse in the form of shunning….. disfellowshipping done based on unscriptural carnal reasoning.
I think we are going to be hearing much more about this in coming weeks and months. I personally am very glad to see the churches taking a good, hard look at their practices concerning church discipline.
In my opinion, I believe mainstream Christianity as practiced in America needs a serious overhaul. Some have even sceptically referred to it as rearranging the furniture on the Titanic. That may be an overworked phrase, but sadly, there is a general depression of authentic Holy Spirit fire in the churches today, and all too much of what is presenting itself as strange fire, a zeal not after true biblical knowledge.
Check out some of the latest from Wartburg Watch…..and ask yourself, or the leadership in your church what the policy is concerning church discipline. The answers should be very telling. Just stuff to think about, very serious stuff.
Preaching and teaching is a calling, NOT A BUSINESS. Beware of those who try to make it a business, and therefore, effectively pilfer your bank account and possibly your soul, making merchandise of you.
Beware of these guys! So-called “Discernment Ministries” who’ve sprouted up all over the place since the advent of the Internet. The first thing to ask yourself when drawn into one of these blogs or sites, is how do you know this person has discernment? That’s pretty bottom-line, right?I mean, just because they say they have discernment doesn’t make it truth does it? Who exactly has made them the dispensers of God’s Word and Truth? The way it looks, if you think about it, THEY DID. Isn’t that what they’re saying when they advertise their blog, or website?
Look, I’m not saying that all online ministry sites are evil, or that they are perverting the Word of God, but think about it honestly….there is a great possibility that they just might be.What do you actually know about these types of “ministries”, since you can’t look them in the eye, face to face, to be able to examine the spiritual fruits in their lives? Would you make a serious business deal with a stranger, that you couldn’t meet and see eye to eye with the person? Of course not. Folks, where it comes to our spiritual walk down the Christian road, the most important issue in our entire lives, it’s of vital importance to know who and what we are dealing with. The choices we make in this will determine our complete life’s destiny.
If these, what I call Mystery Meat “discernment ministries” or “Watchmen” so-called, are dishing out material based on their view of doctrine, then we’d better be doubly cautious. We’re admonished by scripture time and time again, and by the Lord Jesus Christ’s own words to beware of false doctrine, false teachers, wolves in sheep’s clothing, deception, merchandisers of the Word of God, thinking godliness is gain. We need to be sure that what we are hearing and taking into our spirits lines up with the Word of God, as led by the Holy Spirit.
And beware of that PayPal acct, and donations page on their sites. This could be a sign they have a vested interest in gathering disciples unto themselves. Jesus warned that “The love of money is the root of ALL EVIL”. Why? Simply because money has the potential to have a corrupting influence in a person’s life.
I was checking out some of these sites on the Internet, and came across a site warning about such discernment ministries and heresy hunters. This was one that I felt was right on in line with scriptural warning to avoid them: http://www.templebuilders.com/anointing/16.htm What it had to say is what has been bugging me for a long time now. Christians have been watching the movie instead of reading the BOOK!
Study the Word of God, and pray over it, asking the Holy Spirit, your teacher to teach you from scripture.Like the Bereans!
Acts 17:11
In that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.
These things may be of God, but the word may contain leaven. There was a big problem with false doctrine at the church at Corinth and the first chapters of Corinthians deal with it. The church at Berea on the other hand, only received truth and searched it out. It did not matter if it came from Paul or Peter, or if someone was healed prior to the word, or if the fellowship was in love, THEY SEARCHED and so must you search as well, daily whether those things are so in scripture.
This word I am speaking to you may be 99% pure unadulterated word that produces the life of The Anointed One – Jesus, and 1% of that which is tainted by my soulish, natural man. We must discern and receive that which relates to Him only. Sometimes you may have to hear “99%” of that which pertains to the soul and God will change you with the “1%”, like the pearl of great price, you searched it out and rejected all but that one pearl. Jesus is that Pearl; He Who is the Word of God.
Spiritual Abuse Sanctuary 