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NASB | Matthew 18:17 "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 18:17 "If he pays no attention to them [refusing to listen and obey], tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile (unbeliever) and a tax collector. [Lev 19:17; Deut 19:15] |
Bible Question: My husband and I are doing a study on the spiritual condition of a church congretation. We have been thinking of leaving our church due to many reasons (there is no pastoral staff-they've all resigned in the past 6 months, absense of community, and a prevailing presence of pride amongst the body) but we don't want to do so in a rebellious or angry spirit. We think the way to know God's will for us in this matter is to search the Word for scripture to test the condition of our church. We have been reading in 1 Corinthians 1-4, Ephesians 4, 1 Timothy 2-4, and Titus. Our problem is that we feel we both struggle with scripture understanding. Is there anyone who can help us with words of wisdom or pointed passages that we should be reading to help us with this journey? |
Bible Answer: Tough stuff by the sound of it. I do think there are times when we have had enough. We have stayed with a church through a very difficult time and God is now doing some great things among us - but it has taken 15 years for things to turn around. But there are times when it is right to accept that no more can be done. Jesus spoke about this when He instructed His disciples to 'brush the dust off your sandals' when they encountered a village that was not responsive to the Good News (Matt 10:14). Likewise Jesus did not call the 'rich young ruler' back and seek a compromise when he did not like Jesus' words (Matt 19). I don't see an attitude of arrogance by Jesus or His followers here. Rather a realisation that one can only do so much... I do think there comes a time when 'enough is enough'. Yes, some may be offended if/when you leave. However, what are your needs right now? What are the needs of your family and their spiritual growth? How long do you keep 'throwing good after bad'? If you believe you have given everything you could to make it work, but a spirit of pride and arrogance continues within the group, your walk with God must take priority. Sounds like you are prayerfully seeking His will in this matter. I pray you will here His voice and be led, if necessary, to a place where healing can happen and you can contribute to God's kingdom in a positive way. |