Subject: Where does membership come from? |
Bible Note: I've noticed there's quite a few posts lodged on this thread, so maybe you've missed some or all of mine. Their numbers are 123115, 123150 and 123194. You can find any post by inserting this no in the Quick Search in the upper right corner of your screen or in this case, just look for my name on the thread. In my posts, I've cited several scriptures, the sum total of which, clearly indicate God wants us to be a vital, genuine and hard working member under the leadship of the elders appointed to lead that particular congregation. If we find a congregation that IS following God's Word, then it's up to us as submissive and obedient children of God to humble ourselves and submit to their leadership. If you don't agree with some of the things they're doing AND they're available for discussion as items the NT allows for options, then maybe you can influence a "wave" of change. But this is usually done only after you've invested some time and effort into the congregation showing your willingness to be an active part of that group of christians. If you're not an actual, devoted member of the hard-working bunch of christians in a particular congregation but prefer to stay on the periphery or the outer edge of that group, then you get what's coming to you, which is a reflection of what you put into it. If on Judgment Day, you are still in this condition, the Lord might question your true loyalty to Him and He might hesitate to confess your name to His Father as being one of His, but of course that's between you and God. You see, we're suppose to draw nearer and nearer to God and He will draw nearer to us. We're also supposed to grow and take on more responsibilities and develop our talents as cited in Jesus' parables. Hope this helps and God bless. --Rowdy |