"People Don't Backslide Anymore..."

[Bro Flame]

I cannot remember you here on AFF credit is deserved to the following quote:

"People don't backslide anymore. They just change churches."

Do many of you agree with this statement? Do people just want to gravitate to something they are wanting to believe is alright, instead of leaving the Lord entirely?

I believe this simple statement contains great truths.

[1ofthechosen]

Originally Posted by Holy Roller

I cannot remember you here on AFF credit is deserved to the following quote:

"People don't backslide anymore. They just change churches."

Do many of you agree with this statement? Do people just want to gravitate to something they are wanting to believe is alright, instead of leaving the Lord entirely?

I believe this simple statement contains great truths.

That's backsliding too, and Spiritual adultery no matter how rhey try to cut it.
The Church of the Living God is not like a buffet, you got that mentality you are on your way to being lost in the sauce!!

But it is very true in this day and hour.

[Bro Flame]

Originally Posted by 1ofthechosen

That's backsliding too, and Spiritual adultery no matter how rhey try to cut it.
The Church of the Living God is not like a buffet, you got that mentality you are on your way to being lost in the sauce!!

But it is very true in this day and hour.

Oh, I understand what you're saying.

However, I was referencing the quote itself more. When people backslide in their hearts, do they just simply find another church that "fits" more of the way they are currently thinking?

[votivesoul]

Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. The inner thought life of a person is where the true seat of self resides. As a person's own logos speaks to them, if they believe what they're hearing, it becomes conviction, and as we believe, we speak. How we speak reinforces what we believe. When our beliefs are found to be incompatible with a current fellowship, we face some hard choices: stay and say nothing, stay and try to encourage change, or take flight.

Moving on to another church is not necessarily a sign of anything, except simply moving on to another church. So many factors are or can be involved in the why, and every situation is unique down to the individual.

But churches need to be wise and know what they are getting when someone from another church jumps in. Wandering stars or planetes are still as much a deal as they were back in Jude's day.

[jediwill83]

Originally Posted by 1ofthechosen

That's backsliding too, and Spiritual adultery no matter how rhey try to cut it.
The Church of the Living God is not like a buffet, you got that mentality you are on your way to being lost in the sauce!!

But it is very true in this day and hour.

Spiritual adultry? Against who? If we decide to attend a different church are we having a relationship with a different Jesus that exists at that new church but no place else?


Are churches just a localized spiritual multiverse with it's own rules and laws that are all equally valid but the rule is you have to stay in your own "universe aka church"?


Are you saying that leaving a church is adultry and disloyalty against a pastor therefore adultry in that respect?


Words have meaning folks and I'm not sure leaving a church for another is "adultry".


I'd rather quietly leave than to create discord and division.

[1ofthechosen]

Originally Posted by jediwill83

Spiritual adultry? Against who? If we decide to attend a different church are we having a relationship with a different Jesus that exists at that new church but no place else?


Are churches just a localized spiritual multiverse with it's own rules and laws that are all equally valid but the rule is you have to stay in your own "universe aka church"?


Are you saying that leaving a church is adultry and disloyalty against a pastor therefore adultry in that respect?


Words have meaning folks and I'm not sure leaving a church for another is "adultry".


I'd rather quietly leave than to create discord and division.

What I mean is God designed it, that we would be born into a church body, or transplanted into one. All this shake the preachers hand and join the church,all this sign a card and join the church, all this I pay tithe so I join a church is absolutely not biblical.

So what im saying is you need to have Spiritual Authority in your life. So if you are moving from here to there, without direction from God, your doing your own thing. That is If God didn't approve it firstly, and secondly you left without saying anything to the Spiritual Authority. Wherever you go at that point is no less than wandering. I know in our day there are many churches, and so called churches to choose from. But church hopping is no different then cheating on your wife, if God has placed you somewhere. Now if He's urged you to move there is a way to go about it. Speak with your Pastor, and then allow him to set up another church around there you can be transplanted into, if that's God's will for you. If not well your going to run into a lot of disenchantment, because truthfully you are going out of the will of God.

We read about Elijah getting fed by the Ravens by the Brook Cherith. But if Elijah wouldn't have been in that spot, he would've gone hungry. There was a appointed place at a appointed time God willed for Elijah to be, so the Ravens could feed him. Just like in Malachi where He says "see if I won't open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing there won't be room enough to receive." The funny thing how that works, is if your not at that window where God wills you to be, you won't be able to receive it. You can only travel so far out of the will of God, and you will get to a line and won't be able to go no further.

But switching churches just because I can get by better over here, and you want to make allowances for yourself. That they don't preach on drinking, and worldliness there, is backsliding, and Spiritual adultery against God, not a church. And is dangerous, you have opened your self up to self justification, and your on your way to becoming a reprobate, as what went with the original thread.

[berkeley]

Way to many things wrong with that post to address. Your pastor doesn’t set up a church for you to attend. He may have some recommendations. And that’s all they are. Recommendations.

[jediwill83]

Originally Posted by 1ofthechosen

What I mean is God designed it, that we would be born into a church body, or transplanted into one. All this shake the preachers hand and join the church,all this sign a card and join the church, all this I pay tithe so I join a church is absolutely not biblical.

So what im saying is you need to have Spiritual Authority in your life. So if you are moving from here to there, without direction from God, your doing your own thing. That is If God didn't approve it firstly, and secondly you left without saying anything to the Spiritual Authority. Wherever you go at that point is no less than wandering. I know in our day there are many churches, and so called churches to choose from. But church hopping is no different then cheating on your wife, if God has placed you somewhere. Now if He's urged you to move there is a way to go about it. Speak with your Pastor, and then allow him to set up another church around there you can be transplanted into, if that's God's will for you. If not well your going to run into a lot of disenchantment, because truthfully you are going out of the will of God.

We read about Elijah getting fed by the Ravens by the Brook Cherith. But if Elijah wouldn't have been in that spot, he would've gone hungry. There was a appointed place at a appointed time God willed for Elijah to be, so the Ravens could feed him. Just like in Malachi where He says "see if I won't open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing there won't be room enough to receive." The funny thing how that works, is if your not at that window where God wills you to be, you won't be able to receive it. You can only travel so far out of the will of God, and you will get to a line and won't be able to go no further.

But switching churches just because I can get by better over here, and you want to make allowances for yourself. That they don't preach on drinking, and worldliness there, is backsliding, and Spiritual adultery against God, not a church. And is dangerous, you have opened your self up to self justification, and your on your way to becoming a reprobate, as what went with the original thread.

So...much...nope


Well here's the deal.


You can have the most wonderful church possible but if you don't have the income to sustain your residence...ya gotta move


I don't have to find a clone of the church I'm leaving because we aren't locked in to a specific group of standards for life...as God deals with me through HIS Word I will adjust my beliefs accordingly to line up with what I'm hearing from HIM and HIS Word.


Do you think that God cannot speak to you other than through your pastor?


If so, you are placing the pastor in a place he was never meant to occupy.


If I were to obey your suggestion and be "right with God" I'd have to go find a church that was almost exactly like the church my family left when I was 12.

[CalledOut238]

Eliminating those who move into another city or town for economic or social reasons. Nobody can find fault in one moving to provide for themselves or family. There are several reasons people move to other churches within the same city or town. It is not always that you disagree with the ministry or that you are backslidden. My wife and I have stayed in our local congregation for twelve years disagreeing with varying positions of the ministry. But when I prayed about those differences, the Holy Ghost laid on my heart to focus on the things we agree upon. For I know in my heart that he preaches the Acts 2:38 message and lives a consecrated life. But some ministers have kept their unwavering positions on issues so long they become resistant even to the move of the Spirit. They fear of being labeled a compromiser to the entrenched saints. This can keep them from listening to the direction of the Holy Ghost. If a revelation or new direction comes forth; they are dismissed as contradiction of church tradition, and some saints or young ministers get discouraged and move on. If a minister is taught a doctrine from another minister they esteem highly then they accept it to be true. So when the Lord tries to move his people in another direction, the minister takes the word of his elder minister over the leading of the Holy Ghost. The story of the older prophet misleading the younger is a great example of which voice one should obey. Kings 13:11-34.

1 Kings 13:18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.

There are backsliders who are led away by their own lusts and must find an alter of repentance to change their hearts. But there are many church hoppers who are enthralled with entertainment and not enriching their walk with our Creator and Savior. I call this mindset; “It’s all about me!” But there are so many other reasons why saints can seek other fellowship. They could have been wounded by a minister; or those on that congregation, which causes them to be suspicious of others wherever they attend. This wound can be perpetuated throughout their walk causing them to be critical of congregations no matter where they attend. They could have been the instigators causing division in one assembly and did not take correction from the brethren. Ultimately, John gives us the best advice about ministries and congregations to believers.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

No matter who comes and go we must strive for unity in the fellowship of the congregation. For we the elect are know for our love for our Saviour and our Apostolic family. The unified body of Christ has the anointing power for this lost and beguiled world. This love; which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, gives hope to all the children of men.

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

Selah

[jediwill83]

Originally Posted by CalledOut238

Eliminating those who move into another city or town for economic or social reasons. Nobody can find fault in one moving to provide for themselves or family. There are several reasons people move to other churches within the same city or town. It is not always that you disagree with the ministry or that you are backslidden. My wife and I have stayed in our local congregation for twelve years disagreeing with varying positions of the ministry. But when I prayed about those differences, the Holy Ghost laid on my heart to focus on the things we agree upon. For I know in my heart that he preaches the Acts 2:38 message and lives a consecrated life. But some ministers have kept their unwavering positions on issues so long they become resistant even to the move of the Spirit. They fear of being labeled a compromiser to the entrenched saints. This can keep them from listening to the direction of the Holy Ghost. If a revelation or new direction comes forth; they are dismissed as contradiction of church tradition, and some saints or young ministers get discouraged and move on. If a minister is taught a doctrine from another minister they esteem highly then they accept it to be true. So when the Lord tries to move his people in another direction, the minister takes the word of his elder minister over the leading of the Holy Ghost. The story of the older prophet misleading the younger is a great example of which voice one should obey. Kings 13:11-34.

1 Kings 13:18 He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the LORD, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied unto him.

There are backsliders who are led away by their own lusts and must find an alter of repentance to change their hearts. But there are many church hoppers who are enthralled with entertainment and not enriching their walk with our Creator and Savior. I call this mindset; “It’s all about me!” But there are so many other reasons why saints can seek other fellowship. They could have been wounded by a minister; or those on that congregation, which causes them to be suspicious of others wherever they attend. This wound can be perpetuated throughout their walk causing them to be critical of congregations no matter where they attend. They could have been the instigators causing division in one assembly and did not take correction from the brethren. Ultimately, John gives us the best advice about ministries and congregations to believers.

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

No matter who comes and go we must strive for unity in the fellowship of the congregation. For we the elect are know for our love for our Saviour and our Apostolic family. The unified body of Christ has the anointing power for this lost and beguiled world. This love; which is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, gives hope to all the children of men.

1 John 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

Selah

Great post.