The End of the Denominations and After

"EOTDA". Maybe that way of saying it will help folks to understand the problem.

Below is the latest denominations promotion campaign from Tom (Lambsfury) Golda. In his message (#12726) to his church-mates, Tom once again neglects to mention the name of a possible faithful church one could try. It's always 'each man for himself' with this bunch. They must be afraid someone might actually try one of their suggestions and find out that it really isn't so faithful, after all. (Except for Churchites like James "Jimmy" Brown, who is proud of his apostate Baptist church in Florida where salvation is just a beach party away.).

Here is the crux of Tom's pitch for apostate church attendance:

GOLDA:   "And GOD hath set some IN THE CHURCH, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." I Corinthians 12:28

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" Ephesians 4:11-12

"When you look at these verses, we see that it is God Himself who has established the external church.......apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers......including "governments."

For what purpose?

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying the body of Christ" [END-QUOTE]

No verse in the Bible tells us that the perfecting of the saints, the work of the ministry and the edifying of the body of Christ happens within the confines of an "external" church enviornment. Tom sees an "external" church in the verses he cites, but I do not. I see that there is "the church", "the ministry", several offices assigned to some, "the body of Christ", but not an "external church" where anybody and everybody can sign up to become a member. Anyone can become a pastor. It is so easy to do. It is the easiest way to make a good living without ever breaking a sweat. Great pay, good hours and many other perks. Anyone can get the "calling" for an easy life. Anyone at all can become a member in good standing of an "external church" denomination. External church members are viewed as faithful Christians by churchbots like Tom, even though they are shamelessly working like hell to save themselves and others. Tom argues with Churchites all the time, and yet he thinks they should all gather together to pretend they are all so united. If one follows the threads on any church forum, it's easy to see that there is very little harmony between the denominations, and even within denominations, as soon they start talking to each other. That's why there isn't a whole lot of chit-chat in most churches. Don't rock the boat.

Tom emphasized the word "governments", which is very interesting. How can anyone be governed in a church without submitting to the external church's governing body? After submitting to the government, it is still very possible to find out that it really isn't as faithful as we thought when we first joined. Indeed, Tom is careful to mention the fact that if you don't like the external church government you have chosen, no problemo. Just pack up and leave!

GOLDA:  "While one is not enslaved to a church and has the freedom to leave if they are apostate and find another," 

That's funny. What kind of government is it if we can just say "Hasta la vista" and sail off into the sunset? If we have to reject a government for being apostate, it means that we were joined to that body which is governed by wolves in sheep's clothing. What does that say about us? Many think it's perfectly fine, but it is called "touching an unclean thing" in the scriptures. As I see it, we should have never been there in the first place. I have visited and/or belonged to many churches and have never experienced a church governement that rolled out the welcome mat for me if I didn't sign on the dotted line within a few weeks. Membership is expected in order to be welcomed by the rest of the family in any external church.

I am already a member of Christ's church and do not need any other form of government whatsoever. That is man's natural need when Christ is not one's Savior. Jesus Christ fulfills every office listed by the apostle Paul. Jesus IS His body's ministry. Why would His own body require any other government? Do we not yet know the Bible? Do we not read and study the Bible? Are we not commaned to pray in our closets so that we will not be seen on the street corners? Is there no one to serve and minister to outside of the external churches, in the wilderness where we live? Churchites remind me of monks hiding in their safe monastaries.

The government and offices that Paul highlighted are absolutely permanent. No believer needs to judge his or her government to see if it conforms to the truth of the scriptures because their government IS the truth of the scriptures. No believer ever has to walk away from Christ's governement in order to find a more faithful one. When a believer is under Christ's government, there is never a need for anything or anyone else. Whenever we meet a hungry soul to whom we can minister to as an evangelist or pastor, or be ministered to by someone, we recognize it as providence. However, we can also relate to the prophets who were all considered 'outcasts' and despised by those who gathered by troops in harlots' houses. This is also providence.

Jer 5:7  How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses.

There is a time to plant and a time to pluck up that which was planted. When Tom claims to see an "external chuch" in the verses that talk about offices and goverment, what he really sees are denominations. Multiple rag-tag groups of holy rollers who believe they have reached the Promised Land. Various groups with different gospels, but all having the main "works" theme in common. The pious ones who believe that the externally unchurched are outcasts who no man seeks after.

Jer 30:17  For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.

I don't think it's wrong to belong to an external, organized non-denominational church as a means of serving one's community. Believers are to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. Just as we are in the world but not "of" it, we can utilize the world's resources within our world which we are not members of. If an organized church's statement of faith is based entirely on Scripture, I do not see a problem with joining. However, not recognizing a "Denominations Age" which is what everyone means by "Church Age", I view all church denominations in the same way I view any other external organization. That is, there is nothing holy or Christian about them. I do not subscribed to Harold Camping's teaching that churches have fallen under judgment. Camping and his ministers who believe in a "church age" do not understand that there was never an "external" church age. They, like their church denomination adversaries, completely miss the invisible Grace Age that is under Christ's authority.

Letters were written by Paul and others to their contemporaries and from reading them, we are to learn the message of complete and total Grace - not instructions for creating dens of lying thieves. The epistles were addressed to certain people who are all dead now. The literalist Churchites only spiritualize when it's convenient for them, like when they imagine that the instructions concerning pastors, elders, deacons, women, the Lord's supper, tongues, and other administrations were given to "all elect believers", but that is not the case. Try being a literalist when reading who the epistle was addressed to and then you will glean the proper spiritual message behind all the instructions. True ministers of Christ do not gather together in buildings and wait for folks to show up so that their light will save them. They are out in the world, everywhere, ready and willing to serve anyone in the name of Christ, in any way at all, if the opportunity should providentially present itself.

The Works mentality is very strong in all of us and it has to be fought against, tooth and nail. Unless we see it for what it is, we will always be thinking that we and everyone else needs to be "doing" something, like wasting precious time interviewing prospective pastors. What a waste of time and energy, when we already have a Great High Priest who governs us. I recently spoke with a churchman selling Bibles about baptism. It was amazing to hear how he kept saying, "You must....you must", as if I had to do something myself. That is all we ever hear from Churchites. "Do this, do that, do the other thing, go here, go there, Eat this, drink that, Get immersed, Submit to this man, Sumit to this other  man...". The work never ends and it is very tiring.

Certainly, being connected to others of like mind is a wonderful blessing from God, much like having a loving and supportive spouse or being in perfect health. It is a blessing we may not receive. Jesus suffered as an outcast. He was a prophet who was without honor amongst His own people. What makes us so special that we should be comforted and supported by the brethren at all times?

Mr 6:4  But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

If we are subitting to men as our spiritual leaders, it doesn't matter how strong and toned our bodies are. We are just feeble half-men and women who need to be saved from the wrong sheepfolds. The question is, then, are we really isolated and alone when we depart from an apostate denomination? I don't feel isolated at all. It's like finding home after being lost. If I did feel isolated, I would have a big problem. It would be very atheolous.