Childish Things

[beginagainrose]

I have been reminded, yet again, that there are children walking around in adult bodies in The Body and sometimes they are masqurading as christians; sometimes there are true believers who just dont want to give up the toys in their toy box. If you have been walking "among the brethern" very long - you expect people to show up with their "flesh on". But "elders" of The Body?... acting like spoiled children? What is sad to me is that to encourage one another to love and good deeds includes speaking the truth in love...not necessarily leaving them with warm and fuzzy... but loving enough to confront is met with more abusive retaliation. Confronting pastors or others does not mean we will be warmly received let alone receiving appreciation (sometimes they will file a lawsuit - as my pastors did to shut me up:) ) I have learned that some even want to turn The Body into a popularity contest rather than accept correction. They bite and devour with indignant "how dare YOU tell me"... and the wheel goes round and round. I have to think the Lord wants us to grow up and take the "iron sharpens iron" since a wise man loves reproof and put away our toys; especially our pacifiers. Is there anything more pathetic than pastors, leaders, etc. sucking on the indulgences of offenses... some that go back for years? Our confronting them is reduced to name-calling or worse - it just renders them "of no effect".

[mary]

Hi, Rose,

Cogent points there. At the church I was thrown out of, there were two elders, one of whom had little if any Biblical knowledge at his disposal - he certainly couldn't have taught a Sunday school class or Bible study - and the other of whom had never been "the husband of one wife" for reasons that I won't go into here. Now, I definitely don't believe the "pastor" was born again (patterns of a few different kinds of serious sin), and so, I guess that, without elders and without someone who should have been occupying a pulpit, it wasn't really a church. I think that's what you're referring to. If it's not a church, then what is it? A fraud against God? A social club "fronting" as a church? Good grief - there are so many of those around!

So -- what are we really talking about? A group of people who closely resemble the old "Cheers" crowd, only minus the booze, with lip service to Christ and if anything, with many being more neurotic than any "Cheers" character ever was?

Okay, so we were duped into thinking this was "church." Shame on them! :mad: :mad: :mad: But we have the best help in the universe: we have the Lord of Glory (Ezekiel 34) - and we also have other Christians, such as the ones on this forum.

mary

[beginagainrose]

Thank you, Mary for the added wisdom and insight:) You have NO idea how you have made my day!... Sometimes we just have to smile at the "cheers" crowd who want to cry in their beer when we dare to confront them; and keep a forgiving, gracious spirit while we continue to seek the authentic article...;)

[beginagainrose]

Jerry... This is where the "pink elephant" stood up...and firm:eek:

[Jerry]

This so reminds me of Luke 7 Vs 31-35.....Pastors & Elders just like the "Children in the Market Place" :D
Love Jerry

[mary]

Thank you, Mary for the added wisdom and insight:) You have NO idea how you have made my day!... Sometimes we just have to smile at the "cheers" crowd who want to cry in their beer when we dare to confront them; and keep a forgiving, gracious spirit while we continue to seek the authentic article...;)

Yep, Rose, that's it: we have to keep on forgiving... For what did/does He do for and with us? It blows me away that the Lord knows what sort of rotten things I'm going to do tomorrow - should He give me that - and yet, He's forgiven them already! So we need to "put on Abba's shoes" - and walk His way, not our own. What a privilege!

We are so blessed - and so loved! :) :) :)

mary