Quote:
Originally Posted by bploveart
Is it necessary to be part of a religious community in order to fully experience a relationship with God?
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I find that for the most part "religian" distracts, deminsihes, hinders ones personal relationship with God,
"unless" it is by way of the relationship with God one finds themself directed to a particular community or assembly of believers.
The "communities" that restrict either the coming or going, acceptance, of professed believers are generaly concidered cults,many times with good reason.
Most every community, assembly, that is established as such often becomes an island . Christianity has in essence become a collection of islands each fighting for it's finacial and physical existance not only against the world order but with other Christian communities as well. The individual church or denominations differances become more important to their existance than their spiritual communion with the body of Christ as a whole.
In order to survive as a community,entity, church most have fallen to the corporate pardigm, a systematic order of man that many times has more to do with mans will than God's.
Because of this,the churches exagerate their importance and superiority over the other "churches" . As a result many have been deceived into believing that "Church" is essencial ,not only to a better relationship with God but as the primary (if not the only )way to a relationship with God and salvation.
The "biblical church" was fluid. It was not bound or confined by assets or buildings. The gospel was transient. It moved by the people,to the people and was not rested on the pulpit behind closed doors waiting for the people to be brought to it. It spread home to home, family to family.
There is a reason why the first century church met in homes. Because it could move and migrate throuhout the cites, country side and population and spread the gospel.
The assets have become a liability to the gospel. The building and assets take time and money better spent on directly furthering the spreading of the gospel and care of the saints.
"Christianity" as it is today is a prodigal bride.
A run away thinking mostly of herself.
The churches today are not a positive to a relationship with God, but a negitive. A burden to which some have been called to serve in hope that the will of God might be seen by the people abiding in them.
Sincerely
His
Cliff