[14] Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For
what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can
light have with darkness? [15] What harmony is there between Christ and
Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? [16] What
agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple
of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them,
and I will be their God, and they will be my people.” [17] “Therefore come
out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I
will receive you.” [18] “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my
sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” - 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 (NIV)
The other day I attended a local church Town hall meeting.
The purpose of the meeting was to inform the membership of the status of the
church. One of the topics was the local churches Constitution and the changes
they were being made it in order to keep it updated. One of the updates was the
name of the church. Since the name changed the constitution need to reflect the
churches new name. Then another change was going to be introduced into this
churches constitution and it had to do with the local board of elders and who
on this board had voting rights. In the present constitution the elected elders
and the senior pastor were the only voting members. An assistant pastor, though
on staff and a part of the board, did not have the right to vote. The change to
the constitution was to allow the assistant pastor a vote within the board. The
reason that was given for this change to be made to the local churches constitution
was that the state passed a new law that required ex-officio members of the local church boards, if they are
considered assistant pastor they are ex-officio
members and therefore allowed a vote on church matters. In other words, the
state is dictating how a local church is to structure their boards and conduct
their business.
When I read the NT I find no instruction for the church, local or universal, to create a constitution and rules for membership. I can't find any place where an extra set of rules are needed, other than what we already have in the NT alone, to govern a body of believers. It is as if the NT is not enough. The scripture are somehow not sufficient. When we add to the scriptures new guidelines on how we are to live as believers within the body of Christ we start creating man-made religion. We invite the world to be an influence when Jesus calls us to come out and be separate and be apart of His kingdom.
The reason why the state has the right to do this is because
local churches want to take advantage of the 501 C 3 status the government
gives to non-profit organizations. Which the government permits churches to do
since they can qualify as non-profit organization. Which a church can enter
into. They don’t have to claim 501 C 3 status if they don’t want too. The main
reason why churches claim this 501 C 3 status is to avoid paying taxes. The
result of this is obvious. The body of Christ (which represents the kingdom of
God), being led by “men of God”, has crawled into bed with the kingdoms of man
for money. Now the kingdoms of man, whose ruler is the adversary of the Christ
and His people, has a foothold is the kingdom of God in American Churches here
on earth.
[19]We know that we
are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil
one. - 1 John 5:19 (NIV)
[6] And he said
to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been
given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. - Luke 4:6 (NIV)
Paul, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tells the church to
“come out from them and be separated”. We are not to be yoked with the
unbelievers especially for the sake of money. Jesus said, “… What is highly
valued among men is detestable in God's sight.” (Luke 16:15 NIV)
Someone might say aren't we supposed to be good stewards? Yes,
but not at the expanse of the word of God and His kingdom. Jesus told us to get
rid of the things that would cause us to allow the kingdoms of man to influence
the body of Christ’s purposes here on this earth until He returns again.
[4] You
adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred
toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of
God. [5] Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he
caused to live in us envies intensely? - James 4:4-5 (NIV)
By yoking ourselves as the body of Christ to the kingdoms of
Man we now serve two masters all for the sake of money. Jesus said give to Caesar
what is Caesar’s and the God what is God’s. We should just pay our taxes. And
if we, as a body of believers can’t afford to pay the taxes. Then get rid of
those things that keep us from obeying Jesus. As Jesus said, If you love me you’ll
obey me. Or are we going to walk away from Jesus admonishing like the rich
young rule because we like our money to much as local churches.
“No one can serve two
masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted
to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. - Matthew
6:24 (NIV)
Do not conform any
longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your
mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good,
pleasing and perfect will. - Romans 12:2 (NIV)
There are two kingdoms. The kingdoms of man and the Kingdom of God. We cannot live for both. We need to chose one or the other. Or we can continue to just give lip serves to this truth as a body of believers.
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