When Your 'Church' No Longer Holds To Biblical Truths
Many, many Christians today are increasingly being faced with some very tough decisions as they begin to realize that the church they may have long considered home, no longer holds to Biblical truths.
However this rarely happens overnight. The descent into full blown apostasy often takes months, if not years to come about. Compromise usually begins as a small hole in the dam which, if not immediately dealt with, gradually grows ever larger. As the sheer weight of the water behind the wall expands the crack, the trickle eventually becomes a flood, sweeping many away to their doom.
Churches are turning in ever increasing numbers to mystical practices such as
Contemplative Prayer and
Walking Labyrinths, etc. The first is based squarely on ideas borrowed heavily from Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Labyrinths were 'discovered' in a Catholic church but have their roots in pagan practices. Other churches have allowed modern day "courses" such as the Alpha course and Purpose Driven
precepts, etc
., to usurp the place of authority the Scriptures once held. More "liberal" churches that have begun to question, or even openly deny the Bible as being God's inerrant and absolutely infallible word to mankind now condone homosexuality or same-sex unions.
Like the frog who does not feel the heat of the water that is gradually brought to the boil, many of the members of these churches often initially fail to recognize the subtle changes that are taking place. They may be uncomfortably aware that something is wrong, but cannot quite put their finger on what that 'something' is. Others are uneasy about the fact that their church and congregation are being led step by step away from being a 'traditional church'. (which in no way constitutes a defense of how most traditional churches function). Often those that have had the courage to raise their voices and protest the changes are called
divisive,
troublemakers,
judgmental, or
Pharisees. In some cases they have even been informed that they must embrace the new methods and teachings - or leave.
However it may not be the church that has changed. Some Christians have learned over time that the doctrines and practices their church has assured them (possibly for years) are completely Scriptural, are anything but.
Regardless of how it came about, the fact is, that a small percentage, or remnant of believers have begun to realize that there is a disconnect between what the Bible teaches, and what their church teaches. This has, in many cases, brought up an extremely difficult situation as these people wrestle with the problem of what to do.
However, the path Christians are to take under these circumstances is very clearly outlined by the Scriptures.
Realize The Seriousness of The Problem
When believers who have been deceived are describes as being
carried away by the error of the wicked, falling from steadfastness, and departing from the faith, it is no wonder that Jesus, and virtually all the apostles warned the fledgling church to beware of false teachers. Paul did so repeatedly.
- "I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. (Acts 20:29-30 NASB)
But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, (1 Timothy 4:1 NASB)
You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, (2 Peter 3:17 NASB)
What makes it worse is
how this deception spreads it's poison.
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