mary phillips wrote

“The Bible gives specific instructions on how Christians should live their lives. He has a higher standard for the leaders. Especially the ministers and deacons. I believe so because they are examples that the rest of the flock should follow.
If the pastor is messed up, then the sheep of his flock will say of course it is alright so I can do that too.”

that’s why there are so many messed up people in the churches.

very well said mary thank you.

might i add, ignorance begets intolerance begets hate begets war begets death. lets get some honest education before it’s too late.

How can you convince non Christians to follow Christ if your life does not reflect the holiness that God has called you to?

The word of God and the Church of God is for all. The good, the bad and the ugly. And there is none good, but God. Even Mary, the mother of God needed to be saved by Him who she herself gave birth to. But we all are welcome. And when God returns to gather is followers He shall start cleaning house in the Church first. Beginning with the heads of the congregations. If the head of the church is in the wrong, and teaches what is wrong, how than can the congregation know what is right and what is wrong? In such a case, you have the blind leading the blind. Then what? Well, it is the job of the true believer to point this out, and point the lost souls in the right direction.

That said, it is important to note that the Church of God today is indeed heading down the wrong path, and that very few in the church even know that. So, what they would and should do is run like heck until he or she find a church that is on the right path. Unfortunately today, there aren’t many left. This is how we know Christ shall return very soon. Probably sooner rather than later.

Yes, the church is for the unsaved as well as the save. But our hope should be that when we hear the Word of God, as many time as needed- and WE all need to hear it over, and over again for instruction and inspiration, as well as encouragement, to walk in His Glory and His LIGHT and not the world’s. That OUR heart, and that our mind, and our spirit, and speech and actions will begin to reflect that Light within us. If we act more like the world than Christ, then there is a problem. No, no one is perfect, but we should question our own faith, belief system if we do not begin to see change in these areas, and we will see the changes and know when we are on the right track. For, The Spirit of God doesn’t lie and can not trick us. But we can, however, do that to ourselves. Satan is real and his influence is very strong, but stronger than, nor is it as strong as the Power of God.

We need to ask ourselves if our desires are pure. Do I want to be more like God? or Do I want to be like the world (Satan)? We can’t serve two masters. Nor can we live in the world and not be like the world. For we are each a product of our environment and time. It sounds like a contradiction, but it really is not. Because being like Christ requires self-sacrifice, selflessness and self-restraint. Giving up and turning away from certain things AND people in order to pick up the Cross of God and walk with Him. We can’t serve two master. We will love one and despise the other. So the question is, with whom shall it be, the very real Christ? or the very real Satan?

It is not an east task. And it is very lonely. You’ll find very many people whom you thought were followers really aren’t. They could do “good” things. But even Satan does that. They could say all the right things, but their lives do don reflect the least bit of righteousness, well not in the day light for all eyes can see. At any rate, I running on. That’s just my 2¢.

Many blessings to you all,
Jackie

PS: The Church of God is not just the physical church but is the entire body of true Christians (renewed in Christ) who make up the Church of Christ/God. When you meet one, you know it. God’s light cannot be hid or denied. Even Satan knows one when he meets one.