The pressure from congregants to elevate the pastor above everyone else is intense, as those who are ignorant of Biblical mandates for meeting remain silent and comfortable in the gathering.
Anyone without a degree or who is not designated by the leadership is disallowed from interrupting or speaking unless they have been asked by one of the leaders. This is not Biblical and limits the leading of the Holy Spirit in each believer.
1 Corinthians 14:29-31 "…29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is seated, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.…"
It was the religious leaders of the day, back when Christ was crucified, who came against him the most. They led the people to be against Him, too. This is what is happening now in our world.
Those who love Christ are leaving those "religious institutions" and are finding themselves growing closer to God because all the traditional trappings of religion are gone when they remain at home with just a few godly friends.
Some even have only their families, but it is a sweet departure from the drama and intimidation of the institutional churches that rely on the people feeling disallowed, inferior, unable to share.
Christ is opening the eyes of the remnant as they begin to realize so many ideas and traditions they were raised with were not Biblical. The modern institutional church has been leaving them empty inside as they realize the arrogance and lack of authentic Christlike love among most of the attendees.
Where there is hierarchy and traditional rules, there is always a lack of love. The rules and hierarchy become the gods of the system; no one is allowed to cross those boundaries without being punished through subtle ignoring, shunning, and even gossip that undermines their walk with Christ as well as isolates them from fellowship with others.
The fellowship gathering is to be an open gathering where everyone participates and no one is above the Holy Spirit. Some teach, others share scripture, some call for a song and others expound on what has already been said. Each one led by the Holy Spirit as they edify one another.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
"Do not extinguish the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt, / but test all things. Hold fast to what is good."
Acts 17:11
"Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true."
1 Corinthians 12:14-27
"14 For the body is not one part, but many.
15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body.
16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, just as He desired.
19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?
20 But now there are many parts, but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;
23 and those parts of the body which we consider less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable,
24 whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked,
25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another.
26 And if one part of the body suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if a part is honored, all the parts rejoice with it.
27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it."
This is God speaking through His Word the Bible! Those who believe and obey Him will be blessed."
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