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Note:
This article is about how to decide, using God's Word, when to leave or not unite with a body and we then give you an example from John MacArthur.
The Lord's Word gives His true people specific instructions on who to unite with and who to not associate with. If we claim Him, we must hold true to His Word, amen? We would like to start this post with some questions:
Who do you unite with as the true body of Christ ?
Why would you dis-associate with others biblically?
On what scripture do you use to decide this matter?
There is much confusion and unbiblical teaching today on what is a true body of Christ.
In this "so called" post Christian nation there are many warped and perverted religious systems (catholicism/denominationalism/evangelicialism) and many people struggle and are trapped in them daily. Compromise is the main way and the decision of "WHEN" or when "NOT" to unite with a group of others who gather in Christ's name is one of those decisions and struggles we want to cover here. In the past years we have had to leave and not associate with bodies that we have come across (or have come to us) for various theological reasons. We believe what God's Holy Word says in full (and the Apostle Paul instructed us) to keep the body of Christ pure by separating with those in sin or unsound doctrines and NOT to compromise for unity sake.
2 Thessalonians 3:14
Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. 15 Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.
Romans 16:17
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
1 Corinthians 5
It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.
6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9 I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolator, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
Before we any go further we would point you to this post we did that biblically lays out the characteristics of a TRUE New Testament Christian body. Please read/listen to that first then it will help you to understand our key points as we move ahead on this post. Click here to read about the TRUE New Testament Christian Church
Many will (sadly) base the decision to unite or not to unite on their feelings, preferences and personal ideals. This is very wrong and leads to a sinful carnal, man centered life not a biblical Christ centered life.
You may then ask what is the correct godly criteria that a true follower of Christ should use in helping them make this decision? We are not talking about local church membership as that is not biblical anyway (Click here for a article on local church membership) but we are talking about who do you "gather and fellowship with" in Christ's name and what criteria do you use to make sure your doing it to honor God fully?
In our research on this topic; we stumbled on an article from John MacArthur of Grace Community in California and we are so glad we did. We are aware of this body, we have studied them and we have even previously posted about them on our other blog so people are not swept away in error with them. While they do have un-biblical issues at John M's ministry, we admit at times he is very biblical in his messages. This article info is one of those times and we have placed a portion of his teaching below for us to use as a guide on when to unite or not unite with a religious body. It is God's Word and not from John M at all. The following scripture guidelines can be used biblically for us all to decide if we will stay gathering with a body or leave it over its un-biblical issues:
*If heresy on some fundamental truth is being taught from the pulpit (Galatians 1:7-9).
*If the leaders of the church tolerate seriously errant doctrine from any who are given teaching authority in the fellowship (Romans 16:17).
*If the church is characterized by a wanton disregard for Scripture, such as a refusal to discipline members who are sinning blatantly (1 Corinthians 5).
*If unholy living is tolerated in the church (1 Corinthians 5).
*If the church is seriously out of step with the biblical pattern for the church (2 Thessalonians 3).
*If the church is marked by gross hypocrisy, giving lip service to biblical Christianity but refusing to acknowledge its true power (2 Timothy 3:5).
Again we would agree 100% with this portion of the article from John M. we would encourage you to go read those verses and be well rooted in them. If you claim Christ, you are called to obey God's Word and NOT unite with those who do not have sound doctrine.
Warning: if you let your flesh, tradition, feelings, popularity, family or love of friends make your spiritual decisions, you won't be a biblical believer but a compromised one indeed. Click here to read a article on Division that Jesus taught about and He Himself brought
What is VERY sad is when we use the same criteria John MacArthur gives us to determine if you should leave a body from God's Word, we ourselves could NOT unite with his own body. In fact 5 out of the 6 reasons he listed do indeed stand against him. To be fair and accurate, we have carefully documented his various errors, how worldly/ unholy they act, they don't model the NT true church nor train others to be set apart. Their own fruit and carnal videos prove this out. The truth is he is quite popular (almost cult like) and in fact if you speak out in anyway even biblically against John M, you're called a trouble maker by most in the denominational/evangelical world, which proves even more how undiscerning they really are.
Today we stand on what God's Word says and we will not compromise on its truth even if we must stand against all of man made denominational/evangelical false systems on every corner.
Please test us and then test yourself toGod's holy word using this 10 point test for yourself and your body. (John M's body fails this simple test in most all ways.)
Sadly it is the NORM that religious places like John MacArthur's ministry have really left the FULL truth to follow man's false traditions/ pagan & reformers ways, to be ever more popular with the itchy ears that sit in their pews. Please do not be one of them! Again test us and test ALL your own ways to God's Word (1 Thessalonians 5:21) lest you find you're not in Christ at all and just a reprobate (2 Corinthians 13:5) You could be a false convert as we were for so many years in the pews before we left man made religion to seek the true New Testament church of Jesus Christ. We hope the resources on our site will help you find the truth and you will repent of man made false religious ways.
The Apostle Paul said a small amount of sin would affect the whole body (Galatians 5:9) and Jesus said to worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24).
So how can you remove all sin and be in truth if you're sitting in a compromised body that allows or has sin, error filled traditions, man's false ways and lies at work at its very foundation every week?
That's something you need to answer, amen?
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