We received this email and suggested we place it here for all to be edified.
Our answers are in blue with ***
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Slowly disillusionment sets in for some of us, through many sources ...and satan begins to chip away our confidence in Christ and the value of obedience. (Works vs grace debate and lie).
***Yes, that can happen. This is what happens when we take our eyes off the Lord and begin looking back at the world and the people in it. Luke 9:62 warns us not to do that. This can be remedied by forsaking all sins and striving forward.
When you've compromised for many years, a weakness sets in. We are good for nothing, not part of the world but not fervent for Christ either. Not hot or cold and it's true you feel spewn out of the Lord's mouth in distaste - other than His mercy and grace that holds us and keeps calling us back.
***We have to be careful here because most often, compromise means sin and if we live in willful sin, God's mercy and grace don't cover us. Read Acts 5, after grace had come, God kills Ananias and Sapphira, in 1 Corinthians 11 people are sick and die from not taking the Lord's supper in the proper manner. If we continue to live in willful sin / compromise, we will be spewn out of the Lord's mouth.
There is no covering of sin, if we willfully keep it. Heb 10:26
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 7:21
In some ways I needed much humbling ... especially that I was in a "deeper life" latter rain sect that basically encouraged elitism in many ways (while tolerating much worldliness - but all in the name of "not having a religious spirit").
*** Amen as John said :
He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30
I do think there is such a thing as a religious spirit...a resting in our "following of Him", more than in the blood of Christ. I'm still figuring it out.
*** That can absolutely be true that people can rest in their works as their own righteousness instead of the blood of Christ (which is sinful), BUT most often people who do that are not regenerated. A born again believer knows that it's all through faith in the risen Lord through His death burial and resurrection and after that, as we see Paul say at the end of Hebrews 5 to get off the milk and onto the meat and explains that in Hebrews 6:
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, [2] Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. Hebrews 6:1-2
I'm not in any deep sin other than having developed a taste for an occasional beer now and again (allowed in our house) and giving in to anger and bitterness in my heart too often.
*** Alcohol isn't a sin, drunkeness is. Bitterness and anger happen to be a big issue that most believers have to battle in the flesh. Make sure you know the biblical woman's role and all it requires, then do it for God's glory and fruit you are His. We have articles on those topics to edify you.
I always dress modestly and have for most of my life...but not perfectly.
*** God's word is clear on how He wants His children to dress the temple of the Holy Spirit and if we love Him we keep His commands the best we can.
I do wear a little tiny bit of makeup just for the sake of feeling feminine in my old age.
*** Born again believing women do not want to do what the prostitutes and pagans did such as wear makeup. Adorning our temples with such forbidden things are a sin against a Holy God. 1 Peter 3 shows us that we are not to adorn our outsides, but instead work to adorn our insides with a meek and quiet spirit, such as did the holy women of old.
I always cover when I pray and often wear one but it is a battle for me as I've never been a pretty woman and flattening my head and pulling all hair back isn't always the most flattering. We women do like to look decent for our men...at any age. It's a hard battle when no one around you values these things but yourself.
***Amen, vanity and pride are a deep sin to battle in a woman, but if we love the Lord Jesus, we will keep His commands and do as He says. The only way to battle such sins of the flesh are to obey the Word and God can cleanse our hearts from all unrighteousness. A godly woman will grow her desire to appeal to her husband by her character and nature, not by her outside looks. You must kill your flesh or never please God. Romans 8:8
Sometimes I wonder about calling out everything out there that is not purely scriptural because sometimes I wonder if even within imperfect systems of belief, the Lord is able to test and try hearts.
*** The Lord tests and tries all hearts and our actions show what's in our hearts. Of course, there may be sheep that are deceived and beginning to see, but they will come out from among them as we see in 2 Corinthians 6:17. Jude commands believers to contend for the faith once delivered to the saints. Let'e read 1 Timothy 5:20
Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
And we see that both Jesus and Paul rebuked Peter for all of eternity as it's written in God's word for the world to see. read Gal 2
Romans 16:17 says to mark them that cause divisions and offenses contrary to doctrine.
Ephesians 5:11 says to have no fellowship with unfruitful works of darkness and reprove them.
Titus 1 says their mouths must be stopped.
Our former pastor, ^^^^^^^, used to teach that the woman in Revelation was the church world and the man child she gave birth to was the mature believer who came out of her. This often involved "going without the camp", as Christ did.
Those are deep topics for another time
Honestly, though, there is so much deception and confusion in the church, and in the one we were in, my head began to spin about twelve years ago and I'm still slowly beginning to see just Christ again....through it all.
*** We are glad you left and pray you shed the teachings of man and go deep into the Word and allow the Holy Spirit to teach you. Spirit and truth is the ONLY way John 4:24
I love my husband and kids and deep down always just wanted to be a quiet wife and mom who took care of things and wasn't dominating in the home. I feel very strongly about this, although, again, circumstances sometimes made me the opposite of what I wished.
*** Amen, that is a fleshly struggle that many women have and praise God His mercies are new every day if we repent of such sins. If we walk in the spirit we can over come it all. Romans 8:1
There are never any excuses, though, because we always have the Word and the Holy Spirit always let's us know when we are wrong....even when we shut our eyes and resist.
*** That's absolutely true, we have no excuse and are in great danger when we do resist and not repent. Because of Him we are able to over come and we must if we expect eternal life.
Hang onto what you have in Him.
*** Amen, cling to the Lord Jesus and go deep into the word, hiding it in our heart and walking out out daily. Putting on the Epshesians 5 armor and pressing on to the mark. Clinging to Him is OBEYING Him. Heb 5:9
Your homestead back home sounds amazing and to me it has to be a great sacrifice for you to leave it for most of the year. That would be my dream life, too. :) But I also know that all things in this life are but dung, nothing, compared with the Lord.
*** Yes, we, in our flesh would rather be back, safe, on our homestead fishing, hiking, gardening and hunting daily as we are retired from work and have all our needs met. But instead of doing what we are but because we love the Lord and want to be obedient, we love our neighbor and preach the truth, holding believers accountable to their profession of faith and calling sinners to repentance. We love what we do.... glory to God!
We live in a little blue collar suburb outside of ^^^^ (a very depressed and pretty dangerous city). Sometimes we still would like to try to move out to the country but I doubt if it could happen now at this time in our lives, which is fine. I am grateful for the provision of the Lord in our lives.
*** Amen, let us be thankful and content with food and raiment.
1 Timothy 6
Sometimes I wonder....how it is that some really try to go all out for Christ, at any cost....while others are just content to be lukewarm.
***Lukewarm is not being obedient and oftentimes that's a sign of a unregenerate person, or in the least, a rebellious believer, both of which are in danger of hellfire if they don't repent. God's grace does not cover lukewarmness and rebellion to the truth.
And, is it a matter of actual salvation...? Or reward (the ten-fold vs the 100-fold believer) -?
*** Jesus gave 2 great commands, Love God and love your neighbor. How do we love God? By keeping His commands. 1 John 5:3
James says without works there is no faith and we are not justified by faith alone. The rewards are given to those who lost all because of their saving faith and obedience to the Lord. You have no saving faith if you do not STRIVE obey all just like you have no love of a spouse if you abuse or cheat on them. Jesus said STRIVE to enter in /
Luke 13 ... striving is not keeping sin or false ways.
Also, when I view places that are unscriptural (churches, organizations) and I know they are not representing the Lord well, sometimes I think of Christ's words to let them be, that they are not against Him, therefore leave them alone. Do you and brother Jim ever wonder about that? Yet these places mislead people terribly.
*** That passage of scripture is not referring to false teachers because they may say they are of Christ but they are against Him for not keeping His commands, nor preaching a biblical gospel. Romans 9 shows us why God allows such people to live.
What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: Romans 9:22
Those who claim Christ are to be called out for God's glory and their own good. Read Matt 18 ... Jesus commanded we put the sinful saints OUT OF THE BODY!
Honestly, the deception on our church almost destroyed our family, in some ways...but I can't blame anyone because, again, we always had the Word.
*** We see much destruction from man made religion and traditions and you are correct again, we are not without excuse as per Romans 1 and today we have the entire written word of God. We MUST obey it or we are lost with a weak and ill faith that cannot save.
I think everything you call out is correct, as well as the way you try to live (even as you dress). It's not easy, though, and sometimes I struggle with drawing attention to myself too much with my long skirts, head coverings etc. If I do wear jeans, they are loose with long tops (tunics).
*** Yes, godly women will be a gazing stock for the world but the more a woman walks in obedience, the less that stands out to us. We encourage women to obediently dress and cover the temple of the Holy Spirit, biblically at all times out of obedience and love of our Savior.
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? [20] For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20
I'm not supposed to be in contact so much! It bothers my husband that I seek out these things and he's probably right. I just need to focus on simple things now and try to keep my heart free of sin (resentment, judging others, and just generally letting my eyes be removed from Christ).
*** We encourage wives to obey their husbands as we see in Ephesians 5 and Colossians 3. You should, however, be seeking out the truth in the Word, which encompasses these things, if he cares not. Wives are not to submit to a husband when he desires for her to sin (which would be encouraging her not to seek God's truth).
Please pray for me. I do pray for you, too!
*** We most certainly will be praying for you and your husband.
We love you both...
God be praised
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