Why Should A Born-Again
Believer Leave A Church
That Is Liberal,
Modernistic, Or Not True
To The Bible?Evangelist James Gent
Why Should A Born-Again Believer
Leave A Church That Is Liberal,
Modernistic, Or Not True
To The Bible?REASON 1--BECAUSE OF THE CLEAR
TEACHING OF THE BIBLE. The local church is
referred to specifically 91 times in the New Testament.
It is clearly God's will for a believer to be identified
with, not just any local church, but a Bible-believing,
fundamental, New Testament church.Reason 2--OUR MONEY IS TO SUPPORT GOD'S
WORK, NOT THE DEVIL'S. If a person is a member
of a liberal or modernistic church, or a church that is
not true to the Bible, that person is actually supporting
the Devil's program, according to II Cor. 11:13-15.
Certainly it is not God's will for God's people to
support the Devil's program! However, many people
are doing that very thing.Reason 3--THE BIBLE EMPHATICALLY
TEACHES SEPARATION FROM RELIGIOUS
HERESY. It is our God-given responsibility to separate
from false doctrine. II John 7-11 and Romans 16:17 are
clear even to the casual reader.Reason 4--THE APOSTLE PAUL DID NOT
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO TO THE
SYNAGOGUE OF THEIR CHOICE. I can hear
someone saying: "Didn't Paul preach in the
synagogue?" The implication is that if the Apostle Paul
was living today he would recommend people to stay in
churches that are not true to the Bible.
As we study the Word of God, we learn that the
Apostle Paul never sought to add converts to a system
of error (synagogues), but to call sinners (religious
sinners at that) to repentance and separation from
error. To say that the Apostle Paul supported the
concept of staying in unsound churches because he
preached in certain synagogues is to misconstrue the
clear teaching of the Bible, and especially the Book of
Acts. The record is clear, Paul was not an ecumenical
evangelist nor did he recommend converts to stay in the
synagogue of their choice. Don't forget some members
of the synagogues actually tried to murder Paul!
Reason 5--BELIEVERS ARE NOT TO BE YOKED
WITH UNBELIEVERS. God's people are to be kind
and forgiving (Eph. 4:32). However, when it comes to
God's work, the Bible is plain and clear, believers are
not to be united with unbelievers
(II Cor. 6:14).Reason 6--CHURCHES, RELIGIOUS
ESTABLISHMENTS, AND DENOMINATIONS ARE
NOT ALWAYS TRUE TO CHRIST. The religious
establishment of Jesus' day thoroughly rejected Him
(John 8:33,40,44,49,55; Matthew 23:13,33). There are
several denominations today that are just as much in
danger of the damnation of Hell as the religious
establishments of Jesus' day.
A Sad Comment. . . .
A leading minister stated openly: "In our
denomination what you call the Faith of Our Fathers is
approaching total extinction. Of course, a few of the
older ministers still cling to the Bible. But among the
younger men, the real leaders of our denomination
today, I do not know of a single one who believes in
Christ, or any of the things that you classify as
fundamentals."
World Council of Churches Against Gospel. . . .
According to published reports financed by the
World Council of Churches, missionary work is to be
opposed because through Gospel work some tribes give
up witchcraft, fighting, and drunkenness. They refer to
such change as "irreversible disintegration of
Amerindian peoples" and expressed strong opposition to
Gospel work in foreign lands.
H*m*sexuals And Lesbians Being Ordained. . . .
The new lesbian Episcopal priest who was recently
ordained by Bishop Paul Moore in Manhattan had her
picture in TIME MAGAZINE for January 24, 1977:
"Barrett, who has been studying for a doctorate in
social ethics at the graduate theological union in
Berkley, goes somewhat beyond ‘h*m*sexual
tendencies.’ She said candidly that her relationship with
her lesbian lover is ‘what feeds the strength and
compassion I bring to the ministry.’ She also believes
that ‘h*m*sexuality is an alternative life style that can
be a good and creative thing.’"
Infidels In The Pulpit. . .
In a survey made of 500 pastors, they were asked if
they believed the Genesis account of creation:
47% said they did, 5% were uncertain and 48% did
not!
The same question was asked of 200 theological
students (future "[t]eachers" of America):
5% said they did, 6% were uncertain, and 89% DID
NOT!
Many Clergymen Do Not Believe In Hell. . . .
Mr. Warren Herring of the News Free Press in
Chattanooga, Tennessee, wrote a very thought
provoking article entitled "What Has Happened To
Hell?" In this article he asked three questions: (1) Is
Hell a literal place of eternal punishment, and if so,
why are preachers neglecting the subject? (2) Is Hell too
controversial for the average preacher today? (3) Do
congregations and parishoners squirm when preachers
preach on Hell-fire and brimstone?
He went to a number of different congregations in
the city of Chattanooga and put certain preachers on
the spot as to what they believed about the place called
Hell.
The first church this man visited was the Unitarian
Universalist church pastored by a Rev. John Wilkerson.
He asked, "Mr. Wilkerson, what do you believe about
the doctrine of Hell?" He said, "Well, I think Hell is a
time of purification, I think it is a time of cleaning when
all things that are offensive to God in our lives are
cleansed. Then we will come back to the earth. We will
be reincarnated."
He went to a second clergyman, Rabbi Lloyd
Goldman. He asked the rabbi, "Rabbi, what do you
believe about the place called Hell?" He said, "Well,
Sir, I think it is a state of being. I think Hell is right here
now. I believe Hell is on this earth."
Again Mr. Herring visited with Pastor H. H. Battle
of the First Bap. Church. He said, "Sir, what do you
believe about Hell?" He said, "Sir, I cannot accept the
fact that Hell is a place. I believe Hell is where the
absence of God is felt."Lutherans. . . .
"44% of Lutherans believe that salvation depends
upon being sincere in whatever you believe." A
Christian Handbook of Vital Issues (New Haven:
Leader, 1973) p. 369.United Methodists. . . .
This denomination does not have a single theological
seminary that could be considered Bible-believing or
even evangelical. The Battle For The Bible (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan; 1976), 153.
"It is informative to note that the United Methodists
put reason, experience, and tradition on the same level
as the Bible as sources of theological and doctrinal
truth." About Being United Methodists (Greenfield:
Bete; 1978), p. 5.United Presbyterians. . . .
Scores of Presbyterian ministers do not believe the
Bible to be trustworthy. The Battle For The Bible
(Grand Rapids: Zondervan; 1976) pp. 149-152.
Baptist Seminary President Dedicates Brewery. . . .
In 1970, Dr. Randall Lolley, the president of
Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, had the
dedicatory prayer at the opening of the Joseph P.
Schlitz Brewing Company plant, THE LARGEST
BREWERY IN THE WORLD. The following are
remarks made by the Chamber of Commerce President,
Norwood Robinson, at the dedication of the Brewery:
"I would like to say to you, Sir, in the same vein, that
I think you have accomplished a great feat here today.
It is my understanding that the beer consumption in the
state of North Carolina is the lowest of any state in the
Union per capita. It is further my understanding that
we here today have the largest beer manufacturing plant
in the world. Now, Sir, you were wise in selecting my
Baptist friend, Dr. Randall Lolley, to come up here and
pronounce the invocation. (Applause). I suggest to you
that most of those people back there whom you
couldn't get to sit down were Baptist. (Applause). And
we are going to correct this consumption situation. Pete
Hearn and I are working on it just as hard as we can."
The following is the prayer at the dedication of the
brewery:
"Dear Lord, we thank thee today that Thou hast
made us so that we can enjoy new beginnings and that
we can participate in dedications and make
commitments and enjoy new, fresh relationships. Our
hearts tell us that industry is people, so we thank Thee,
living God, for the persons who have been plunged into
the life and fabric, the process of living and deciding
and being in our community. We thank thee for them
and their families. We thank, thee, O God, for
influences that shall be engendered and the
relationships that shall be enjoyed because of new
friends from this plant and this industry moving into
our community. God grant to them all the resources,
wisdom and skill that shall be demanded of that
industry and give them, O God, Thy presence and Thy
peace and give us all the fruits of this day of dedication
and the relationships and commitments that shall ensue
to us all from it. In the strong name of the Lord we
pray. Amen."Reason 7--SOME CHURCHES ARE NOT ONLY
UNBIBLICAL, BUT WICKED. A protestant
clergyman began the God Is Dead Movement. Strip
tease performances have taken place in some churches.
Beer and Bingo is par for the course among scores of
"religious people." Some churches are simply glorified
Las Vegas joints!
A treasurer of a certain church told me recently that
his minister receives a delivery of liquor from the local
liquor store each Saturday night and charges it to the
church!
I could go on and on and mention many other things.
Actually books could be written about this subject.
However, the point is obvious: there are innumerable
ungodly things taking place in churches today.Reason 8--HEBREWS 13:12,13 IS CLEAR. The
writer to the Hebrews is exhorting the Hebrew
Christians to make a clean break with Judaism. We
might say, Judiasm was the religious establishment of
their day and the religion which these people were
identified with before they were saved. The point the
writer of Hebrews is making is that they should make a
clean break with their former religious affiliation
because it is not true to Christ. The application is
obvious: we should make a clean break with any
religion which is not true to Christ even if it is the
church to which we belong. Being true to Christ means
separating ourselves from religion that is not true to
Him. We ought to be willing to endure reproach for
Him.
A pastor in a liberal denomination mentioned that he
knows he should withdraw from the liberal
denomination of which he is a member and supporter.
However, he said he would not do it because he could
not keep his pension if he did.
There are scores of people in liberal and modernistic
churches because they are unwilling to bear reproach
for Christ.Reason 9--ELIJAH WAS SEPARATED. Let's not
forget that this spiritual giant did not compromise with
the corrupt religious system of his day. Elijah separated
himself from the religious system that was contrary to
the Word of God (I Kings 18).Reason 10--WE CANNOT OBEY PROVERBS 22:6
IN A LIBERAL CHURCH. It is the responsibility of
parents to make sure their children are in a Christ-
honouring, Bible-believing, New Testament Church.
Proverbs 22:6 cannot be obeyed in its entirety apart
from a sound local church.Reason 11--ALTHOUGH DISOBEDIENCE IS
COMMON, THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT.
While talking to a Gospel singer this subject came up.
The singer made it a habit to "perform" in some
outright liberal churches. His thinking was that in so
doing he was not compromising his message. As I
mentioned to him, "The question is not compromising
your message, as I am sure you do not; but it is a
question of endorsing and putting your stamp of
approval upon a church that is not true to the Bible nor
the Lord Jesus Christ." The singer's purpose was not to
expose the liberal churches he was going into; but
rather, to promote them and actually build them up
and add people to them.
No singer or preacher or anybody else has a right to
build up or promote that which the Bible condemns. It
may be good for the pocketbook, but it is not good for
the cause of Christ. In fact, this is why so many of
God's people are totally confused about this subject.
Sad to say, there has been a lot of disobedience in this
area.Reason 12--WE ARE OBLIGATED UNDER
SCRIPTURE TO STAND WITH THE FAITHFUL
FEW. (Genesis 6-7; I Kings 18; Jude; II Peter;
Revelation 2:8-11; 18:4--please read and study)Reason 13--FALSE DOCTRINE IS DEMONIC.
One of the main thrusts of demons (Satan's helpers) is
to promote false doctrine (I Tim. 4:1-2). Anyone who
lends support to churches that are not true to the Bible
are engaged, many times unknowingly, in actual
support of the devil's program in this world.
Demons love to promote morality, religion, and false
doctrine of one sort or another. (Never get the mistaken
idea that the devil is only interested in promoting
immorality. He is out to damn people to Hell. One of
his easiest ways to do this is through religion!) We must
never forget that Satan and his demons love to appear
as angels of light (II Cor. 11:14). They also like to quote
the Bible (Matt. 4).
In fact, the most likely place to find a demon is
behind a pulpit!
Any person who supports a church or pastor who
advocates salvation by: good deeds, church
membership, baptism, taking communion, sacraments,
being good, sincerity, morality, etc. is supporting the
devil's program in this world (I Tim. 1-2; II Cor.
11:13-15).
Are you supporting and promoting the devil's
program???Reason 14--IT IS THE RIGHT AND PROPER
THING TO DO. Why leave a liberal or Modernistic
Church or a church that is not true to the Bible and join
a fundamental, Bible-believing, Christ-honouring local
New Testament Church? Because in the light of
Scripture it is the right and proper thing to do.
CONCLUSION: I am not saying that fundamental,
Bible-believing churches are perfect churches.
According to the Bible, even the New Testament
Churches were not perfect. However, the local New
Testament Church according to I Timothy 3:15 is the
pillar and ground of the truth. My friend, you ought to
unite with and actively and faithfully support that
which God's Word refers to as the pillar and ground of
the truth.
If you are a member of a church that is not true to the
Bible, leave it without delay, depart from it, withdraw,
abandon it immediately and unite with a Bible-
believing, Christ-honouring church.This publication is distributed by the following
fundamental, Bible-believing, Christ-honouring church:Other publications available: [...]
Evangelist Jim Gent
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