Re: People who secretly disobey church teachings.
Posted: Sat Feb 03, 2024 8:33 am
This is an assumption I see frequently made but where does the Bible actually say this?
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This is an assumption I see frequently made but where does the Bible actually say this?
There might be a very small amount of assumption going on, but I think it is a fairly grounded and reasonable one based on what Peter says in Acts 5.
So, considering the verse you posted at the bottom, do you think you should have nothing more to do with this person ? I think there might be some advice in the Corinthian church letter, 1 Cor 5, about the man who was sleeping with his mother-in-law. Paul blamed the church for just ignoring it as even people in the world knew about it. I guess if a church is really ultra conservative they would be removing that person from their church for living a lie.Josh wrote: ↑Fri Feb 02, 2024 5:56 pmI'd like to talk about this more generally.Say a nice family joins an ultra conservative church, with huge coverings tied under the chin, no internet, no music, the whole nine yards, as per the brotherhood agreement.
One spouse thinks what he does in his bedroom privately on his own time (movies, wine, whatever) is none of the church’s business, as long as he conducts himself properly the rest of the time…
Amongst seekers, some people join and blatantly break a rule or two. (I can think of someone in my own church circles who thinks photography is OK and regularly posts selfies and photographs of all kinds of things, and indeed does so on social media, which we also aren't supposed to use.) There is a certain amount of leeway given to such a person who simply lacks convictions in a specific area, but is also not sneaky about it and does not try to hide it.
Let's talk about the other situation. Someone joins a church and adopts very conservative practices and talks a good talk, but they are secretly doing things they would be ashamed for their brethren to know about. Amongst their closest associates, family, or spouse, or perhaps worldly friends, it is well known what they do. It could be drinking, it could be watching very worldly movies, or even something like pornography.
I have wrestled with what exactly this kind of person has going on in their life and what their relationshp with Jesus is. Is the Holy Spirit convicting them of sin? Part of the sin is not so much the act itself but the concealment of it. It seems Jesus had very harsh words for this kind of "religiosity".
My greatest concern for a situation like the one above is that the person does not have the grace of God operating in their life.
"Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away."