Whenever one thinks of church, various things come to mind…such as serving, tithing,Jesus, and giving. However, in many shameful instances, the first things that comes to most people's minds are betrayal, abuse, slander, discrimination , greed, and manipulation…quite the very opposite of what should characterize the church. The first things that should come to mind when thinking of the churxh are Jesus, salvation , love, and ministry. What's the first thing that comes to your mind when you see or hear the word
church?
Jesus is the only way to receive salvation and go to heaven; He's the only One who is and call Himself the Truth, and He is the life we're supposed to accept and live by faith.
Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you have known me, you will know my Father too. And from now on you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7 NET)
If Jesus is not the first on the list of who or what comes to mind whenever you see or hear the word church…you're either a member of the wrong church, or receiving false teaching. When Jesus is first on your mind whenever you think of church, the fruit of the Spirit should also come to mind.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also behave in accordance with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, being jealous of one another. (Galatians 5:22-26 NET)
Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matthew 7:19 NET)
You will recognize them by their fruit. Grapes are not gathered from thorns or figs from thistles, are they? (Matthew 7:16 NET)
Therefore produce fruit that proves your repentance, (Matthew 3:8 NET)
Over the years,many have referred to the churxh as being a hospital for the spiritually sick, but the devastating concern about those who often quote that analogy…they're usually the very people who are making others spiritually sick. Sadly, there are pastors who gossip and believe what others say about their parishoners and using false accusations, offense, opinions, and carnal judgment to drive the very foundation of their bible study teachings and sermons. Often what some teachers and ministers share as 'revelation from the Lord' is slander wrapped in Christian jargon, designed to manipulate or intimidate others. Instead of confronting and counseling the subjects of their gossip sessions, they reveal their manipulative and bullying ways by attempting to control others with their teachings, self-acclaimed titles, and relying on hearsay to motivate them instead of the Holy Spirit.
A perverse person spreads dissension, and a gossip separates the closest friends. (Proverbs 16:28 NET)
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down into the person’s innermost being. (Proverbs 18:8 NET)
For I am afraid that somehow when I come I will not find you what I wish, and you will find me not what you wish. I am afraid that somehow there may be quarreling, jealousy, intense anger, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder. (2 Corinthians 12:20 NET)
And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what should not be done. They are filled with every kind of unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness, malice. They are rife with envy, murder, strife, deceit, hostility. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, contrivers of all sorts of evil, disobedient to parents, senseless, covenant-breakers, heartless, ruthless. Although they fully know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:28-32 NET)
Sometimes,manipulative pastors will often refer to the ones they're attempting to disgrace as a curse to their churxh. Where is the demonstration of the fruit of the Spirit in actions such as that? Nowhere! If anything, you'll discover the doctrines of demons pouring forth from such a person as that.
Now the Spirit explicitly says that in the later times some will desert the faith and occupy themselves with deceiving spirits and demonic teachings, influenced by the hypocrisy of liars whose consciences are seared.
By pointing out such things to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, having nourished yourself on the words of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed. (1 Timothy 4:1-2, 6 NET)
Spiritual abuse is prevalent in many churches today, and many people are either oblivious to it because they naively think abuse doesn't occur in churches, or they know of it but have been brainwashed by indirect threats that if they say anything about it or confront it…they'll be looked upon as a troublemaker or insecure. Confronting spiritual abuse and manipulative tactics in a church is the Christlike thing to do, but many have been so brainwashed by bullying tactics they are afraid to correct and rebuke those evil spirits influencing the saints of GOD .
For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7 NET)
“If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector. (Matthew 18:15-17 NET)
If you are dealing with a situation , or know of anyone dealing with a situation regarding spiritual abuse , it is very important to first pray and seek the Word of GOD for counsel and direction. Then loving confront the guilty parties with the message of GOD's grace , to correct them and draw them closer to the Lord through repentance.
Do not address an older man harshly but appeal to him as a father. Speak to younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters – with complete purity. (1 Timothy 5:1-2 NET)
Watch out for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son. (Acts 20:28 NET)
(My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. ) But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous One, and he himself is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world. Now by this we know that we have come to know God: if we keep his commandments. The one who says “I have come to know God” and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person. But whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him. The one who says he resides in God ought himself to walk just as Jesus walked. (1 John 2:1-6 NET)
For the overseer must be blameless as one entrusted with God’s work, not arrogant, not prone to anger, not a drunkard, not violent, not greedy for gain. Instead he must be hospitable, devoted to what is good, sensible, upright, devout, and self-controlled. He must hold firmly to the faithful message as it has been taught, so that he will be able to give exhortation in such healthy teaching and correct those who speak against it. For there are many rebellious people, idle talkers, and deceivers, especially those with Jewish connections, who must be silenced because they mislead whole families by teaching for dishonest gain what ought not to be taught. (Titus 1:7-11 NET)
Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the person dedicated to God may be capable and equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NET)
