For Members Only
(Inspired by my former church, Harvest).
Everyone wants to belong to something; to feel a part of a whole that is bigger than they. Having the ability to identify with an organization, a group, a team, a family is satisfying to most simply because of the need for acceptance. This drive within us is innate; purposefully installed within our hearts by our Creator. In YHWH’s infinite wisdom, HE saw we would require an internal motivation to seek HIM out.
Unfortunately, this force is easily corrupted as many spend their entire life seeking acceptance and often find such an experience in unsavory environments. Some are driven to modify behavior radically if only for the security and satisfaction of belonging. Organizations dangle the benefits of belonging in front of us through a plethora of venues to entice us to commit monetarily, emotionally, physically, or mentally and once engulfed, we will teach our children the necessity of belonging, passing to them the hope of satisfying the insatiable drive.
Churches are not exempt from this shameful exploitation of our needs. Church bylaws often try to conjure biblical reasons for us to commit to membership and the elder board, pastor, priest, or leadership present the benefits of membership as the fulfillment of their very loose interpretation of scripture. “This is a family.” “We serve together.” “We protect our flock.” These ideas are enticing and seductive, and as we listen to the promise of unconditional acceptance and unity, we sign on the dotted line; agreeing to doctrinal nonsense never intended by YHWH. In fact, church membership does more to cause division than unity within the Body of Messiah. Denominations fracture over scriptural interpretations; bylaws and doctrine encourage cliques, and leadership within the church permit inconsistencies between acceptable behavior and beliefs depending upon which members are serving more and those who struggle spiritually. These organizations set course on the good-intention paved road; and we all know where that leads.
Romans 12:3-5: For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are ONE body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
YHWH never intended us to be divided by denomination or sold into membership. By faith, we are ALREADY members of the Body of Christ. We are already members. We should not need to sign on as members to any church organization… for this is a manmade, man-approved ploy promising acceptance by the leadership and other members. NO man has the right or the ability to approve any of us for anything. Rather than church membership, we ought to take a stand against such folly and simply relax in the knowledge that our approval for membership to the Body of Christ comes from ONE source only. This is what YHWH, the Most High GOD, the Alpha and Omega, the Holy ONE of Israel has to say about membership:
Isaiah 56:1- 7 Thus said the LORD, Keep your judgment, and do justice: for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that lay hold on it; that keep the Sabbath from polluting it, and keep his hand from doing any evil. Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus said the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, EVERYONE that keep the Sabbath from polluting it, and take hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for ALL people.
Membership in a church is a smoke screen…empty promises that raise unfulfilled expectations and hope for acceptance within an institution that ignores the WORD of YHWH which says that ALL people who hold the Sabbath and take hold of HIS covenant (the sacrifice of His Son, Yeshua Messiah) are the only requirement for admittance.
To those who have been disillusioned, dissatisfied, damaged, and/or disowned by any church, understand this: these organizations are manmade and fallible. They are twisted to the design of a man or men who may or may not serve YHWH. They are a warped imitation of what YHWH had intended for leadership of HIS flock. The architectural structure of the doctrinal establishment that has disappointed you is based upon the character and personality of a man. If there are any other conditions for “membership” placed upon you apart from the two previously outlined by the WORD of GOD (ie: requirements of signing a covenant, interviewing, taking a class, baptism, eating a live chicken, holding a rattlesnake etc.) then, as the LORD said, “Keep your judgment.” Perhaps that is one membership you can do without.
Everyone wants to belong to something; to feel a part of a whole that is bigger than they. Having the ability to identify with an organization, a group, a team, a family is satisfying to most simply because of the need for acceptance. This drive within us is innate; purposefully installed within our hearts by our Creator. In YHWH’s infinite wisdom, HE saw we would require an internal motivation to seek HIM out.
Unfortunately, this force is easily corrupted as many spend their entire life seeking acceptance and often find such an experience in unsavory environments. Some are driven to modify behavior radically if only for the security and satisfaction of belonging. Organizations dangle the benefits of belonging in front of us through a plethora of venues to entice us to commit monetarily, emotionally, physically, or mentally and once engulfed, we will teach our children the necessity of belonging, passing to them the hope of satisfying the insatiable drive.
Churches are not exempt from this shameful exploitation of our needs. Church bylaws often try to conjure biblical reasons for us to commit to membership and the elder board, pastor, priest, or leadership present the benefits of membership as the fulfillment of their very loose interpretation of scripture. “This is a family.” “We serve together.” “We protect our flock.” These ideas are enticing and seductive, and as we listen to the promise of unconditional acceptance and unity, we sign on the dotted line; agreeing to doctrinal nonsense never intended by YHWH. In fact, church membership does more to cause division than unity within the Body of Messiah. Denominations fracture over scriptural interpretations; bylaws and doctrine encourage cliques, and leadership within the church permit inconsistencies between acceptable behavior and beliefs depending upon which members are serving more and those who struggle spiritually. These organizations set course on the good-intention paved road; and we all know where that leads.
Romans 12:3-5: For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are ONE body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
YHWH never intended us to be divided by denomination or sold into membership. By faith, we are ALREADY members of the Body of Christ. We are already members. We should not need to sign on as members to any church organization… for this is a manmade, man-approved ploy promising acceptance by the leadership and other members. NO man has the right or the ability to approve any of us for anything. Rather than church membership, we ought to take a stand against such folly and simply relax in the knowledge that our approval for membership to the Body of Christ comes from ONE source only. This is what YHWH, the Most High GOD, the Alpha and Omega, the Holy ONE of Israel has to say about membership:
Isaiah 56:1- 7 Thus said the LORD, Keep your judgment, and do justice: for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that lay hold on it; that keep the Sabbath from polluting it, and keep his hand from doing any evil. Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus said the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, EVERYONE that keep the Sabbath from polluting it, and take hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for ALL people.
Membership in a church is a smoke screen…empty promises that raise unfulfilled expectations and hope for acceptance within an institution that ignores the WORD of YHWH which says that ALL people who hold the Sabbath and take hold of HIS covenant (the sacrifice of His Son, Yeshua Messiah) are the only requirement for admittance.
To those who have been disillusioned, dissatisfied, damaged, and/or disowned by any church, understand this: these organizations are manmade and fallible. They are twisted to the design of a man or men who may or may not serve YHWH. They are a warped imitation of what YHWH had intended for leadership of HIS flock. The architectural structure of the doctrinal establishment that has disappointed you is based upon the character and personality of a man. If there are any other conditions for “membership” placed upon you apart from the two previously outlined by the WORD of GOD (ie: requirements of signing a covenant, interviewing, taking a class, baptism, eating a live chicken, holding a rattlesnake etc.) then, as the LORD said, “Keep your judgment.” Perhaps that is one membership you can do without.
posted by Ree @ 9:21 PM
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