Okay..So my last question was controversial and a bit on the edge of comprehension..As believers..Is it......

Question

Safe to say that in being Born Again...We are subject to mistakes....Or mere failures? As we forgive those who trespass against us, and use the Church as a place of rumors and slander, and ultimately, as a route to appease their own faults, Instead of worship....As Jesus said to those who were ready to stone the adultress...."Let him who be without sin cast the first stone".....This is almost an exact mirror image of what I ask. As those who have stones in hand take a long look at themselves...all walked away. So...in conclusion, Is ex-communication a test to see if the one being slandered by the "stone casters" has the ability to forgive and keep on attending the church? Or has it become a method of blasphemous and sacreligious lynching parallel to the stoning Jesus thwarted with a few wise words? Have the 10 Commandments been amended to include #11-"Thou shalt lie through thy teeth to ruin the lives of others and place thyself in higher social standing among thy peers."?

Answer 1

I didn't see your last question, so had a little trouble understanding this one. As near as I can understand it...

1. No, ex-communication is NOT supposed to be some sort of gossipy religious lynch-mob, filled with hypocritical liars. It is SUPPOSED to be the most severe step in church discipline, when a member of a congregation refuses to give up willful sinful behaviour, even when counseled and warned repeatedly.

Suppose a man is a habitual liar, adulterer, wife-and-child-beater, yet continues to attend church and proclaim "what a good believer I am". When the believers see through his pack of lies, he is supposed to recieve several warnings from various people in the congregation, especially church leadership. Family counseling can be offered. If he refuses to listen to the church, and continues in his destructive behaviour, the church has the responsibility to remove this individual from their membership. Failure to do so could result in his poisoning the minds of other people in the congregation, and allow him to pose an even greater threat to others.

2. Excommunication is NOT a test for the potential reciepient. It is an act of discipline--a sentence passed after a church trial. Simple slander won't qualify someone as a reciepient of EXC. There has to be evidence, testimony, time allowed for the accused to answer and defend themselves ( or repent ).

3. I have seen slander and false accusations used in churches to ruin others' lives--on purpose. That is why there is supposed to be a trial--to sift out the liars and their lies from the truth. In the case I know of, the slanderers were exposed at the trial as false witnesses, and the family in question was exonerated. Trial judges were brought in from outside the congregation, eliminating the possibility of judge/jury tampering.

4. Sounds like you have been severely burned by some false brethren. I hope you find peace.

Answer 2

You have many issues which cannot be answered in this forum. You've asked too many questions at once for me to even begin to answer you.

Apparently, you are being ex-communicated because of rumors and slander? That's pretty serious, you must've really messed up, they rarely do that these days.

I guess it's time to look into being an Episcopalian

Answer 3

As Christians, we are to follow the New Testament writings NOT the Old Testament. The Ten Commandments were of the Old Testament. These were hung on the cross at Calvary with Christ. Study these scriptures and see what you think. To become a Christian:
1. We must HEAR GOD’s WORD. - Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
2. We are told to BELIEVE. - To the Prison guard in Acts 16:31 Paul and Silas said, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household."
3. We must REPENT (turn from) of our sins. - Acts 17:30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.
4. We are told to CONFESS CHRIST before men. - Matthew 10:32 "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
5. We are to enter the waters and BE BAPTIZED. - Mark 16:16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
6. We are told to CONTINUE TO BE FAITHFUL until death. - Revelation 2:10b Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Send me a note if you have questions. I am anxious to hear from you. Have a Great day.
Eds

Answer 4

Remember also when Paul said if they do not repent to cast them back to satan and he will torment them and that torment will cause repentants and save them in the end! So yes all fall short of the Glory and some places will throw you out for speaking the real word. So you must discern why the person is ex-communicated. either his is more on fire for the Lord than the pastors and they will throw him out or completely the opposite.

Answer 5

If you are being excommunicated behind false accusations,obviously there is a lack of discernment in the church leadership,or something worse.churches nowadays have a bad habit of becoming social clubs,where orthodox doctrine is not tolerated.My advice is to find a body of true believers,where you are encouraged and led by example of godliness in the leadership.lifting you up,brother.

Answer 6

As Born Again believers we are going to falter, The only difference betwen a Saint and a sinner is that a Saint will get back up!! We are to encourage others with our strengths as others will encourage us with their strengths. We are to be a united front against the enemy. Divided we fall. A house divided cannot stand, Jesus Himself said that!!! We are to forgive as we are forgiven!!

Answer 7

number eleven is the stronghold of organised religion .
peer pressure and job status or success are the rewards not mentioned and covered by the hereafter dialogue that is not believed by it endorsers. just like the miracle talk grow my legs back put a sock in it ? talk is cheap and religions don't deliver.

Answer 8

we don't need an 11th if we remember that we are to do unto others.... it seems like you have walked into a bad place and i'm sorry for that. i pray you will find a commumion with like minded Christians.

God Bless you!

Answer 9

I read you questions several times, and find your question puzzling. Let me focus on your use of John 8:1-11 (NIV):

1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

There are some few key parts.

First, the sin of adultery is committed by two people, and both were stone. Jesus knew this as well as the "teachers of the law [Rabbis] and the Pharisees."

"If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." There is a prepositional phrase "at her". Jesus is talking to the crowd around him regarding her.

9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. All the sinners except for her have left.

10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11"No one, sir," she said.
"Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." Jesus never forgave her sins, but told her to leave her life of sin.

Verse 11 is the point. If you look carefully, you will see Jesus sat to teach, bent down to write, stood up, bent down to write again, and finally stood up to talk to the woman. The phrase you quote used is given only when He was press again for an answer.

Starting from your sentence "This is almost an exact... ending with #11" is not biblical; I can not find any verses in the New Testament that supports this as a teaching of Jesus. [If you have any, please let me know].

The birth, life, death, and resurrection of Christ Jesus are documented in the four accounts. It is there for all to read, and for the lucky, to believe.

Answer 10

Maybe you need a warmer climate....loving environment.......forgiving atmosphere........and prayer......