Christians: Do you agree with this?

Question

In another forum, a Christian wrote to me: "I am the church... . All beleivers in Christ ARE the church, Christ's body, so in fact I AM a member of their church... ," to which I replied:

This is an interesting point of view, but this eternal skeptic would like to test it. Christians on this forum, I'd like your views on these points:

1. Does everyone who professes Christianity embody the Church so that every Christian is a member of every church?

2. As such, do you believe that your local church is answerable to every Christian everywhere for its ministerial priorities and decisions?

In other words, to what extent do you believe that has a right and a duty to chastise a church with which he has had no previous contact and to lay down rules for the conduct of their ministry when he gets upset over a news item. By the way, keep up all of your good works. Even if I can no longer believe, I am happy for those who do and celebrate their acts of kindness.

Good, thoughtful answers, everyone. Many thanks.

The issue in question came up when various members of this Bible Belt community objected to a proposed Mission trip to Africa because they felt there was still much work to be done closer to home.

Answer 1

1.) Any person who believes in God, believes in Jesus his son, and all that he taught is a part of His (Jesus) church. He only wanted ONE church. HIS church. We as puny, stupid, whiny, greedy, and miserable humans are the ones who chopped up His church into many different denominations.

2.) I believe that the Churches are answerable to their attendees in matters of ministerial priorities and decisions. Those things should be made by the people. (Again, because we disgusting humans messed up Jesus' plan, we can't be one big happy family in this area lol)

I don't believe that anyone should judge anyone else. People should look at their own faults and sins before they look at the sins and faults of others. But of course you will have judgemental people wherever you go.

Live and let live. Just do the best you can.

God bless,
=)

Answer 2

Best way to answer is this:

1. Every Christian is a member of the big "Church" which is Christianity.
Every Christian is not a member of all the little "churches" which are little groups with, in my opinion, special purposes.

2. No, each local church is not answerable to every Christian everywhere.

I think the little churches (the separations) are because different people have different strengths and weaknesses. So they create/gravitate toward a group where they fit best.

Example: Some do missionary work, some are pacifists, some feed the hungry, etc. So, in my opinion, the splits were good things because they grouped together the people into units that worked well on certain projects.

Answer 3

I personally believe that the ones we do not hear from are the real devout Christians....I believe but am not a member of any organization because I find most religious institutions are a front for profit and deceit...they support causes then contradict themselves; Christians can answer questions then when on the ropes the questioner is a fool etc; CEOs are usually very religious and yet rape and ravage the earth and have no trouble killing others with air pollution; behind so many morally corrupt institutions, you will find a Christian; Mormons are the highest single rate of CEOs in US corporations and not all these corporations are corporately responsible; and lastly when I find a Christian who can answer me why they believe and follow the word of a betrayer, ( the account of Christ is written by a betrayer who turned his back on Christ on the cross), then maybe I will consider them...so, Christians, go ahead and prove me wrong;

Answer 4

Each individual member of the Body of Christ is not the Church; the BODY (i.e. all believers together) is the Church, so I think this person is a bit confused.

Denominations do have the "right" or "duty" to rebuke other denominations if that denomination is openly teaching apostacy. For example, most denominations openly rebuke the Episcopal Church for ordaining actively gay priests. The Bible teaches against this behavior and the Body (spiritual Church made up of all believers) cannot condone it.

Answer 5

We are all part of Christ's body, with differing spiritual gifts, serving varying roles. Those with the gift of leadership and administration do have a responsibility to hold other churches accountable for their direction. However, the division in the church is the number one target for skeptics as they see the legalism and hypocrisy and label all Christians for it.

Answer 6

In my opinion, and because the scriptures back it up, every christian belongs to the body of Christ, or to put it easier, every believer follows the teachings of Christ.
Churches are just buildings in which we meet for companionship and community.

Do I believe that each christian voice has the right to chastise another member of the body who has fallen away from the teachings?
Yes, it is our duty to each other to let each other know when we've messed up. Paul calls it chastisment, and he would point-blank tell churches when they had messed up, and how to fix it.

For example: Reverend Phelps of the "God hates fags" church in Kansas. He considers it his duty to protest at every funeral for a slain soldier, and waves his bloody banners around.
It my duty, and every other christian's duty, to call him on his misperception and set him right. It is very clearly laid out in the scriptures that God doesn't hate the sinners, he hates the sin. Once a sinner stops carrying out that sin and returns to the embrace of the creator, that he will be recieved.

In my opinion, that reverend is spreading hate speech, much as the KKK did in the last century.

As a believer, I also have the right to castigate and rebuke the catholic church for "pardoning" the child molestor's that call themselves priests. Just as I have the right to rebuke them for not allowing their priests to get married.

Do they have to listen? No. Because it is their right to interpret scripture in their own way.

Answer 7

It is my understanding that you only belong to that religious body to which you have allied yourself. Be that as it may.

It is not, however, your duty to chastise said church if you feel it is teaching false doctrine. If it is indeed Christ's church, then it is receiving divine Revelation from God, and as such, is in no need of your temporal knowledge.

Answer 8

at a similar time because it particularly is largely superb, the situation is that there are better than the ten commandments. there have been 613 all jointly. maximum persons basically communicate of the 1st 10. the hot testomony restates those different than for the Sabbath regulation. The previous regulation grew to become into to the Israelites basically and to college them to be certain that a Messiah to return from that u . s . a .. The sacrifice of Christ complete that regulation because it grew to become into given under the covenant with Abraham it particularly is the previous Covenant (or testomony). a sparkling Covenant has been given with a greater robust sacrifice than the harmless animals formerly. Now it grew to become into the harmless God/guy and this sacrifice grew to become into the fee of our Salvation. The previous regulation is long gone and the hot in result. a sparkling continually negates the previous.

Answer 9

One Lord, One faith, One baptism.
Many different parts to the body, but still all one body.
From now to way back then, all believers everywhere make up the one body, the Bride of Christ.

Answer 10

The, "church of 'GOD'", is comprised of every blood bought one. We are answerable

IN A SENSE,

to other believer. We are not answerable if what they demand or ask goes contrary to the Word of God. The ultimate person we are answerable to is God Almighty.