Very concerning. The Sovereignty of God — when rightly understood — really should bring us to our knees in repentance and submission before God. The truth of scripture should convict us all of our own sinfulness in and of ourselves with Jesus Christ as our only refuge and hope. Community should come forth as the result where we recognize our own sinfulness in and of ourselves and Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. It’s distressing what I just read of a young man who personally shared with a small group his personal struggles with sin — as we should — and was treated in a harsh and controlling, cultlike manner.
People are not going to “stop sinning” because they sign a “contract” not to sin with a leader of a “church” – then are expelled when they do what Christians do — confess sin. We all sin daily. If I sat down and wrote a ledger of yesterday’s sins… it would be a long list. Because on numerous occasions, I thought and said things and felt things that were self-centered. Should I “sign a contract” with a church leader that I won’t commit such sins?? The contract will not change me inside. I must constantly and consistently seek Jesus Christ with whom I have a relationship inside by grace. It’s ridiculous to think that we will become “sinless” by signing a contract. Rather, such a contract is legalism and cultish in the first place.
How can Mars Hill fail to recognize that a contract “not to sign” with punishments listed included “shunning” — is legalism to the nth degree and cultish — when dealing with sincere Christians who just want a safe place to share their struggles as they sincerely seek to follow Christ and sin like we all do daily?? I don’t know what is responsible here — but I do believe that when we fail in learning and retaining sound doctrine – the evil of man comes out and we must return to sound doctrine to be purged thereby of the wrong motives of a cult. It is the leaders of the church themselves who must be held to the highest levels of accountability in how they “manage” or lead God’s church. And when they are in error in their leadership, the first thing that must be examined is the doctrine that promoted wrong structure. This is not biblical structure when a young man confesses a struggle in a small group — and such events as I’ve just read occur. And this “contract” is EXTRA-BIBLICAL… as is the “control level” of the church. The young man did what scripture commands: confessed his sin to those around him seeking the strength of community to edify him as he repented. God help us.
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
Very concerning. The Sovereignty of God — when rightly understood — really should bring us to our knees in repentance and submission before God. The truth of scripture should convict us all of our own sinfulness in and of ourselves with Jesus Christ as our only refuge and hope. Community should come forth as the result where we recognize our own sinfulness in and of ourselves and Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. It’s distressing what I just read of a young man who personally shared with a small group his personal struggles with sin — as we should — and was treated in a harsh and controlling, cultlike manner.
People are not going to “stop sinning” because they sign a “contract” not to sin with a leader of a “church” – then are expelled when they do what Christians do — confess sin. We all sin daily. If I sat down and wrote a ledger of yesterday’s sins… it would be a long list. Because on numerous occasions, I thought and said things and felt things that were self-centered. Should I “sign a contract” with a church leader that I won’t commit such sins?? The contract will not change me inside. I must constantly and consistently seek Jesus Christ with whom I have a relationship inside by grace. It’s ridiculous to think that we will become “sinless” by signing a contract. Rather, such a contract is legalism and cultish in the first place.
How can Mars Hill fail to recognize that a contract “not to sign” with punishments listed included “shunning” — is legalism to the nth degree and cultish — when dealing with sincere Christians who just want a safe place to share their struggles as they sincerely seek to follow Christ and sin like we all do daily?? I don’t know what is responsible here — but I do believe that when we fail in learning and retaining sound doctrine – the evil of man comes out and we must return to sound doctrine to be purged thereby of the wrong motives of a cult. It is the leaders of the church themselves who must be held to the highest levels of accountability in how they “manage” or lead God’s church. And when they are in error in their leadership, the first thing that must be examined is the doctrine that promoted wrong structure. This is not biblical structure when a young man confesses a struggle in a small group — and such events as I’ve just read occur. And this “contract” is EXTRA-BIBLICAL… as is the “control level” of the church. The young man did what scripture commands: confessed his sin to those around him seeking the strength of community to edify him as he repented. God help us.
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