Church
Shockingly, church is still seen as the primary gateway to seeking truth and a relationship with God. Good luck with finding God in that hot mess. Other than the fact that there are more than 200 church denominations, endless scandals, and a sordid history of persecution and religious wars, just read what’s trending here on X alone. It is a constant stream of criticism, debate over doctrine, and accusations. No venue in human history has thrown more rocks while living in glass houses. Maybe someone will start a Positive Christianity movement. First of all, its gospel would be justification by new birth, and since that gospel is not under law, the focus would be love, not sin. There would also be a focus on the abilities of born-again believers, since, after all, they are new creatures re-created by God. Church is an industry with a focus on expertism and a top-down authority pecking order, while seminary degrees are completely useless in the real world. Its strong tradition was habituated into society through medieval church states. Church, as we know it today, was created in a church state and for the express purposes of a church state. Church, as we know it today, didn’t even come about until AD 350. Few things are more illogical than church.
My Failure
Lately, I have been convicted about my failure as a leader in the home fellowship movement. About 13 years ago, knowing that God wants us to be clear about truth, asked for his guidance while doing a word by word study in the book of Romans. Many of you who read this blog know the results of that study. Susan and I are presently focused on reorganizing our life in order to refocus our life on home fellowship. I am posting this morning to ask for your prayers accordingly.
I stumbled onto a post that follows, which has further fanned the flames of what I am feeling. My response to the writer of the post follows. It all looks like the ministry I am longing for.
If you’ve been following me lately, you know that I talked about being Jesus-curious after Charlie Kirk’s memorial. I never expected almost 2 million people to see that. Shawn and I are going to try church tomorrow.
But how do you pick a church? People said to pick a good church. I don’t even know what that means. I always thought that “church” was inherently good.
Charlie’s memorial wasn’t even a week ago and it feels like ages ago at the same time. I want to feel what I felt during the music again. I want to hear someone talk about Jesus, not shame people like me for not knowing Jesus. I’m honest enough to admit that I’m afraid, I won’t even lie. This is absolutely terrifying because I have avoided it for years.
So how do we pick? What do we look for? How do you know you’re not going to get sucked down the wrong path? What I do know is that I feel compelled to be a part of this.
My reply follows:
You don’t need church to have a relationship with God and his son, Jesus Christ. And don’t long to be part of a movement. Salvation is being born again. If you want to be saved, you ask God to be born into his family as one of his children. This transaction is described in Romans chapter 6. Spiritually, you die with Christ, and the old you is put to death, and you are resurrected as a new person walking in new life. All things are new. Salvation is a family-of-God affair. You are a literal child of God when you are born again. You cannot be unborn.
Along with that comes a promise: if you love the truth and seek it, God will make sure you find it. In addition, as a born again child of God, you are indwelt with the Holy Spirit who will guide you; that’s a promise from God. He will NEVER leave or forsake you.
Secondly, you are the final arbiter of truth for your life and walk with God according to YOUR understanding of his word. Yes, you may consider what others say as an aide to learning, but the ONLY mediator between God and mankind is Jesus Christ. When you stand before God, YOU ALONE will be responsible for the sum and substance of your life and what others told you to do will not be an excuse. You are not obligated to believe anyone but your Father.
Ask God for new life, read and study his word, and fellowship with other seekers. You can also start your own home fellowship. I would avoid church. If you are born again, your whole life is worship, not a church service. I am a nurse. When I go to work, that is just as much church as anything else. If you go to church, DO NOT JOIN IN MEMBERSHIP. If you do, you are agreeing to let them control you. Church is an authoritative institution, not a family. Church, as we know it today, didn’t show up in history until AD 350. Church, as we know it today, has no doctrinal or historical connection to the 1st century ekklesia.
Be patient and walk with God…you have a lot to learn.
paul
Bad Theology Will Neutralize Turning Point USA Starting with Carte Blanche Forgiveness
Turning Point USA was well on its way to transforming American politics. Fact is, Donald Trump probably won the 2024 election because of Charlie Kirk—Charlie Kirk was a contemporary phenomenon. Continuing the success and impact of TPUSA was going to be a tall order without Charlie Kirk because the core of its success was his open dialogue on college campuses. He was an ardent persuader, and believed the key to all of the world’s problems is dialogue, and he is probably right. And he was good at it.
Much thought was required to answer the following question: without Kirk, how could the continuing success of TPUSA be maximized? Apparently, the answer follows: make TPUSA into a church. That’s a really bad idea for many reasons.
First, since when is church the sultan of open dialogue? At least 50% of the leaders involved with TPUSA, including Kirk’s wife, are Catholic. Does anyone know the history of the Catholic Church? Persuasion through dialogue is hardly its strongest characteristic.
Secondly, if you want to make TPUSA a religious movement, with continued success, that will necessarily include Protestants, who are not Catholics. Already, notable Protestant leaders like Ken Ham are barking about the false religion and non-religion present at Kirk’s memorial. So, here we go…already.
Yes, no doubt, Kirk was a good Christian guy who depended heavily on God, but TPUSA was an organization focused on persuading political opponents in the arena of ideas. Apparently, he was still working through the functional aspect of his faith and was not officially a member of any particular religious group, but it is rumored that he was leaning towards Catholicism (It is reported by some that his wife is Catholic).
Please think about this: what is the standard M.O. of church according to all orthodoxies regarding disagreement? Right; shunning, excommunication, treating some like a “tax collector.” Do research on how tax collectors were treated in the 1st century, and you will understand what Jesus was talking about.
Venue is reality. I am a nurse who happens to be a Christian. Newsflash: non-Christian nurses can be good nurses, and many are, and I work with them. How dumb would it be for me to imply that they really can’t be good nurses if they aren’t Christian? They only appear to be good nurses, but really aren’t. That would create drama, which distracts from quality care. But that’s Martin Luther ideology in a nutshell. Everything is either evil or good with no in-between. Hence, the Christian Blue Book where Christian companies advertise because unless your auto mechanic is a Christian, he or she can’t be trusted to fix your car right. That’s stupid, but that’s church.
In contrast, TPUSA, echoed the challenge to “prove me wrong,” rather than implying that an opponent’s ideas were already stupid by default. Take note about theology debates: no one can be persuaded because even if you lose the debate, your evil opponent only appeared to have the better argument, which is impossible, because of your authoritative orthodoxy. And that’s the rub: church is authority based; it’s true because the church says it’s true regardless of validity-based logic. Do you see how any intermingling with church is completely contraindicated for TPUSA?
And, so, it begins at Kirk’s memorial service. Kirk’s wife announced that she has forgiven Charlie’s assassin. UGH. I have written 16 articles on blank check forgiveness, which can be read here. https://paulspassingthoughts.com/2022/01/27/the-blank-check-forgiveness-archives-3/#comments. Look, undoubtably, Kirk’s wife is a phenomenal woman who is echoing church orthodoxy during an emotional time in her life when we are susceptible to bad ideas, particularly when they are of the religious sort, but her statement makes my point.
Essentially, what is being said by that statement?
First, she is obeying God by forgiving her husband’s killer. So, what is she saying to every victim who hasn’t forgiven the perpetrator?
Secondly, how do we know God has forgiven the assassin? And if he hasn’t, what does that say about her forgiveness?
Thirdly, if she has forgiven the assassin, how does that change her relationship to the assassin? Can you forgive someone without fundamental changes to the relationship?
Fourthly, this church ideology is based on the biblical verse, “Forgive others the same way God has forgiven you,” so, how does God forgive us? Answer: when we repent. Has the assassin repented? In fact, Jesus said to confront those who have offended us, and IF they repent, forgive them.
So, fifthly, blank check forgiveness is blatantly unbiblical.
Sixthly, biblically, forgiveness is always on the other side of the coin regarding justice. In other words, grace circumvents deserved and just punishment. Hence, Jesus stated that if a perpetrator doesn’t repent after multiple chances, there are just consequences (treat them like an unbeliever and a tax collector). Take note that these biblical principles are in context of relationships with believers, much less unbelievers. So, in cases of unbelievers, how much more should they be unforgiven?
Seventh, notice how, per the usual, church puts the burden on the victim instead of the perpetrator. Charlie Kirk’s wife stands before millions confessing with tears that she has forgiven her husband’s murderer? Am I here right now? God help us.
“But Paul, look at the thousands that were at the memorial, and the thousands of requests for new TPUSA chapters!” Yes, a religious revival, and that’s the problem. Historically, religious revivals peak and fizzle out. This needed to be an American Revolution revival, which has lasted 250 years, and by the way, God is all for it. That’s why it has lasted 250 years. And it’s why Isreal is still on the map. By the way, longevity is indicative of life.
I hope my prediction is wrong, but after all, church is a failing business model that hangs on through tyranny, propaganda, and fear. Statistics concerning church trends are abysmal. TPUSA was predicated on finding truth through the best logical arguments, and the freedom to do so, not truth based on hundreds of different versions of church authority. Chaos does not ensue through individual ideas, because what is “self-evident” is also common to man and the law of God written on the heart and mitigated by conscience. Open debate leads people to that commonality.
And if your practical wisdom makes life better, that will make people curious about your thoughts on God. That’s how it works.
paul
Paul's Passing Thoughts 
leave a comment