Well a few weeks ago I was talking to someone about my blog, and mainly about how harsh I have been toward the church in general and he said you still need to remember the church is still Christs bride. I did alot of thinking about that comment and here is where I am at.
The Church as in institution is not Christs bride, the group of people making rules and standards, the building, that is not Christs bride. And for the most part that is where my problems lies with the institution of “The Church”. Christs bride is made up of those people who follow Christ, it is made up of the Christians. There are many people who I am honored to look up to in “The Church” but it is “The Church” I am frustrated with.
So I just wanted to make that clear, I am frustrated with the institution of the church and I believe God is too. That said there are many people in the church, even our church, that I look up to and respect for there walk with God, people who I know are following him and my frustration is not toward them.
Let us never become to content with “The Church” or get stuck with the idea it is Gods bride. Because the institution is not, He already at least some what replaced the Catholic Church, there is no reason that he will not do that again with the american protestant church.
While I agree with some of your post , I would like you to challenge us with scripture. It is easy to use the word institution, but where in scripture does it describe what the church should look like. Before I throw The Church out I would like to know what God feels through His words.
Every passage I read about the church shows His passionate love toward her. Even when they have messed up He still urges them to continue to follow Him.
Also can you explain what you meant by Gos replacing the Catholic Church? I am not sure I understand where you are coming from. Thanks.
Romans 16:5: “…also greet the church that is in their house…” showing the church has nothing to do with the rules, the building, the denominations, but it strictly deals with the people, the Christians. I never suggested you should throw out the church, what I suggested is that we do not get so stuck on “The Church” that we fail to challenge what it stands for as long as we come from a biblical stand point.
Also there are several old testament passages that show Gods anger toward his people “Israel” and we still worship that same God, just because he loves us does not mean he does not get Angry with us. (see Exodus 32:10, Numbers 11:1, Deuteronomy 7:4)
Also you see Jesus’ anger against the Pharisees for there hypocrisy. (Matthew 23:29-33, Mark 7:5-7)
God loves the church, but the church is the people not the rules, or denominations, it is those people who love him. That said God still gets angry with his people those who love him when they do not live how he wants.
What I was saying about the Catholic Church is it became corrupt, filled with problems and it left the way God meant the church to be to far to be restored, and through the protestant reformation and Martin Luther’s 95 Theses the Catholic church is now at best a denomination, though many people don’t even see it as that, for many of their practices are to far from biblical.
Good. Thanks! I think it is imperative to use scripture when talking about His church!