Men Always Try To Soulishly Polish The Image They Have Created

But truth be told there were a lot of things that just were not right going on behind the scenes...

One that really bothered me about my first church when I attended and participated in it, was that there always was an unspoken ideology.

Everyone was expected to be loyal to the "brand" and speak glowingly of the senior Pastor , denying all reality if it didn't fit the status quo.

All of the pastors that I knew personally towed the line with out questioning.

I knew deep down inside that this was somehow not how God would have it.

Over the years as negative stuff would happen it was routinely swept under the carpet and not even discussed at all.

Everyone involved was expected to keep up the squeaky clean perfection Pollyanna facade image that that church personified and worked hard at maintaining.

Even the Bible allows the negative things to be exposed about some of the people we read about in it.

There are some who feel the same way.

I know of one of the pastors, from personal experience and what others have said, who took a perverted delight somehow in banning the brothers from his services at this church for the slightest infractions.

Even if the brothers repented and pleaded with him to be allowed back into the fellowship, this pastor persisted in ousting them.

He admitted this to a sister.  And yes, she had talked about what he had told her during their many talks together.

After awhile, most people moved on because they knew something just was not right with the place.

They could 'sense it even though they may not have known what exactly what it was they were picking up on.

It became a finely polished name brand of Christianity that one was expected to maintain at all cost over and above the truth of Christianity in some respects.

 Never mind that man behind the curtain.'

They actually tossed the Holy Spirit and His gifts out...while pretending that they had not.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit was something that was not all that important and got marginalized and dismissed behind a block wall after services instead of being a part of the community proper.

Now things may be different these days since I have not attended there in a few decades.

Or they may be same old same old.

One thing that I do know is this church brand name is a mere shadow of it's former glory and will never again be what it once was nor will it grow any more than it was when their senior pastor was alive.

In fact I will venture to say that it will diminish and be in total decline.

I am watching and waiting to see where the Holy Spirit empowers and moves through next.

Having seen quite a few "flash in the pans" over the years, I know that the Holy Spirit does show up.

Unfortunately those whom He chooses to bless with His manifested presence don't always understand how to conduct themselves nor do they understand that it is He and not them that is so wonderful and powerful.

In every case the Holy Spirit will step over them and go elsewhere to manifest his presence and power if they start thinking that they are somehow special and better than all the others.

All of us can pretend that we are squeaky clean Christians and that our places of gathering together are so perfect and wonderful, or we can be humble and recognize that we are fallen humans redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb and saved by grace at the merciful hand of a God who loves us.

Not one of us is any better than another!

As the Scriptures say, "No one is righteous--not even one.
Romans 3:10

We come together knowing that we are all equal and that we are part of only one family of God, the "Body of Christ."

We are not to polish a Brand name of Christianity at the exclusion of all others.

That is of the flesh, it is soulish!

I am have been witness to such and will not apologize for speaking out against it.

If you find your self being loyal to a brand name of Christianity you better go back to the Bible and figure out what the Family of God is that you have been adopted into, the Body of Christ.

There is to be no division within the one Body of Christ. 

We are all to be as one and they will know we are Christian by our love for one another.

 "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
John 13:35

A New Command I Give You
…34"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

 1 John 3:14
We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love each other. Anyone who does not love remains in death.

 1 John 4:20
Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

2 John 1:5
And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.

John 17:21 That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, …

Acts 4:32-35 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul…

 1 John 2:5,10 But whoever keeps his word, in him truly is the love of God perfected: …

 1 John 4:20,21 If a man say, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar…

 Before Christ left the disciples, he would give them a new commandment.

 They were to love each other for Christ's sake, and according to his example, seeking what might benefit others, and promoting the cause of the gospel, as one body, animated by one soul.

 But this commandment still appears new to many professors.

 Men in general will take notice of any of Christ's words rather than these.

 By this it appears, that if the followers of Christ do not show love one to another, they give cause to suspect their sincerity.

Love, it is the power which has revolutionized thought, society, and life.

So long as this great power of the love from Almighty God prevailed, the Church made astounding progress; when the so-called disciples of Christ began to hate and kill one another the progress was arrested.

 But, thank God, the "new commandment" has always had marvelous power over the Church of Christ.

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

John 13:34

Not just those of your own fellowship or church or preferred Brand name of Christianity...