Monday, July 25, 2016

TO MY MOTHER, THANK YOU


I recently cleared out all the stuff from my storage unit and I have been going through my

memorabilia. While I am finding out in some ways I have a good memory of how I perceived my childhood, other things I have been chuckling to find out how wrong I was. I had forgotten all the sports our family did. I remember being boy crazy, I remember being sensitive and dramatic. But my grades are not as good as I remembered and my handwriting is atrocious. And unhappily, my plays and short stories were not even as close to being interesting as I remembered. I thought I was a lot more creative than I really was! There is ample evidence that I tried anyway! I know these things to be true since I kept a diary and did a lot of writing, I have proof.

However, I have forgotten something till
yesterday, when I opened up a Bible I had in my childhood. First, though I want to back up and give some context.

We lived in a huge home in Lakewood, and area in Dallas, Texas. And I was not yet in kindergarten. I remember being in the kitchen and I asked my mother if I could marry Jesus when I grew up. She told me that Jesus was God and didn't get married. Well, that was disappointing!

"Can I marry daddy?" "No, I am married to daddy," my mother explained to me. Now I was getting very upset and there was no other men I could think of that were good. "Okay, then I will marry Little Edmund," my older brother. When mother told me that was also not possible I was concerned. While I understood about dad and Little Edmund, I still couldn't quite understand about Jesus. He wasn't married, after all.

My mother kept Jesus always before us in our house. She sang children's songs about Jesus all the time. First to us then I got to listen as she sang to my little brother and sisters. Looking up at my mother, I thought she was an angel from heaven. I really did. No exaggeration.

My mother once told us when we were children that our shoulder blades were leftovers from our wings when we were in heaven. I believed her. Only I didn't really think hers were gone. I always saw her with a soft halo over her head and phantom wings coming off her shoulders.

I remember my mother being very kind. I felt awful one day when I spilled my milk, thinking I had done something terrible and she wiped it up and told me, very sweetly that it was only milk and people were more important than things. She had to tell me that a lot growing up. 


Mother had a way of showing both judgement and mercy that was very much like I think Christ will be. She was relentless about making us admit what we did wrong and apologize, but then all of a sudden once the apology happened, all was well again. The gloom of guilt and embarrassment was over and I found out the sun shown brightly again once you did the right thing. The wonderful world was restored.

It seems like we had family worship every Friday evening from the time I can remember. Once when it was my turn to pray, I said something and my mother said, "amen" and I thought she was telling me to end my prayer and I started to cry. She gently told me that "amen" meant that she was agreeing with what I said. I was so relieved!

The greatest thing I could imagine was being like her, my mother.

Growing up we were very involved in church. As soon as I could, I started teaching in the kindergarten Sabbath School because I thought my early teen Sabbath School was disrespectful to God. Our family sang a lot in church and often in the choir. We sang at the Dallas jail to the prisoners many Sabbath afternoons.

I

wanted to be baptized when I was ten or eleven and went to our church youth pastor and I was told I was too young. One year, on my birthday, I decided to start a Bible collection and saved the money I received and also the money I got at that next Christmas and purchased a little leather Bible for my purse. I wanted to start memorizing scriptures and needed a Bible small enough to take in my purse.

I remember the money in my pocket and entering the Christian book store. I found the beautiful little leather Bible with much excitement and I had some money left over. I spotted a clearance table and there was a huge Bible called The Jerusalem Bible on sale for five dollars. That was going to be the second Bible in my collection. I was so
excited. Sitting in the back seat of my car riding home, I was puzzled because when I was looking through my new and exciting purchase, I realized there were some strange books added. My father told me I had accidentally purchased a Catholic Bible. That made me feel weird, so I put that book on my shelf and decided I wouldn't read it till I was older. But my collection had begun and I was excited.

I also made a commitment to read the Bible all the way through once a year. Some days I forgot, so I would skim as fast as I could through to catch up. Which did me no actual spiritual good, but I had made a pledge to myself and God and I wasn't going to break it!

Isolating these incidence makes it seem like I was this little saint of a child. While I loved Jesus from the time I can remember, mostly I loved Jesus because I loved my parents. I felt Jesus must love me a lot to have put me in my family and so I would never be bad. Never. Ever. I wouldn't make Jesus cry over something I did because that would hurt Him and my mother. 

The vast majority of my childhood I was obsessed with boys. I was going to marry a minister and have eight children. Therefore 70% of my childhood thoughts were of love and romance. Jesus was the structure, but inside that structure were boys, my siblings and my dreams for life.

However, there was something more yesterday when I was looking at my little purchases that day after school when I was (twelve, I think) that made me smile.


My name is Teresa, spelled without an "h." My mother's name was the same but spelled with an "h. However, no one ever called me by my name, for I had a nickname. I signed everything with a nickname--all my school papers, my poems and plays. So when in later years I thought I had lost my little leather Bible, I decided to write my name in each of my books so if anyone found one, they could return it. My nickname was in most books. In the Bibles, I wrote "Theresa."

And I remember exactly why. In my Bibles, I wanted to be the best me I could. I wanted to be reverent and holy. I added the "h" to my name so I could be more like my mother. For there was no one I could imagine being more like Mary the mother of Jesus.











15 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Theresa, this is Dynell Weber. I am not sure how to reach you. So I am trying here. Love your blog. Came across it when I was googling ...

Anonymous said...

I believe you and your husband are sincerely looking for truth do not stop.
And about traditions. Is it not clear that they are not of Jesus Christ when they torture people like in the time of the inquisition.
When the stop reprecenting Jesus in the way that Peter,Paul and the other earl christians did and on the contrary display evil.Do we not then know that they have left the faith?


1john 2:6He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

1john2:9He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. 11But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

1john2:15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
18Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. 19They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
Here is a good testimony for you to consider.

From France to Texas, From Atheism to Roman Catholicism to the Biblical Jesus - Testimony of Camille

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcKEwwoVp_w
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpN9t78-M6M

May the will of god happen in your lives in Jesus Christ name.

G.Markus (markusotheremail@mail.com)

Teresa Beem said...

G. Markus,
Thank you for your response. Here is my comment to you:

ALL of God's Word began with oral tradition. Since the definition of tradition is "that which is passed down," oral traditions is that which is passed down orally. Every single bit of truth that is known from the scripture was FIRST passed on to humans from God in an oral form. Even the Ten Commandments WRITTEN by the hand of God, was FIRST said at Mt. Sinai to Israel. So the Bible started out at oral tradition. Later it was put in written form.

The Bible is not against oral tradition at all. In fact St. Paul himself told his protege Timothy in a letter to KEEP the traditions passed down to him in BOTH oral and written form. Both are the Word of God, and both hold equal authority.

As far as the Inquisition: Your assumption in your statement infers that if a group of people or a system is flawed and makes mistakes, then it is not the right system or group. That is an erroneous premise. ALL people, all groups and all systems make mistakes. You will never find a church to belong to if you are looking for a perfect church. In fact, Christ WARNED us that HIS CHURCH--the one HE sets up as His Kingdom of HEAVEN is not perfect. It will have the wheats and tares. It will be full of fish that will be tossed from the net. It will have both sheep and goats that must be separated when He comes. The Kingdom of God is going to have the good and the bad. It is a hospital for sinners. EVEN those leaders are in need of repentance and sanctification.

If you read the Old Testament, you will find that God's people ISRAEL, failed God over and over from unfaithfulness in their courage to things so horrible as sacrificing their babies to the God of Molech. Look at the sons of the High Priests Aaron, Eli and Samuel. Israel's leadership was corrupt, its people corrupt. And yet, God did not take away their position as His Chosen People.

The Catholic Church has much to be ashamed of in history, as does the Reformation too! The Reformation has done unimaginable damage to the Body of Christ. The Reformers ended up being just as blood-thirsty and bent on the killing of "heretics" as any Catholic. In fact, more Catholics have been killed by Protestants than the other way around. Luther stimulated the Peasant's Revolt that slaughtered over 100,000 innocent people--more in one revolt than all the 700 years of the Inquisition put together. Over ten times MORE in one revolt. History is replete with horror stories of Protestant leaders. The Anabaptists, the Irish Catholics, the Jews, abortion. There is blood on all of our hands. We must humbly go before God and plead His forgiveness and mercy. Then we need to stop the incessant pitting of brother against brother. All who have God as their Father and Christ as their brother, are Christians. And we are called to love on another.

Blessings to you my friend!

Anonymous said...

Chapter#1.ALL of God's Word began with oral tradition. Since the definition of tradition is "that which is passed down," oral traditions is that which is passed down orally. Every single bit of truth that is known from the scripture was FIRST passed on to humans from God in an oral form. Even the Ten Commandments WRITTEN by the hand of God, was FIRST said at Mt. Sinai to Israel. So the Bible started out at oral tradition. Later it was put in written form.

The Bible is not against oral tradition at all. In fact St. Paul himself told his protege Timothy in a letter to KEEP the traditions passed down to him in BOTH oral and written form. Both are the Word of God, and both hold equal authority.
-----------------------------


Commet to chapter#1. What I meant was that, is it not obvious that the roman-chatolic "tradition" is not the true christian tradition?

Like what you explained in one of your interviews.When you where searching for truth among protestant congregations one baptist pastor told you -you have to stay within the confound of christian tradition…
I agree that we should look to the first followers of Jesus Christ in order to get sound teaching. And we have the records of them in the Bible. In the new testament. When you read Peter and Paul does it not ring true somehow in the same way as when you read the words of Jesus?
And then in the future if someone writes or speaks something. Or the way they live their lives. All of that should be judged and compared with the words of Christ and the first "generation"-christians who lived "truth" out and commented on it,the traditional teaching so to say. I mean if someone leave the truth they are no longer in it.Right?
-----------------------------------

Anonymous said...

1/2 Chapter#2.As far as the Inquisition: Your assumption in your statement infers that if a group of people or a system is flawed and makes mistakes, then it is not the right system or group. That is an erroneous premise. ALL people, all groups and all systems make mistakes.
---------------------------------
Comment to chapter#2. The right system is the way of Christ.
*******
Acts 22:4
And I persecuted this way unto the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women.
******

The right group are the once that belong to Christ.
************
John 13:8
Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

Matt25:33
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.34Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink, I was a stranger and you took Me in, 36I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you looked after Me, I was in prison and you visited Me.’
37Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? 38When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and cloth You? 39When did we see You sick or in prison and visit You?’
40And the King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’
41Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave Me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave Me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, I was naked and you did not clothe Me, I was sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44And they too will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’
45Then the King will answer, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’
46And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
***********
There are only two groups.Right?
So then the group that belongs to Jesus,is it "flawed"?
And does the people that belong to Jesus make mistakes?

depends on what you are including the definition "flawed" and the definition of the words "makes mistakes".
Is not the gospel that we should repent? Are we not to stop sinning?
*************

Anonymous said...

2/2 chapter#2
depends on what you are including the definition "flawed" and the definition of the words "makes mistakes".
Is not the gospel that we should repent? Are we not to stop sinning?
*************
Matt 4:17
From that time on Jesus began to preach, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near."

Acts 2:37
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and asked Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.…

1Cor6:9
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.


1John 3:6
Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him. 7Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 10In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
****************

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Anonymous said...

Chapter #3.You will never find a church to belong to if you are looking for a perfect church. In fact, Christ WARNED us that HIS CHURCH--the one HE sets up as His Kingdom of HEAVEN is not perfect. It will have the wheats and tares. It will be full of fish that will be tossed from the net. It will have both sheep and goats that must be separated when He comes. The Kingdom of God is going to have the good and the bad. It is a hospital for sinners. EVEN those leaders are in need of repentance and sanctification.
------------------------------------


Comment to chapter#3. Is it not so that the one who is perfect is Jesus? And he is the one we should follow?
**********
Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
************

And the goats will not go to heaven.
**************
Matt 25:46
And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
*************
And the tares will be burnt.

36Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. 37He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; 39The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. 40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
****************
The Kingdom of God is going to have the good and the bad. That seems to be a scriptural fact.

Concernig likening the kingdom to a hospital there is at least one part of scripture that could fit.
***************
psalms 147:3
He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds.
***************
As we see in scripture God allows tare go grow side by side wheat.
But is that not an explanation of who judgement does not always happen immediately as for Ananias and Safira.

And here in the following text we can see that everybody was not perfect amongst them in the beginning.
*****************
1Cor11:18For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 19For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
*****************
While those things are true it does not mean that they went killing people nor tortured people.
---------------------------------------------

Anonymous said...

Chapter#4.If you read the Old Testament, you will find that God's people ISRAEL, failed God over and over from unfaithfulness in their courage to things so horrible as sacrificing their babies to the God of Molech. Look at the sons of the High Priests Aaron, Eli and Samuel. Israel's leadership was corrupt, its people corrupt. And yet, God did not take away their position as His Chosen People.
-------------------------------------

Comment to chapter#4. Here you parallel israel and the roman-catholic-church.
you can see that the remnant and the true followers in the old covenant exposed the sins of Israel and themselves. When they realized their mistakes they repented.They throe their clothes.The remnant truely wanted Gods will for their lives.And they came out of adultery.they stopped. Roman-catholic-church do not do that.
If leaders are doing wrong,we do wrong by following them.Right?
*****************
1 Kings 21:25
But there was none like to Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up. 26And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.

And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.

2 Kings 23:11
He removed from the entrance to the temple of the LORD the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun. They were in the court near the room of an official named Nathan-Melek. Josiah then burned the chariots dedicated to the sun.

********************************

Anonymous said...

Chapter#5.The Catholic Church has much to be ashamed of in history, as does the Reformation too! The Reformation has done unimaginable damage to the Body of Christ. The Reformers ended up being just as blood-thirsty and bent on the killing of "heretics" as any Catholic. In fact, more Catholics have been killed by Protestants than the other way around. Luther stimulated the Peasant's Revolt that slaughtered over 100,000 innocent people--more in one revolt than all the 700 years of the Inquisition put together. Over ten times MORE in one revolt. History is replete with horror stories of Protestant leaders. The Anabaptists, the Irish Catholics, the Jews, abortion. There is blood on all of our hands. We must humbly go before God and plead His forgiveness and mercy. Then we need to stop the incessant pitting of brother against brother. All who have God as their Father and Christ as their brother, are Christians. And we are called to love on another.
------------------------

Comments on chapter#5. I agree with you that christians should not ;do unimaginable damage,be blood thirsty,kill of "heretics" ,do abortion(kill).

In fact does not the bible say we should not eat with them who calls themselves christians and do bad.
*****************
1cor5:11
But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.
*******************


You wrote;There is blood on all of our hands.
**************
Rom3:23
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
****************


You wrote;We must humbly go before God and plead His forgiveness and mercy.
*******************
1John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
******************

You wrote; Then we need to stop the incessant pitting of brother against brother.


pitting1
[pit-ing]
Spell Syllables
Synonyms Examples Word Origin
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
noun
1.
the act or operation of digging a pit or pits.
2.
the act or operation of placing in a pit or pits.
3.
arranging or staging cockfights.



Yeah,that does not sound like loving your nabour.


You wrote; All who have God as their Father and Christ as their brother, are Christians.
********************
John 8:42
Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. 46Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? 47He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.


Mark3:35
For whoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
*********************************

Yes,so Jesus said if someone does the lusts of the devil they do not have God as father. Right?


You wrote;And we are called to love on another.
**************
John 13:34
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
**************
Yes.

Does it not seem that the Teachings of Jesus Christ in the Bible teaches anyone who kills or do torture ,is not of God?

May the will of God happen in Jesus Christ name.

Markus

Teresa Beem said...

Hello Marcus! Thank you so much for your additional clarifications.
My response to your comments on Ch. 1:

The New Testament was written by those who had contact with Jesus Christ. And since it was Matthew, Mark, Luke and John who wrote their gospels about Him, we can be assured that their memories and research about Christ would in no way correct or be different than Paul and Peter's. (Although technically, Paul never knew Jesus in the same way the Apostles did.) The New Testament writers do not contradict each other. So we are in total agreement.

Your next point is that we should judge more recent teachings by the teachings written in scripture. I agree. When I read scripture, it tells me that Christ started a church and that we are to go to the church for clarification and for authority as well as interpretation of morals and faith. (See Matt. 18). THAT IS being obedient to the written Word of God.

Teresa Beem said...

To the rest of your comments. Absolutely! Anyone who does not repent of his wickedness and call upon the grace of God to help them, should refrain from calling themselves Christians. However, I, as a human without the knowledge of God, cannot judge who is sincerely repenting and who is not. For everyone among the people of God sin.

So, I have to go to the church CHRIST started. The Church is HIS Bride, therefore, I have to truth Christ's choice for His Bride. It really comes down to just that. I do not have the knowledge or ability to judge God's leadership. What would we do, even if we could? We each would have different standards. Some might say, if 100% of the leaders in a church are perfect, I will join it. Some might say, if only 50% of the leaders are wicked, that is good enough for me to join. Who gets to decide who and how many? I don't think God wants that type of system.

Christ began a church. We should stick with that. It's the safest and most Biblical route.

Teresa Beem said...

Sorry, I thought I had the option of going in and editing my post. So excuse the typos.

Anonymous said...

Hi again.
(See Matt. 18). THAT IS being obedient to the written Word of God.

Matt 18.1515 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.

16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

18 Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

19 Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.

20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
------------------
I guess you referred to this text?
So we are to go to the group of believers as a whole if they do not listen to correction…
But if the whole group we find ourselves in are in error… ? Should we stay and partake you think?

Anonymous said...

And consider this passage; 1 John 2:18
Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.

19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.

21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
--------------------------------------
Her we can see that a falling away had already started at that time.


Also here;

2 Thessalonians 2:3
Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
------------------------


So,when it is like that,it would not be good to stay in one of those groups that has fallen away,right?

If someone who have never heard the gospel and read the new testament before would come to faith on an dessert island.They would start to share the gospel and start to live according to the word with the best of their ability.Live like that for a time and then be shown the roman catholic church. Would they not see that something is wrong?

Anonymous said...

You wrote;What would we do, even if we could? We each would have different standards. Some might say, if 100% of the leaders in a church are perfect, I will join it. Some might say, if only 50% of the leaders are wicked, that is good enough for me to join. Who gets to decide who and how many? I don't think God wants that type of system.
-------------------------
Ephesians 5:25-27 ESV

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.
---------------------
There is only one true church. The church of Jesus Christ. He himself is the leader. And he is the one we should join up with.
And hi is 100% perfect. but then later in our walk if we find brothers and sisters to fellowship with..if they are going against what we know to be true and are doing unlawful things. Are not we then partakers if we continue with them?