Curious to know if people have a local body they attend? The reason why: I have been on this website and enjoy the discussions and sermons. Is it possible that we can get ourselves secluded from those in churches to don't have the passion and desire to know God the way this website promotes? The subject matter here is very encouraging and has been time test of spiritual truths; of course I didn't listen to every pastor and sermon so I truly don't know. Can we be in a danger to isolate ourselves? Because what I have been going through has been hard, wanting to see God more and Love Him more. To be sanctified for His Glory. I see that turning into cynicism for myself and need to reject that and pray for forgiveness. I can see how easily we can say 'they(in the churches) just don't get, they are got it so wrong.' I am not advocating heresy by any means. But I think it would be so easy to be self righteous and judgmental. If some or I feel that way I can see why some wouldn't want to go to church.

In His Love'
Reformer

If anyone is physically able they should be active in a local church body in their area. To me SI is of that same body. Are there any perfect ones without hypocrites? No. Only one thing declares me perfect. That is the blood of Jesus. Does that mean I am free to live in sin and do as want? I was bought with a price, therfore I need to offer my body a living sacrifice, that is my reasonable service. It doesn't cost us anything to come Jesus but it costs everything to follow HIM. Jesus said to the rich young ruler when he ask," what must I do to be saved. Keep my commandments, the rich young man replied," I have done that from my youth, then Jesus said sell all you have and give it to the poor and come follow me. The rich young man went away sad because he great posessions. What message was Jesus conveying. If he isn't Lord of all, then he is not Lord at all.
Many people go away sad because of their earthly possesions. He does not need our earthly posessions. He owns them anyway. He is the one that gave them to us. When we realize that he did give all, it will change our life. We will become more concerned about pleasing HIM than pleasing men.

I am a little confused, so be patient with me as I explain. I guess it concerns me that you stated: "To me SI is of that same body." This is a format to discuss and pray with believers, not a church. We should never forsake the assembly with others. There is something that will never replace coming together in a physical way to pray to study, and to worship. We should love in just word and but deed. Love is action and it is hard to get that when some chose to watch it at home or on SI. I agree that some just can't make it to church. But, that is when we go to visit those who can't. Its dangerous not to be in a local body. No man is an island. And what a man or woman is in private, where know on else can see, that is a true test to what kind of person they are. Is that person going to be looking at pornography and lustful things at home in private. That is when the devil has you, when he can get us alone and feel we don't need others to hold us accountable. I don't completely agree with your verse selection. If you are saying that we can have our churches as earthly possessions? that we can go to church just to please man? If that is what your implying, I agree, we should never go to church to make us feel we are saved or just to see the latest and greatness pastor and choir. We need to go to church to serve, to fellowship and equip one another. A true test if we are saved is that we love our Christians brothers and sisters and that we want to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and others.

I have a local Church in Detroit, we meet on the streets or in houses... I do not join with the babylonian system that God delivered me from.

Where 2 or 3 are gathered.

In Christ - Jim

reformer wrote:
I am a little confused, so be patient with me as I explain. I guess it concerns me that you stated: "To me SI is of that same body."

moe_mac response:
His church is believers everywhere, not just when gathered together in a building with a certain name on it to identify what doctrine we have.
When we assemble on SI for prayer and lifting up HIS name, discerning what HIS WORD says, in some ways we are doing more than many on Sunday morning. Assembling together means just what it says, when we are logged in we are assembled. Does it nullify the local body, no.

reformer wrote:
This is a format to discuss and pray with believers, not a church.

moe_mac response:
Contrary to popular belief, HIS church is HIS people not a building or just a group of people in a certain area.

reformer wrote:
I don't completely agree with your verse selection.
moe_mac response:
I don't know what you didn't agree with on the verse selection but it is located in Matt 19:17-22 if that was what you were referring to. If in anyway you thought I was implying that anyone had the church as an earthly posession it was something else or someone else speaking to you that implied that, because it certainly wasn't in the words I wrote or was not intended.

reformer wrote:
A true test if we are saved is that we love our Christians brothers and sisters and that we want to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and others.

mac response:
There are many test in HIS WORD that allows to examine ourselves. The test you mentioned is one of them. But I submit to you that if you look closely into the early church you see everyone of them standing on the WORD of GOD, standing against government and anyone else who distorted, changed, or compromised HIS WORD and were persecuted for standing for it. THe same is true today, the church has modernized, compromised, and changed HIS WORD to fit the culture including the denomination I am a member of. I am an active member of a local body and I believe it is each believers love for HIM to be a part of to use the gift that he has given us by HIS grace to serve in that body that HE has placed us. I don't know why my post seem to be so offensive to you and you response and what you thought I implied and what I intended to reply was certainly (edit) not the same. Although the verse selection I gave was right on target. If he is not Lord of all, he is not Lord at all. There are too many other scriptures back that verse up. Narrow is the way.

EDIT
The members on SI that are saved by HIS grace and have HIS SPIRIT living within them are a member of the same church I belong to. One body, one SPIRIT, One Baptism. ONE LORD.

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Josh Parsley

Curious to know if people have a local body they attend?

My husband and I attend at the church we were married in. The pastor is a man who loves people, and preaches the Word in the Power of the Holy Spirit. (note: I don't mean weird manifestations...)

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Melissa

Hi Reformer,

My family and I attend a very small holiness church (Bible Methodist, not to be confused with United Methodist ;-) ), but we are not members.

SI is a place for me to come and fellowship with other believers and be sharpened and challenged in the Lord. I don't see it as a church, but as another way to connect with the Body of Christ.

Jordan

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Jordan

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Josh Parsley