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 Death by Denomination

” The histories of the monks and the friars shows that if a spiritual movement can be kept within the confines of the Roman Catholic Church or any similar system, it is doomed and must be dragged down to the level of that which it sought originally to reform.It purchases exemption from persecution at the cost of its life. Francis of Assisi and Peter Waldo were both laid hold of by the same teaching of the Lord and yielded themselves to Him with uttermost devotion. In each case the example set and the teaching given gained the hearts of large numbers and affected their whole manner of life. The likeness turned to contrast when the one was accepted and the other rejected by the organized religion of Rome. The inward relation to the Lord may have remained the same, but the working out of the two lives differed widely. The Franciscans being absorbed into the Roman system, helped to blind men to it, while Waldo and his band of preachers directed multitudes of souls to the Scriptures, where they learned to draw for themselves fresh )and inexhaustible supplies from the ” wells of salvation.” (The Pilgrim Church, pg 117)

Can you see what Broadbent is saying? Those who bow to an institution,any denomination, are doomed to die a slow death and that which began as fire is doused by the waters of compromise and idolatry. God is a jealous God. He shares His glory with no one and no institution. You cannot serve two masters, you will ultimately love the one and hate the other. The burning fire of God takes place outside the walls, outside the bounds of organized religion. This fire ultimately becomes the enemy of all religion. That is why Frank Bartleman was so upset when the Azusa street revival morphed into a denomination. This would guarantee the demise of the movement itself. Whether a movement begins within the confines of organised religion or becomes an organised religion, the end result is the same. Better to stay within the confines of God and God alone and be persecuted and killed, than to die the slow death of compromise and idolatry. The Waldenses that Broadbent makes reference to when speaking of Waldo, was ruthlessly hunted down and eventually wiped out by religion. Yet, the gates of hell did not prevail against the genuine Church nor can it. God always maintains a witness in the land, a remnant.

Gods end-time Church will burn with the fire of God outside the camp of religion. They will be no less hated by all men. They will fulfill the high priestly prophecy of John 17 and they shall be one for a witness to the world, without compromise and idolatry. The only authority that they shall bow to will be the authority of God. The authority of man ultimately corrupts the moving of God. Self preservation and a desire to avoid persecution in all its many forms is the death of any movement of God. The last great movement of God shall embrace persecution and count it an honor to suffer humiliation and rejection and persecution for His sake, for in this they follow closely in the footsteps of Jesus. And the greatest persecution will come from those who seek to control and organize the people of God. When Gods people reject the authority of religion, they become its greatest enemy and this leads to their persecution. Only lovers of truth will stand in the coming days of darkness. One must be willing to forsake all in order to gain eternal glory.......bro Frank

 2014/10/1 8:04
sermonindex
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 Re: Death by Denomination


I believe Broadbent is speaking of primarily the Catholic system and other truly religious systems. He is not speaking of evangelical denominations by-in-large for he himself was involved in the brethren denomination which was a highly organized group.

I believe what he is saying is true movements and denominations (sects, groups or whatever name we call them) will free people to serve the Lord and recieve revelation from the Scriptures. While the system will make people serve it and its traditions and not Christ Himself.

Organisation is not the evil but rather those who teach brethren to serve traditions instead of following the Scriptures and God-ordained men.

Quote:
The only authority that they shall bow to will be the authority of God



I would think that it is important for true brethren to be submissive to authority in the Church itself and also to the civil authorities as much as lies in them according to the scriptures. Of course if men in the church are leading people from the Scriptures in error they do not have to be submitted to in the end. God's people actually are marked by a spirit of "bowing" (that of humility and preferring others before themselves). The last shall be first.


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2014/10/1 11:00Profile









 Re: Death by Denomination

Then we shall disagree brother. Here is what Broadbent actually said ...........

" The histories of the monks and the friars shows that if a spiritual movement can be kept within the confines of the Roman Catholic Church or any similar system, it is doomed and must be dragged down to the level of that which it sought originally to reform."

Note the words " or any similar system." It is the systems of men that kills and it is the Spirit that gives life to men who follow Him no matter the systems of men. No one said any of these systems were in and of themselves evil, they are inherrently flawed is what Broadbent is saying and they are not Biblical. Let Scripture be our guide and not the traditions of men..........bro Frank

 2014/10/1 11:27









 Re: Death by Denomination

amen, brother Frank.

 2014/10/1 14:35









 which 'denomination' brother Greg?

or 'leaders'?...or "authorities?...in the "Church"?

that's the Body of Christ...yet how many denominations are there?

and I don't understand what you mean by "true brethren"?
whats the definition, in your mind, of "true brethren"?

and I don't understand why you bring "civil authorities" into the mix, as they have shown themselves to be the biggest enemy of Jesus, with their lies, and their greed, and lust for power, worshiping power and gold as an idol.

its pure evil....

like brother Frank, then I have to disagree with what you wrote.

 2014/10/1 14:49
brothagary
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Joined: 2011/10/23
Posts: 2556


 Re: which 'denomination' brother Greg?

i agree with greg and have similar thoughts ,the writer of that ,would be a hipocreat him self to be involved in a denomination and say what he said if it included what he him self was practicing

 2014/10/1 15:23Profile









 Re:

Then we shall agree to disagree Gary :) As for Broadbent, he was a missionary who travelled to countless countries to share the gospel. He was associated with " The Plymouth Brethren." That was simply a designation given to them by others, they actually just called themselves brothers or brethren. Most within that early movement, especially those not so closely associated with Darby, simply called themselves Christian.

You will be glad to know that Broadbent was not a hypocrite but was in fact a very brave missionary who went into countries considered to be " closed," to share the Gospel.........bro Frank

 2014/10/1 15:50
noone
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Posts: 75
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 Re:

Quote: "Then we shall disagree brother. Here is what Broadbent actually said ...........

" The histories of the monks and the friars shows that if a spiritual movement can be kept within the confines of the Roman Catholic Church or any similar system, it is doomed and must be dragged down to the level of that which it sought originally to reform."

Note the words " or any similar system." It is the systems of men that kills and it is the Spirit that gives life to men who follow Him no matter the systems of men. No one said any of these systems were in and of themselves evil, they are inherrently flawed is what Broadbent is saying and they are not Biblical. Let Scripture be our guide and not the traditions of men..........bro Frank"




Amen!

sidenote: I am a woman not a brother :)


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Tina

 2014/10/1 16:08Profile
MaryJane
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Joined: 2006/7/31
Posts: 3057


 Re:

Greetings Frank

I have to say amen to what you have shared here as well!!
Love this line especially:"Let Scripture be our guide and not the traditions of men..........bro Frank"


God bless
maryjane

 2014/10/1 16:15Profile
ADisciple
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Joined: 2007/2/3
Posts: 835
Alberta, Canada

 Re:

Greg said, "...the brethren denomination which was a highly organized group."

Not in its beginnings it wasn't. It wasn't highly organized, and in fact it wasn't a denomination. In its beginnings it was one of the strongest movements of the Spirit the world has ever seen.

But eventually it suffered the fate that the Broadbent quote described, and somewhere along the way became just another of the many denominations.

In fact the Brethren (both open and closed) stood against the Pentecostal move of the Spirit in the early 1900s. They still do (at least the ones with whom I am familiar do).

In any case, is it time to ask just what it is that constitutes true leadership in the Church? God certainly provides leadership for His churches, and calls for submission to them. But what makes a person a leader? A certificate from a denominational Bible school? So that, if I am part of a little group that is not headed up by such a man, I am not in submission to leadership?


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Allan Halton

 2014/10/1 17:08Profile





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