Tradition Has Replaced the Word of God, Part 2
The Holy Spirit, through Paul, wrote 1 Corinthians, chapter 12, the way that He wanted the church (believers, NOT a building) to meet and operate. Without a doubt, as we visit most any church in the USA today, the church is definitely OUT OF ORDER; tradition having REPLACED and CHOKED the Word of God.
Mark 4:
19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, CHOKE the word, and it becometh unfruitful.
These, according to the Word of God, are the reasons why we REFUSE to REPENT and OBEY the Word of God.
In this article I'll discuss further how the Holy Spirit, through Paul, wrote 1 Corinthians, chapter 12, the way that He wanted the church (believers, NOT a building) to MEET and OPERATE.
Let's look at pertinent verses - please read these carefully:
1Corinthians 12:
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
The church (believers, NOT a building) is made up of PEOPLE who are BORN AGAIN by the Spirit of God and acknowledge that JESUS IS LORD OF THE CHURCH.
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
EVERY PERSON is GIVEN, by GOD ALONE, different GIFTS and FUNCTIONS in the church (body of believers).
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the WORD OF WISDOM; to another the WORD OF KNOWLEDGE by the same Spirit;
9 To another FAITH by the same Spirit; to another the GIFTS OF HEALING by the same Spirit;
10 To another the WORKING OF MIRACLES; to another PROPHECY; to another DISCERNING OF SPIRITS; to another DIVERSE KINDS OF TONGUES; to another the INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
DID YOU CATCH THAT? The Holy Spirit of God GIVES OUT THESE GIFTS TO WHOMEVER HE CHOOSES! They DO NOT all belong to the Pastor, associate pastor or the visiting Evangelist! YOU, MY BROTHER AND SISTER HAVE ONE OR MORE OF THESE THINGS ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD. You are to meet with other believers and LET GOD USE YOU TO OPERATE IN THE BODY WITH THE GIFTS GOD HAS GIVEN YOU OR THE ADMINISTRATION OR OPERATION ABILITIES THAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU.
Please consider this:
COMING INTO THE UNDERSTANDING OF THESE THINGS, WHY WOULD WE GO INTO A BUILDING (thinking you are going into a church) and sit in a pew, listen to a choir, sing some worship songs together, give your tithes and offerings into DISOBEDIENT GROUND CHOKED BY TRADITIONS OF MEN, listen to a sermon, sing some more songs, listen to the choir again, (this part is for Pentecostals and Charasmatics only - watch the pastor and/or associate and/or visiting evangelist lay hands on the sick and those who have other needs - while you pray for them or WATCH THIS FROM YOUR PEW SEAT)?''
AND PLEASE TELL ME THIS:
How many of you or someone you know have gone into this traditional setting HAVING A DESPERATE NEED of salvation, healing, deliverance, finances or other needs AND WALKED AWAY FROM THIS MEETING with the same DESPERATE NEED that you had when you entered?
THIS IS NOT GOD'S WILL FOR HIS BODY!
HIS WORD WORKS BY FAITH! I'll say it again.....HIS WORD WORKS BY FAITH! YOUR FAITH in believing WHAT HE SAID IS TRUE. True yesterday, today and forever. It is SETTLED in heaven. God will ONLY honor His Word.
He WILL NOT CHANGE FOR YOU!
JESUS IS THE WORD! WILL WE HONOR HIM? WILL WE OBEY HIM?
Or will we continue in the VAIN TRADITIONS OF MEN, thinking that we will receive anyway?
IS GOD A LIAR? We know He ABSOLUTELY IS NOT!
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
14 For the body is not one member, but many.
And I will close with this:
23 And those members of the body, which we think to be LESS HONORABLE, upon these WE BESTOW MORE ABUNDANT HONOR; and our UNCOMELY PARTS have MORE ABUNDANT COMELINESS.
God's way is HONOR FROM THE BOTTOM UP. Man's TRADITIONAL way is honor from the top down.
I hope some of you are WAKING UP and will RISE UP and TAKE YOUR RIGHTFUL PLACE in the body of Christ.
COME OUT of these man-made traditional "churches" and start a HOME FELLOWSHIP and start to OPERATE ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF GOD!
GOD'S PROMISE:
Matthew 18:
20 For where TWO or THREE are gathered together in my name, there am I IN THE MIDST of them.
Then BELIEVE GOD that He will HONOR HIS WORD!
Hebrews 4:
12 For the Word of God is QUICK and POWERFUL and SHARPER than any two edged sword, PIERCING even to the DIVIDING ASUNDER of the SOUL and SPIRIT and of the JOINTS and MARROW and is a DISCERNER of the THOUGHTS and INTENTS of the HEART.