I had been called on the carpet for wearing glasses. It was a humiliating experience. I had enough problems at home without people adding any more to it. The people in the church seemed to have it all together in their faith. They couldn't possibly understand. And yet, I am sure they didn't have it altogether. But that is how they came off. And I was struggling and yet began to see those cracks in the whole thing.
I didn't leave right away because I was really confused on whether I would actually lose my salvation. But something was going on in our family life that really was a good thing and it did help me break off from the church.
Living with an alcoholic, it is easy to get in trouble with finances. Our house payment was getting behind and we might lose our home. However, my dad said he would buy it from us. Therefore, we could wipe out that problem. So we started looking for a cheaper place and we found one in the country in another county. And so we sold our home to my parents and bought this other place. And it was not too long after that, that my husband got sober and not too much longer that he got saved.
But in the meantime, it was too far to still be going to that church. And it was for the best though it took a long time to get out of the mindset of what I had been taught though. Once you really get indoctrinated into a certain mindset or teaching where things are ingrained in you, it is not easy to let go of them. And so, all of that did not suddenly disappear the day I left the church for the last time. But the time came when I had to once and for all, go back from the beginning and figure out just what I did believe and what I didn't. And I have to thank God because that is what finally brought me out of all the confusion that I had been in.
And I did it by reading and really studying the book of Romans. That is where the God that I had been taught as a child, took over that confusion to get rid of it and help me to get back to my early roots. And I am so thankful for that.
However, the devil was not finished with me yet. We met some people that were holding bible studies in their home and got to be good friends with them. At one point, the group of us started going to a local church. And it was good in a lot of ways because all of us pitched in to help. My husband and I got involved in the children's church with some of our friends there. But after we had been there for a couple of years, the pastor was found to be stealing money from the church. and some other things as well. It was a dishearting thing for all of us because it basically broke up the church. And through that experience, all of us realized just how he and his wife had manipulated us in many different ways. We should have figured it out long before we did, but that is how the devil works. He is sometimes so sneaky that you don't know it until it is too late. Our church had broken up. People scattered to different churches or some didn't go to any at all. It was never the same again. Some people left in a similar confusion that I had had from the other church. Though it was a sad thing for me, I was thankful that by that time, I was no longer confused about my salvation and we were able to just move on.But there were others that didn't. And that is sad.
My point in telling you my story, it to let you know that people that have been bible-believing Christians and were raised in the church, can be deceived if they listen to the wrong message. If they let themselves get involved in churches or other organizations that are cult or have cult like tendencies.
Be very aware because our enemy the devil is a roaring lion seeking who he may devour. I Peter 5:8.
And instead identify with the One who is called the Lion of Judah in Revelation 5: 5. Never take just take anyone's word that was he or she is teaching is the abosulte truth. We should always study for ourselves what the bible says about what someone is teaching. 2 Timothy 2:15. And be ever vigilant in our prayer life to guard against the false teachings of those that want to deceive us. That way God will keep us in perfect peace whose minds are stayed on him. Isahia 26:3 and there will be no room for confusion. God bless!
Hi Friends. I hope the last few blogs have given you some helpful insight into the workings of some types of cults or cult-like churches. It is so important that we do keep our mind on God and not just on what man is teaching us. There are many good ministers of the gospel that God has placed to teach us his word. But we know that there are those, used by the devil that are out to take that away from us.
Have a blessed day and be a blessing to someone else.. Thanks for stopping by.
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