Those in Christ ‘ill Continue Ter Gather and Worship and Praise His Holy Name

UMC Split

Lubber OpinionLubber Opinion

The views and opinions expressed by this lubber do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the crew. Reader discretion be advised. – Staff

 

I feel deep affinity for Jesus and still seek to follow him. However, with great surprise and deep sadness, I am considering the once unthinkable possibility of becoming post-church. The mainline church engages in constant ecclesiastical civil warfare over same-sex marriage and gay clergy, carving up its already small and rapidly declining segment of the religious pie into even smaller pieces, completely disregarding Jesus’s command to unite in love. – Martin Thielen

Sad ter say, these days Martin’s comment reflects the heart of many. Same thing happened when the Son first walked this earth. A large crowd of folks who once followed him at first ceased gathering with his disciples when the Son’s words became hard ter bear, hear, embrace.

“The Spirit gives life. The flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.”

For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.

He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.” From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. (John 6:63-66)

“Unity” be a word bandied about by folks seeking ter keep believers bound in fellowship with unbelievers. “Love” be a word bandied about as if “love in the flesh” be sufficient fer fellowship with Skipper and his believers. Only the Apostle Saul Paul, speaking through Skip’s Holy Spirit of Truth, says:

  • Believers, do not be yoked together with unbelievers.
  • What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
  • What fellowship can light have with darkness?
  • What do righteousness and wickedness have in common?
  • What harmony is there between Christ and the devil?
  • What agreement is there between the temple of God and the idols of men?
  • Come out from them and separate.
  • Do not touch any unclean thing.
  • Out of reverence for God purify yourself from everything that contaminates:
    • Your body
    • Your spirit
    • Your holiness in Christ
  • Believers vs Unbelievers
  • Light vs Darkness
  • Righteousness vs Wickedness
  • Christ vs the devil
  • Temple of God vs idols of men

It be perfectly fine—and Skipper’s declaration—fer us ter separate from them who be living in darkness, wickedness, squalor, worshipping idols, and doing works of the devil. Heaven ferbid that we unite with the realm of the devil.

Near ’bout ever’ feller and lass has a definition of love. Some say love be allowing folks ter do whatever they wish—that love be allowing folks ter be jest as they be and accept all as they be. But Skipper’s definition of love be one of transformation from our sinful self inter the glorious identify he intended fer us ter enjoy from the beginning of time: the identity he envisioned fer us while we still be in our mum’s belly.

“A new command I give you,” said the Son. “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

A disciple be a feller or lass who seeks ter behave just as thar teacher. Unity, cohesion, and one goal, glorifying the master teacher, marks the students of a rabbi. Discipleship makes disciple. Skip says those who hate their children, ‘ill let their young-ins be any old way they want ter be.

Whoever spares the rod hates their children. (Proverbs 13:24)

Love be an act of training, teaching, correcting, rebuking, and guiding, so children (and pupils) become strong in body, mind, heart, and spirit.

The one who loves a child is careful to discipline (discipleship) them. (Proverbs 13:24)

Unity in love is discipleship in Jesus. It involves rebuking gently, in private if possible. It involves sharing Skip’s words on the matter, not our opinions. It involves sharing examples from Skip’s Word of how Jesus loved, led, taught, and transformed his disciples.

No discipline (discipleship) seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11)

Parents, bring your children up in the discipline (discipleship) and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline (discipleship) of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” (Hebrews 12:5-11)

Do not withhold discipline (discipleship) from a child. If you strike him with a rod, he will not die. If you strike him with the rod, you will save his soul from Sheol. (Proverbs 23:13-15)

Whoever loves discipline (discipleship) loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. (Proverbs 12:1)

Live and let live, love and let love be the way of the devil, fer such behavior leads not ter love fer Skip and others, but ter self-worship and self-love. The Great Split occurring among broad path, wide gate, mainline churches simply be the pruning process the Son speaks of in the book of Loving John.

My Father cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit. (John 15:2)

Be it mainline or backroads, any church whose members are not in Christ and Christ in ’em will fail and fall away.

The evangelical church demonizes the LBGTQ community. – Martin Thielen

The Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization, defines Evangelical Christianity as a “worldwide trans-denominational movement within Protestant Christianity that maintains the belief that the essence of the Gospel consists of the doctrine of salvation by grace alone, solely through faith in Jesus’ atonement. Evangelicals believe in the centrality of the conversion or “born again” experience in receiving salvation, in the authority of the Bible as God’s revelation to humanity, and in spreading the Christian message.

Ter make a blanket statement that them who be saved by the grace of the Son, believe in him, and born anew in his Spirit also be filled with demons… be near ’bout what the Pharisees accused the Son of when they said, “By Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he is driving out demons.” (Luke 11:15) Back then the Pharisees accused the Son of casting out demons by the power of the devil. Now some religious folks charge his disciples be sending demons inter folks.

Such talk should not come from the mouth of them who belong ter the Son.

Rid yourselves of anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language. (Colossians 3:8)

Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it. (James 4:11)

He who spreads slander is a fool. (Proverbs 10:18)

For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.” (Mark 7:21-23)

These so-called evangelicals—those who believe in Jesus and his message, words and actions—be accused of sending forth demons ter terrorize those held in bondage by sin. Thar be no need ter list all the ways Skipper’s words speak ter our issues with sexual lust and sin. It simply be enough to list a few ways the demons of sexual sin keep some bound with passions of the flesh. Acts 15:20, Mark 10:6-9, Mark 7:20-23, 1 Timothy 1:8-11, Romans 1:27-28, 1 Corinthians 6:15-16.

The evangelical church fosters Christian nationalism, participates in partisan politics, and fights endless culture wars over things like mask wearing, vaccines mandates, critical race theory, the second amendment, and transgender bathroom laws. – Martin Thielen

These so-called evangelicals—those who believe in the saving blood of Jesus alone—be accused of participating in politics, respecting the second amendment, the first amendment, all amendments that support liberty and justice fer ALL.

These so-called evangelicals—those who believe in water baptism and baptism inter Skipper’s Holy Spirit of Truth—be accused of protecting the rights of parents ter ‘ave their children trained in the way of the Lord.

These so-called evangelicals—those who believe in the inspired and living words of Skipper—be accused protecting their daughters, wives, and other female family members from sharing showers and bathrooms with fellers.

Our country is currently struggling with massive challenges including climate crisis, a pandemic, poverty, hunger, racism, injustice, polarization, and serious threats to democracy. In response, what is the church doing? – Martin Thielen

Ever’ generation faces its own pearls. Some fought wars, others famine, depressions, plagues. All creation lives under the curse of sin.

A curse consumes the earth. Its people must bear their guilt. (Isaiah 24:6)

Cursed is the ground because of you (man). (Genesis 3:17)

The Church, his Body of believers, kin and should do all ter be like Jesus the Son ter the world. And what did the Son command us ter do?

Love all — “Love your enemies. Pray for those who persecute you.” (Matthew 5:44)

Repent — From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17)

Believe in Jesus — “Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.” (John 14:11)

Follow Jesus — “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.” (Matthew 16:24-25)

Make disciples of Jesus (not our own opinions of who Jesus is) — “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teach them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

Pray always — “Pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen.” (Luke 21:36)

Love with the love of Jesus — “Love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

If we do these things, we ‘ill find our light and momentary troubles be temporary and of little consequence compared ter Skipper’s eternal glory. (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

If ya be a believer in the Son, ‘ave his Holy Spirit of Truth in ya, pray fer those who seek ter isolate themselves from the body. Pray that the Son ‘ill call ’em inter a Body of believers who worship him, not some movement, some organization, or some denomination. From age ter age and fer all time those in Christ the Son ‘ill continue ter gather and worship and praise his holy name, of this ya kin be sure.