Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Phelps
I posted this on Caston's thread, but I'll repost it here, since it seems apropos:
Having a license or not having a license, even having one and then turning it in has nothing to do with keeping the unity of the faith.
Sometimes you have a change in direction in your life, such as I did a couple of years ago, and staying in the man-made organization that you joined just isn't the proper thing to do anymore.
Remember, God is a God of constant change and growth.........Elijah was fed by ravens while sipping from one of the only streams of water in the land at the time..........but, there was a time when the stream dried up, and the birds stopped delivering food, and it was time for a change. If he would have been stubborn, and stayed because that's the way "things always have been", not only would he have died, but he never would have met the widow who baked him a cake, and purchased sustenance for herself and her family. So, sometimes refusal to change doesn't bring blessing, it brings demise.
The difference is - is this a God driven change, or am I just sulking because things didn't go my way?
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I agree with the message, but what about this; What if the pastor is not "just sulking because things didn't go their way"? What if the issue is a very important breach of what is right and wrong to them? what if, according to their convictions (convictions the ORG once shared, but changed.) the change crosses the line of what is right and wrong? Are we then going to attack their convictions?
Would you like it if someone attacked YOUR convictions and called YOU unethical because you didn't go along with the crowd?
Honestly, I disagree with leaving the org over this issue.
BUT I also respect the men who decided that it is something that violates what they feel is right, and decide to stand for their convictions, and not just follow the crowd, and give in to the pressure.
But what I am seeing here, is continuous attacks on their character because they wont go along with everyone else, and they decide to form their own org.
To all those who appose them,
What if you found yourself in a similar position?
What if you found your org had made a change that your convictions would not allow you to go along with? What if everyone started pounding you, questioning your character, ethics, commitment, Christianity, and holiness because you decided to stand for what you believe?
How would you react? then why on earth are some of you doing the same to others in that position?