Saved Without A Pastor??

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Harmony

Can a person be saved without a Pastor?

I have been reading the threads on salvation that have been up lately and I just want to scream....You can go thru every step that is out there and your salvation is still unsure......There is really know way to know if you are saved or not.

I am only going off my experience in attending a UPC church all of my life. Absolute submission to the Pastor was KEY to your salvation. If you felt God leading you in a certain way on a "matter" you still needed to have the approval of the Pastor, if they didn't think it was right they expected you to follow there opinion and yes, your salvation was at stake....there are so many weird mind games that were played....and they are all tied into salvation, if you don't adhere to what they wanted then you are in rebellion, and we know that nobody will make it to heaven in a rebellious state!

I have been away from that influence for several years. I have a real concern for family that is still in the church. I am very aware of the "Godly Fear" they live in. They are not sure of there salvation. They don't think on thier own....they think through a filter of "What would my pastor think"..not what would God think....

Yes. A person can be saved and not have a pastor. However, pastors are a gift from God to assist in teaching, mentoring, counseling, and prayer. They are one of the greatest gifts God has given us. Without them, our spiritual growth and understanding can be stunted. Without them, there is no one there to pull us up and encourage us when we fall. Without them, there is no one there to offer loving correction when we are wrong. And without a pastor, one can more easily fall prey to spiritual forces that seek to destroy the soul. One's spiritual walk in Christ can be at a serious disadvantage if they do not have a pastor. One can never reach their full potential, or experience the fullness of all the blessings in Christ without a pastor. One can more easily fall away and be lost without a pastor.

So, try to always have a pastor or seasoned elder to turn to. Someone who loves you and will check up on you if you don't show up, call, or touch base with them. Pick an individual of prayer, not one of strong personal opinions. A man of prayer will walk with you through anything. Men of opinion will abandon you the moment you do something that appears to be outside of the bounds of their opinions. Men (and women) of prayer tend to know Jesus more personally. And they can help you to know Jesus that intimately too.