Can the local church become an idol

[Jacob_Elliott]

The OP question is listed above.

The Thread question is "can a local church become an idol"

Two totally different questions

As far as an idol - yes a church can become an idol. When we are told we must be at a church activity at least 8 (eight ) nights a week - then attending church is more imporant than folowing the great commission. In addition that ole Baptist poem comes to mind - Mary had a little lamb -it would have grown to be a sheep - but it joined a Baptist church and died of lack of sleep."

As far as being a Bible preaching church - often a pastor will only zero on a few "pet peeves" rather than preaching the whole Bible.

I actually wasn't asking if "this is a bible believing church" as I said that was a question posed to me during Sunday school. I appreciate your post and you made a good point on attendance, plus you pretty much have my church summed up in your second point.

 

[sag38]

Local Church an Idol = Sacred Cows: I have been the pastor of sacred cows. Couldn't do something new not because it was un-Biblical but because it broke with tradition. Tradition was a sacred cow. A small class wouldn't move from a large class room to a smaller one to make room for a growing children's ministry because they paid for the carpet in that room and it was named after a dear departed SS teacher. A room in the building was a sacred cow. Was even told in one church that they didn't know how I did things in Alabama but in South Carolina they didn't do things that way. When I asked for specifics all I got were shrugged shoulders. Sacred cows can be snobs about their small town church and distrusting of anyone from someplace else. Couldn't change the order of the service because the bulletin was already printed and a dear saint might get confused. Bulletins can become sacred cows. Controversy over changing the date of homecoming because that was the date followed for years even before I was born. Sacred dates are sacred cows. Didn't want the parking lot paved because that would take away from the country look of the church. Identity can be a sacred cow.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Local Church an Idol = Sacred Cows: I have been the pastor of sacred cows. Couldn't do something new not because it was un-Biblical but because it broke with tradition. Tradition was a sacred cow. A small class wouldn't move from a large class room to a smaller one to make room for a growing children's ministry because they paid for the carpet in that room and it was named after a dear departed SS teacher. A room in the building was a sacred cow. Was even told in one church that they didn't know how I did things in Alabama but in South Carolina they didn't do things that way. When I asked for specifics all I got were shrugged shoulders. Sacred cows can be snobs about their small town church and distrusting of anyone from someplace else. Couldn't change the order of the service because the bulletin was already printed and a dear saint might get confused. Bulletins can become sacred cows. Controversy over changing the date of homecoming because that was the date followed for years even before I was born. Sacred dates are sacred cows. Didn't want the parking lot paved because that would take away from the country look of the church. Identity can be a sacred cow.

And these are Christians right? Simply amazing!

 

[sag38]

Many of them were Christians but very comfortable in "their" church. They wanted things to stay the same and were afraid of change. Their hearts had grown cold. It takes great patience to pastor such churches and let's just say that my patience often ran thin.

 

[Jerome]

"[They] make even the Word of God, itself, to become an idol to them through their resting in a mere creed, or in Bible reading—not pressing through it to spiritual hearty worship of God, Himself. Anything, however holy, which comes between us and the personal dealing of our soul with God, as He is revealed in Christ Jesus by faith and love and hope, becomes an idol to us!" —Charles Spurgeon, "Idols Abolished"

"I may know all the Doctrines in the Bible, but unless I know Christ, there is not one of them that can save me! I may know Election, but if I cannot see myself as chosen in Christ Jesus, election will do me no good. I may know the Doctrine of the Final Perseverance of the Saints, but if I am not in Christ, I would only persevere in my sins—and such a final perseverance will be dreadful, indeed! It is one thing to know the Doctrine of Justification by Faith, but it is quite another thing to be justified by faith and to have peace with God! You may stand up for Imputed Righteousness and fight for it, and yet the righteousness of Christ may never be imputed to you! It is not knowing the creed, though that is well, that can save the soul—the knowledge that is needed is to know Him whom Paul believed!" —Charles Spurgeon, "Knowing and Believing"

"They are sound in the faith—Orthodox, Evangelical and Calvinistic! They heartily detest any doctrine that is not Scriptural. I am glad to find that it is so with them—but let them not rest in this! To cover a wound with a royal garment is not to heal it and to conceal a sinful disposition beneath a sound creed is not salvation!" —Charles Spurgeon, "Healed or Deluded? Which?"

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

"[They] make even the Word of God, itself, to become an idol to them through their resting in a mere creed, or in Bible reading—not pressing through it to spiritual hearty worship of God, Himself. Anything, however holy, which comes between us and the personal dealing of our soul with God, as He is revealed in Christ Jesus by faith and love and hope, becomes an idol to us!" —Charles Spurgeon, "Idols Abolished"

"I may know all the Doctrines in the Bible, but unless I know Christ, there is not one of them that can save me! I may know Election, but if I cannot see myself as chosen in Christ Jesus, election will do me no good. I may know the Doctrine of the Final Perseverance of the Saints, but if I am not in Christ, I would only persevere in my sins—and such a final perseverance will be dreadful, indeed! It is one thing to know the Doctrine of Justification by Faith, but it is quite another thing to be justified by faith and to have peace with God! You may stand up for Imputed Righteousness and fight for it, and yet the righteousness of Christ may never be imputed to you! It is not knowing the creed, though that is well, that can save the soul—the knowledge that is needed is to know Him whom Paul believed!" —Charles Spurgeon, "Knowing and Believing"

"They are sound in the faith—Orthodox, Evangelical and Calvinistic! They heartily detest any doctrine that is not Scriptural. I am glad to find that it is so with them—but let them not rest in this! To cover a wound with a royal garment is not to heal it and to conceal a sinful disposition beneath a sound creed is not salvation!" —Charles Spurgeon, "Healed or Deluded? Which?"

Well said Charles:thumbs:

 

[Yeshua1]

Well said Charles:thumbs:

AND that he was a calvinist to boot!
See, even we at times have some nuggets of truth!

 

[Jordan Kurecki]

Yes, you worship the Bible instead of God.

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

 

[pinoybaptist]

yes, it can, and if we look at things closely, for many of us, mabe it already has.
Not to say we don't have idols in other areas of our lives, we all do and I challenge anyone on this board to say he/she is squeaky clean when it comes to idolatry, because you ain't.

 

[saturneptune]

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Totally missed the point. Jesus is referred to as the Word in John 1. The nature of Jesus Christ has nothing to do with this thread. The thread has to do with a local church becoming an idol. An idol is anything put above God. Those who attend church to be with long time friends, to feel comfortable in their surroundings, to talk, to go out to eat afterwards, and never give a second thought to the Lord during worship service, have transformed the local church into a social club. To those who do, the local church is an idol.

 

[Yeshua1]

Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
Joh 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
Joh 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Idol worship of the bible would be as when some see the "word' there meaning the bible, not Jesus!

A few do see a particular version as being the 'word" referencing there!