Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
Do you ever just sit and think, "Why are we doing this?"
After I was born again, I was with 2 Baptist women. They were talking about their plans to go out on Memorial Day (USA Holiday) and decorate graves. I listened to them, and then I asked, "How is it a Christian is supposed to do such as thing as decorate graves."
When I would go eat with two women from the bridge center, they would often order alcoholic drinks before dinner. (I had no problem with that. I didn't order such because alcoholic makes me feel bad.) But what troubled me was before they drank any of their drink, they clicked their classes together. WHY? I was drinking water but they tried to include me. But I didn't join them in this. I don't approve them. I don't want to be a part of their acts. I don't want to do something when I don't know what it means. So I just avoided their glasses when they turned to me and tried to include me. I made no effort at all to be a part of them.
I had the same type of problem when they passed around crackers and grape juice at church and called it "The Lord's supper". I did participate in this for awhile when I attended church meetings but I never liked it and I had no understanding at all of what we were trying to do. I disliked it. It made me feel very uncomfortable. I knew I Cor. 11 said we were to examine ourselves and often it was taught we were to examine ourselves before we partook of the Lord's supper. God taught me in time. This cracker/grape juice has nothing at all to do with the Lord's supper. The Lord's supper is partaking of the Word of God. And by the Word of God we are to examine ourselves. And by the Word of God we are to make appropriate changes to our lives and if we fail to do this and continue to read Bible we bring "damnation" on ourselves. Paul says, For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (die). I Cor. 11
These three subjects are the same: clicking glasses together .. decorating graves ... taking crackers and grape juice at church and calling it the Lord's supper.
These are traditions set up by men and not by God.
Jesus once told them: Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. Mk 7 13
Whether it is a tradition of the people of the world or a tradition set up in a church group, we should be considering why am I doing this ... what does it mean ... is it really of God.
Peter explained: Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 17And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear: 18Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: 20Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, 21Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. I Peter 1
By the blood of Jesus we are redeemed from the world and the ways of the world and certainly from the traditions in church groups when those traditions are set up by man.
Certainly we should consider: Why am I doing this?
It is a very serious matter to go along with people and their traditions whether in the world or in the church gatherings. For to participate in such with them, says you are "one of them" ... and if the deed is not of God it is evil and therefore you will become part of their evil even when it is in a church group.
II Jn. ... Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. 9Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
10If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: 11For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.