Church Covenant

[Reformingstudent]

In my father in-laws church behind the pulpit is a plaque that has on it the church Covenant. The covenant has a list of dos and don't, don't smoke, don't drink, don't dance, etc,etc. What I want to know is, dose any church have the right to bind mens conscience with their man made rules on morality?
Of course people like my father in-law who are into their own self righteousness any way like this as it gives them a good feeling inside knowing that they are keeping all the "rules". Easy to keep rules you make for your self than it is to keep God's perfect 10.

 

[LadyFlynt]

A list of rules in the beginning seems easier than accepting God's Sovereignty and Santification...in the end, it is self-defeating.

 

[A5pointer]

Sounds like fundys, some reformers agressively defend "Christian liberties" saynig the dos and don'ts take away from the finished work of Christ.

 

[Reformingstudent]

A list of rules in the beginning seems easier than accepting God's Sovereignty and Santification...in the end, it is self-defeating.

What is sad though is the fact that these people compare themselves with themselves not knowing that in so doing they are using a wrong measure of standard. The only friends that my father in-law has are other superficial self-righteous preachers like himself. The "rules" they set for themselves have more to do with culture than with biblical Christianity but you can't get them to see that.

 

[Reformingstudent]

Sounds like fundys, some reformers agressively defend "Christian liberties" saynig the dos and don'ts take away from the finished work of Christ.

Yep, they be "Fundy's" alright.
The dos and don'ts that they (Fundy's) try to impose on their Church members have nothing at all to do with true Christianity. Man made rules
that boost the ego of some to make them feel better about themselves when they look upon others who don't know the rules, let alone try and keep them.
It's sad indeed that some are blinded by their own works and traditions they can't accept the truth of the message of Free Sovereign Grace.

 

[tewilder]

John Piper's church has a church covenant. It is here:

http://www.bbcmpls.org/aboutus/Covenant.htm

 

[jbergsing]

Yep, they be "Fundy's" alright.
The dos and don'ts that they (Fundy's) try to impose on their Church members have nothing at all to do with true Christianity. Man made rules
that boost the ego of some to make them feel better about themselves when they look upon others who don't know the rules, let alone try and keep them.
It's sad indeed that some are blinded by their own works and traditions they can't accept the truth of the message of Free Sovereign Grace.

Well said. All I could think when I read the OP was I could see myself toasting that sign with a nice Samuel Adams!

 

[tfelice]

I think I have been to that church.

It was somewhere between the "wine today is not the same as wine in the time of Christ" sermon, the "women should wear a skirt over their jeans when doing yard work" sermon and the "rock music is evil because the emphasis is on the downbeat" sermon that I left.

 

[A5pointer]

Well said. All I could think when I read the OP was I could see myself toasting that sign with a nice Samuel Adams!

LOL and a fat cigar, we reformed are bad