interesting post. God likes to work Bottom-up". I would think God likes to look right in the heart of the person and see who is seeking HIM. There are many men and women who have served the Lord faithfully, and now are teaching many men and women in Biblical schools, colleges, and seminaries.
To suggest they are all useless when the majority of the pain and error in the local Church has nothing to do with a bible school or seminaries. it has to do more with God not having the full heart of the person.
Where hidden sin is stored up.
hate
adultery
racism
anger
pride
jeliosy
drunkness
addiction
many of these things are discovered when the person is in a Bible school or seminary. Most can hide the issues on a one-day-week churchgoer. That is why we need discernment which is spiritual maturity. To say that these places have no value then let's
look at some seminaries from the past.
School of Alexandria was founded by St. Mark comes to mind and the metropolitan (Origen) school and Cyprian and others. did they make mistakes? Yep, and you and I have not? Were they closer to the Eyewitnesses of Christ and the words of the Apostles or are we?
yet they too got things wrong right? and do do you and I . God is still able to use them and DID, AS hE IS ABLE TO USE YOU AND ME.
You make a very good post.
So I want to be clear. NO, I am not calling the seminaries devoid of God's Spirit. I am not saying they are devoid of true believers.
At one time was was questioning this, but I did see my error in this, and I am relieved to know this truth now. There were even believers among the pharisees.
It is by grace in which we are ALL saved. Amen!!!
And yes my number one priority and central focus is to address my own sins, not the sins of others. I am the problem, first and foremost.
So we do have to discern our way through this world.
And there is Corthinians 5 for example.
And when I have gone on social media I saw a number of my church brothers and sisters judging the rest of the world whether it was politics, or vaccines, or cultural. And I also saw some of this from the deacon(s), and I also heard some of this from the pastor(s).
So what I am looking into is what Paul said in corthinians 5:12.
I also keep close attention to James 4:11-12
I think when we judge we do so in a sinful way. But perhaps there is a righteous or proper way to judge as I think corithians 5:12 is pointing to.
But I am not being without sin myself in doing this. So either I ought not to be judging, or a I ought to learn to judge in a righteous or proper way. But at this point I am still working these things out. And to not burden or upset my church brothers and sisters causing them to judge me, and return sin against me, I work out these things on line anonymously with strangers of the faith.
So I do want to apologize if and when I sin. And I don't want to draw others to return sin against sin. And this is most difficult. And I am conflicted about this things. But I can't be the only one.
What I know is that I do not want to judge one's salvation. There is only One Judge for this James 4:11-12. For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. And this is NOT for me to judge!!! AMEN!!! I have peace with this.
But If the church I go to has apparent sins (or the seminaries I see have apparent sins) am I to just look the other way, or am I to consider and address these sins in some matter or way Corithians 5:12? In fact this right here might be a good thread to start.
So once more you do make a very good point and the number one priority is for each believer to focus first on addressing their own sins. For we cannot see clearly unless we have the Spirit of God in full, and if we continue to harbor sin then our greiving of the Sprite will cloud our judgement and sight. Thank you for this post.