If you have privacy concerns, use a user name. This Support Board is for ex-CoC and those wishing to be ex-CoC. Others are asked not to read or post here. Check your email or trash for the email link to activate your account.
Actech1958 wrote:I am ex-Church of Christ member of 50 years, who broke free from the bondage of religion and now enjoy freedom in a relationship with our savior Christ Jesus. I hope to be an inspiration to others and help them to transition into a new walk with our Lord. Romans 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you "free" from the law of sin and death.
Welcome to the forum. I left after 65 years, dragging my feet the last 15-20 years ... slow learner!
The term "religion" can be a difficult concept to grasp, and everyone seems to possess a different POV. One web site I visited listed 25-30 theologians, and there was little agreement between them ... I was more confused when I left then when I entered. Basically, I'm just curious about what you mean by your phrase "broke free from the bondage of religion". Do you mean freedom from the CoC specifically, all church groups in general, or something else!
Not looking to find fault, just curious.
Freedom in Christ always trumps slavery to legalism
Actech1958 wrote:I am ex-Church of Christ member of 50 years, who broke free from the bondage of religion and now enjoy freedom in a relationship with our savior Christ Jesus. I hope to be an inspiration to others and help them to transition into a new walk with our Lord. Romans 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you "free" from the law of sin and death.
Glad you're here AC. It always amazes me how so many in the CoC will take verses like Romans 8:1-2 and say "I know that's what it says, but that's not what it means!" And then they proceed to put the old "CoC spin" on the verses. They also have a lot of problems with verses like Romans 10:9-13. In fact, in my experience the CoC tended to ignore almost all of the book of Romans.
Opie, You are so correct!!
I get what is being said but I think some here might be bemused to consider that the knock on CofC is that they ignore the most prominent Pauline epistle.
Isn't the world wonderful...I am all for rational optimism and I am staying positive.
Actech1958 wrote:I am ex-Church of Christ member of 50 years, who broke free from the bondage of religion and now enjoy freedom in a relationship with our savior Christ Jesus. I hope to be an inspiration to others and help them to transition into a new walk with our Lord. Romans 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you "free" from the law of sin and death.
Welcome to the forum. I left after 65 years, dragging my feet the last 15-20 years ... slow learner!
The term "religion" can be a difficult concept to grasp, and everyone seems to possess a different POV. One web site I visited listed 25-30 theologians, and there was little agreement between them ... I was more confused when I left then when I entered. Basically, I'm just curious about what you mean by your phrase "broke free from the bondage of religion". Do you mean freedom from the CoC specifically, all church groups in general, or something else!
Not looking to find fault, just curious.
Religion to me is working for salvation, ie, taking the Lords supper every first day of the week, or meeting on Sunday, Sunday Night, and Wednesday almost as a ritual. Yes, I go to church on Sunday morning, and I teach a bible class on Wednesday night, but I will not be condemned by anyone if I don't make it, and I don't have to give an excuse. In most of the bible verses about breaking bread, they were coming together to have a common meal, "Break Bread" together. The CoC says it is the Lords Supper or communion. In reality, the lords supper was Wednesday night before he was crucified, not Sunday morning. Walking in fear of losing your soul because of an unforgiven sin you forgot to ask God about. When Christ died on the cross he freed us from all those things, sin is forgiven once and for all. I don't have to keep asking for what I have already received. "Yes", the Lords pray say's forgive us our trespasses, but that prayer is before the cross. That prayer also say's thy kingdom come, thy will be done.....The kingdom is here. His kingdom on earth is his Church, The body of believers, and that body is "NOT" just for the Church of Christ, It is for all believers! That is a brief summary of why I am free from religion. I hope this answers your question.
Actech1958 wrote:I am ex-Church of Christ member of 50 years, who broke free from the bondage of religion and now enjoy freedom in a relationship with our savior Christ Jesus. I hope to be an inspiration to others and help them to transition into a new walk with our Lord. Romans 8:1-2 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you "free" from the law of sin and death.
Welcome to the forum. I left after 65 years, dragging my feet the last 15-20 years ... slow learner!
The term "religion" can be a difficult concept to grasp, and everyone seems to possess a different POV. One web site I visited listed 25-30 theologians, and there was little agreement between them ... I was more confused when I left then when I entered. Basically, I'm just curious about what you mean by your phrase "broke free from the bondage of religion". Do you mean freedom from the CoC specifically, all church groups in general, or something else!
Not looking to find fault, just curious.
Religion to me is working for salvation, ie, taking the Lords supper every first day of the week, or meeting on Sunday, Sunday Night, and Wednesday almost as a ritual. Yes, I go to church on Sunday morning, and I teach a bible class on Wednesday night, but I will not be condemned by anyone if I don't make it, and I don't have to give an excuse. In most of the bible verses about breaking bread, they were coming together to have a common meal, "Break Bread" together. The CoC says it is the Lords Supper or communion. In reality, the lords supper was Wednesday night before he was crucified, not Sunday morning. Walking in fear of losing your soul because of an unforgiven sin you forgot to ask God about. When Christ died on the cross he freed us from all those things, sin is forgiven once and for all. I don't have to keep asking for what I have already received. "Yes", the Lords pray say's forgive us our trespasses, but that prayer is before the cross. That prayer also say's thy kingdom come, thy will be done.....The kingdom is here. His kingdom on earth is his Church, The body of believers, and that body is "NOT" just for the Church of Christ, It is for all believers! That is a brief summary of why I am free from religion. I hope this answers your question.
Thanks for the clarification.
Freedom in Christ always trumps slavery to legalism
onward wrote:I left after 65 years, dragging my feet the last 15-20 years ... slow learner!
Onward......just something I have come to believe.....we don't have to apologize for how slowly, perhaps, it took us to emerge
from the bondage. People....it's hard. It's written onto our DNA. We are doing great just to arrive at this place of refuge....space
where we can rest while we decide what makes sense to US.
onward wrote:I left after 65 years, dragging my feet the last 15-20 years ... slow learner!
Onward......just something I have come to believe.....we don't have to apologize for how slowly, perhaps, it took us to emerge
from the bondage. People....it's hard. It's written onto our DNA. We are doing great just to arrive at this place of refuge....space
where we can rest while we decide what makes sense to US.
You're right, our pace escaping these hardline churches IS less important than the fact that we're at least moving away from their screwed-up belief system, however, the faster you make an exit the better. Too often those who stick around the longest find themselves saddled-down with tons of crippling baggage that will color their life for years.
JUST GET AWAY FROM THEM AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE.
Freedom in Christ always trumps slavery to legalism
I just found out about this board from a friend of mine who, ironically, is a preacher for the church of Christ, and I'm so glad that he told me about it. I left the church of Christ about 20 years ago, and my husband was a minister of the group. We decided it was just way too legalistic for us, and now we are with the Christian Churches, which are similar to the church of Christ but give believers more freedom to come to their own conclusions about what scripture says. Are there any other former ministers of the C of C who decided to leave the group? Just curious.
Hi Maryterry and welcome to the ex board! would you please START a new thread in the Welcome forum, so everyone can say hello and know you are here?
thanks
PS I think there may be a few DoC/CC folks around, but I'm not certain. Try New Paths.
History is the fiction we invent to persuade ourselves that events are knowable and that life has order and direction. That's why events are always reinterpreted when values change. We need new versions of history to allow for our current prejudices.
