Whose slave are you | False teaching of eldership rule

Whose Slave Are You?

Most Christians that I know (and have known) are all too ready and willing to believe and trust ANYTHING they hear from their church and pastor. In today’s church/religious viewpoint, it is said that professing Christians must "belong to the local church," that is, become "members of the local church," something about which nothing is said in the Scriptures. Very precious few have no real idea of what it means to be free in Christ. They have always been slaves of the church and its so-called rulers.

Virtually no one in the church knows how to stand on their own feet spiritually; make their own decisions about what they will do in serving the Lord; how, when, where they will serve and follow Jesus. In current practice, the local church organization, controlled and ruled by the eldership, makes all the decisions for all the member/slaves! (marriage, job, where to live, is this or that right for me, going here, going there, etc., etc)

The Eldership/Lordship perversity controls everything! You control nothing! You have nothing to say. You have no freedom in the corporate/institutional local church. The Elders/Rulers will "rubber stamp" every member into total conformity with their pattern. The Eldership runs the show with no questions asked. The Eldership/Lordship decisions are claimed to be the very decisions of Jesus Christ, whether it is in regards to the hiring of a new elder or right down to the paving the parking lot. (Don’t be fooled by the so-called church business meetings; a meeting where you are led to believe that your vote counts for something. It doesn't!) All decisions relative to the church and its operation belong to these church officials, i.e. the elders.

Like the Pope to the Catholic Church, these "elders" stand in the place of Christ for you. You are to obey the elder as a slave-member, in all their decisions and decrees. You are to arrive at the appointed headquarters building, at the appointed times, to do the appointed things, in the appointed way, week after week, just as this body of lords have laid it out! You are to submit fully. Remember, "Your Elders" preach that to obey them is to obey Christ and to disobey this local pontifical body is to disobey Christ!

Do you really grasp the significance of that statement? Are you gullible enough to swallow that and bow your heart, will and life to the enslavement to men?

As a church member, YOU are in slavery to a church institution under the absolute control of men! If that isn't slavery, then there isn't any such thing as slavery. Church member/slaves need to realize what their situation really is. The church ("Eldership") directs and controls your life and service to the Lord. You are not free. You have no voice or vote in anything. Slaves never have such a right. Your role is (1) to obey and (2) to pay.

Whose slave are you? Who is really your master? Jesus said: "No man can serve two masters.." (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13).

The apostle Paul plainly taught: "You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men" (1 Corinthians 7:23). Note that you were bought with a price; the life of Jesus, so you belong to the one who bought you.

After Jesus was raised from the dead He told Peter, “Feed My sheep.” Notice that the Lord did not say He would give Peter some sheep of his own to rule over. He wasn't giving Peter anything to have as his own. He didn't tell Peter to go start a church and begin gathering people together in his own name. Neither did he tell Peter to go get himself elected to take the place of Jesus as the new leader of the disciples.

In fact, no one has ever been elected to take the place of Jesus after He was taken up into heaven. Why? Because He is still the Head, and He is still the Good Shepherd. He never laid aside that role. Do you understand this? There is ONE flock and ONE Shepherd and nothing belongs to any individual.

Many times in church I have heard "the elder" speak of “my people”, “my flock”, or “my sheep”, as though they possessed something. What impudence! What effrontery! Understand that the elder or the eldership owns nothing! The Scripture plainly says that we are the sheep of His Pasture. Everything belongs to the Father, Who has committed all things into the care of His Son, the Good Shepherd. No eldership can claim anything or anyone as belonging to them personally. Is it any wonder why we don't see the Lord's sheep being treated with greater respect and humility? How can a man lord over something that doesn’t belong to him?

Jesus is your Master. No one can serve two masters. You are to receive your orders and directions from the one Lord (Ruler), Jesus Christ. He is the Head over all things to His ecclesia, His redeemed people; not "Your Elders."

He never placed it on the Pope. Neither did He place it upon any other man nor any group or body of men, even if they do claim that the Eldership has such authority and control. It is another big lie, like the claim of the Pope. Jesus Christ is the one and only Master and Lord. Is He your one and only Lord?

Remember that Paul said: "Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are the slaves of the one whom you obey" (Romans 6:16).

Consider the following very carefully. When you apply for "membership at church" and agree to obey The Eldership (men); to submit to their rule; to that master; that you become a slave of men and you give up Jesus Christ as your Master and Lord? For He said Himself that no man can serve two masters. Do you go forward and "agree to work under the authority and oversight of the Elders?" Did you do that? If so, you are a slave of men and not Jesus Christ! If you ever were before, you are now no longer a slave/servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. You can't have it both ways.

What you should have done, as one other brother had done, when he was asked by the elders if he would publicly agree to submit to them as required by 1 Peter 5:5; the brother replied,

"...I would if you at the same time would agree to submit to me as required by the second sentence of the same verse..."

Obviously, the meeting ended and the brother was "rejected."

This is the unholy place into which the doctrines and commandments of men has led people. This is what institutional religion will do and necessitates. This is the result that "the local Church" as an organization, brings upon the Lord's people. It follows Rome, not the Lord Jesus. Can't you see this truth?

You were bought with a price, the precious blood of Jesus. Do not become slaves of men. If you have done this, and all church members have done it, even with honest intentions, you must cease being slaves of men and human institutions. Slaves in or to an institution of men is to become slaves of men. Slaves of Christ, Yes! Slaves of men, institutions, or religious systems, No!

Come out of slavery! Give your entire allegiance to Him who bought you (and owns you) with His life. Serve Him and Him alone! Have the faith and courage to come out from the bondage of men.

Whose slave are you?

Wherefore Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, And touch no unclean thing; And I will receive you. 2 Corinthians 6:17

The Christians of the early era would not have tolerated such blatant violation of clear New Testament teachings and practices for one minute!

We claim that the New Testament documents provide God-inspired direction for the New Covenant people of God, just as the Old Testament Scriptures structured life for Israel and yet construct and maintain institutions that contradict its words.

Whose slave are you? Are you a slave to Jesus Christ and Him alone or are you a slave to a monstrous freak sustaining itself through fear, control, authority, and of course, money to bankroll their craft?

Ken Cascio

See also: Shepherd/Sheep Perversion

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