Confession of a Pastor in the System

I am just heartbroken to see the departure that we have made from the original plan.

Recently a pastor volunteered these comments on a posting board:

"There is definitely a responsibility for everyone to work out their own salvation

with fear and trembling.  I think that too many times, however, we fail to consider

the fact that maybe WE (pastors) are the ones who are missing it.  Maybe people 

aren't following, because we who are leading aren't going anywhere (but perhaps 

in circles).  I am just heartbroken to see the departure that we have made from 

the original plan.  Sure, we live in a totally different world than the book of Acts 

church - and I don't want to be the book of Acts church!  I believe that God wants 

to blow our minds with things that are so beyond what we could ever ask or think, 

that no one could even begin to take credit for it. 

The departure has been so gradual that we haven't really noticed it much.  

Leaders reproduce themselves.  We reproduce what we are, and we are what 

we are because somebody has reproduced themselves in us."

 R.O.C. Analysis:

This is a very sad admission, that the leaders of the Church have not really noticed the 

departure from the pure faith over the centuries.  Why is this?  Because the Church, as a 

whole, has just continued to reproduce the next generation of christians after their own image.

Why does the leadership NOW see something it did not see just a few years ago?  Because God is 

causing the awakening, and christians everywhere are beginning to examine themselves whether they 

are in the faith.  People are not doubting God's salvation through Jesus Christ, not examining their 

fundamental beliefs, these are true.  But they are examining the foundation that was built for their faith 

so that they could work out their salvation with fear and trembling.

It's not possible for anyone to work out their own salvation without the knowledge of what God provided

through Jesus Christ for our release from sin.  How are we to participate without the knowledge

of the covenant and the tools of the covenant?

Through the apostle Eric God is restoring BOTH. 

This knowledge of Christ and these tools of Christ ARE going to violate this pastors foundation 

knowledge, but not his fundamental knowledge of Christ.  When he resigned himself to the fact that he 

was leading people in circles he was in essence saying, "My foundation is not built upon the Rock."  

There is nothing wrong with saying that your foundation needs repair.  Remember, this does not mean 

that the fundamental knowledge of Christ is incorrect, but it is how you were using that knowledge to 

build the kingdom of God within you.  If the knowledge of Christ is misapplied then we are building on 

sand.  

In saying that the Church has departed from the original plan the pastor is asking what 

everyone in the Church is asking, "'How has the universal Body of Christ strayed?"

When we ask the question, "How far has the Church strayed?" we should also be prepared 

to ask and answer the question, "Am I willing to do what is necessary to be restored to the 

purity of faith regardless of the fact that the remedy violates my previous convictions?"

If you cannot answer the second question with a positive affirmation then in all honestly, you haven't 

earned the right to ask the first question.

The most insane thought for the Church is that God would send apostles with the same measure of grace 

that the apostle John had, and the apostle Peter had, and the apostle Paul had.  The changes that would 

have to be made to long held doctrines which were accepted just because they were 'orthodox' is 

unthinkable.

The most insane thought for the Church is that God would go even one step further and select to begin 

with just one man like He did with Moses, and with that one man begin to instruct 70 and that the 70 

would in turn instruct thousands and millions and bring the true church back into ONE FAITH, cleansed 

and prepared, and made holy for Christ.  If the Church desires TRUTH  that is from God, they must decide

whether His truth represents tyranny or freedom.

TRUTH

TYRANNY OR FREEDOM?

I'd like to quote from an article written by David Crabtree, a university professor:

"The modern mind associates Truth with tyranny rather than freedom.  Truth is, after all, very restrictive.  

If green is green, then green cannot be white or blue or red; it is green and only green.  Truth eliminates 

a myriad of tempting options.  Such a situation is deemed intolerable; so Truth is willed out of existence.

While discussing "national character" with a student one day, I argued that it is not inconceivable to me 

that in ethnic groups certain characteristics might come to predominate such that we come to associate 

those characteristics with that group.  Furthermore, it is not inconceivable that some of those 

characteristics could be heritable.  For example, we associate blue eyes and blond hair with Germanic 

peoples, dark skin and curly black hair with Negroid peoples, etc. disproportionate number of blacks in 

professional basketball is due, in part, to anatomical advantages characteristic of blacks.

My interlocutor was appalled by what I was suggesting: "Don't you see what that thinking could lead to?  

Someone could argue that blacks have other genetically determined characteristics--like low intelligence. 

 That could lead to systematic, institutionalized discrimination. . . . It can't be true!" 

"I am not trying to justify discrimination," I responded.  "How people would or should respond to such 

differences is a completely different matter.  I am simply raising the possibility that ethnic groups may 

have genetic differences.  If it is true, then it is true, and we must incorporate it into the way we see the 

world." 

"It can't be true.  It is too dangerous," were her final words.

I understand and sympathize with her concerns about how my line of reasoning could be used for evil 

purposes.  But I have recounted this discussion for another reason.  This student's response was 

refreshingly honest.  She was rejecting my line of thinking not because she had evidence that I was wrong, 

but because she was unwilling to accept the implications. 

The rejection of certain propositions because they contradict cherished beliefs is more common than we 

realize. 

We underestimate the extent to which our desires influence what we accept to be true. 

We conceive of ourselves as eminently rational; everything we hold to be true is considered the most 

reasonable position. 

This is an illusion, however.  In our saner moments we all realize that it takes little or no evidence to 

convince us of what we dearly want to be true, while no amount of evidence will convince us of what we 

can not accept.  To pursue the truth sincerely takes a great deal of integrity and bravery.  One must be 

committed to following the truth no matter where it leads." 

I'd like to take this article and show that the same principle holds true for those who are held bondage in 

the Church system today.  The mere hint  that the truth that God is now sending through a living apostle will

contradict old and beloved doctrines stops each individual christian from accepting truth that comes from 

the apostles calling.  "It can't be true. It is too dangerous!!"  They would rather take another 1,000 years to 

evolve into truth slowly so it will be less painful.

Each confess to needing to see change, and are willing to be personally involved in that change, but not if 

it touches their doctrine.  This is where the pain is. 

But change in function cannot take place unless change in the foundation doctrine takes place

first.  Doctrine equals function.  This is why trust equals confidence.  Trust is born through our contact with

God.  Our experience with God is born of doctrine.  When doctrine is pure, our experience will reflect the 

Son of God in knowledge, in function, in fruit.  We then have the confidence of knowing Him and the hope

of our everlasting abode in Him.  

We understand and sympathize with each individual concern about how this line of reasoning about God 

using apostles again could be used for evil purposes.  But you cannot reject truth just because in your 

mind it's unthinkable.  Christians are not rejecting truth because of evidence that we are wrong, but 

because they are unwilling to accept the implications of that truth, being right. 

Fear not.  It is your God's good pleasure to give you the kingdom, but you must come through the door of 

faith which God has provided through Jesus Christ.  For there is none other name under heaven given 

among men whereby we must be saved.

God bless,

Eric and Maria  Apostle / Teacher

R.O.C. Analysts

Please write us and let us know that you are ready to have the foundation knowledge of Christ set in you 

correctly.  You may reach us at:

eric@second8thweek.com

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