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Date Posted: 05:33:33 02/03/05 Thu
Author: Mike K.
Subject: Testimony
In reply to: jim 's message, "a kid changed....." on 23:15:36 02/02/05 Wed

read my testimony at www.xhirl.com and tell me if you think it is bad if I stay in ubf?

First off, let me agree with Bruce. I have met people who had come to believe in the Lord in the weirdest circumstances. One such weird circumstance was from a fella who found a Gospel tract in a brothel... he believed, and went out. Another such weird circumstance was from a sister who was serving as a nurse: the sufferings on the faces of the dying people made her certain that no God exists, until one day she found the Lord in the eyes of a dying Christian.
There's many strange stories. None of them validate staying in the environment where one has met the Lord. There's a bible verse commonly used by UBF which says "each one should remain in one's calling", but this does not mean God called us unto an organization to do some work for Him, much rather, we need to know that we are called unto sonship, called to Eternal Life, as such, we are called towards God Himself, NOT towards an organization or a cetain duty.
"office" and "sonship" are two totally different aspects of Christian life, but UBF mixes the two up.

The environment "UBF" may have something about studying the Bible etc. - it may even really help some people to see the Lord, but that means nothing. What means something is that in UBF, there definitely are un-Christian elements, such as "shepherding/discipling", "covering", unquestioned authority, shady money dealings, praise of men etc. The Bible refers to these elements as "leaven". And Paul warned "A little leaven leavens the whole lump". The Lord cautioned the disciples to steer free of the "leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees", i.e. the people who were so keen on mixing their own religious concepts with the Law of God because they considered it superior to traditional religion.

Such leaven is also found in UBF, and if you're not aware of that, you'll also get leavened. Your first love for the Lord will turn into duty, your fervor and zeal become blinded, your care will turn into performance - I'm afraid. I can not say that this will happen to everyone in UBF, but I can say that many have experienced it and were eventually at the point where they found that UBF hindered their personal relationship with God.
And that is the point where decisions become painful: UBF has grown dear, UBF has become one's background, one's family, one's future and one's hope. Who is willing to leave all those things, especially when one may assume that salvation is tied to UBF performance, all in order to follow a mere though in one's back of the head telling them that Jesus does not agree with staying? One starts to rationalize this away, to desire feeling comfortable in the UBF environment - and has taken the step of squelching the conscience. At this point, one has lost the very thing for which Jesus came: to return us into the proper fellowship with God Himself, free from human mediators.

Do not let anyone, no shepherd, no director, no missionary, no Sunday messenger, nothing, replace your intimate relationship with Jesus.
You must learn that when your conscience says "No", it MEANS no regardless of what UBF says, when your conscience says "Yes", it also MEANS yes regardless of what UBF says - your conscience is your relationship with Jesus. UBF isn't.
As long as you are aware of WHO should give you the necessary answers (God Himself), you can realize the fine margin between a human authority institution and a genuine Church.
If you keep your conscience keen, you will stay clear of trouble, regardless of where you are.

Do not believe that "inside UBF" or "inside ANY church" is "better" to be. Those are just human environments. None of them are "better" than any other, for one simple reason: "There is only one who is good: God" - stay in Christ, and it truly doesn't matter where you are and what you do: but stay outside of Christ and it also doesn't matter where you are and what you do.
The sphere is God, nothing else.
And UBF isn't God. By the time you have eaten that equation, you're ready to be severely abused, emotionally as well as spiritually. Don't buy it. Jesus freed us unto Himself, He didn't enslave us to a specific religion.

I am reading more of your testimony, I will comment on it later.
Please, do not be offended at my comments, I will say what is on my heart with all truthfulness. In case you disagree, you're also free to express such disagreement, but let's keep it on a conversational level ;)

In Christ,
Mike K.

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