Leave Your Pastor - Андрей Викторович Шибанов
Being a coward is a sin, so don't be a coward:
But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death”. – Revelation 21:8
Does whom God consider a coward? Those who are scared to stand for the truth, to fight against their own sins, to take personal responsibility and to fulfill the will of God. God values the fearlessness and courage:
Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you. – Deuteronomy 31:6
Do not fear the religious leaders who will definitely persecute you for the truth but fear God instead. Jesus Christ was killed by the religious leaders but He became victorious and seated at the right hand from God.
Teachings of demons
Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons… – 1 Timothy 4:1
You have departed from the sound gospel of Christ and devoted yourself to the teachings of demons. Just like Paul warned Timothy, the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching. This time has come now. You have turned from listening to the truth and wandered off into myths:
For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. – 2 Timothy 4:3-4
You have turned from doctrine of Christ to the doctrine of your religious organization which is nothing else but a myth. Those doctrines are the divisions and obstacles for disciples of Christ:
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. – Romans 16:17
There is only one doctrine, the doctrine of Christ, so why would you follow the doctrine of your church?
I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. – Galatians 1:6-7
In this chapter, I will go one-by-one through the demonic teachings which believers plagued with.
Disfellowshipping, Excommunicating or Expelling
The practice of disfellowshipping which I have exposed earlier in this book is the demonic teaching which was neither taught by Jesus Christ nor apostles. This is originally Roman Catholic practice that was later adapted by other religious organizations. When Jesus spoke to Peter, he said that he will build a church and gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Jesus indeed have built a church but it is a spiritual church, not a building:
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. – Matthew 16:18
At the time of Catholic inquisition, the excommunication was almost a certain death. Roman Catholics used to excommunicate believers falsely charging them with heresy and request the government to execute the person. Nothing changed regarding church practices since then. The Catholic Church and other organizations continue to excommunicate.
“Seeking advise” practice
Seeking advise practice is widespread among believers. Solomon taught that you must seek advice to succeed in your deeds and actions:
Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future. – Proverbs 19:20
When church leaders, pastors and priests request disciples of Christ to seek advice from them, they actually mean that disciples must ask permission from them. By doing so, they reveal their craftiness. Church leaders manipulate with the Scriptures for their own benefit. For example, if any man asks a woman for marriage without seeking advise from church leaders, they might warn or even disfellowship that person. This is a practice of control over person and his decision-making. It sets hierarchy, making believers dependent on church leaders, pastors and priests. It is not acceptable practice because Jesus warned against the hierarchy among his disciples:
The greatest among you shall be your servant. – Matthew 23:11
You all are equal before God, so you must not ask permission from any church leaders. Would Jesus ask permission from anyone except God? So neither you should ask a permission because you are conformed to the image of Christ. You have the mind of Christ:
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. – Romans 8:29
"For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. -1 Corinthians 2:16
Jesus Christ renounced ranking among believers, so instead of reporting to those higher in rank, you must admonish and encourage each other to do what is right:
But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. – Hebrews 3:1
Misinterpretation of the word “church”
Whenever your church leaders, pastors and priests speak about your organization as of a church, they deceive you. Please look at this scripture:
There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father
