10 Consequences of Leaving a Biblical Church

I know that there are many biblical reasons for leaving a church that are just and right, and some are called to other areas of ministry or the Lord may replant you to some other location in order to serve a particular need. That's not what I am attempting to address here, but I want to look at what are some (not all) of the unattended consequences of leaving a biblical church for unbiblical reasons?

1. It Grieves Your Pastor And Does Not Profit You.
Leaving a church for unbiblical reason's simply breaks your Pastor's heart, and if you're leaving has grieved your pastor then that's not good for you. Hebrews 13:17 "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."

2. It Has A Negative Impact On Your Present Church Community.
Have you not considered the devastating impact that leaving may have on the ministry at your present church? God has placed you in a solid biblical church where you are needed for the work of Christ and your spiritual growth. This is not the time to cut and run but for devoted commitment to church fellowship and active ministry in your local church instead of hindering that work by leaving. Philippians 2:4 is the model of Christian community we are to follow by looking "on the things of others", not leaving others.

3. It's A Poor Example Of Commitment And Faithfulness.
What kind of commitment are you teaching your children, not just about church commitment, but commitment in general? Do you hold this same view of commitment in your marriage? Then why do you allow it into your thinking of the church (Ephesians 5:22-33 / Loving The Local Church).

4. It Does Not Model Biblical Perseverance.
If you can't hang in a biblical church now, what makes you think you will persevere in your faith when "great persecution against the church" comes? Why do Christians no longer see any value in remaining "steadfast under trials"? (James 1:12)

5. It Breaks Christian Fellowship.
No matter how hard you may try and communicate your love for your former church members, you will have spoken to them louder by your actions. Just imagine how difficult it would be after leaving your wife to live with another woman and then trying to communicate how much you still love her? It just doesn't work without reconciliation.

6. It Promotes Selfishness.
No other way around it, if it isn't a biblical reason then nothing is left but your personal preferences and if you leave based on your personal preferences then you have elevated your preferences over the church which Christ died for and that's selfish. Surely you don't think that the folks that stay faithful to their church don't have any personal preferences? Of course they do, but have you ever thought that maybe they have chosen to die to those preferences to the glory of Christ? Philippians 2:3 "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves."

7. It Diminishes Your Christian Witness.
Just consider what kind of an impact leaving your church will have on your unsaved family and friends. What kind of message will they see about Christ and the church through your easy exit? You must realize that as a Christian whatever you do will be seen as positive or negative by the community. Is it any wonder that unsaved people have such a low opinion of church when so many Christians display this same low view by hopping from church to church? Pastor's who eagerly accept you into their fellowship knowing you are coming from a biblical church are not to be trusted, they do not have your best interest at heart.

8. It Does Not Edify The Church.
1 Corinthians 14:12 "seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church." If you’re not looking to serve and edify your present church what makes you think you can serve and edify your next church? That is presumptuous! Leaving a church for unbiblical reasons does not "maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love" (Ephesians 4:16), it actually has a negative effect on the church.

9. It Reveals Your Discontented Heart.
1 Timothy 6:6 "But godliness with contentment is great gain" even in an imperfect church! Learn to be content where God has placed you, troubles will come and go in the church, just trust Christ to lead the church and don't get all bent out of shape about every little thing that's wrong in your church. Learn to take the good with the bad, for "shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?" (Job 2:10).

10. It Hinders The Sanctification Process Or Worse.
There are no perfect church's, so running from one imperfect church to another imperfect church will at best stunt your spiritual growth and at worst may lead to apostasy. 1 John 2:19 "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us."

"The Lord esteems the communion of his Church so highly that he counts as traitor and apostate from Christianity anyone who arrogantly leaves any Christian society, provided it cherishes the true ministry of the Word and sacraments." —John Calvin (1509-1564)

Quote of the Day

"If any man doth ascribe aught of salvation, even the very least, to the free-will of man, he knoweth nothing of grace, and he hath not learnt Jesus Christ aright." —Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Assailing The Sovereignty of God

"Let me indicate especially the doctrines of free-will. I know there are some good men who hold and preach them, but I am persuaded that the Lord must be grieved with their doctrine though he forgives them their sin of ignorance. Free-will doctrine—what does it? It magnifies man into God; it declares God's purposes a nullity, since they cannot be carried out unless men are willing. It makes God's will a waiting servant to the will of man, and the whole covenant of grace dependent upon human action. Denying election on the ground of injustice it holds God to be a debtor to sinners, so that if he gives grace to one he is bound to do so to all. It teaches that the blood of Christ was shed equally for all men and since some are lost, this doctrine ascribes the difference to man's own will, thus making the atonement itself a powerless thing until the will of man gives it efficacy. Those sentiments dilute the scriptural description of man's depravity, and by imputing strength to fallen humanity, rob the Spirit of the glory of his effectual grace: this theory says in effect that it is of him that willeth, and of him that runneth, and not of God that showeth mercy. Any doctrine, my brethren, which stands in opposition to this truth—"I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy," provokes God's jealousy. I often tremble in this pulpit lest I should utter anything which should oppose the sovereignty of my God; and though you know I am not ashamed to preach the responsibility of man to God—if God be a sovereign, man must be bound to obey him—on the other hand, I am equally bold to preach that God has a right to do what he wills with his own, that he giveth no account of his matters and none may stay his hand, or say unto him, "What doest thou?" I believe that the free-will heresy assails the sovereignty of God, and mars the glory of his dominion. In all faithfulness, mingled with sorrow, I persuade you who have been deluded by it, to see well to your ways and receive the truth which sets God on high, and lays the creature in the dust. "The Lord reigneth," be this our joy." —C. H. Spurgeon (1834-1892)

WOW!

Wow, what an attack on the Word of God and an out right denial of it's own doctrinal statement with the realease of “A Statement of the Traditional Southern Baptist Understanding of God’s Plan of Salvation”

"In all this opposition to the absolute will of God, we see the self-will of the last days manifesting itself. Man wanted to be a god at the first, and he continues the struggle to the last. He is resolved that his will shall take the precedence of God's. In the last Antichrist, this self-will shall be summed up and exhibited. He is the king that is to do 'according to his will'. And in the freewill controversy of the day, we see the same spirit displayed. It is Antichrist that is speaking to us, and exhorting us to proud independence. Self-will is the essence of anti-christian religion. Self-will is the root of bitterness, that is springing up in the churches in these days. And it is not from above, it is from beneath. It is earthly, sensual, devilish." - Horatius Bonar (1808-1889)

Free-will

"Free-will somebody believes in. Free-will many dream of. Free-will! Wherever is that to be found? Once there was Free-will in Paradise, and a terrible mess Free-will made there; for it spoiled all Paradise and turned Adam out of the garden. Free-will was once in heaven; but it turned the glorious archangel out, and a third part of the stars of heaven fell into the abyss. I want nothing to do with Free-will, but I will try to see whether I have got a Free-will within. And I find I have. Very free will to evil but very poor will to that which is good. Free-will enough when I sin, but when I would do good, evil is present with me, and how to do that which I would I find not. Yet some boast of Free-will. I wonder whether those who believe in it have any more power over persons’ wills than I have? I know I have not any. I find the old proverb very true, "One man can bring a horse to the water but a hundred cannot make him drink." I find that I can bring you all to the water, and a great many more than can get into this chapel; but I cannot make you drink; and I don’t think a hundred ministers could make you drink. I have read old Rowland Hill, and Whitefield, and several others, to see what they did; but I cannot discover a plan of turning your will. I cannot coax you, and you will not yield by any manner of means. I do not think any man has power over his fellow-creature’s will, but the Spirit of God has. "I will make them willing in the day of my power." He maketh the unwilling sinner so willing that he is impetuous after the gospel; he who was obstinate now hurries to the cross. He who laughed at Jesus now hangs on his mercy; and he who would not believe is now made by the Holy Spirit to do it, not only willingly, but eagerly; he is happy, is glad to do it, rejoices in the sound of Jesus’ name, and delights to run in the way of God’s commandments. The Holy Spirit has power over the will." —C. H. Spurgeon (1834-1892)