Dear!
here below i am placing on blog a report by one good friend of mine...
he is a non-catholic christian minister...
i share his sorrow on the predicament of Christians today!
The Devotees of Religion?
Rev. P. Joseph Ramanathan
“Stop! You cannot give baptism to them in our church. If you want to baptise them, take them into your house.” A church elder thundered the priest. The church members supported the elder’s command to withdraw the idea of baptism.
This real incident happened in a church that believes in evangelism. The church priest led ten non-Christians to receive Jesus Christ as their God. These new believers wanted to join the fellowship of believers by taking the baptism. Past six months the priest prepared them and arranged the baptism on the Easter Sunday of 2010. However, the baptism service was stopped and new believers were sent out.
The reason is, regrettably, the new believers come from the caste that is not similar to the church members. The church elder is a disciplined person who follows all the church rules faithfully. His family and relatives support the church activities, north India missions, youth, children and revival ministries. His sacrificial giving is well appreciated by the powerful evangelists as well. Quite a number of magazines are pumped into his home address. The church members elect the particular elder for the church leadership every time unanimously. Therefore, it is not easy to condemn him for this unscriptural behaviour.
Who is to be blamed? Sadly, most of the Christians did not know that caste discrimination nullifies the power of the gospel. So they did not consider that the caste bigotry is sin. There are many reasons for this perspective. First, most of the priests, including powerful evangelists and anointed pastors, are staunch believers in the caste system. Some of them lived and died more faithful to their caste rather than to the body of Christ. As a result, they preached that all are equal in the eyes of God, not among human beings that assert inequality. Second, the missionary movements initiated a slight process of change. However, their fund raising actions have to comply with the caste lines. Third, the priests and pastors are appointed on the basis of the caste lines. As a result, the church becomes another social club in the society. Thus, it is easy for the Christian institutions and individuals to follow the cultural patterns blissfully. There is no place for an alternative culture by the Gospel.
Regrettably, this type of Christians’ mind is not ruled by the word of God. Hence, there is no transformation in their thoughts, memories and reasons. As a result, their emotions are not touched by the Spirit of God. So, it is impossible to expect the fruit of Spirit in their lives. Consequently, it is normal to obey the patterns of the world instead of obeying the will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)
Apparently, they are devotees of Christian religion, not the disciples of Christ. The Scripture teaches that God created everyone in His image. Discrimination and exclusion are sin against God. (Eph.2:14). Repentance is required to enter into the Kingdom of God.
Rev. P. Joseph Ramanathan serves with Equipping People for Excellence in Leadership that involves in training the Christians for effective missions.