My reply to Tang pertaining to why I leave CCC

Tang's Letter to me.

"If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:23. NKJV)

We preserve the sins of other people when we we pick up an offence and harbour resentment. There is a false sense of self-protection in harbouring an offence. It keeps you from seeing your character flaws because the blame is deferred to another person. You never have to face your role, your immaturity, or your sin because you see only the faults of the offender.

Often GOD's plan causes us to face hurts and attitudes we dread to face. Yet we tend to avoid and run away from the very source of the offence that will bring strength to our lives.

If we leave a church or a relationship resentful and embittered, we will enter into the next church or relationship with that same attitude. Refusing to deal with it will not free us from the problem but will only give us temporary relief. It will then be easier to leave our next relationship when problems arise.

However the root of the problem remains untouched. Not only are we dealing with the hurts that took place in the new relationship, we also face the past hurts from our previous relationship. Therefore GOD's plan to develop character in you by this resistance is now abandoned.

Love forgets wrongs so that there is hope for the future. If we have truly overcome an offence, we earnestly seek to make peace. The time may not be right immediately, but in our hearts we will watch for an opportunity for restoration.

My Reply to Tang's Letter

Hi Tang,

John 20:23. NKJV
"If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

With regards to your letter, pertaining to the verse John 20:23 I believe you may be thinking that perhap the reason why I left church is due to unforgiviness.

The reason I left CCC is solely because I wanted a church that is God-centered and not Man-centered.

If I leave church because of bearing grudges against any one, I would have left long ago.

In a period of 10 years I could easily have bear a few hundred grudges and would not have wait until now to decide to leave church.

By the way the exposition for John 20:23 is not talking about unforgiviness between one another.

It is saying that only God can forgive sin.

~Mark 2:7
New Living Translation (NLT)
7 “What is he saying? This is blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!”

~Daniel 9:9
New Living Translation (NLT)
9 But the Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him.

What Christ was actually saying is that any Christian can declare that those who genuinely repent and believe the gospel will have their sins forgiven by God.

On the other hand, they can warn that those who reject Jesus Christ will die in their sins (John 8:24; Hebrew 10:26–27).

Why I decided to leave CCC.

I leave CCC not because that I have harbour any bitterness upon any one.

I decided to leave CCC because it is too man-centered and not God-centered.

There is very little of God being mention during services. Sadly God is not being exalted.

Everything is about what man can do and not what God can do.

Everything is about how to exalt yourself and better yourselves through this programs and that therapy.

Where is the honour due God? Are people thirsting for the word of God or simply wanting their problem solved?

What has being "Successful" got anything to do with Spirituality? Isn't that prosperity gospel?

CCC has not been feeding the sheep with the word of God.

Instead misinterpreted many of God's word causing the flock to stumbled.

Without the work of the holy spirit. The message being preached loses it's convicting power.

Therefore inorder to keep the member. CCC resort to carnal means to retain it's member.

CCC is mainly substain by activities, need base programs and relationship with one another.

It is not substain by the word of God.

Why do people come to church? To worship God or to satisfied the desire of the flesh for entertainment and self exaltation?

CCC lack the true knowledge of the scripture for the Lord was not with them, thus in their own ways twisted the word of God to their own liking.

The Lord has been merciful to have open my eyes to the truth. With the work of the holy spirit, He has lead me to understand the doctrine of Grace.

The doctrine of grace awaken me to sound doctrine and the word of God came to life.

For more infor on the doctrine of graces go to:
http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/articles/what-we-believe-about-the-five-points-of-calvinism

TULIP:
We experience first our depravity and need of salvation. (Total Depravity)

Then we experience the irresistible grace of God leading us toward faith. (Irresistible Grace)

Then we trust the sufficiency of the atoning death of Christ for our sins. (Limited Atonement)

Then we discover that behind the work of God to atone for our sins and bring us to faith was the unconditional election of God. (Unconditional Election )

And finally we rest in his electing grace to give us the strength and will to persevere to the end in faith. (Perseverance of the Saints)

Obedience comes as a result of the manifestation of Grace from God. It is the fruit of repentance and you can't take credit for your obedience.

Our obedience doesn't please God when we think it will make us some what more spiritual.

We are save by grace through faith and not of obedience so that no one could boast about their obedience.

~Acts 15:8-11
8 God knows people’s hearts, and he confirmed that he accepts Gentiles by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us. 9 He made no distinction between us and them, for he cleansed their hearts through faith. 10 So why are you now challenging God by burdening the Gentile believers[a] with a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors were able to bear? 11 We believe that we are all saved the same way, by the undeserved grace of the Lord Jesus.”

~Romans 9:30-33
30 What does all this mean? Even though the Gentiles were not trying to follow God’s standards, they were made right with God. And it was by faith that this took place. 31 But the people of Israel, who tried so hard to get right with God by keeping the law, never succeeded. 32 Why not? Because they were trying to get right with God by keeping the law[a] instead of by trusting in him. They stumbled over the great rock in their path. 33 God warned them of this in the Scriptures when he said, “I am placing a stone in Jerusalem[b] that makes people stumble,a rock that makes them fall. But anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”[c]

Baptism is not necessary for salvation.

Insisting that Baptism is necessary for salvation is blasphemous because it claims that Baptism plays apart in our salvation hence taking away the glory due Christ.

Baptism is the manifestation of grace through faith in Christ. It is an outward expression of an inward regeneration (ie repentance,conversion)

Water baptism can effect this in an outward sense only. That is, by water baptism, we can make a public confession of faith in Christ and His redeeming work, and publicly identify with the family of God.

But water baptism cannot effect the inward change necessary to make someone a true Christian. When a person submits to water baptism, it is by faith—a faith which issues forth from the changed heart he has already received from God.

We are saved by Christ alone, through His death at Calvary. When we add ritual works to the finished work of Christ, as things necessary for salvation, we essentially dethrone our Lord. The object of our faith is no longer Christ alone, but Christ plus our own obedience to baptism. This contradicts the many scriptures which say that we are saved by faith, apart from works (e.g. Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5; etc.). It also makes an idol of water baptism, since we look to it for salvation as much as to Christ.

Our God is a jealous God—He does not take kindly to idolatrous ritualism.

Let us therefore confess that we are saved by Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone, for God's glory alone. This is the clear testimony of God's authoritative Word. There is no basis in Scripture for legalistic ritualism or salvation by human works.

~Isaiah 43:11
11 “I, even I, am the Lord,
And there is no (A)savior (B)besides Me

~John 14:6
6 Jesus said to him, “I am (A)the way, and (B)the truth, and (C)the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

We will not lose our salvation. For one reason, it a gift. We don't deserve it and we can't undeserve it. Claiming that we will lose our salvation put the yoke of redeeming sin heavily upon the shoulder of believer.

How can we ever do enough to "remain" in salvation? Hence claiming that we are able to make "effort" to prevent ourselves from losing our salvation, snatches away the redeeming work of Christ. Again a blasphemy to God.

For Christ have said take my yoke for my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Christ will carry our yoke for us.

~Matthew 11:28-30
English Standard Version (ESV)
28 (A)Come to (B)me, all who labor and are (C)heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and (D)learn from me, for I am (E)gentle and lowly in heart, and (F)you will find rest for your souls. 30 For (G)my yoke is easy, and my burden
is light.”

~Galatians 2:19-21
New Living Translation (NLT)
19 For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ.[a] It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.

God chose us, we did not chose Him.

God is superior than us. Who are we to choose Him.

When a "King" calls we don't choose whether to heed or not to heed the calling. We simply obey irresistibility.

Who are we to response to an infinite God where we don't even know how the creation is made?

We are able to come to Christ simply because God has chosen us before the foundation of the world.

Claiming that we are able to response to God thereby obtaining salvation through our responses take away the credit of redemptive work due Christ.

God will put His Spirit within you and cause you to walk in His statutes

~Ezekiel 36:27
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
27 I will (A)put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My
statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.

~Ezekiel 11:19
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
19 And I will (A)give them one heart, and put a new spirit within [a]
them. And I will take the (B)heart of stone out of their flesh and give
them a (C)heart of flesh,

~Jeremiah 24:7
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7 I will give them a (A)heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they
will be (B)My people, and I will be their God, for they will (C)return
to Me with their whole heart.

~John 16:7
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the [a](A)Helper will not come to you; but if I go, (B)I will send Him to you.

God will put the fear of Him in your heart so that you will not turn away from Him.

~Jeremiah 32:40
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
40 I will make an (A)everlasting covenant with them that I will (B)not
turn away from them, to do them good; and I will (C)put the fear of Me
in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me.

God will draw you with an everlasting love.

~Jeremiah 31:3
New Living Translation (NLT)
3 Long ago the Lord said to Israel:
“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.
    With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

The Holy Spirit will work in you to believe in Him

~1 Corinthians 12:3
New Living Translation (NLT)
3 So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.

You will naturally be responsive towards God's calling if you are the chosen one of God.

~John 6:37
New King James Version (NKJV)
37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes
to Me I will by no means cast out.

God Choose us before the foundation of the world

~Ephesians 1:3-6
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
3 (A)Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in (B)the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as (C)He chose us in Him before (D)the foundation of the world, that we would be (E)holy and blameless before [a]Him. (F)In love 5 [b]He (G)predestined us to (H)adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, (I)according to the [c]kind intention of His will, 6 (J)to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in (K)the Beloved.

~2 Timothy 1:9
New Living Translation (NLT)
9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.

~Isaiah 43:12
New Living Translation (NLT)
12 First I predicted your rescue,
    then I saved you and proclaimed it to the world.
No foreign god has ever done this.
    You are witnesses that I am the only God,”
    says the Lord.

~Isaiah 45:5
5 (A)I am the Lord, and there is no other,
    besides me there is no God;
    (B)I equip you, though you do not know me,

Left In our own, we are unable to response to God's calling.

Man are totally deprave and unable to know God.

They are born hater of God unless God works in them.

~Romans 3:10-18
New Living Translation (NLT)
10 As the Scriptures say,
“No one is righteous—
    not even one.
11 No one is truly wise;
    no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away;
    all have become useless.
No one does good,
    not a single one.”[a]
13 “Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave.
    Their tongues are filled with lies.”
“Snake venom drips from their lips.”[b]
14     “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.”[c]
15 “They rush to commit murder.
16     Destruction and misery always follow them.
17 They don’t know where to find peace.”[d]
18     “They have no fear of God at all.”[e]

~Charles Spurgeon
One week-night, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher's sermon, for I did not believe it. The thought struck me, "How did you come to be a Christian?" I sought the Lord. "But how did you come to seek the Lord?" The truth flashed across my mind in a moment—I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so? Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, "I ascribe my change wholly to God" (AUTOBIOGRAPHY, pp. 164-5). (Charles Spurgeon)

For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me. Human effort accomplishes nothing.

~John 6:63-65
New Living Translation (NLT)
63 The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64 But some of you do not believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning which ones didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) 65 Then he said, “That is why I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father gives them to me.”

~John 15:16
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
16 (A)You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and (B)bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that (C)whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.

~John 15:19
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but (A)I chose you out of the world, (B)because of this the world hates you.

~Romans 11:7
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
7 What then? What (A)Israel is seeking, it has not obtained, but [a]those who were chosen obtained it, and the rest were (B)hardened;

~Acts 13:48
New Living Translation (NLT)
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers.

I hope the Lord may open your eyes to gain understanding according to His will. For He is faithful and not one of His sheep will be snatch away.

~Matthew 13:12-14
New Living Translation (NLT)
12 To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them. 13 That is why I use these parables,

For they look, but they don’t really see.
They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.
14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
‘When you hear what I say,
    you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
    you will not comprehend.

~John 10:27-30

New Living Translation (NLT)

²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, ²⁹ for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else.^[a] No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. ³⁰ The Father and I are one.”

Reference:
1.Heritical group
2.Watch Out for Those Who Lead You Away from the Truth
3.Honest to God