IS IT BAD AND AGAINST THE BIBLE
SAYING “I AM PROUD TO BE IGLESIA NI CRISTO”?
SOMETHING TO BE “proud of” is
not a bad thing and not a sin against the Lord. However, for certain Mr.
Conley, to be proud you are a member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo is a negative
thing. For him saying “I am proud to be INC” is not permissible. Let us examine
what he says regarding the statement of the members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo
saying “I am proud to be INC”:
Mr. Conley immediately concluded
that the members of Iglesia Ni Cristo are boasting or being boastful in saying “I
am proud to be INC.” This is what he said:
Many
members of the organization known as the "Iglesia Ni Cristo" often
boast about their church ("proud of the INC") or their membership in
the church ("proud to be INC"). Is it permissible to make such
boasts? Does the Bible teach us what we should boast about?
Mr. Conley also immediately
judged the statement of the members of Church of Christ saying “proud to be
Iglesia Ni Cristo” or “proud to be INC” as “boasting.” Thus, for him “to be
proud of” is “boasting” or being boastful. He further accused the Iglesia Ni Cristo
members as “boasting their work” in saying “I am proud to be INC”:
“When
INC members boast about their church membership, they are boasting in what they
think is their salvation. They are boasting in their work of joining the
Iglesia Ni Cristo. This is entirely contrary to what Ephesians 2:8-9 teaches.”
His being judgmental and prejudicial
did not end here. He also interpreted our saying of “I am proud to be INC” as “praising
the Church and not God”:
“Why
is it that when INC members praise their church, they rarely mention God, but
the church alone?”
For Mr. Conley, saying “I am
proud to be INC” is praising the Church and not God.” And because he
interpreted the statement “I am proud to be INC” as “boasting” he finally
concluded the following:
“This
common practice in the INC of boasting in the church and boasting in church
membership reveals a total lack of understanding that we must rely entirely on
the grace of God and not on our own ability or works. Let us be humble and hear
what Scripture teaches and boast only in Jesus Christ.”
Thus, for Mr. Conley, he
interpreted, understood, judged the statement “I am proud to be INC” as “boasting”
and being “boastful,” “praising the Church and not God, “boasting their work”
thus going against the Bible, and lacking humility and humbleness.
However, who is he to judged
members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo of being “boastful” when they say they are
proud to be members of Iglesia Ni Cristo? What is his right to give interpretation
and attack the Iglesia Ni Cristo using his own interpretation of our own
statement? Should a civil person ask first what the person who made the
statement what he meant before he makes any conclusion?
TINC ANSWERS
Mr. Conley immediately judged the
statement of many members of Church of Christ “proud to be Iglesia Ni Cristo”
or “proud to be INC” as “boasting” or being “boastful.” Does Mr. Conley did not know that “proud” and “boastful”
are two different words? Merriam Webster defines the word “proud” as:
“Proud
adjective \prau̇d\
“VERY
HAPPY AND PLEASED because of something you have done, something you own,
someone you know or are related to, etc.: feeling pride
“causing
someone to feel very happy and pleased: causing a feeling of pride
Although there are other meanings
of the word “proud” as given by the dictionary, but who is Mr. Conley to interpret
which meaning the members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo referring to when they used
the word “proud.” Who is he to judged members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo of being
“boastful” when they say they are proud to be members of Iglesia Ni Cristo?
Following Mr. Conley’s interpretation,
“being “proud” is being “boastful” thus it is a bad thing and against the
Bible, then being “a proud parent” is going against the Bible, being “proud to
be Filipino” is a bad thing. Well, what can you say about this Mr. Conley?
“
“Hold
firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ's return, I WILL BE
PROUD that I did not run the race in vain and THAT MY WORK WAS NOT USELESS. BUT
I WILL REJOICE even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to
God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. AND I WANT ALL OF
YOU TO SHARE THAT JOY. Yes, YOU SHOULD REJOICE, AND I WILL SHARE YOUR JOY.” (Phil.
2:16-18, NLT, emphasis mine)
When Apostle Paul said, “I WILL BE PROUD that I did not run out the
race in vain and THAT MY WORK WAS NOT USLESS,” is he being “boastful”? Is
he against the Bible? Is he against humility or not being humble at all? Is he
giving praise of himself and not God?
It was Apostle Paul himself who explained
what he meant when he used the word “proud” or saying “I WILL BE PROUD that I did not run out the race in vain and THAT MY
WORK WAS NOT USLESS.” He also said in the verse we quoted that: “I WILL REJOICE even if I lose my life,
pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service
is an offering to God. AND I WANT ALL OF YOU TO SHARE THAT JOY. Yes, YOU SHOULD
REJOICE, AND I WILL SHARE YOUR JOY.”
When he said “I WILL BE PROUD that I did not run out the
race in vain and THAT MY WORK WAS NOT USLESS,” it doesn’t mean that he is
being boastful or he was boasting, nor he is contradicting his own statement saying
“Let the one who boasts, boast in the
Lord” (I Cor. 1:31, II Cor. 10:17, and Gal. 6:14), he is not being humble
at all, or giving praise of himself only and not God. He is only “rejoicing”
and “sharing his joy.”
Thus, Mr. Conley, don’t be
judgmental. Ask first what members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo meant when they say
“I am proud to be a member of the Iglesia Ni Cristo” or “I am proud to be INC.”
Like Apostle Paul, when he used the word “proud” he meant he is “rejoicing”
and “sharing his joy,” thus, when we say “I’m proud to be INC” it only means we
are rejoicing, happy and pleased that the Lord God had mercy on us to call us
inside His Church, and we are sharing this joy.
__________________
Please take note of this:
When their son arrived after
graduating in college, the proud parents welcome their son and shouted “We are
proud of you son.” The neighbor remarked, “boastful and arrogant fools.” Who do
you think is doing wrong? Who is being unchristian? You might say that the
neighbor said such negative remarks because of ENVY.
__________________
CONCLUSION
Thus, Mr. Conley is barking on
the wrong tree. He misinterpreted and misunderstood the statements of the
members of the Church of Christ in saying “I am proud to be INC” (and even possibly
deliberately misinforming). He is only being judgmental and prejudicial. Remember
Mr. Conley what the Bible said regarding this:
“Judge
not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be
judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why
do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank
in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:1-3 NKJV)
that's right brother :)
ReplyDeletePROUD TO BE AN INC MEMBER... IN THIS WORLD NO MORE TREASURE BETTER THAN TO BE AN IGLESIA NI CRISTO.
ReplyDeleteI'm proud to be INC
ReplyDeleteTo Mr Conley and to those whom not yet a member of INC...
ReplyDeleteWe would like share this joy with you...
And be proud to be INC...
I am truly Proud to be INC...no amount of success and material things in this world can be bargain for as being a member of this fold...how lucky i am and Proud
ReplyDelete..TO: Mr Conly..hope God will grant u more wisdom to understand so that you it will not boomerang to you ..be sure that your weapon used don't contradict what the the holy scripture say...and thats widsom..come and join us so taht you will understand why we say we are proud members...
When I say that I am proud to be an INC, is it really true that I am glorifying the Church and not our Almighty God? INC stands for Iglesia Ni CRISTO. I don't want to say these words but please Mr. Conley, without even consulting the Holy Bible, common sense please. Iglesia is the body of Christ, which follows that Christ is the Head of the body. Therefore, it means that I am proud to be a part/member of Christ's body. Haisst!
ReplyDeletei am proud to be member of the iglesia ni cristo mr conley err loser
ReplyDelete