[UntoHim]

To my friend Raptor, LCD members, readers and lurkers:

This site is name Local Church Discussions and NOT Local Church Declarations. I think the difference should be painfully obvious to all of us who have come here in good faith, with a sound mind and a charitable heart. I'm not saying that anyone here (including and especially moi) has been perfect regarding this matter, only that we should always be striving for Paul's sentiments in Romans 12:18: "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone." I believe that "everyone" here should include our brothers and sisters in Christ, no? I also believe that "live at peace" should include our interactions with each other, especially when it comes to discussions among us regarding important (albeit highly contentious) doctrine/teachings. If we learned anything from our experience in the Local Church, we learned that knowledge puffs up, however when we insist upon anyone's private interpretation we are puffed up even more.

I really do understand and appreciate Raptor's consistency and tenacity. To be sure, Witness Lee was equally consistent and equally insistent about so many important and controversial doctrines/teachings. Yet as mature and considerate believers we are to be extremely cautious regarding the teachings of someone who has been proclaimed "the One Minister with the One Ministry for the Age" - even if similar things were taught more conventional/orthodox teachers.

The church has been around for a long time. Those of us born and raised in the 20th and 21st centuries are at the end of a long line of believers who gave their blood, and even their lives, so that we may have the sacred pages of scripture available to us today. I believe we are doing them, and even God, a terrible disservice by insisting upon someone's private interpretation of a secondary, non-essential doctrine/teaching. Brothers and sisters, there is a very good reason why none of these matters regarding rewards and punishment were debated over in any of the earliest Christian councils - it is because they are not essential - they are secondary at best.

I believe that Jacob Howard has done a marvelous treatment of these matters on his website thelordsrecovery.org
https://thelordsrecovery.org/categor...ar-discipline/
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