Quote:
Originally Posted by zeek
I didn't say it was wrong OBW, only that I wouldn't choose it. Is it a legal matter how the church meets? Let us for the moment suppose that your interpretation of Corinthians is the one correct one possible. Are Paul's words to the Corthinians law? That would contradict his words in Galatians and elsewhere regarding grace wouldn't it? What did Paul say there, "I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— which is really no gospel at all. " So if not law, then what? Could Paul's words to the Corinthians be practical guidance on how to meet that were suited to that one church at that time? If there is a basis for concluding that Paul's teaching about meeting must be practiced universally, what is it?
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It seems that history teaches us we are headed for trouble when we start making church form and church meetings the main thing, as if that was the main thing in the Bible.
Lee convinced me that the right kind of "church" was the most important thing to God, one for which I was supposed to give myself. My bad for being so easily persuaded. I was convince-able because I was dissatisfied. I thought it was "church" that I was dissatisfied with, but the truth is that I wasn't satisfied because I wasn't walking with Jesus.
I no longer think Christian meetings are the main thing. They have a place and they serve a purpose, but there is a lot of flexibility as to things like how, when, where, how many, how long, etc., etc. We have flexibility in this because there is nothing clearly or rigidly defined in scripture, as some have pointed out.
I really agree with what Awareness had to say about one church. The church just is, because it is, because Christ died so it could be. There is no possibility of two churches in the same way there is no possibility of Christ having two bodies. Meetings? Well, that's another matter, the flexible, not clearly defined one. One thing for sure, our oneness with one another is not defined or produced by meetings in all their shapes and sizes.
I am more and more convinced each day that I am on this earth, that the big deal is to walk with God one day at a time and do the things he has for me to do with Him that day.
Every day is exciting to me because of this, even if I am just working in the yard and praying for His kingdom to come, asking for it to be now on earth as it is in heaven.
I love being surprised by Him in big ways and little ways. I love seeing Him work in answer to prayer. I have even learned (a little bit) that part of walking with Him is learning to persevere in prayer even through times of suffering and wait for Him to answer the way He wants to.
I love reading my Bible and making new discoveries about who He is and what He is like.
Because of this, whenever I talk to, or gather with other Christians, I have something to tell about Him and His working in and around me. I hope by this to encourage other Christians to make living every day with Jesus the "big deal."
Well, it is occurring to me that this probably belongs on the "What I've Learned" thread, but I don't want to take the time to do that 'cause it's easier just to hit Submit.
Then again maybe this does fit on the "double-speak" thread. In the LC we said that Christ was the main thing, but we practiced that the meetings and the church formula developed by Lee/Nee were the main thing--to the point that we couldn't be "practically" one with those who didn't make our church meeting formula their main thing. (Of course, we always
said we were one with those who didn't take our way, but we can see pretty plainly today just how that double speaking has worked out.)
Glad to be past that time of my life.
Thankful Jane