Quote:
Originally Posted by RollingStone
WL in his footnotes commented on the churches descibed in Revelations as having attributes that were reflected in present day churches....
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Hello dear RollingStone. Welcome to our discussion forum.
Over the years, I have come to many of the very same conclusions that you have. If we allow that the Local Churches in the late 1960's and early 1970's did indeed have "life" and "love" on the "ground of locality", the incredibly sad irony is that they sacrificed all these things for the sake of oneness with a specific set of teachings, i.e. Witness Lee's ministry.
For the sake of being "absolute" for Witness Lee's ministry, the Local Churches loyal to Living Stream Ministry have become very exclusive and sectarian "ministry-churches". They have violated their own principles in regard to the "ground of locality". The emphasis now is very much on teachings and the ability to respeak those teachings. The LSM-loyal churches do not comprise some special "Recovery"; rather, they have fallen into exactly the same trap as many groups which preceded them. For all practical purposes, another denomination has been born. These facts should humble those who are still involved in the LSM-loyal churches. May they come to a full repentance.
I too had to question why the LSM-loyal churches had so little love when they claimed so adamantly to be today's "Philadelphia" (i.e. "brotherly love"). It is a really hard thing to try to come up against such an arrogant and elitist attitude. All things are in God's hands, so I trust that He gained something for His purpose by having my family in the LSM-loyal LC as long as he did. It was an eye-opening experience in many ways. I am sadder but wiser, that is for sure, and I am also very, very, thankful that He led us out of the LSM-loyal LC and that we followed Him.
May we continue to "look away unto Jesus". May God have mercy on us all.