Quote:
Originally Posted by Terry
"If the foot says, I am not a hand, so I do not belong to the body, it can not therefore not part of the body and if the ear says, I am not the eye, it does not belong to the body, it can not therefore not part of the body." (I Corinthians twelve 15 to 16)
We compared the above verses the following sentences.
If someone says you are not "local church" and therefore not part of the body, you can not therefore not part of the body. If you say, I'm not "local church" and therefore not part of the body, you can not therefore not part of the body.
So do not say that others, even you yourself said you do not belong to the body, you can not therefore not part of the body.
"Not to give up our own together, as if some people used the same, down to encourage one another; both saw the day approaching, so much the more." (To ten 25)
So we can not go start another "local Church", because all of them at the local church. Therefore, we can find a group of people who are willing to seek the truth together with "their gathering," perhaps we are not "local Church" party, but we still belong to the local church, the body belongs to, or accepted by God.
|
Many of us can identify with this portion from the email. How many times in the so-called recovery has a brother or sister been treated as if they're not part of the Body via disfellowship, quarantine (aka excommunication)? Many times not because of a gross sin, but simply by being politically incorrect. The Recovery as we know is very Politically Correct oriented. If you don't "lineup", this is where 1 Corinthians 12 becomes a constant point of reference.
Now to the last paragraph from the above quote. As I understand from the writer, saints can always gather together. Just because they may not meet as the Local Church, they are still part of the local church.