Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohio
This highlights one of the major distinctions between regions of LC's. John relates how this teaching of WL was taken almost robotically by his LC and applied mechanically in the meetings. I never saw such an extreme application of this teaching, almost to the point of negating the need of faith for salvation, here in greater Ohio.
I would agree with the lack of prudence and healthy discernment when inviting folks to stay overnight. I credit some of this to those "crazy 60's and 70's," but I have seen some of this in our more recent history. I could give stories, but let's remember here that the Bible encourages us to "pursue hospitality." Let's not forget that there is a God who can protect us naivete's from "excessively" loving others. Untold miracles of God's protection have occurred in this area. Christians throughout church history have done many "foolish" things, risking even their lives, all the while loving people for the Lord's sake.
Of course, when God warns us of some careless activities, then we may forfeit some of His protection.
|
This speaks to the point that the LRC over-encouraged zeal and under-encouraged genuine brotherly love. Zeal unchecked can create all kinds of problems. Love, however, Paul teaches, "never fails."
Although there was a lot of love in those early days, I think it was to a large extent a "we're all in this together, whoop-de-do" type love and not the genuine "loving people deeply because God loves them" type love. Whoop-de-do love feeds into all kinds of extremes and turns harshly on dissidents. Genuine love can detect errors of emphasis, which is one reason it "never fails."