[RollingStone]

In one of the WL books I seem to remember reading about the two winds of the spirit, that one wind was blowing toward Babylon and the other toward New Jerusalem.
I bought into that concept.
I think some felt that the LRC were the only ones riding the wind to the New Jerusalem and the rest of Christianity was heading to Babylon.
Today though I was reading,, 1 Cor 4:6
Now these things, brothers, I have transferred in figure to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us the matter of not going beyond what has been written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one, against the other.
In this matter of not going beyond what is written, I have eaten a lot of things that went beyond what was written. Witness Lee wrote a lot of things that were not written when Paul wrote to the Corinthians.
I was puffed up and proud to have the knowledge provided by WL and viewed myself as having something to feed interpretations to others that wasn't in their Bible. I was one who on behalf of one (WL), against the other (the rest of Christianity)
I was reading this today and it was something I was looking for as I was debating with some Catholics where they believe that you need someone of authority to interpret scripture. I was challenged that I could not find one scripture that supported the doctrine "Solo Scriptura" and that in fact believing that Scripture can be understood by the Spirit and did not need a man's interpretation was actually a man-made belief system. They can say that because that is the Catholic teaching and they have placed the Catholic teachings into a position of authority.
I must admit today that I was seeking to do the same in the Local church.
I was puffed up and one against another. Lord forgive me.
I am one who was quaranteed by the LRC,, Praise God!
I am alone and in a position where I am not looking for an official interpretation.
Today I started writing about my experience just before being connected to the LRC and what I see now.
Puffed up:
[left]
Why are the churches, each one against the others? That was the question I found myself asking God while looking at the intersection that I could see from my living room window. Three of the four corners each had a church building built on it. I watched in amazement as people went in and out of those buildings. I was wondering why I had driven across town to go to church for several years. There was three "churches" close to home just a short walk from my house.
But, I told God, "I am not going to any "churches" until You show me where to go".
I thought it was going to be a long time till I went to church again. I was feeling like a "leper" as the leadership in my church had just told me "I knew where the door was".
The next Lord's day I had a brother from another church group call me and ask me "brother what are you doing". I replied sheepishly, "well I was about to watch a football game as I was just kicked out of my church". The brother let me know that he also had been kicked out of his church too. I was stunned! Before I could think, I told him I would be right over.
It has been many years since that happened and now I would have to say that the church I had been shown where the door was had been like what Paul was afraid of as he wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:20
For I fear that perhaps when I come, I may find you not such as I wish; that perhaps there may be strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, slanders, whisperings, demonstrations of being puffed up, tumults;

I had experienced the slander in the church, been told about the whisperings about me and my family and had seen the strife. There was great ambition there as they wanted to become the biggest church group in the area with a big "work" with all kinds of new positions (ministries) to which those who had selfish ambitions were jealously seeking after with a lot of tumults. There was a huge chart posted on the wall as to who would disciple whom and who was accountable to whom and who was over whom. To me it looked like a chart used in corporations but with the pastor on top, then the elders, then the ones in charge of the different ministries, then the group leaders, and then those who were on the bottom. I spoke up about the chart and said "God builds His church up in love. I was suppose to believe that there was no other place in town that was better than that place and to be honest I had believed them. Now I know they had only convinced me with their demonstrations of being puffed up.

Now all over the world in church groups there is a lot of demonstrations of being puffed up. For our sakes though Paul said he used himself and Apollos as examples in 1 Corinthians 4:6 so that we can learn how not to be "one, against the other". He wanted the Corinthians to learn the matter of "not going beyond what has been written.
1 Corinthians 4:6
Now these things, brothers, I have transferred in figure to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us the matter of not going beyond what has been written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one, against the other.

Since Paul wrote this, we have had about 2,000 years of experience of going beyond what has been written. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians he had scolded them for some saying I am of Paul, and some others saying I of Apollos, and and others I am of Cephas and even I of Christ.
1:12 Now I mean this, that each of you says, I am of Paul, and I of Apollos, and I of Cephas, and I of 2Christ.

Today there are billions of people saying "I am of"...... then insert one of over 30,000 names for Christian groups.
Here are the ABC's for examples
Adventists, Baptist, Catholic, Disciples of Christ, Episcopal, Four Square, Greek Orthodox, Holiness Churches, Independent, Jehovah Witness, Krimmer Mennonite Brethren, Lutheran,
Mennonite or Methodist, North American Old Roman Catholic Church, Orthodox, Pentecostal or Presbyterian, Quakers, Reformed, Seventh Day Adventist, True Holland Reformed Church, Unitarian, Vineyard, Worldwide Church of God, Church of Yahweh and Zwingli.
Are they puffed up? Are they one against the other?
Did this happen by not learning the "matter of not going beyond what is written"?

I pray that the Lord helps us learn the matter of not going beyond what is written and that we are not one opposed one to the other.

In 1 Corinthians 4:19 Paul says.
But I will come to you shortly, if the Lord wills, and I will ascertain not the speech of those who are puffed up but the power.

Oh Lord! How much speaking have we heard from those who are puffed up? That go on and on beyond what is written. Sharing how they have become wise and are letting us in on something they know will cause us to follow them. Now I ask, Do they want to feed us something from the tree of knowledge of good and evil? Do they just want to stay within the bounds of what was written?

Genesis1:6 says
"And when the woman saw that the tree was good (suitable, pleasant) for food and that it was delightful to look at, and a tree to be desired in order to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she gave some also to her husband, and he ate".
We can see that:
The tree was pleasant for food,,
The tree was delightful to look at,,
The tree was to be desired in order to make one wise,,
What can you say about eating the tree of knowledge of good and evil in order to make one wise?
In James 3:15, 17 it says;
This wisdom is not that which descends from above, but is earthly, soulish, demonic.
In 1 Corinthians 3:19 we read
For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God; for it is written, He grasps the wise in their craftiness'';
but there is another source
17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, forbearing, compliant, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, without hypocrisy.
In 1 Corinthians 1:30 I say
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to you from Him: both righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

and in Colossians 2:3 we read
3 In whom all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden.
Then Colossians 3:16
16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to Me.
and finally 2 Corinthians 2:17
17 For do not be like the many, adulterating the word of God for profit; but as out of sincerity, but as out of Him, before Him speak in Christ.

Lets all speak in Christ and as Paul made himself an example of, not going beyond what is written.I have had two experiences of being treated like a leper and I want to let it all go and put it all behind me. I hope to stay out of going beyond what is written and getting puffed up, one against another. Am I being puffed up?
I think Babylon is the going beyond part. We all can follow Pauls example as in Babylon we can't understand each other but maybe that thought in and of itself is going beyond what is written. What do you think?