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Originally Posted by alwayslearning
... in the OT there was a remnant that left Babylon (Christianity) and went back to the "proper ground" Jerusalem (us). We are the NT reality of the type. If not us then who?.
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Who we are is sinners, repentant and believing into the Son of God, Jesus the Nazarene. Any "special sauce" added to that does not help.
Quote:
Originally Posted by alwayslearning
... This kind of teaching breeds all sorts of strange attitudes and behaviors. For example, when someone leaves the LC system it is often difficult for them to meet with other Christians because "that's Babylon". "How can I go back to Babylon?" ?.
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My argument is, if you say that someone else is "in Babylon" then you are in Babylon. As you judge others, so are you judged.
But when you admit that you are in Babylon, then you can begin the (usually long, slow and painful) process of extricating yourself from the mess. When you proudly proclaim "We are in the Good Land!" you really are the furthest from it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by alwayslearning
...For those who don't leave the "we're the special remnant" idea just continues to make them narrower and narrower and any failure of Christianity only serves to reinforce their attitude: "See they are Babylon!" They become dug-in and form a spiritual and cultural ghetto. .
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That was my point. You think you have arrived somewhere, by comparing yourself to some, other, "failure", but really you've been tricked and you are going nowhere. That is why the aged apostle John had to repeatedly tell the churches to "repent" in the epistles to the Asian churches. That's why the Epistle to the Hebrews is so full of remonstrations and warnings. The recipients think they are 'safe', and have arrived somewhere good, and this puts them in grave danger.
Quote:
Originally Posted by alwayslearning
... Any particular church system who thinks they are God's favorite special place to the exclusion of all other Christians who are not part of their system IMHO don't understand the NT.
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Jesus said, "You think you can see; therefore your blindness remains." Who could put it better?