Quote:
Originally Posted by OBW
And concerning the whole issue of denominationalism. Is this something actually spoken against by Jesus, Paul, or any of the scripture, or is it a strawman created by Lee to 1) give him something to generically gripe at the rest of Christianity about, and 2) give his followers a sense of superiority.
The problem that I keep coming up with is that "denominations" are branded as anti-scriptural by Lee, but he almost exclusively uses 1 Corinthians 1 - 4 to establish it. But when I read those, it seems that denominations (despite having a name) are less about who they are following than the LRC is about following Lee (and supposedly Nee). They just wrap their following in spiritual-sounding mumbo jumbo, like "minister of the age," and declare their actual following of a man OK while others who are not specifically following any man are not OK.
But when I read 1 Corinthians, it looks to me like the denigration of other Christians by Lee and the LRC is more like what Paul was talking about than the amicable differences that mostly exist in Christianity.
BTW. I despise using "Christianity" to refer to everyone outside the LRC. The LRC is part of them. This is another lie perpetrated by Lee and his unspiritual legacy. If the LRC is actually outside of Christianity, then the problem is with them and not Christianity. They are proud of how separate they are from all those people that they claim to be in unity with.
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Among the local churches a frequent claim is "we don't take a name". It's other assemblies that take a name that make them denominated. As it's been covered on this forum before, what church doesn't take a name for registration purposes?
Rather it's the actions taken to separate that is division. Guess what just as the LRC does to separate themselves, the Closed Brethren does also. Which I might add is why they're often known as the Exclusive Brethren.
However as to being normal, the biggest help to me is being comfortable with who you are and what you are (a sinner). As Gene Gruhler once said, Satan has a hook for every one of us. So trying to conform to man's ideals in the LRC isn't going to make that hook disappear. Rather, allow the conforming work to come from God.
Otherwise trying to conform through peer pressure how "the ministry" thinks we are to act or think is not worth a nervous breakdown when I have a family to provide for.