Quote:
Originally Posted by UntoHim
What This Forum Means To You. What This Forum Should Be.
Two purposes here.
#1 What does this forum mean to you. Please try to detach yourself from the persons and personalities as best you can. I know this may be really hard for some of us, but take a shot at it.
#2 If you had a magical wand and could make this forum to be exactly what you wanted it to be....tell us what it might look like.
This is an open book test. There are not right or wrong answers. I'm just one of the test takers here and don't have time to give my answers right now.
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Titus 1:5 "For this cause I left you in Crete to set in order the things that are wanting".
To me, I hope we can play a part in setting in order the things of the LRC that are wanting. On the one hand we have clearly identified some errors and things that are wanting, but on the other hand we can testify that we were genuine seekers of Jesus and that many of the saints still in the LRC are also.
I think our first concern should be that the leaders in the church be "blameless". I feel it is very scriptural that we have focused on the leaders in the LRC who were/are not blameless and taken issue with that. If you are going to set in order the things that are lacking with the LRC it begins with cleaning house of the corrupt leadership.
In Titus 1:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
How do we determine if you can hold fast to the faithful word? Or that you can use sound doctrine to exhort and convince others? Clearly this forum is good practice because if you can't do it here you can't do it anywhere.
1:10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
it is easy to discuss with Christian brothers matters of the faith, but how about with unruly? How about with vain talkers? How about with deceivers? Once again this forum is a great place to practice dealing with these as well.
1:11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
This is clearly a charge to Titus and to us. We need to stop their mouths and this forum seems like an ideal channel to do that. Imagine any new contact who goes online to look into the Local Church and Witness Lee? How about their family? If Nigel Tomes and John Meyers and other members of LRC are reading this forum, then surely we have an opportunity to exhort and convince the current members of the LRC. WL and the Blendeds are teaching things which they ought not and they are doing it for filthy lucre's sake.
As a result we need to "rebuke them sharply" which I think this forum has done, on occasion. We should focus particularly on the "Jewish fables" that WL told, and the "commandments of men which turn from the truth".
Yes, the leaders of the LRC including WL profess that they know God, but in works they "deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."
So then, this forum needs to speak things that are of sound doctrine. One church one city, and the Minister of the Age are doctrines that are not sound. Deputy authority has become a "commandment of men who have turned from the truth". We need to have "sound speech that cannot be condemned" particularly after being trained by someone who was very injurious in his speech, full of condemnation.
Now we know the LRC is a very litigious group, but Paul says we need to speak these things "and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee."
On the one hand we need a backbone, on the other hand we need to submit ourselves to authority. Unruly men will listen to no one, we have to be those that can hear the fellowship and correction of others.