Quote:
Originally Posted by HERn
One thing I'm working to throw out is the concept that all division in the body of Christ is bad. ... even though perfect unity in the church was God's goal could His allowing of the Great Schism followed by the umpteen other divisions simply be another venue whereby God could show His wisdom/love/mercy in the living out of the lives of the "peacemakers" who live in the reality of the unity even among the divisions? I don't know theology so all this is speculation on my part...I'm feeling more comfortable living with the thought of "going to the divisions".
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Re: "going to the divisions"... remember that this terminology is self-created to perpetuate a myth, the myth of unity, or "oneness", within the "local churches". The idea of divisions, though referenced by Paul's epistles (e.g. 1 Cor 11), typified in the OT (tribes of Judah vs Israel, etc) and contrasted to Jesus' "that they all may be one, Father, even as We are one" prayers and statements, is biased when used in "local church" terminology. So we're now free to look at things outside the "local church" mindset, otherwise your body will leave but your mind, soul, and will could remain imprisoned.
In the "local church" policy they actually allow and encourage multiple gatherings in a city. But they are careful in their terminology, and call them "meetings". So it is okay, they say, and it demonstrates multiplication: college meetings, home meetings, prayer meetings, training meetings, etc. But multiple "churches" - heavens no! That is division! Terrible!
But in the Bible both "meetings" and "gatherings" and "churches" are referred to by the term "ekklesia"! In Rome, for instance, Paul wrote an epistle to the Church in Rome, and in chapter 16 greeted the "ekklesia" (home meeting) in someone's house, there (see v. 5). So is this "division", or "multiplication"? Is the church actually dividing itself, or multiplying, instead?
I believe that the phrase "in the divisions" as it's used in the local churches is a self-serving term created and pushed by their overlords to protect their hegemony. But it is entirely fictitious; unity and divisiveness are matters of the heart, not of organizational practice.