[zeek]

Ekklesia was what the ancient Athenians called their democratic assembly during their golden age from 480 to 404 BC. So, an exposition of the word that makes being called out of the world essential to the word's usage implies that the ancient Athenians would have understood it that way. Historical evidence shows that is a gross anachronism. The NT writers fluent in Greek as they were would have known the general usage of the word in the time. Therefore, if they intended to imply ekklesia to have a special meaning of "ones called out of the world" as Lee claimed, they would have to specify that somewhere. Where in the NT testament is that teaching? Nowhere. That ekklesia was intended to have that special meaning is an extra-biblical teaching of Witness Lee.