Quote:
Originally Posted by Igzy
Gubei,
If the ground of locality does not require one eldership then what is the point of it? If the point is to indicate that believers in a geographic area should meet together, what is the size of the area? I mean, at what point do you say "These believers are close enough together to meet together but aren't so there is a problem. " This is the problem with drawing stark lines like locality. Just what does locality really mean? If you simply mean that it's a general principle to show we should be willing to meet with any believers possible then I have no problem with that.
The oneness of the Spirit means that whenever we encounter Christians we should receive them. It doesn't matter if the geographic area we share with them is the neighborhood, the burrough, the city or the county. We still should receive them and, if the situation warrants, meet with them. So locality is a bit superfluous here, in that it is vague anyway, and so doesn't say more than the oneness of the Spirit says.
In a 5-mile by 5-mile square in my city, I would guess there are at least 25,000 Christians. These Christians are close enough to assemble together. But doing so is not practical due to the sheer numbers. So what do you believe is their obligation to each other in that area and how is that practically fulfilled?
|
Igzy,
The boundary of a city is its political boundary. In the big city like London, the administration can delegate elders' function and authority to some extent to its district level responsible ones for the convenience of affairs, but The church in London is just one. And the nomenclature should be based on this simple method. BTW, why do you think we should gather together "physically" if we follow the ground of locality? You do not need to.
You several times mentioned "community churches." I higly evaluate their open-mindedness. But, the nomenclature should be based on the Bible.
Igzy, I already several times defined what the locality means - time and space limitations given to man by God.
As opposed to the first impression of locality - different people who live in their home town, locality means ,in this specific context, universality among Christians EXCEPT the innate limitations given to the finite man by the infinite God for the purpose of creation of the world.
Gubei