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Old 05-01-2016, 08:02 AM   #16
TLFisher
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Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Renton, Washington
Posts: 3,545
Default Re: Denominations — Really Bad?

What happens when you're one meeting with the local churches, you're out in public and happen to cross paths with a former lcer known to be negative?
What do you do pretend you don't recognize him or her?
Turn around and walk the other way?
Is this having a right heart? Of course in the local churches, we've heard the catch phrases attached to those considered negative; leprosy, poisonous, etc. It's all part of the boogeyman the LSM system has created.
Even Christians you know that have never met with the Local Churches, you don't want to do what's considered "shaking hands over the fence".

Consider this following passage from G.H. Lang's The Churches of God pages 12-13:

It is evident that each local assembly was intended to be self-contained. This was essential, especially considering that under ancient conditions of travel and life much and prolonged isolation was often inevitable. The church of God is verily a unity, but its unity is that of an organism rather than an organization. Each Christian was to exhibit this unity by a life of pure love towards each other believer; and the connexion of all with a local assembly afforded a corporate sphere for its manifestation.
I once met in the street a godly and beloved clergyman, a neighbor. He presently said, “I was passing your place on Sunday, and, by the by, to what denomination do you belong?” I replied, “Did you not look at the notice board as you went by?” “Yes,” he said, “I did, but I could not see there anything about it.” “That,” I answered, “indicates to what denomination we belong.” Smiling, he said, “I see! But are there no other folk who believe as you do?” “Yes,” said I, “I thank God that there are very many such.” “Well,” he inquired, “why do you no affiliate with them?” “Can you,” I asked, “give any Scripture which suggests that it is the mind of God that we should do so?” “Yes,” he replied, “the passage, ‘giving diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit’ (Eph 4:3).” “But what is the unity of the Spirit?” I asked next. “Well,” said he—“Yes, yes; hem! Well, how would you define it?” And I said, “First of all the unity of the Spirit is a spiritual unity, and not an external organization. You and I meet here in the street; we know and love each other as brethren in Christ; we say a few words to cheer each other on life’s way; and that is one example of what I understand by the keeping the unity of the Spirit.”


I would say when we allow names of where we meet to divide us, the unity of the Spirit is lost.
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