Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangelical
The truth is the "one church" which the ocean represents.
|
But you have not established that "one church" is something that is defined in a manner that causes two different groups in a city, regardless of name or lack thereof as being other than part of that ocean rather than separated into boats on top of that ocean.
In other words, that "the church" is the ocean and any group that has a disqualified name has somehow been isolated from participating in that ocean and is in a metaphorical boat is a construct that you have not established as valid. You have failed to establish that those who meet with the name of Coppell Assembly, or Hampton Roads Baptist, or St Rita Catholic, or Grace Bible has cause their assembly to be excluded from participation within the broader, universal group that is the "one church."
And a cute analogy does not make it so. And saying that the ocean is the "one church" does not exclude anyone. You do. The names don't separate the rest of Christianity from each other as much as the Local Churches separate from everyone else over those names. So on who is the onus for unity placed? For everyone it is "me." That means it is your responsibility to be one. It is not your responsibility to declare everyone else as "not one" and only you are. That is proof that you are refusing to be one with all others. They are not so exclusive relative to others outside of their denomination.
But your denomination is exclusive to the highest degree. It couldn't find a better way to divide, so it created one that was not there prior to the 1900s.