Quote:
Originally Posted by Drake
Igzy) "But clearly the temple was not the only place of worship. The Jews established synagogues, which Jesus attended reverently. Thus the strict idea that the temple was the only proper place of worship is an error."
Synagogues were not considered places of worship as in the worship in the temple. They were places of study, prayer, teaching, and community service but never alternatives to the worship associated with the temple. Equating the synagogues with the temple in terms of worship to God is a serious error. Not even the Jews did that and they would know the difference.
Jeroboam established a place of worship in Dan as a replacement for the place of worship ordained by God in Jerusalem. I don't disagree that we worship God in spirit and truth in every moment wherever we are for our bodies are the temple of the Lord and we have the Lords presence continually. Yet both the Lord and the apostle Paul revealed that we are to assemble corporately and in so doing there is prescription, not a free for all, and not an option whether to assemble or not, and not to assemble according to our own design or preferences.
Therefore, if we care about the Lords interest we will understand all the details He has ordained concerning corporate worship as did the Israelites who also followed the details of the worship related to the temple in Jerusalem. Some who did not follow the exact prescription for worship in the temple died.
Drake
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Yes, there is one single temple, the proper place for certain sacrifices to be made, certain worship to be made, and for the celebration of certain feasts. Also, I agree that no Jew would confuse a synagogue with the Temple. But when you equate this "one place" with your "one locality" doctrine that is what you have done. Jesus has clearly equated this one place with "spirit and truth". That is the one place where we are to worship, make sacrifices and celebrate the feasts.
We do care about the Lord's interests and all the details He has ordained concerning corporate worship. This is why I asked for these details in the thread on the definition of the church. We were able to discover many details, but none of them supported the ground of the church doctrine that the boundary of a city is somehow prescriptive for a meeting.
In spirit and in truth is a detail. If those in the lead in Witness Lee's sect care about His interest they would care about everything that Jesus ordained about corporate worship. Clearly He has ordained that it take place in spirit and truth. However, my experience with Ed Marks, James Chu and Dennis Cooley in the church in NY clearly demonstrates that they don't care about spirit and truth.
The apostle Paul made it very clear in the book to the Corinthians, just as Jesus did in Matthew 18 that the sins of an influential leader like Philip Lee must be dealt with in a very specific way, and my experience with Ed Marks proves that not only was this sin not dealt with in the way ordained by Jesus and Paul, but that they did not have the spirit to deal with it nor were they going to let the truth be spoken about it in their little building.
My experience is simply a confirmation of Indiana's experience with Ron Kangas, John Ingals experience with Witness Lee, likewise with John So and Bill Mallon, etc. It is another prescription of the NT that you don't listen to a charge against an elder unless it is by the hand of 2 or 3 witnesses. We have far more than 2 or 3 witnesses.
Therefore, if we care about the Lords interest we will understand all the details He has ordained concerning corporate worship as did the Israelites who also followed the details of the worship related to the temple in Jerusalem. Some who did not follow the exact prescription for worship in the temple died. -- Drake