Quote:
Originally Posted by Igzy
Some things in the Bible are plain. Some things are not. Yes, the Bible is plain that we should be "one." But the Bible is not plain about exactly what that looks like. Clearly each of us must decide in our own conscience what oneness means.
|
Looking at I Corinthians closely regarding oneness, Apostle Paul addresses member attitudes first and primarily. To Paul, oneness and divisiveness is directly related to how we treat the members all around us. Read about all the examples he uses.
Nee and Lee have twisted this all around, making the STANDARD of oneness how each member and each congregation is related to a minister at headquarters. That would be like Paul demanding that the Corinthians, Ephesians, Bereans, etc. all have the right relationship with James in Jerusalem. Sound a little ridiculous? Then just think for a moment what the Blendeds today demand of LC's and their members.
The Corinthians, in their loveless ways, pitted their allegiances to notable ministers against one another. Hence, "I am of" was a way to disagree with the other member he didn't agree with in the first place. The Corinthians also used attitudes towards food, finances, personal liberties, etc. to also combat one another. How sad it was! Paul's solution was to bring all the believers back to the cross of Christ and the love of God. There, and only there, are we truly one. Leave the cross and leave God's love, and no two members can get along any more. Forget about the "one city one church" nonsense. Have we not seen enough divisions there? Enough quarantines, back-stabbing, public slanders, and worse?
Back in 1977 as a young believer and college student in the church in Cleveland, I migrated to "take the ground" and start the so-called "church in Columbus" on the OSU campus according to W. Lee's fellowship. Today Columbus has 3 so-called LC's -- one of (Blended) Lee, one of Chu, and one (apparently) of Christ. So much for the ideals of oneness -- one church one city -- that "heavenly vision" which governed my earlier life.
Nee and Lee's oc/oc model does not produce its expected fruit because it is not of the Spirit, and not according to the scripture. Instead of oneness, it produces the exact same problems it was intended to solve in the first place. Only thru ministry deception, extensive litigation teams, and strict control of the press did the system of error continue as long as it did.