Local Church Discussions - View Single Post

JJ · 08-16-2017, 06:25 AM

What is “Jerusalem” for today’s Christians?- Part 3
This discussion is for those already familiar with “The Lords Recovery” and Witness Lee’s (and “the Blended Brothers”) preaching and teaching that todays’ Christian equivalent of the Jews’ “Jerusalem”, and of “Mount Zion with the Temple of God” in particular, the God-ordained place that Christians should gather and worship God, and Lee’s view that it is in “the local churches”. This is “Part 3” because to keep it shorter, I’m referencing each New Testament reference for an equivalent of Jerusalem for Christians one verse at a time. The third second such reference is when the writer of Hebrews in Chapter 12:18-25 (http://biblehub.com/context/hebrews/12-1.htm) says (New American Standard Bible) believers of Jesus “have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and the blast of a trumpet and the sounds of words that terrify and threaten death. But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.”
The writers’ exhortations before and after these verses should also be read as they offer context and instruction regarding proper response to what the writer is saying.
From these verses we see that today’s Mount Zion and Jerusalem is:
• Not a terrifying and threatening place like the mountain on which the Old Testament law was given
• A place that we have come to
• The city of the living God
• The heavenly Jerusalem
• A place with myriads of angels
• The general assembly of the church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven
• God, the Judge of all is there
• The spirits of the righteous made perfect are there
• Jesus the mediator of a new covenant is there
• Sprinkled blood which speaks better than of Abel is three
As with Parts 1 and 2 of this discussion, I note there is no particular reference to “local churches, or “the ground of oneness”. I also note that once again this Jerusalem is above (heavenly, not on earth) and is a given thing to all of Jesus’ believers with only the exhortations that precede and follow it.
So, for our discussion then:
Can we use Hebrews 12 to support Lee’s claims?
Can we use Hebrews 12 to refute Lee’s claims?
My notes make evident where I stand (refutes Lee’s claims). But, I want to hear from you. Maybe I’m missing something here.

08-16-2017, 06:25 AM	#43
JJ Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 1,006	Re: Today's Jerusalem for Christians- Part 1 & 2 What is “Jerusalem” for today’s Christians?- Part 3 This discussion is for those already familiar with “The Lords Recovery” and Witness Lee’s (and “the Blended Brothers”) preaching and teaching that todays’ Christian equivalent of the Jews’ “Jerusalem”, and of “Mount Zion with the Temple of God” in particular, the God-ordained place that Christians should gather and worship God, and Lee’s view that it is in “the local churches”. This is “Part 3” because to keep it shorter, I’m referencing each New Testament reference for an equivalent of Jerusalem for Christians one verse at a time. The third second such reference is when the writer of Hebrews in Chapter 12:18-25 (http://biblehub.com/context/hebrews/12-1.htm) says (New American Standard Bible) believers of Jesus “have not come to a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind, and the blast of a trumpet and the sounds of words that terrify and threaten death. But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.” The writers’ exhortations before and after these verses should also be read as they offer context and instruction regarding proper response to what the writer is saying. From these verses we see that today’s Mount Zion and Jerusalem is: • Not a terrifying and threatening place like the mountain on which the Old Testament law was given • A place that we have come to • The city of the living God • The heavenly Jerusalem • A place with myriads of angels • The general assembly of the church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven • God, the Judge of all is there • The spirits of the righteous made perfect are there • Jesus the mediator of a new covenant is there • Sprinkled blood which speaks better than of Abel is three As with Parts 1 and 2 of this discussion, I note there is no particular reference to “local churches, or “the ground of oneness”. I also note that once again this Jerusalem is above (heavenly, not on earth) and is a given thing to all of Jesus’ believers with only the exhortations that precede and follow it. So, for our discussion then: Can we use Hebrews 12 to support Lee’s claims? Can we use Hebrews 12 to refute Lee’s claims? My notes make evident where I stand (refutes Lee’s claims). But, I want to hear from you. Maybe I’m missing something here. __________________ And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14 NASB)