Quote:
Originally Posted by Koinonia
Us-vs-them is the definition of sectarianism.
The verse appears to be referring to certain ones who left the faith. That you equate this distinction with believers not meeting with your group is arrogant beyond belief.
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The NLT version says it plainly:
These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.
Is that being sectarian? Do we really know they were unbelievers (it doesn't explicitly say). It seems to refer to those who disagreed with the apostle's teachings or held some aberrant views.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Koinonia
The church is believers. You should know this. Every time you make a distinction between yourself ("us") and any other genuine believe ("them") you are sectarian.
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So Luther was sectarian, and Calvin, and everyone else? It seems like you are not standing for anything that could represent the true visible church in X.
It is almost saying that if we pretend that we are all in the same church, we are not sectarian, but if we point out the fact that we are not all in the same church, we are sectarian.
I thought it should be, if we are in a sect, we are sectarian, if we are in the true church, we are not.