Quote:
Originally Posted by Joanna Tysoe
I have long thought that just because the churches are refered to as golden lampstands, does not mean they are identical in every way. The inward content is the same, but the outward manifestation not necessarily so.
Philippians 2:1-5 states that we we should think the one thing and have the same mind. But even in the recovery bible, the footnotes explain that this refers to us knowing Christ and taking Him as our pattern. We are not required here or elsewhere in the bible to be identical in our thoughts and actions, but rather to have the Lord's lowliness of mind where we esteem others more than ourselves.
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These points are crucial when it comes to fellowship between churches. The Word instructs us to walk by faith, not by sight. The lampstands being identical was not something seen by John with natural eyes. The only "thing" identical between churches is Christ Himself.
It's so easy for Christians to look at other churches and say, "they're different" than we are. The 7 places in Revelation were different too, both positively and negatively, yet their Christ was identical.
LSM has slowly moved from the realm of spiritual sight by faith, to that of natural sight. What you do, what you wear, what you read ... all have become more important than the faith. The "oneness" they demand is not scriptural, rather it is a uniformity of services and liturgy.