Quote:
Originally Posted by HERn
Maybe I'm too simple, but the Lords testimony that wherever 2 or 3 are gathered into His name there He is in our midst works for me as to minimum a church can be. I'm pretty sure receiving LSM materials is not required.
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Well the discussion hit a little speed bump when Drake argued that Jesus rebuke of Peter "Satan get behind me" was due to his human affection for the Lord. This is a strange teaching that some have, including WL.
I quoted John Gill because Drake seemed somewhat condescending that his interpretation was the plain and logical one.
I also quoted Matt 4 to show that the same author used two very similar terms in the same book. Once when Satan tempted the Lord, and then here where Satan had returned, this time by tempting the weak link, Peter.
I quoted WL to show the strange dichotomy. The typology he shared concerning the tabernacle is very nicely aligned with Matthew 16 and the interpretation that Peter was tempted by Satan, the prince of the world, to avoid the cross. Yet when WL comes to this chapter in Matt 16 he seems to have forgotten that and instead teaches that we need to deny human love and concern.
Then when we go to the church in Pergamon there is a very clear boundary between the church and the synagogue of Satan. The boundary line is the cross of Christ. Some are on one side, seemingly poor, suffering tribulation, and being insulted by the "elites". The other side are those who pretend to be God's chosen, they aren't, they are liars, but they have a very good name for the building they meet to worship in. The only problem is that they have succumbed to the temptation from Matt 4 and are worshipping and serving Satan, the prince of this world. It might seem innocent to be "minding the things of men", it might even appear that they are "good hearted", but the reality is they are insulting God, His people, and are showing contempt for the Lord's blood as our only foundation.
However, my point in this thread is that this term "gathered into the Lord's name" maybe simple, but it is in the full context of Matt 16-18 which includes the Lord's word on the need to go to the cross. No doubt the "synagogue in Satan" would also claim to meet "in the Lord's name" but as He said "they are liars".