Quote:
Originally Posted by OBW
But who are the "saints in Durham and Raleigh"? And what is meant when the phrases "kept the Lord's word" and "not denied His name" are used?
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Hello Mike,
Spiritual Pride is a real killer. Matt 5:3, Blessed are the poor in spirit. This verse is a good launching point for your thread on "the blessing."
I do not know what exactly the brother said who spoke with Indianna. But I would afirm that
we do not have much strength. Our only boast in in Christ. We do
aspire to keep His Word and
to not deny His Name.
We have a long long way to go.
If you desire to use the church in Philadelphia motif, then we must honor, respect and lift up all who have believed in our wonderful savior. Who knows how many saints are in Durham and Raleigh?
We work with and support others who have never been to any of our meetings and we do not have such an ambition to merely recruit.
Some among us have worked with Campus Crusaide, and other campus groups.
Others have worked with various rescue missions.
Others have financially supported missionaries from different denominations and free groups.
Some visit the sick and have an ongoing function of visiting them though they have never been to our meetings.
During the last few years, tens of thousands of dollars have been given to SAINTS who have never had anything to do with the LSM, the LC or support us in anyway.
Some are supporting needy people who are not believers as yet.
Being some type of loyal participant or holding to some set of doctrines is not a standard we hold for fellowship.
It does seem that we must bear the burden of having once been associated with WL etc. and with the assumption that whatever errors or faults were there may very well be ours today.
Numerous times after a period of very good fellowship or working together to share the gospel or meet the needs of others, I have been pulled aside by an onlooker and given the third degree regarding the past. It reminds me of the blacklisting during the early 50s of anyone who had once attended any kind of meeting of a group with some association with the communist party. Even those who were merely friends of people who had some obtuse relationship with the american communist party were blacklisted if they were not willing to publicly denounce their friend and give a list of all their associates.
We have had no association with the LSM for 20 years. I have not read their literature since 1987 nor attended any function they have sponsored. But some want me to wear the scarlet letters WL, LSM, LC.
Mike, please come and visit. You are welcome. You will be received as our dear brother and we would hope you would have the liberty to share what you have from the Lord be it a word of encouragement or rebuke.
A believer in Christ Jesus,
Hope