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Originally Posted by zeek
That's wrong. The "one like the son of man/spirit doesn't tell the Laodiceans to come out. He tells them to "open the door" and he "will enter".
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"If any man" does not refer to the church in Laodicea. It refers to any individual in the church. It is fair to say that it is my interpretation of these verses, but it is not fair to say flatly that "it is wrong".
If you want you can claim that Jesus standing at the door and knocking is not referring to being outside of the church in Laodicea. But when we get to the Great Babylon the call is clearly "to come out of her my people". So if you don't think it refers to Christendom then why are the Lord's people there and why is He making the call for them to come out? You can also interpret that all 7, including Laodicea are lamp stands and it is not until chapter 14 that they have lost their lamp stand.
I really don't care where you draw the line, however, I think that Rev 2-3 provides a progression of the church becoming more and more corrupt and then more and more dead.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zeek
In context "go out no more" refers to the temple of God in which the overcomer is said to be "a pillar." There's no reference to a previous "coming out".
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That interpretation creates more questions than it answers. Everyone in Philadelphia has gone out of the temple of God before but will not need to any longer. What does that mean? How are they still overcomers if they left the temple of God? Ephesians makes it clear that the church is the Temple of God, so why is the church the temple of God but this reference is not referring to the church?
Quote:
Originally Posted by zeek
You said "Witness Lee criticizing Christianity was contrary to the Book of revelation 2-3" Now you seem to be saying that he Rev 2-3 support his teaching about coming out of Christianity. And your argument is not supported by the text.
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Witness Lee is not walking in the midst of the lamp stands, instead he claims to be outside of them. That is contrary to the Lord who walks in the midst. Witness Lee may have spoken the truth, but it wasn't in love. Jesus makes it clear that those He loves he rebukes. These are the two ways I pointed to indicate that he is acting contrary to Rev 2-3 and should not use these chapters to support his condemnation of Christianity.
On the other hand I agree with the interpretation that Rev 2-3 depicts a battle over the church between evil worldly forces depicted by Balaam and Jezebel. We see a progression that begins with leaving your first love and ends up with Jesus outside knocking for someone to open the door.
As for your point that my interpretation is not supported by the text, I respectfully disagree. I think that your interpretation is muddled, confused, and ignores many other relevant verses, nor do I think anything you have said annuls any part of my interpretation.
Quote:
Originally Posted by zeek
Nevertheless, the one like the son of man/spirit doesn't call any of those in the seven churches to "come out." Your claim that "the call to come out of her my people also corresponds with Rev 2-3" is unsupported.
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That is an extremely narrow interpretation that obviously ignores Hebrews. I believe my interpretation is far better aligned with the entire NT revelation and I think it is extremely poor practice to base an interpretation on one verse which is what you appear to do. Peter said no verse is of its own interpretation. How much worse to do that in Revelation which is a book of figures which can be interpreted in a variety of ways and needs to be tied down with the black and white word of the NT.