Quote:
Originally Posted by Jo S
It's wonderful to want to fellowship with other Christians from various backgrounds. However I see a lot of ex-members swinging from the ultra exclusivist mindset taught in the LC's to an ultra liberal mentality toward fellowship after exiting. Christians do have to be careful and use discernment when choosing who to yoke with. This mostly hinges on your personal relationship with God.
So if a group does not bring the whole of the gospel taught in scripture or they teach another Jesus, we are commanded not to greet them or invite them into our houses (2 John 7:11).
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True that there are many deceivers. However, I think we can embrace any believer if they have the essentials in place, and then we can de-emphasize the nonessentials. That is, if they are not practicing blatantly sinful/damaging things. If they are, they are still brothers and sisters, but we shouldn't meet with them regularly.
One of the most incredible bubbling-up spirit experiences I've had was while reading a WL book called, "The Speciality, Generality& Practicality of the Church Life." In it he conveys just this - that if the essentials are there we can and should have fellowship with any believer. Fringe practices and beliefs are to be diminished, as we focus on Christ. (too bad that the ideas in that wonderful little book are not practiced more!)
What do you think "the essentials" are?