[Steel]

Originally Posted by Nell

Perhaps this way of life is more accurately among the leadership and the offenders, but not among the majority of the membership.

Although you are still being somewhat evasive in your use of the word "...Perhaps...", which only slightly changes what you said...

If you truly believe "...but not among the majority of the membership..."...

Then apologize to those of us here who meet with other local church members... As it is the proper thing to do before the Lord your having spoken what you did in your other related comment.

And I say this not for my sake... But for your own sake.

Nell...

Whatever our differences of thought regarding the matter of Witness Lee, the LSM, and the "Local Church"... We are first and foremost believer's in Christ... We belong to Him... And should pursue serving Him... Even on this website.

And one of the ways we do this is in and through proper fellowship... Which is carried out in and through the Lord's love.

Originally Posted by Nell

I only know of 2 instances of the elders dealing with sexual immorality, scripturally, both occurring over 40 years ago. One account was written by John Ingalls and the other I was a witness to in Houston in the early 70's. There were approximately 100 others in that meeting as well. We have three instances of Witness Lee's personal intervention to prohibit twice dealing with his son, and once BenM at the time you noted, BenM "disappeared."

Witness Lee was a human, and as scripture tells us — and we can know from our own actions — humans make mistakes.

And humanly speaking... Witness Lee is dead... And has been dead for 20 years.

Originally Posted by Nell

Is there no end in sight?

Are we as believers in Christ not called to endure?

And do so in love.

And why?

Because...

1 Corinthians 13:1-13... "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but do not have love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal... And if I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing... And if I dole out all my possessions to feed others, and if I deliver up my body that I may boast, but do not have love, I profit nothing... Love suffers long. Love is kind; it is not jealous. Love does not brag and is not puffed up;... It does not behave unbecomingly and does not seek its own things; it is not provoked and does not take account of evil;... It does not rejoice because of unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;... It covers all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things... Love never falls away. But whether prophecies, they will be rendered useless; or tongues, they will cease; or knowledge, it will be rendered useless... For we aknow in part, and we prophesy in part;... But when that which is complete comes, that which is in part will be rendered useless... When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child; since I have become a man, I have done away with childish things... For now we see in a mirror obscurely, but at that time face to face; now I know in part, but at that time I will fully know even as also I was fully known... Now there abide faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love."

Originally Posted by Nell

It's one thing to have doctrinal disputes with Lee's ministry and teachings. The practices of his ministry is another thing altogether.

Again... Witness Lee is dead... Dead men have no ministry... At least... Not in the sense of (context) practices.

Dead men can practice nothing.

Now other people might have a practice related to Witness Lee's spoken/written/past practices ministry... But the practice these people have is their own practice... Not the dead Witness Lee's practice.

You should try to become clear on this reality.

Originally Posted by Nell

The current practice is to turn a blind eye to sins against the Body...which is the temple of the Lord.

Not according to my experience with other, LSM-associated members of the "...temple of the Lord..." whom I meet with presently.

But I certainly can't know what may be hidden... And according to scripture... Shouldn't speak about what I don't actually know.

Originally Posted by Nell

When I hear that the Local Church leadership, actually the Living Stream Ministry leadership, stands in the assembly and says "John Ingalls was right to expose the handling of Philip Lee by his father, Witness Lee. Max Rapoport was right...Don Hardy was right...we were wrong to allow ourselves to be pressured by Witness Lee to protect sinning brothers.

So you demand your feelings/understanding/knowledge/opinions be justified by men?

Is that a scriptural way to conduct yourself?

Is this what John Ingalls wants?

Is this what Max Rapoport wants?

Is this what Don Hardy wants?

Would you think to speak for them?

Originally Posted by Nell

I'm not holding my breath until that happens, but this is the "way of life" to which I refer.

Nell...

You have the Lord in you...

What more do you need.

I'll end with this...

Romans 8:31... "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?... Indeed, He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also with Him freely give us all things?... Who shall bring a charge against God's chosen ones? It is God who justifies.... Who is he who condemns? It is Christ Jesus who died and, rather, who was raised, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us... Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword?... As it is written, "For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; we have been accounted as sheep for slaughter.''... But in all these things we more than conquer through Him who loved us... For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor things present nor things to come nor powers... Nor height nor depth nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

It has been a while since I read the above scripture verses.

I thank the Lord that He used your speaking to cause me to spend time reading the above scripture this morning... As it is absolutely applicable to my participation on this website... And really... All that I encounter each and every day.

I needed to consider it before Him... And the Lord knew this.

As scripture tells us... God can take that which was meant for evil, and bring about good.

Praise You Lord Jesus.