Quote:
Originally Posted by Evangelical
To answer Ohio and ZNP's question about the minimum number, the biblical answer is "more than 3", based upon the verses which say if two or three won't listen then "go to the church". Obviously two or three cannot be "the church", so the church must be greater than 2 or 3. This is simple logic which no one has been able to refute (because the laws of mathematics do not lie).
"more than 3" is also based on common sense. I don't think anyone would declare a man and his wife and child (that is 3, a family" to be a local church.
It seems ZNP and OHio have left common sense behind when they imply such nonsense as 2 or 3 being a church and 2 or 3 being sufficient to define (not explain) doctrine. ZNP has also showed that he does not understand the difference between defining doctrine (as in resolving a complex/serious matter regarding whether Gentiles should follow the law of Moses) and explaining doctrine (as in explaining to someone the doctrine which is already defined).
ZNP's "two or three" emphasis is also refuted when considering the history of the church - the canon of scripture and the Trinity and other important decisions in church history were made by tens and hundreds of Christians and not only were they many in number (much greater than 3) they were also well respected and notable men in the church and not just anyone (proving my previous statements that it also depends upon who those two or three are, not just the number).
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OK, got it, according to Evangelical you need to have 4 people to be a church. It may be completely unscriptural conclusion, but at least to Evangelical it is a logical conclusion. This may not illuminate the word, but it does shed light on the inner workings of Evangelicals mind.
Your post has completely ignored what I have written and what my understanding is. You asked me what it meant to "meet in the name of Jesus" -- to answer that I used the picture of the New Jerusalem and pointed out that if two or three inside of the walls of the NJ were to meet they would be one with all that are within those walls. As a result what they bound on Earth would be bound in heaven as the NJ is the representative of the kingdom of Heaven.
So since we have this fantastic extra Biblical resource that can answer questions that the Bible apparently got wrong, lets use this and ask Evangelical another question.
Hudson Taylor (the Evangelist to China) goes to China and meets with two other evangelists who were sent by the board. These three are in a foreign land where there are no other Christians. Yet they come together on the Lord's day and celebrate the Lord's table together. Following this they discuss a very important doctrinal issue critical to the work. Prior to Hudson Taylor arriving Evangelists dressed in Western garb, Hudson wants to dress in Chinese garb and even keep his hair the same.
So two questions for Evangelical to focus his powers of logic on:
1. Does this meeting of three constitute a church meeting in that city?
2. Can they resolve this doctrinal issue or have they violated some secret NT rule?