Originally Posted by Olvin

I appreciate that Friedel, but let me say that we don't have to lay aside the word of truth we have received, it is the gospel of our salvation, Eph.1:13. I was thinking brother how the Lord spoke to the church in Ephesus; the thing he had against them was that they had left their first love. This is a verse that has spoken to me again and again over the years. We have not forsaking the object of our love - Christ but the depth, the intensity, the passion of it. I believe it is mainly because of the disappoint we experienced with those who we at some point found to be false. It becomes hard to separate the person from the work that the Lord is doing in them; and of course there should be no separation between the two.

We begin to consider, as we should, God's word in light of those who speak it. I know this is a verse that has been used too often to justify those fleshly ministers of the gospel, yet if Christ is indeed preached we have reason to rejoice! 1Thes.2:13 reminds us that when we first received the word we received it not as the word of man but as it is in truth the word of God that effectually worked in us. If this was our experience that, while we were under the speaking of those in the LC's, the word had its work in us, we must guard that good deposit.

I recall David's sin's of adultery, murder, of numbering the people even against the good advice of Joab; Peter's hypocrisy in withdrawing from the gentiles to please men after receiving a vision and making clear to all the brothers that God had granted the gentiles repentance unto life Acts 11. We understand Paul shaved his head and took a vow and paid for three other brothers to do the same contrary to what he had taught, and even after having rebuked Peter for his misstep.

I understand a lot of ugly things have transpired in the LRC's, but a lot of life and truth has been ministered also. We should not sacrifice the truth on the alter of perfection. If we are looking for sinless perfection in the ministers of the gospel we must begin with the saint in the mirror. I used to run a lot when I was younger. When running with group it is good to pace yourself with a runner of you caliber, you may be the person setting the pace, but if that lead runner you are following pulls a hamstring and sits at the side of the road you don't stop and do the same, you either take the lead or follow behind another pace setter. We all have a responsibility to finish the course, to run with endurance the race set before us, not looking at the brother who stumbled (we pray his recovery) but away unto Jesus the beginner and finisher of our race (faith) our joy and crown. I for one can never again RUN with the LRC's as they stand today, but if truth be the "baton" I will continue to pass it to any who are willing to receive it.