The Ground Of The Church

[Toledo]

Originally Posted by Terry

Toldeo, I see a vast difference between "ground of locality" versus "ground of oneness".
Through the ground of locality there are no barriers in following the Lord and whom we recieve through the Lord.
Through the ground of oneness, it is defined by a select group and subject to change at any given moment. Consider the history of the local churches. The 'ground of oneness" changed through the decades.
Problem is when you endorse both teachings, there is an inherrent conflict of interest.

I would deny that the ground of oneness can change simply because some group or another wants to define it differently. Our oneness is based upon the oneness of our God Himself. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, etc. The ground of oneness means that we are one with every believer everywhere at any time. There is never any excuse for division except for open sin.

The ground of locality makes our oneness practical. I am one with every believer in the place where I live. My claim of oneness with the saints in Moscow and the saints in Beijing rings hollow if I cannot be one with the saints in the city where I live.

However, there remains in the ground of locality alone the potential for divisiveness based upon a randomly drawn up city boundary line. The ground of locality by itself would allow the brothers in Livonia to refuse to meet with the brothers in Detroit. The brothers in DC could refuse to meet with the brothers in Silver Springs. The saints in Huntington Beach could refuse to meet with the saints in Anaheim. Watchman Nee warned against the dangers of "localism" which are inherent in the term "ground of locality".

If I am pressed to make a definition, I refer to the ground of oneness expressed in locality. We are in fact one in the triune God. That oneness needs to start in our own locality, but it does not stop there.

As far as a self-selected group of brothers redefining the ground of oneness, there is no such thing. Our oneness is based on Christ alone. Anyone who would add any issue ("one with the ministry"...?) or add any sort of requirement is no longer on the ground of oneness. That's just another name for denomination (e.g. LSM , Baptist, Pentecostal, etc. ).