Titus Chu Conference at "Chicago Gospel Hall" (April 9-10, 2016)

[Koinonia]

Originally Posted by OBW

I think Lee was trying to say that it was like being the "Church of Christ" which he rejected. Of course Paul did not actually say that. Neither did he say that having a name was wrong. Only that fighting over leaders was.

And even using Christ as the cause for separation was invalid. Christ should be the reason for unity.

Lee's footnote on "I am of Christ" reads:

To say "I am of Christ" in the way of excluding the apostles and their teachings or of excluding other believers is as divisive as to say "I am of" this or that.

The very next verse (1 Corinthians 1:13) begins, "Is Christ divided?"

The issue is believers separating themselves from one another through self-identification. Even when it is not intended to be divisive, such self-identification inherently is (or has that result). Yet, ironically, the more spiritual-sounding "I am of Christ" serves the very same purpose. And my point is--that to say "we are 'just the church'" does exactly the same.