Outer Darkness?

[Evangelical]

Originally Posted by A little brother

I think you know exactly what my question was and I assume your answer was yes. Let me know if I were wrong. Sorry that I sometimes had problem understanding your posts. A simple "Yes" or "No" will surely make it easier for everybody.



Why would I know the reason that you might pretend? I explained my reason well when I asked the question on whether you are a member of the LC (Sorry, I still prefer to use this simpler form instead of the lengthy words of yours). It was that the way you behaved and the words you chose didn't seem to match the general behavioral standards of the LC people that I know.

I do not pretend to be a member of the LC. I am a member of the LC - I was baptized in the LC, I join Lord's Table meetings, I prophesy in the prophesying meetings, I join home meetings, I fellowship with LC brothers and sisters (also with others not meeting in the LC).

That doesn't mean I have to agree with all its teachings.

I do not fellowship with deceit. I don't say Amen to teachings when I do not agree; I don't pray-read outlines; I don't practise "call upon the Lord's name n times"; I let others know I am studying not only LC materials but also "outside" teachings; I expressed my concerns with the "highest peak of the divine revelation";...

I am concerned that some brothers and sisters in the LC might be put to outer darkness not because they were blind, but because they say they see and consider themselves overcomers (John 9:41). And in my personal opinion, the outer darkness might not be something that ends after 1,000 years.

I don't want the LC ends up being the group of people described in Isaiah 66.

16 For with fire Jehovah will execute judgment, And with His sword, upon all flesh; And those slain by Jehovah will be many.
17 Those who sanctify and purify themselves for the gardens, Following after one in the midst, Eating swine's flesh And what is abominable and even mice, Will come to an end together, declares Jehovah.

I am a little confused because you seem to believe the LC is a denomination and treat it as one. A local church member would not normally say "I am a member of the LC" and treat it as a denomination.

The teaching of Witness Lee is clear - we are not a denomination, or a movement, we are just the church in the locality.

Everyone in the local churches that I know never refer to ourselves as the LC or Local Churches, just Christians in the locality.

You will not find Witness Lee refer to us as the "Local Churches" either.

The "Local Church", or "Local Church Movement", or LCM, is how outsiders refer to us, not insiders.

Maybe Drake can help shed light on this, but the language you use and the way you refer to the local churches is different to what I am used to. Or if that is how other members of your church refer to themselves then perhaps your local church has become like a denomination.

[A little brother]

Originally Posted by Evangelical

I am a little confused because you seem to believe the LC is a denomination and treat it as one. A local church member would not normally say "I am a member of the LC".

The teaching of Witness Lee is clear - we are not a denomination, or a movement, we are just the church in the locality.

Everyone in the local churches that I know never refer to ourselves as the LC or Local Churches, just Christians in the locality.

You will not find Witness Lee refer to us as the "Local Churches" either.

The "Local Church", or "Local Church Movement", or LCM, is how outsiders refer to us, not insiders.

Let's get another opinion - Drake?

Please don't waste time on this useless argument. You know what I mean well. You don't need to speak for me. I have said it previously and I will say it again. The LC is not different from denomination.

I don't use the term "we are in the Lord's Recovery". I think this is bearing false witness.

I don't use the term "we are just the church in the locality" because other denominations are also part the church in the locaility. It is not specific to the group of people who only study Witness Lee's teachings.

Hope I have expressed my view clear enough. Please also be reminded that this thread is not about discussion of denominationalism.

[Evangelical]

Originally Posted by A little brother

Please don't waste time on this useless argument. You know what I mean well. You don't need to speak for me. I have said it previously and I will say it again. The LC is not different from denomination.

I don't use the term "we are in the Lord's Recovery". I think this is bearing false witness.

I don't use the term "we are just the church in the locality" because other denominations are also part the church in the locaility. It is not specific to the group of people who only study Witness Lee's teachings.

Hope I have expressed my view clear enough. Please also be reminded that this thread is not about discussion of denominationalism.

This is why I say you seem different from those in the local church that I know. A local church member would not normally say that denominations are part of the church in the locality or consider the local church to be "The Local Church" as another denomination.

[A little brother]

Originally Posted by Evangelical

A local church member would not normally say that denominations are part of the church in the locality...

Originally Posted by Evangelical

That is right, all believers in the locality are the church in that location.That is why we reject denominations and do not consider ourselves to be a denomination.

Don't you know how confused your mind is? Or is it simply your tactic to evade the more important truth you are afraid to admit?

[Evangelical]

Originally Posted by A little brother

Don't you know how confused your mind is? Or is it simply your tactic to evade the more important truth you are afraid to admit?

Before you say I am confused...
You say you are in the local churches yet reject most of its teachings including Lees ministry. That sounds like a contradiction.

[A little brother]

Originally Posted by Evangelical

Before you say I am confused...
You say you are in the local churches yet reject most of its teachings including Lees ministry. That sounds like a contradiction.

Do you follow the teachings of men or follow God?

Are you saying we have to accept all Lee's teachings in order to be "a member of the Body of Christ in the local church of the locality"?

[Evangelical]

Originally Posted by A little brother

Do you follow the teachings of men or follow God?

Are you saying we have to accept all Lee's teachings in order to be "a member of the Body of Christ in the local church in the locality"?

Nope.
Membership is by faith alone and we follow God.
The ministry helps us be the genuine church.

[Koinonia]

Originally Posted by Evangelical

The teaching of Witness Lee is clear - we are not a denomination, or a movement, we are just the church in the locality.

First, who is "we"?

Next--you cannot rightfully say, "we are the church in the locality." Even WL taught that all believers in a given location constitute the church in that location. Not "we."

Lastly, you are in effect a movement and denomination because--whatever you call yourselves--you are identified (by yourselves and others) as followers of Witness Lee. Otherwise, you would not exist as a "we."

[Evangelical]

Originally Posted by Koinonia

First, who is "we"?

Next--you cannot rightfully say, "we are the church in the locality." Even WL taught that all believers in a given location constitute the church in that location. Not "we."

Lastly, you are in effect a movement and denomination because--whatever you call yourselves--you are identified (by yourselves and others) as followers of Witness Lee. Otherwise, you would not exist as a "we."

That is right, all believers in the locality are the church in that location.That is why we reject denominations and do not consider ourselves to be a denomination.

[Koinonia]

Originally Posted by Evangelical

That is right, all believers in the locality are the church in that location.That is why we reject denominations and do not consider ourselves to be a denomination.

Did you read what I wrote?

[Evangelical]

Originally Posted by Koinonia

Did you read what I wrote?

Yes I did, and I can say "we are the church in the locality" because that is what we are - I am in a church, in my locality, and together we are the church in the locality. We would never say "I am a member of the Local Church denomination" unless we weren't very far into the ministry.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Evangelical

The teaching of Witness Lee is clear - we are not a denomination, or a movement, we are just the church in the locality.

Everyone in the local churches that I know never refer to ourselves as the LC or Local Churches, just Christians in the locality.

And here we have the root of the problem -- the teaching of Witness Lee.

You will play your little word games forever, not because of scripture, but because of what Lee taught. It was this duplicitous double speak by LSM / DCP at afaithfulword during the GLA quarantines that served to educate many of us long time members of the true nature of the Recovery. These master wordsmiths could, in effect, spend an entire document explaining how black was really white using their twisted logic and the vast online ministry of Witness Lee.

"When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging."