What is the boundary of the Local Church?

[ZNPaaneah]

Steel has referred to this verse concerning not offending the "little one" in Matt 18:

Matt 15 Then there come to Jesus from Jerusalem Pharisees and scribes, saying, 2 Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread. 3 And he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition? 4 For God said, Honor thy father and thy mother: and, He that speaketh evil of father or mother, let him die the death. 5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, That wherewith thou mightest have been profited by me is given to God; 6 he shall not honor his father. And ye have made void the word of God because of your tradition. 7 Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,

8 This people honoreth me with their lips;
But their heart is far from me.
9 But in vain do they worship me,
Teaching as their doctrines the precepts of men.

It provides a powerful contrast. In Matt 18 we are told to become like little children otherwise we cannot enter the kingdom. In Matt 15 we have Scribes and Pharisees creating "traditions of the elders" and making these laws that you are not permitted to transgress. This is not to "become as a little child" but rather to become as a tyrant or despot.

In both chapters it talks about these ones being offended. Why were the Pharisees offended? Because the Lord exposed their hypocrisy in short circuiting the ten commandments so that they could collect more money.

[Steel]

Originally Posted by ZNPaaneah

It provides a powerful contrast. In Matt 18 we are told to become like little children otherwise we cannot enter the kingdom. In Matt 15 we have Scribes and Pharisees creating "traditions of the elders" and making these laws that you are not permitted to transgress. This is not to "become as a little child" but rather to become as a tyrant or despot.

Sure... Which all humans are, to one degree or another, in our fallen natural man... Which, BTW, God chose in His infinte wisdom to leave us with.

Do you not know that all that separates any of us from becoming "...as a tyrant or despot..." is God's grace... And that includes you, ZNPaaneah.

The question is... Knowing that you being is as a result of God's grace... What does scripture tell us regarding how this grace is expressed in your daily living and being... Towards yourself, and towards others?

Originally Posted by ZNPaaneah

In both chapters it talks about these ones being offended. Why were the Pharisees offended? Because the Lord exposed their hypocrisy in short circuiting the ten commandments so that they could collect more money.

No, ZNPaaneah... The Pharisees were offended because they were without Christ.

As is the reason Peter, anyone else in scripture became offended.