Being Cast Out Of The Synagogue

[googlelight]

You all know the story in John 9.
To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out."

I have waited for several years before doing this. Acts 17:11 (edited):
"And the people of Berea were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, and they listened eagerly to Lees message. They searched the Scriptures day after day to see if Nee and the blended brothers were teaching the truth."

I risk rumors, misunderstanding and my head rolling. But above all, I treasure Nees song: "Let me learn, oh Lord, You are my reward."

I wrote the following message to the one taking the lead in the ministry in my country,
(realize, that for 8-10 years I have only had good fellowship with this brother. We have never argued or disagreed. So this is not related to anything personal, or to something related to disposition)
(a note: this message is in a context, so it might appear confusing to those not knowing it / location & names edited):
"I am sad to hear that. Whoever claims to love God, yet hates a brother is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen(1 John 4:20). You always quote a very lovely verse of john 21:17. There is not one brother I know who practice this more than you. This is truly wonderful. According to Nee our love has to include the brothers who are not clear and who are not lovable if we are in the reality of Philadelphia. I just came to realize more and more, on Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. Brothers and sisters are not my Rock. The ministry is not my rock. The interpreted word of God is not my rock. Shepherding people is not my rock. Campus work is not my rock. The up-to-date ministry is not my rock either. If it becomes my rock, it will eventually sink, there can be no doubt about it. All this is truly helpful, but it must and can never replace Christ as the Solid rock. I may be blind and of a bad disposition like Jonah, but this is crystal clear to me. I hope for your own sake you forgive him for his disposition, so that you may have a pure conscience in your work. I am sorry I had to write to you on sms, but as you say, these are busy times. May the Lord bless you and ### #### richly and also, and ###### also, he is such a pure and lovely heart. "Let me learn, oh Lord, You are my reward." I cannot only be open to and receive the believers who fit into the "recovery box or ministry box"I need to follow my conscience in being open and receive all believers according to the Son. To me it is very severe to deviate from this. Matthew 25: the King says how we treat other believers is how we treat Him. I pray for you and I hope you can pray for me too. I am worse and more pitiful than all of you, but in the end what matters to me is having His smile and His presence now and in the coming age. Good luck with your exams #####,I hope it turn out well."

I have no idea how this will be received, but if they follow the ministry spirit, and Ron Kangas, I am now a man full of death (i.e Steve Isitt) and I am a fool and rebellious for following my conscience (i.e John Ingalls) and not the ministry at all cost.

I might even be "cast" out of the synagogue now, but the question is, do you think the Lord will be there, meeting me outside? (John 9).

The Lord told us: "You will know them by their fruits."
I begin to realize, false prophets, may not even realize they are false. This is how subtle the enemy is. He traps people into being faithful to a ministry, and some of them, deviating an inch here and an inch there, from the Bible. Eventually they are caught up in a system thinking with all their heart that they are serving the Lord. But we will know them by their fruits.

[aron]

Originally Posted by googlelight

I have no idea how this will be received, but if they follow the ministry spirit, and Ron Kangas, I am now a man full of death (i.e Steve Isitt) and I am a fool and rebellious for following my conscience (i.e John Ingalls) and not the ministry at all cost.

From precedent, we can say that nobody criticizes the LC and gets away with it, so surely you will be cast out. You'll either be quietly marginalized, or publicly and loudly expelled, depending on how widely known your critique gets. Either way, you'll probably not see open-ness, reflection, and change, but rather a doubling-down on the same issues that made you initially wary.

Unless something new happens, that is. God can do anything. I don't want to dismiss possibilities of a miracle. We always hope! But I'm sharing the clear pattern that we've all seen thus far.

Originally Posted by googlelight

I might even be "cast" out of the synagogue now, but the question is, do you think the Lord will be there, meeting me outside? (John 9).

As to whether the Lord will be waiting for you, outside, my answer's in 2 parts. You must be willing to receive everyone (Part I) and yet not be distorted by anyone (Part II). From your experiences in the LC, you know that just because someone has a Bible and says, "Lord Jesus" doesn't mean that they aren't severely distorted in the Way. They may be - they may say, "Lord, Lord" yet not do what the Lord says.

But if you just shut down, and give up, and isolate yourself in defeatism, the Lord can't meet you. So you have to be willing to be surprised, and go out like a dove among the serpents. The Lord will meet you there. There's no "perfect assembly" or "perfect believer" but there is a perfect Christ. "For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." Hebrews 10:14. The believers are not perfect but the sacrifice is. So receive them in that view - not of who they are, but of who Christ is, to you.

Peace, and God bless.