so we should close all churches down and tear the building down ? sounds like china
f61, that was not at all my point.
I always invite others who believe and say that modern churchianity structure and practices are based and rooted within the scriptures, they are totally free to voice their thoughts and references in order to change my mind. I invite that from others.
As the memo stated above, I am in complete agreement that there are many varying beliefs out there, and am completely willing to change my mind to a more convincing viewpoint that's rooted in the solidity of scripture; not tradition, but actual scripture.
Folks are totally free to observe their traditions as they so wish. No problem there, but when the claim is made that any one tradition has solid footing within scripture, THAT is what I need shown to me for verification.
In other words, when someone tells me that scripture defines a legitimate and biblical gathering of believers as being, say, 50+, I will stack that up against what Yahshua said when stating:
Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
So, a gathering can be two, and it can be two thousand. Numbers are not what matters so much as the TRUTH being taught, and there being mutual edification, as stated within scripture:
1 Corinthians 14:26 How is it then, brethren?
when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let
all things be done unto edifying.
That doesn't happen when the main gathering (coming together) relegates all the congregation to silence as a passive audience in the main gathering of believers. If churchianity fosters the things outlined in the above verse, and others not quoted along this same line of thought, then I welcome other people's thoughts on this.
Granted, many people prefer to remain silent and non-functional as fellow believers in the gathering with others. That's fine with me. Many are not prepared to
be functional believers. I've known men who sat for 70+ years in pews, having heard thousands of sermons, and still never having any desire to become functional believers who could or wanted to be functional believers toward other professing believers. They are not those to whom I seek to address with this.
I'm mostly reaching out to those who seek the means by which they can become a blessing to others by functioning in the giftings they have been given by the Lord to pour out into fellow believers and unbelievers alike. The gathering of believers should be a symbiosis of fellowship, and those who don't want that are perfectly free to pursue whatever they so desire.
It's a real blessing to me to converse with those who seek more than what looking at the backs of other people's heads can offer.
WARNING: Generally speaking, TRUE fellowship is dangerous. Those who are not prepared to become transparent and open books to fellow believers...need not look into this at all. Those who harbor secret sins they don't want to eradicate from their lives need not seek conversation along this line, because TRUE fellowship can only happen in a meaningful way among those who are open and honest. There are safer forms of "fellowship" for those who harbor secret sins...where one is not required to share, nor be an open book to others; where they can fade into the woodwork of the surrounding building materials and never be called upon to function in any way other than to sing praises and responsive readings on cue and tempo...and hopefully in tune...
So, no, f61, tearing it all down is not at all what I am endorsing. Any seeming undertones of hardline thinking assumed into my words are strictly the creations of the reader, not my intent. I prefer to be asked if there is some measure of need for clarification, which I am always happy to provide.
MM