Quote:
Originally Posted by Toledo
Yup, I'm gone. I aced calculus, but I can't follow this. Math is one thing; english is another. All the one's and two's and A's and B's are more than confusing.
The thought may be there, but as written, it is visible only as through a glass darkly...
Try again?
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Sorry Toledo. I'm not a native English speaker. I know my English is not so good. I will try once again. Any comments are okay
The ground of locality includes nomenclature of the church, fixing the boundary of a church, appointing the leadership in that church. These are “practices” that should be practiced physically visibly. But the underlying principle of those practices should be based on the Bible (just as head covering of sisters is a practice with the principle of submission.), and the principle of the ground of locality is in phase 1 - accepting every saint in the Lord – the oneness. I believe that if phase 1 is really practiced in Pittsburgh, there will only one church under one leadership. This is phase 2.
Phase 1 is essential in our Christian life because without it, our fellowship through which we are supplying each other in the Lord as described in the Bible will be hindered.
However, phase 2 is not essential in our Christian life because without it, we can fellowship with other Christians in Pittsburgh. That’s why I do not insist one-set of elders in a city. However, because one-set of elders in a city is revealed in the Bible, just as head covering is, I say phase 2 was practiced in the early churches and we’d better follow those examples. And I believe the descriptive examples in the Bible are actually prescriptive because all the examples are really consistent in showing us how Paul and Apostles practiced the matter. In short, one-set of elders in a city is prescriptive in the Bible, but not essential in our Christian life.
Unfortunately, Igzy and OBW – my loving fellow Christians – not only assumed that I INSISTed one-set of elders but also misrepresented the ground of locality as “insisting one-set of elders in a city.” Furthermore, by presenting some analogies with the problem of causality, they are trying to give readers the impression that the ground of locality has its own problems. So, it is clear that they are committing the Type 2 error. As you know, some leaders in the local churches are in the Type 1 error.
In conclusion, I’m not sure whether the saints in Pittsburgh, especially those who are in the leadership position, really accept each other. If that’s the case, phase 2 is too far away to be practiced. So, my advice to Peter is to follow the leading of the Lord for now with the recognition that ORIGINALLY one-set of elders in Pittsburgh is right, just as there is one administration of mayor and officials in Pittsburgh. This is the end image of what I have said. This end image is really similar to Igzy’s model. But approach is quite different.
Gubei