[OBW]

An interesting quote from the introduction to The Story of Christianity by Justo L. Gonzalez reads as follows: “The notion that we read the New Testament exactly as the early Christians did, without any weight of tradition coloring our interpretation, is an illusion. It is also a dangerous illusion, for it tends to absolutize our interpretation, confusing it with the Word of God.”

But “absolutizing” interpretations became the hallmark of Lee’s teaching, and more extremely those who would be the continuing heralds of those teachings. Too much is distilled to “simply” this and “just” that, while dismissing any other considerations without discussion. This presumes so much authority upon Lee’s interpretation as to make his words equal to, or even addendums to, the Word of God.

This is reason enough that insisting on something as uncertain as one city – one church (which is then clarified as one city – one local authority/eldership) is beyond the pale of prescriptive doctrines. While there might be arguments that it is God’s ideal, it is only clear that it is an ideal of men who would be the leaders of such a group and pushed upon those who would be their followers.

It is not those who see the uncertainty in interpretation who are at risk of elevating their findings to that of Scripture. It is those who are so certain that they have the answer.