Quote:
Originally Posted by Gubei
Hope,
I agree with Terry. As a relatively young generation, I need your balanced insights, at least not to repeat the same things. I'm supposed to return to my country sooner or later after completing my life in the mainland China.
These days I'm considering what I shoud do when I come back to the local church I belonged to for so long. What would you sugget me?
Gubei
|
Dear Gubei,
I prefer the Lord’s own advice to mine. That is to Love God and our neighbor. I prefer the advice of Paul that we would serve in S/spirit not in letter. Please see verses below. All this talk about models is to miss the mark. The Southern Baptist model is off. Igzy’s “free movement” model is off. The practice of the LSM/LC model is off. Once we seek to serve by the letter, (a system, method or model) we will find ourselves in oldness. I can fellowship for days on this matter using reams of scripture. May we leave this for another time. May the Lord be full of grace and compassion as you seek to follow him.
Hope, Don Rutledge
Matt 22:37-40, And He said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 "This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 "The second is like it, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets." NASB
1 John 2:10, The one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. NASB
1 John 3:14-16, We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15 Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. 16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. NIV
Rom 7:6, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter. NASB
Rom 12:2, Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will. NIV