The Ground Of The Church

Ohio · 01-04-2009, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hope

I was so impressed at the honor given to this seemingly weaker less honorable member. 1 Cor 12:22-25, On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body, which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our unseemly members come to have more abundant seemliness, whereas our seemly members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. NASB

It truly is a remarkable thing that honoring the less comely members could display the oneness of the body of Christ! Did someone say "practical oneness?" How contrary to all the wisdom of this world. Coming out of the a different environment in the LC's, where at one time the question of the day was "can we ever honor Brother Lee too much?," it is so easy to see why we found ourselves so far off the mark.

I remember my last time of fellowship in the LC. I bore a heavy burden for the condition of the church and the many saints. The elders were explaining to me how they had "the right" to work with TC, and it was their "prerogative" to lead the church to the fellowship of TC, etc. and btw who did I think I was to say anything differently? I was the one who needed to repent.

I read Hope's post with much joy. How good it is for the Spirit of God to blow as the wind into that memorial gathering in order to bestow more abundant honor upon the brother in Christ. It was not weeks of preparation with long-winded eulogies from around the world, nay!, rather, it was the outpouring of love from both the Head and the saints. Yes, the church is truly "of God" and is also "of the saints."

After reading Hope's post, I felt this was just a "normal" meeting. The Son walking in their midst. The Father leading His children. The Spirit anointing a "new" message. There was nothing spectacular, no high theology, no works of power, no reverberating message, etc. I once was in a "normal" churchlife like this. I never saw so many answered prayers. We never knew what was going to happen in the meeting. Yes, we prepared ... but you never knew ...

What changed it all? Not the enemy. Not the world. Not sin. Not the opposition. Nothing like that. It was "the new way." It was excessive adulation to one man and his ministry. The result was slow death ending in division. We became of Lee, then we became of Chu. When conflicts came, we had to "take a stand for the truth" which was just code for "pick a side." It is hard for me not to conclude that over-honoring the gifts brings us curse and division, while honoring the weaker ones brings us much blessing and a display of oneness even the world marvels at.