All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
CAN WE HAVE UNITY IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH ?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by The evidence based Stig on
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A church is anywhere a group of people meet in me (or something like that) who said that had to be an actual building? Whilst nothing beats a crowd, the technology is there to be used
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Permalink Reply by John Rogers on
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Hi Larry, If we met together for church as holographic images in a holographic building, and we and the building looked physically solid as in the real world, would that be wrong? I don’t know the answer to this question myself.
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Hi Michelle,
I agree with you that church in the natural realm is the ideal situation. My question is this. Where are the boundaries of what constitutes church? Is AAG fellowship or are we in church? I am not trying to insert confusion into the issue or be divisive in any way. I think AAG is church, but I could very well be wrong. I admit that the question is tough and you or anyone reading this may have strong feelings about the topic. I can only add that my intent is not to offend anyone. ----- I should probably think more carefully before I type sometimes and not everything I'm thinking always comes across as I originally intended. Please note that although my comment was for Michelle, if anyone has some input on this matter I would love to hear it. All insights are welcome.
Many Blessings to all!
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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
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John,
There are two basic aspects to the church. 1) We, you, me and all believers, constitute the church, which is the body of Christ. Thus where ever we are an expression of the church (His body) is present. 2) The assembeling of the body. There are many aspects of gathering together that take place on AAG and other like networks. We fellowship, encourage, rebuke, teach, pray, etc ... The fellowship that we experience is non-physical, but we are joined together as one body by the same Holy Spirit. There are some aspects missing. We will struggle in the area of corporate worship. One aspect of worship is song and this forum does not lend itself to accomplish that. We also lack the ability to obey certain commands, such as laying hands on the sick. Places like this are a great tool, but should not replace the physical gathering together of the saints when possible.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Permalink Reply by RoyW on
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AAG certainly meets many needs in the Lord's church but I agree that it does not replace the local assembly. However, it certainly meets many needs in the church.
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Hi Michelle,
I too felt "out of place" in the church I was attending and I stopped going. This church seemed to be more of social gathering than anything else. I got the idea that the hunger for God really wasn't there. I was well accepted, but part of being accepted meant that other members of the congregation felt the need to gossip to me about who knows who and who did what. This pious attitude towards others left me with a sick feeling in my stomach. I confided in someone about the situation and was told that every church is more or less like that. I felt bad for the people who probably didn’t even know they were being talked about. I don’t like cliques and I never have. I saw how cliques hurt people in High School and was repulsed by it then as I am now. ----- To make a long story short, finally I started to go online seeking fellowship and found it refreshingly free of local gossip due to the nature of the format being global. ------ Thanks Michelle and I will take your advice and pray that God will lead me to where he wants me.
Grace and Peace always.
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John,
You are describing fallen mankind of which you are a part. You are participating in the same exact thing right now. You are criticizing to us those assemblies that you have attended. You are accusing them of being cliquish. You are describing yourself as being above them and as a result you have rejected them. You feel you are not quite as guilty of these sins as they. I encourage you to not allow this to stop you from becoming a contributing member of a local body of believers. You will find weaknesses in your own life that you didn't even know existed.
The church belongs to Christ and He is perfect. However, it is full of people like us and the only way to get imperfection out of His church is to get rid of its people including you and me. He is willing to work with what He has and you should be willing as well.
Bless you. I trust you can find a local church and dive in even with all its imperfections.
Roy
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Hi Raul,
I think you are over analyzing it a bit. Consider this. I know that my heart is in the right place and God judges our hearts. By talking about how much we love Jesus and by spending our time here expressing it instead of running to the things of this world then God is well aware of what is in our hearts. I believe it is our intent that concerns him and not our legalistic interpretations of what constitutes worship. We meet here to lift Jesus up and to glorify him and at the same time support and love one another. Where is the wrong in that?Grace and Peace always.
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Unity will come to the church when we all believe that the Bible is saying the same thing to each of us. Right now that isn't happening. If I read a verse, I gather a particular meaning. If you read the same verse, you gather another meaning. I've heard it said that the Bible speaks to different people in different ways. I have said the same thing myself at sometime or another. The truth is, for a person to say that, myself included, I have to be searching for a particular answer, one that suits my own needs.
Example: God says we are made in His image. Gen 1:26 What is His image? Because I have never laid eyes on God, I assume He is speaking of three parts. Paul, in 1 Thess 5:23 speaks of spirit, soul, body. Is this the 3 parts of man? What church teaches this? Not a school of theology except one that I know of. The dictionary speaks of spirit and soul being the same thing. I don't believe that. That is man's interpretation.
Point being: you and I won't agree on what 1 Thess 5:23 means so how can there be unity? We are not united in our belief of spirit,soul, body so how can we have unity in Christ's Church? Will there ever come a time when we all are taught in the right way to understand the Bible in the same way? If our teachers and preachers can't or won't agree, how will the rest of Christ's Church agree?
Interesting topic, Raul.
Blessings,
Rita
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