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An
email from a priest on this topic...
In
Matthew 18:20, Jesus did say "For where two or three are
gathered in my name, I am there among them.” As a Protestant,
I used that scripture many a time and often to justify not needing
to be a member of any particular "church." Moreover, I
used it to qualify any denomination or group as equal to a
"church" and therefore "legitimate." For
instance, a home fellowship that gathers to study the word and sing
praises would be just as legitimate as going to an Adventist,
Baptist, Catholic or Methodist church to do the same. I recall
saying, "Let's just have church right here in the park;
wherever two or three are gathered in His name, Jesus is right here
with us, right NOW!"
There is a BIG problem with this interpretation of the Scriptures
and with the resultant theology. Let me give credit to an
Evangelical, Hank Hanegraff who reminds us that "a text without
a context is a pretext." This is so true! Let's look at what
Jesus really said - "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on
earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will
be loosed in heaven. Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on
earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father
in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am
there among them."
The context is reproving sinful brethren. It has NOTHING to do with
what legitimizes a gathering as a "Church." But the same
misinterpretation of this Scripture leads to other illicit
practices, such as the "Name it - claim it" doctrine, that
says "ANYTHING two of us agree on, God will do for us."
Then too, there is this idea of "binding" - binding Satan,
binding cancer, binding desires, binding love of
chocolate.....again, all taken out of the context Jesus spoke in.
It's
often said that the many 'flavors' of Christianity serve to
accommodate the many different kinds of people. Some like it hot,
some like it cold. Some prefer loud music, others more subdued...
Doesn't that reduce the Gospel of Christ to a smorgasbord? Does God
need accommodate us? It was not God who created nations and
tribes. Man's arrogance led to the punishment of different tongues,
not as accommodating man, but as divine retribution on his
sinfulness. Jesus' prayer for us, and the will of God commended to
us, is for our UNITY! Jesus prayed we would have the kind of unity
he has with the Father (John 17:21). This is
not mere mutual recognition of each other's legitimacy, but true
unity would find us being of one mind and practice, one in worship,
in polity and in conduct.
For the last 40 years the "church" has made way for the
world; we have accommodated rock-and-roll, divorce, fornication,
adultery, "worship" services that never address God,
taking down crosses so we don't "offend" nonbelievers;
dumping communion for lattè and espresso bars and every imaginable
gimmick to "accommodate" worldliness so the worldly will
fill the individual chairs - as pews are out. All of this stems from
this misinterpretation, which legitimizes virtually everything.
Please find higher standards, based on the Biblical expression of
the Church as the architect Paul described, for what you deem as
legitimate.
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