Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!samsung!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.com!ucsd!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: lionti@ecs.umass.edu Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Church of Which Paul Was A Member Message-ID: Date: 27 Aug 90 02:43:53 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Lines: 46 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu > tobritt@mars.lerc.nasa.gov (Randall Britton (SVER)) writes: [intro excerpted] > Testament. I simply ask that you read the following with an open mind > and if any of the facts stated are incorrect, by all means point them > out(I KNOW that you will :-) ). You were right,:-) I was waiting for someone to answer this better, but I guess I'll comment on one small part that I believe is incorrect > Paul wrote several letters to local churches. He instructed > them relative to spiritual work and worship. He never gave any > instructions for any other organization to function in spiritual > matters. Thus, the local church is the only organization in the > New Testament for spiritual work and worship. Stated another way, > there is no organization in the New Testament larger than, smaller > than, or other than an independent congregation. The local church > is God's arrangement for the saved in a locality to have fellowship > in the things Christ has authorized them to do jointly. This is the part which I have the most obvious problem with. When (in the NT) the question came up (in Antioch I believe) of whether to allow the gentiles into the church, or more importantly whether they would have to follow the law of Moses (circumcision, etc.) the "local, independent, congregation" can't decide what to do so they send Paul (and someone who's name I don't recall, I'm not exactly a Bible scholar but I'm working on it :-) to Jerusalem to consult with the Apostles. This get's into Peter's vision of the sheet with many kinds of food, etc.)(I think?) This meeting is often (now-a-days) refered to as the first Council at Jerusalem, and is sometimes used to back up claims of Peter's authority, and the RC church, and the Pope, etc.; which I definitely don't want to go into right now as I'm feeling rather flammable :-) The point is, this instance seems (IMHO) to definitely indicate an "organization in the New Testament larger than...an independent congregation" > | ICEMAN or if you like tobritt@mars.lerc.nasa.gov I'm new to networks, usenet, and this group (I've been reading it for about a week) so please excuse any mistakes, either of convention or technical. Thanks and I look forward to further interesting talk. -Mark lionti@umaecs.bitnet (I haven't figured out how to do signatures files yet, any help?)