Sherwin L.
Puritan Board Freshman
Long story short: I am planning on leaving my church, partly due to disagreement in doctrine, but mostly because I think there's an unbiblical administration of authority and government. I had a conversation with an elder earlier this evening about why I was leaving. I brought up the fact that I wasn't leaving THE Church, but simply resigning myself from that particular local body.
The conversation took an interesting turn at this point. This elder told me that he believes the local church is an important component of the "spiritual inheritance" each believer receives. Essentially, his argument was that the local church is a "spiritual family" where believers are "knitted" together-- and like a real nuclear family, you can't just leave. But he also thinks this carries eternal weight too, in that ultimately we will be identified with whatever local church we were bonded to while on earth. Basically, he was trying to say that our division into local churches/assemblies will still be recognized in heaven.
He also likened it to the Twelve Tribes, and how the tribes are identified individually in the New Jerusalem. He said that since this tribal distinction was explicitly laid out by John, then distinctions among each local church will also be recognized. He also seemed to think that Paul speaking to and identifying each church individually in the epistles backs his claim.
I told him that I believed that the local church is simply a logical and practical assembly purely for our time on earth, but that the universal Church prevails and that ultimately any local distinctions will pass away. He disagreed and thinks that the relationships (i.e., "spiritual family") we build within the local churches are lasting and eternal.
I have never heard this kind of doctrine before and am curious to know if 1) anyone else is familiar with teachings of this nature/vein, and 2) thoughts on how biblical this 'doctrine' is. I didn't convey this to the elder, but I personally see no biblical basis whatsoever for making these kinds of distinctions, as what will ultimately last is the Bride whole and undivided. Ironically, the elder was using this argument to persuade me to stay at the church, when it is, in fact, making me more uncomfortable about the prospect of staying. Would like to hear thoughts on this matter.
The conversation took an interesting turn at this point. This elder told me that he believes the local church is an important component of the "spiritual inheritance" each believer receives. Essentially, his argument was that the local church is a "spiritual family" where believers are "knitted" together-- and like a real nuclear family, you can't just leave. But he also thinks this carries eternal weight too, in that ultimately we will be identified with whatever local church we were bonded to while on earth. Basically, he was trying to say that our division into local churches/assemblies will still be recognized in heaven.
He also likened it to the Twelve Tribes, and how the tribes are identified individually in the New Jerusalem. He said that since this tribal distinction was explicitly laid out by John, then distinctions among each local church will also be recognized. He also seemed to think that Paul speaking to and identifying each church individually in the epistles backs his claim.
I told him that I believed that the local church is simply a logical and practical assembly purely for our time on earth, but that the universal Church prevails and that ultimately any local distinctions will pass away. He disagreed and thinks that the relationships (i.e., "spiritual family") we build within the local churches are lasting and eternal.
I have never heard this kind of doctrine before and am curious to know if 1) anyone else is familiar with teachings of this nature/vein, and 2) thoughts on how biblical this 'doctrine' is. I didn't convey this to the elder, but I personally see no biblical basis whatsoever for making these kinds of distinctions, as what will ultimately last is the Bride whole and undivided. Ironically, the elder was using this argument to persuade me to stay at the church, when it is, in fact, making me more uncomfortable about the prospect of staying. Would like to hear thoughts on this matter.