#seeking_membership
A kind soul wrote:
I
rarely quote scriptures because firstly I’m not gifted in bible interpretation
like the brothers, secondly, I don’t want to come across as trying to teach or
usurp (1Tim2:12). I’m just a “troublesome” student trying my best to learn. In
reply to Pastor’s questions, I’ll quote what I’ve learned from the men (not bro
Yonath);
Paul,
being already baptized, assayed to join the Jerusalem church but they did not
agree to receive him at first (Acts 9:26).
Receiving
members from a local church requires the church's action (Acts 9:26-28).
Excluding members from a local church requires the church's action (1Cor 5:4-5,11-13; 2Thes3:14-15).
Reasoning from logic and common sense which God graciously gifted everyone...
========
A response:
Let
me leave a few comments:
First,
you don’t come across as a student, but as a proponent of a certain view, you
are hung up on.
You
can quote from anyone you like, whether Yonath or Calvinists, Gillites or
Fullerites – all will be subjected to the same scrutiny of the Scriptures all
the same.
Second,
it’s never wise to argue for a point using a specific case (involving an
apostle) that ends up contradicting the plain command of Christ and the clear
Apostolic examples. The Scriptures do not contradict themselves; careless
students of God’s word do often.
Third,
there are logic and common sense that are guided by preconceived ideas, and
there are logic and common sense guided by the texts of the Scriptures; the
former blinds men to the truth; the latter enlighten men to learn the truth.
The former is eisegesis; the latter is exegesis.
-
Apostle Paul's trip to Jerusalem was not to seek membership with the Jerusalem
church; this notion is guided by the common sense and logic of the preconceived
notion that baptism and membership are separate; an idea that militates against
Christ's plain command in Mt 28:19-20.
-
Apostle Paul went to Jerusalem to seek the fellowship of the Apostles in the
church in Jerusalem. Having the fellowship of the Apostles in Jerusalem was so
vital to his usefulness in his future work among the diaspora Jews.
-
That he joined the membership with the church at Jerusalem is at best a
fiction, at worst, such an idea contradicts the plain texts of Scriptures
elsewhere.
-
Seeking fellowship with the Apostles to the Jews in Jerusalem and seeking to be
a member of the church in Jerusalem are not the same.
Fourth,
some biblical facts:
-
Ananias, a disciple of Damascus, baptized Saul; there were believers among the
Jews in the synagogues there, and that was why Saul went there to persecute
them. Acts 9:2.
-
After Paul was baptized, he stayed in Damascus for a considerable length of
time (three years) until his life was threatened by the Jews. Acts 9:23. Then
he visited Jerusalem.
-
Acts 9:26 speaks of an event THREE YEARS later. Read Gal 1:17-18 “Neither went
I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into
Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus. Then after three years, I went up to
Jerusalem to see Peter, and abode with him fifteen days.” (Arabia
mentioned here is Syrian Arabia).
-
His specific purpose is stated, "... to them which were apostles... to see
Peter..."
-
His brief time in Jerusalem was cut short by the Grecians {Hellenistic Jews)
who wanted him dead; he was escorted to safety and brought to Tarsus (Acts
9:29,30).
- A
little later it was said, “And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem, when
they had fulfilled their ministry, and took with them John, whose surname was
Mark.” Act 12:25. “... Saul RETURNED FROM JERUSALEM.” Note the preposition
'from'.
-
Returned from Jerusalem to where? To their home church in Antioch, no longer
with Damascus at that point in time. (Antioch was the 3rd largest city in the
vast Roman empire at the time.)
Lastly...
Putting
the pieces together, the most probable picture was like this:
-
Saul was baptized and added to the church represented by Ananias in Damascus;
from there he was taught by the Lord, and ministered for three years.
-
Then he visited Jerusalem, desiring to have fellowship with the Apostles;
Barnabas vouched for Saul to the Apostles in Jerusalem. But his time there was
cut short because the Grecian Jews wanted him dead; Apostle Paul was too
eloquent for them, converting some of them.
-
He was escorted safely out of Jerusalem and sent on to Tarsus, his hometown. He
couldn't return to Damascus because the Jews there were thirsting for his blood
too.
-
Later Barnabas of Antioch (he was originally from Cyprus, lived in Jerusalem,
and then went on to the Antioch church) urgently sought Saul in Tarsus and
brought him to assist the flourishing church in Antioch, (Acts 11:25).
-
Sometime later they visited Jerusalem together for relief work, Acts 12:25.
-
It was the church in Antioch that later laid hands on Apostle Paul and sent him
out for extensive mission work. Acts 13:2-3; it was the same church to which
Apostle Paul gave the reports of his mission ministry.
There
is a world of difference between logic and common sense guided by preconceived
ideas, and logic and common sense guided by the sacred texts of the Scriptures;
the gulf is as wide as the gulf that separates Lazarus from the rich man during
the intermediate state.
Please
correct the "men" who misguided you.
THANK
YOU. I’m patient with a student wanting to learn; someone with an axe to grind
is wearisome.
2Ti
2:7 KJT "Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all
things."
=======
Someone
made this observation privately:
"One
thing I noticed is that it appears like there might be those who are influenced
by the teachings of other church(es) / preachers and then try to read into the
Scriptures, instead of reading out of it; and in doing so, claim that they're
following Scriptures when in fact they're actually following the teachings of
others."
====
This
happens not too infrequently; "Scriptures alone" is just a pious
religious shibboleth.
May
the Lord have mercy upon each one of us, I included.
