Questions from a Local-Church-Only-Ite
1. If the universal church idea is true it
would include the saved of earth now as well as the saved in
Heaven as being in the church. The part on earth is hopelessly
divided on doctrine yet the part in Heaven knows the perfect
truth. How then can there be unity in such a church ? Explain
this in relation to the following Scriptures (1Cor 1:10;
11:18-20; 12:24-25)
2. The word church undoubtedly means an
assembly, then how does it assemble How does it function as an
assembly?
3. If a human body is ground into hamburger and
fed to the dogs on six continents, is it still a human body ? How
can Christians constitute a body scattered throughout the world
and also in Heaven through twenty centuries of time? 4.
If we are still all in this "universal body of Christ"
should we not strive for unity? What would you compromise in
order to achieve such a unity ? Inspiration of the Bible,
controversies of election or free will, sanctification?
5. The church is described as "the pillar
and ground of the truth" (1Tim.3:15). Since the
"Universal church body" cannot achieve unity with all
its earthly divisions, how can it be the "pillar and ground
of the truth" ?
6. The ecumenical movement is growing stronger
in the last days. Is not this the main tenet (universal church
doctrine) of this movement ? Will not this be one of the key
tenets that will bring together all apostates into the final
"one-world church" ? Is this not the key doctrine of
the World Council of Churches?
7. I have had people who would not join nor
faithfully attend church use this excuse that they are in the
"universal body of Christ" and therefore have no need
to attend the "little church". Such minimize the
importance of the local church. Does not this concept cause many
to deny their responsibility to a local fellowship of believers.