Originally posted by Gold Dragon:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by DHK:
Regarding ecumenism I stand against any form of ecumenism and that is my perogative to do so. Read the Old Testament.
This was the Great High Priestly Prayer of Jesus Christ. It was a prayer primarily for His disciples, which he had trained and discipled. He had no question about the doctrine which He Himself had given His own disciples. Thus with confidence He could pray "that they may be one." He then asks also for those in the future would also believe on Him that they also may be one. Of coures the inference is that they may be one, just as the disciples are one, that is, obedient in all areas of the Scripture. It is a prayer. It doesn't mean that it will turn out that way. Obviously it didn't, and it won't. Christ also prophesied of false teachers that will arise. Does he contradict himself? No, not at all. "That they may be one" has nothing to do with ecumenism, but with doctrine. Not one in spirit, but one in doctrine. If you are not following the doctrine of Christ, then the prayer doesn't apply to you. This was not an ecumenical prayer.I'm curious what your response is to Jesus' prayer for us and Paul's words for us in the New Testament.
NASB - John 17:18-21
As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. For their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they themselves also may be sanctified in truth.
I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.
</font>[/QUOTE]This was written by Paul to the church at Ephesus. Every church must have unity. It was not written to some universal invisible church. There is no such thing. The word for church is "ekklesia," meaning "assembly." There is no such thing as an unassembled assembly. It refers to a local body, the Ephesian assembly. That is who Paul was addressing. He wanted the believers at Ephesus to preserve the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace, something that can only be accomplished in a local church setting. This is applicable to every Bible-believing local church today. We all need unity in our churches today.NASB - Ephesians 4:1-6
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.
Ecumenism is wrong. In every case in the Bible we are commanded to come out from those who hold wrong doctrine; separate from them. We are never commanded to cooperate with them.
"How can two walk together unless they be agreed?"
In the matter of evangelism, can I conscientiosly evangelize with someone who believes in baptismal regeneration?
At what wrong doctring do you draw the line? What wrong doctrines of other faiths are you going to endorse? Ecumenism is unity at the expense of doctrine. And that is wrong.
DHK