Christ CONSTITUTED, not INSTITUTED
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
One day I was visiting a friend of mine when he asked me whether I would like to come to his church. Without being sarcastic or anything like that I asked him why I should go to another "building" to have church. We could have fellowship right there and then! Jesus said where two or three are gathered, He is there. I explained to him that WE ARE THE CHURCH. We can have fellowship anywhere and anytime. It doesn't have to be on a Sunday, but any day. I mean, does a Bishop, pastor, elder or deacon have to be present for us to share the Lord together? Where two or three meet together, right there, in that place, the Body of Christ is CONSTITUTED! I find this to be the best place of fellowshipping because each one represents Christ and can share Christ without there being an "ordered" type of service we call the Liturgy. Paul writes about the type of fellowship I am talking about. 1Co 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. This is Christ being shared together. Ofcourse I have nothing against corporate meetings where the body together can share Christ. However, when the body becomes instituted it becomes something else than what it was meant to be. (read Pagan Christianity by Frank Viola for a lot more on this) It really just becomes a one-man-show with a bit of pulpiteering, a liturgy, etc. instead of Christ being displayed by all members present. I do however believe that the basis of fellowship must be Christ for Paul said the following: 1Co 2:2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
and... Eph 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:
The mystery is Christ in you! And this means Christ being displayed through you! This, I believe, should be the basis of all fellowship.


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