I as the Russian Church Leader
I do not write this in Russian but in English because
Bible says Do not give to the dead
while in this
letter I consider Russian church as dead.
Bible says:
(2Cor. 5) 14 For the love of Christ constrains us;
because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died.
15 He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to
themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.
I was lying on the street. My heart stopped, I was too hungry and there was not enough power for the heart to work. I was lying with stopped heart but in full conscience several minutes. Then I make an effort of the spirit and started my heart again. It were so. Maybe it was even not once when my heart stopped because of hunger, but my brain was not in conscience to notice it.
You can count me as one who was dead and lo is alive.
I've came to Baptists and asked them to give me food. They not responded on my words of help at all. I came to Charismats and asked them for food and they sent me out. (Oh, there are several comical stories about these hypocrites from both confessions when I was asking them for food...)
Some of excommunicated people were excommunicated because of a particular difference in opinions on a particular question (e.g. about the trinity), some were excommunicated for particular sins (e.g. stealing or adultery). Some were excommunicated by a pastor, some by voting of a church assembly... Some were excommunicated rightly, and some (like Luther) in error.
Do you think that now I will say that I like Luther was excommunicated
in error for having right opinions about faith, sanctification,
trinity etc.? No, with Luther it were not like as with me. There were
a particular person, Roman Pope, who excommunicated Luther, and for
better or for worse Roman Pope was the official representative of
Roman Church
. And Luther have written down in his memoirs
which questions he was disagreed with Roman Church
. Nothing
similar has happened with me: I don't remember a church assembly
which would severely denounce my opinion on some religious question
or for a revolt or for something and would excommunicate me. I don't
remember that somebody would excommunicated me. With me an
excommunication have not happened (like it happened with true believer
Luther or with any of many excommunicated false believers).
It has happened one-by-one, one broken relation, conflict, or
arguing (sometimes about faith, sometimes about mundane question)
with one church member after another, one church after another.
As a result I was left without any friends and died as I described
above. I don't know how to resurrect to the relations with a church,
I'm dead
and not able to raise myself to the life.
I've died once for all!
Now imagine that man's finger would fall out from his hand without
being cut with a weapon. If this would happen, we would know that
this man is about to die in a very short time. Fingers never fall of from
the healthy mans. Members never fall out of churches if a church
is not leprous
.
So then what Bible teaches about me and my relations with churches? Variants of the answer:
- I must be officially excommunicated by church leaders to confirm the opinion of the church brotherhood.
- I should be accommodated by some local church to be its lowest level member.
- I am sent away by the Lord to build a new separate church.
- These Baptists and Charismats must become my slaves.
Surprise! The correct answer accordingly Bible is the last: these who lost the relations with me away must become my slaves and live for me.
(2Cor. 5) 14 For the love of Christ constrains us;
because we judge thus, that one died for all, therefore all died.
15 He died for all, that those who live should no longer live to
themselves, but to him who for their sakes died and rose again.
This is my judgment on the issue. It is how I would vote in a church assembly for somebody other in such a situation.
The essential here is that that I (spiritually) died for all of them, all of them are spiritually dead. They are so considered to be of the so low spiritual level that must be slaves.
But... yep, I myself count myself dead. Yes, I'm dead compared with what I would be if my life would not go so bad, life essentially without proper teaching, training, without just friends and communication, like life in prison. Degrading life, much of the time spent. I confess that I even pray now not every day. I'm dead compared with what I to be: I became much sinful (and also ill) after all troubles and temptations which was not able to overcome like most of you would be not able.
So now the corrected answer to the question above: They must
live for one who died for all but resurrected. God calls not existing
as existing. In this situation there were found no man who resurrected
to the really righteous life nor they (they are now dead
for
me) nor myself. But Bible says about one who not only have died but also
resurrected. So I conclude that they must look at Christ living in
me as I've died
but have not resurrected
apart of
Christ. So, they must live for one who is in me. They must look
onto me with faith and see the Righteous Leader in me.
As such I concluded apart from any my merits but only from their failures, that I have the right to be the chief of Russian church. It is different who are chosen by people accordingly their merits and who are chosen by God apart of any merits but accordingly the sacrifice.
Moreover I found here only my right for their service for me and no my obligation for my service for them.
And I'm intrigued: will you follow people's way of choice confirmed by the official church documents or the biblical choice of who to live for whom.
Moreover, I'm expecting from you, the reader, to follow the biblical principle of calling not existing (dead Russian church) as existing and so calling in me the leader of this not existing church.
Well, it is what Bible says: the last of you will become the first. You may believe or not believe that they will serve me, but as I was the last I will be first (because Bible contains such the promise) and they will serve me.
Excuse me, brothers, for this stupid, humorous preaching, I know that Bible disapproves comical preaching. But I simply cannot speak with you otherwise as the situation itself is such.
Well, what I want from you, the reader? I myself don't well understand
what I desire from the readers of this article. Well, I want to
be in the Christian brotherhood with you. And also I want to teach you
the principles of the church authority, how it is
judged by God who is the chief not accordingly people's church
principles
.
Bible doubtlessly teaches These who walk in the light have
communication (or friendship) with each other
.
It cannot be that we'd walk in the light but have no communication.
(2Cor. 5) 12 For we are not commending ourselves to you
again, but speak as giving you occasion of boasting on our behalf,
that you may have something to answer those who boast in appearance,
and not in heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God.
Or if we are of sober mind, it is for you.
Copyright © 2004-2005 Victor Porton. All rights reserved.