Posted on 04/08/2020 8:20:12 PM PDT by EtchASketch
FORT WORTH
Judge Glen Whitley says church is banned anywhere in Tarrant County. Too risky
(Excerpt) Read more at star-telegram.com ...
If two or three gather in my name I am with them.
Jesus Christ
True but first of all two or three aren’t allowed in this case. Suppose you live alone. You can’t gather with anyone.
Secondly the ekklesia (Assembly) of the New Testament reflects the assembly in the Old Testament and consists of all the people ihysically gathering each week. Not everyone staying home watching tv.
April 20, 2019 by RadicalDiscipleship
The Resurrection is Against the Law
An excerpt from Bill Wylie-Kellermann’s classic Seasons of Faith and Conscience (1991).
The sealing of the tomb is, I believe, notoriously misunderstood. I grew up with a Sunday School notion that to seal the tomb was a matter of hefting the big stone and cementing it tight. The seal, in my mind’s eye, was something like first-century caulking–puttying up the cracks to keep the stink in. Not so. This is a legal seal. Cords would be strung across the rock and anchored at each end with clay. To move the stone would break the seal and indicate tampering.
The event conspicuously echoes the story of Daniel sealed in the den of lions. “And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel” (Daniel 6:18). As there, this is a legal lock on the tomb door–not air tight, but politically tight. To move the stone and break the seal is a civil crime. The resurrection is against the law.
The seal is also a recurring theme in the book of Revelation. Remember the scroll of history sealed with seven seals? Only One is worthy to break them and look upon or unveil the truth: that One is the Lamb who was slain. The seal is a claim of ownership and authority. Its meaning in Revelation is at least that God in Christ reigns sovereign over all history and in all events.
Caesar, in Pilate, on the other hand, violently disputes the claim. He has set his seal of approval on Jesus’ death, and now he guarantees it with troops. Secured by security forces. When the seal is broken in the resurrection, it stands among the signs that the power of the powers (death in all its forms) has been broken. The dominion of political authority–especially inflated, aggressive–and imperial authority has been cut to the heart.
And its all coming from Greg Abbott and the county judges.
Actually Abbot pulled back what some of the crazier judges did and said you can’t close the churches down. All the can do is restrict to a maximum number of people allowed ( the lowest I’ve heard of is ten at a time.
That is probably why the judges order is written in such a convoluted manner.
Grow up.
Any guesses on why the First Century church didn't use the internet?
Now, it isn't nice to lie on a thread about churches.
"Abbott said religious services can continue, but should be conducted remotely or – if held in person – should follow presidential or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
Abbott said if local orders conflict with these rules, the statewide order trumps local ones. Local jurisdictions still have flexibility to impose standards not mentioned in the governor’s order, however."
https://www.kut.org/post/abbott-orders-statewide-limits-nonessential-activity-wont-call-it-stay-home-order
Of course they didn’t have the technology.
I don’t think it’s wrong to utilize technology. I think it’s wrong to replace physical assembly with it.
The technology of the day we’re the letters (epistles) written by the apostles and passed around. Any guess as to why they were to be read in the ekklesia and not just passed from hand to hand for individual study and contemplation?
Because the church was to physically meet. Weekly. Even though they were suffering severe persecution. And it was there that the letters (scripture) were read and proclaimed and preached on, not virtually, and of course the other aspects of live physical worship such as communal singing of praise, collection of offerings, corporate prayer, communion, baptisms.
Because a big chunk of them weren't literate.
That might be a good reason too. Of course we don’t know that.
The early church was largely Jewish and they had a high literacy rate.
In any event we are to physically gather. We are not Gnostics, we are corporeal, worship is not simply emotions or intangible thoughts.
While I am all for the use of alternative means as a weak substitute when there is no other choice the mandate from heaven is physical assembly for worship.
Grow up? Why the personal attack. Speak your mind and opinion and leave the insults on the side please. Thank you
Attempting to save countless lives IS an appointed function of the government we established. They are empowered to do this very thing in laws that were Constitutionally enacted.
It isn't fair to elect leaders and then damn them when they act to the best of their knowledge. Many of them overreacted, that is for sure. Our sorry finger-pointing political climate and a terrible media caused that.
We cannot afford to take a trip into anarchy just because we don't agree with our leadership. When this is over, new rules need to be established. You just don't buck the leadership during a firefight.
The judges issuing the north Texas mask mandates are not following them.
County Judges Disregard Their Own COVID Guidance
Citizens react to photos of Tarrant’s Glen Whitley and Dallas’ Clay Jenkins not practicing what they preach.
https://texasscorecard.com/metroplex/county-judges-disregard-their-own-covid-guidance/
Diagree 100%. Following elected leaders over a cliff like lemmings is idiotic!
exactly! This is the problem with these idiots we elected. Their executive overreach makes them think they are emperors and the rules don’t apply to them! Whether it is Nancy Pelosi or a local judge...they think they are above their own mindless - no- common -sense dictates.
My pastor has openly stated that he will be in the church at the normal times. Any who wish to join him in person or on line are welcome to do so.
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