The passages I posted above demonstrate the role of church and church leadership. Church leadership ruled on doctrine and discipline. The first general council held in Jerusalem reflects church leadership deciding doctrine and determining direction for the church. "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves". "And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him". "If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." "Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."

Jesus clearly tasked church leaders with responsibility to rule members well. The Holy Spirit gifts certain people with talents to rule and lead church members. "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine . . . Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear."

James, I always appreciate your sense of rumor (humor). Jesus tasked the Nation of Israel with protecting and proclaiming the truth. Dire was the penalty for rejecting and/or refusing to live in harmony with the FB. "The LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp." Would you label such leadership as totalitarian or communistic? Most people refer to it as a Theocracy. No, I do not believe Jesus will command leaders today to execute capital punishment. Different dispensation. But I do believe the passages posted above make it clear Jesus expects the leaders He ordains to protect and proclaim the truth. Sometimes that involves disciplining members and leaders who refuse to live in harmony with the FB.

But I do believe the passages posted above make it clear Jesus expects the leaders He ordains to protect and proclaim the truth. Sometimes that involves disciplining members and leaders who refuse to live in harmony with the FB.

M: James, I always appreciate your sense of rumor (humor). Jesus tasked the Nation of Israel with protecting and proclaiming the truth. Dire was the penalty for rejecting and/or refusing to live in harmony with the FB. "The LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp." Would you label such leadership as totalitarian or communistic? Most people refer to it as a Theocracy. No, I do not believe Jesus will command leaders today to execute capital punishment. Different dispensation. But I do believe the passages posted above make it clear Jesus expects the leaders He ordains to protect and proclaim the truth. Sometimes that involves disciplining members and leaders who refuse to live in harmony with the FB.

J: This is neither a matter of capital punishment nor is it frivolous conversation. Israel was a nation governed by civil law. The Church of God, on the other hand, is a movement of volunteers without borders started not in the 19th but the 1st century CE given the over-riding task of telling about the everlasting GOOD NEWS person to person. If SDA feel that they can police the minds of their members, well then .... but the Church is over and above the denomination and its members are those whose names have been registered in heaven. Do you understand that? The foundation of our faith is not a contrived list of 28 fundamental beliefs laid out in 1980, but in these words of Peter, "[Jesus of Nazareth] is the Christ, Son of the Living God" uttered at the very beginning of the common era. Beyond that, a person is free to follow his own understanding without any threat to his liberty of conscience, as he is taught by God through faith. He is absolutely at liberty to discuss and expound and share with due respect to others. Or have SDA begun to set up an Inquisition?

James, I always appreciate your sense of rumor (humor). Jesus tasked the Nation of Israel with protecting and proclaiming the truth. Dire was the penalty for rejecting and/or refusing to live in harmony with the FB. "The LORD said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones without the camp." Would you label such leadership as totalitarian or communistic? Most people refer to it as a Theocracy. No, I do not believe Jesus will command leaders today to execute capital punishment. Different dispensation. But I do believe the passages posted above make it clear Jesus expects the leaders He ordains to protect and proclaim the truth. Sometimes that involves disciplining members and leaders who refuse to live in harmony with the FB.