In Reply to: the "ekklesia" = called out ones posted by Donny on July 22, 2003 at 17:53:19:
just as you cannot say the family as a group is not part of the true church, neither do i see how you could say any group is. even the churches in rev 2& 3 weren't all in nor all out. groups do tend to manifest a certain spiritual life, or lack thereof, but only individuals are christian or non christian (except in the somewhat popular understanding... which is subjective and not really meaningful in any eternal sense.) and i'm not sure we can be absolutely certain as to other people's individual standing w/ God. heck, it can be tough to discern our own at times. (2 co. 13:5) we certainly are equipped to judge doctrine, and behavior, but i do not see, except by special rev. (ac8:21-23), that we have either the authority, nor the need, to judge peoples standing in relation to the cross. do you disagree?