"Hear this word that the LORD hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt . . . Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" (Amos 3:1, 3, KJV)
Some churches and fellowships try to manipulate their members by an errant understanding of Amos 3:3. This passage has been used to put people out of congregations because they disagreed with minor doctrines. It has been used to strongly imply (if not outright state) that unless one agrees with the church's top leader(s) or with one or several "ordained" ministers, he or she cannot be in the church.
But a closer examination of the Hebrew text shows that the actual meaning of Amos 3:3 is "can two walk together unless they (agree to) meet somewhere."
The "meet somewhere" is like two people taking a walk starting from different locations. If they can’t agree to a meeting place, how can they take a walk side by side?
When I am going to drive 100 miles to services with my friend, we must agree to meet somewhere: his house, a parking lot, somewhere.
Sadly, especially in church groups who believe in a hierarchical form of church government, many members will only "walk" with brethren who attend their particular church.
Diotrephes was one such as this, loving to have the preeminence, not accepting brethren and putting them out of the assembly:
"I (the apostle John) wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.
"Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth [them] out of the church." (3John 9 - 10, KJV) |
