Religion basically says our whole relationship with God is based on us being filthy & Him cleaning us. Where would religion be without sin? It wouldn't exist. Since God is not charging us with sin & Christians don't need to be sin conscious who is pushing the concept of sin in religion? The deceiver, the accuser, Satan himself. As Jesus said he does, Satan steals the truth. With the truth out of his way he can destroy our perceptions of God, ourselves, others, & all of life.
I honestly believe the #1 way Satan steals the truth is by sermons presented by self-professed leaders. When you perceive someone as "above you" because of a title in front of their name or a position they hold you are utterly opening yourself up to believing falsehood. This happens when you either let them do your thinking for you or you assume they are more apt to receive & understand truth than you are.
The truth is Jesus forbade the existence of official leaders & He told us that He'd teach us Himself by His Spirit living in us. But Satan stepped in & said, "You must have official leaders in every group of Christians. You cannot trust your heart to hear God's voice, always doubt yourself if you think you've heard Him. You should trust the leaders to tell you what God says in the spirit & in the scriptures." The church system is Satan's substitute for living in & with the family of God. Regardless if the person is aware of it, has a great character, or even preaches the truth church leaders (pastors etc) are Satan's substitute for Jesus & the Holy Spirit of God.
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label church. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Ignore the Poison?
There is a mentality with sermons that a person shouldn't point out the bad/untrue/fear-based things the preacher said. People will say, "Oh don't worry about those things just focus on the good things he said."
If you & I were going to a coffee shop every week and they added, let's say, 3 drops of poison to every cup of coffee they serve would you say to me, "Oh don't worry about the poison just focus on the good coffee" & encourage me to come back to the coffee shop every week with you? Would you say this to yourself, "I'm not worried about the poison. I just focus on the good coffee" & keep going every week?
Falsehoods spoken confidently are poison. Things that make you fear are poison. Sin consciousness is poison. There are far more than 3 drops of poison in an average sermon (I dare say many are cups of poison with drops of truth). Why would someone want to keep getting poisoned every week? Any poison will harm you. Frequent poisoning will make you sick. Embracing poison as good & useful is a tragedy. Feeling obligated to knowingly drink poison is imprisonment.
Related Posts
Is Eating Poison Worth Your While?
If you & I were going to a coffee shop every week and they added, let's say, 3 drops of poison to every cup of coffee they serve would you say to me, "Oh don't worry about the poison just focus on the good coffee" & encourage me to come back to the coffee shop every week with you? Would you say this to yourself, "I'm not worried about the poison. I just focus on the good coffee" & keep going every week?
Falsehoods spoken confidently are poison. Things that make you fear are poison. Sin consciousness is poison. There are far more than 3 drops of poison in an average sermon (I dare say many are cups of poison with drops of truth). Why would someone want to keep getting poisoned every week? Any poison will harm you. Frequent poisoning will make you sick. Embracing poison as good & useful is a tragedy. Feeling obligated to knowingly drink poison is imprisonment.
Related Posts
Is Eating Poison Worth Your While?
Monday, August 27, 2012
Is Eating Poison Worth Your While?
As good as institutional churches can be they almost always have these 3 major faults
#1 The church service is a Non-relational performance (show) to an audience by professionals
#2 It is led by men instead of Christ
#3 It promotes (forces down your throat) sin consciousness
#1 destroys the purpose of Christ's body, to love one another and build one another up, to share Christ in them with one another. One another means every person is involved. If its non-relational it is not a biblical meeting of the body.
#2 is set up to sucker people into believing lies because an unquestionable expert is presenting all of the information. It also makes it very hard for people to hear the real voice of God.
#3 is the worst of all, it kills the experience of the gospel in your life & leads you to shame yourself & condemn others.
I see churches like a restaurant that serves a 3 course meal. Two of the courses may be the best food you've ever had but one of the courses is poisoned & you don't know which one. I'm not going to a restaurant that serves up poison nor will I recommend it to anyone. So to me this isn't an issue of "I disagree with the menu selection." It is a case of "This place serves poison! No one should be eating poison! Please don't eat their poison!" Saying "no church is perfect" can be a rationalization to eat poison because you love the other things that are served up.
Making mistakes is one thing but having institutions/traditions/practices that are intentionally present all the time is another. Mistakes are like a cook accidentally spilling soap in your food. Traditions (etc.) are like poison being listed in the recipe.
Churches as people can make mistakes and be loved in spite of them because they are our brothers & sisters in Christ. Churches as institutions are like faulty built machines. The blueprints are wrong and the machine will harm people because of it. I'm not promoting being "against them." I am stating why I am against an "it." While what I wrote is based on my observance it is also evident from scripture what is poison and what is not.
No matter how someone spins it I am not going to condone or promote poisoning the body. I am not saying, "Don't go to a church." At most I was saying, "Watch out, the church you are going to is very likely to be poisoned." I don't "support" eating poison, poison that I've seen harm people in countless ways. I don't want my brother to be harmed.
Thoughts from My Wise & Wonderful Wife
We have seen and experienced the bondage that people have been under unknowingly. There are some churches that may not have all three things going on that are listed but anyone of those things is a poison. We have seen a church to have true loving relationships. But even that is few and far between. Sin consciousness is for sure forced down your throat almost weekly. That's what the vast majority of sermons are. They are about a particular sin geared toward making you feel guilty about it. People call that conviction and pass it off as from God yet the only place in scripture that uses the word "convict" in reference to a Christian says that "He will convict them of their righteousness" not of their sin. We are dead to sin and alive to Christ and His righteousness because of His death on the cross and resurrection. Yet Christians walk around with so much guilt and shame that Christ died to take away.
When a sermon is nice and neatly put into a package and delivered to a vast group of people all of differing places in their walk with God it is very difficult to think through, "Could he be getting this wrong?" I've even experienced feeling guilty for daring to question whether what a preacher is saying is true!! I know they say study it out for yourself but in all honesty most do not. They assume the studied pastor must know what he is talking about. Plus we are not taught how to study. The bible is a very daunting book and we are made to feel like a true Christian will simply know how to study. So we keep quiet and hope the pastor is right.
We most certainly do promote meeting together with other Christians in a setting where all are free to contribute and growing and learning and discussing are present. These types of meetings can be difficult because we are so used to one man doing most of the talking but it is possible. We have seen people living in such guilt who feel that guilt is what God wants for us, to be down on ourselves and beating ourselves up.
Further Thoughts from Me
"Sin consciousness" refers to Hebrews 10:1-2 which says that the sacrifice of Christ has purified us for all time & our consciousness of sin can now disappear.
From a pulpit it comes out as a focus on "not sinning" usually through flesh based efforts or it comes out as guilt tripping, rebuking, or shaming the audience. Blanket statements of shame are made towards people who are not only undeserving in Christ (as all Christians are) but perhaps even undeserving in their behavior.
If you look carefully at the new testament you'll never see the word sin & the word repent in the same context unless it is talking about receiving the forgiveness of sins. The word repent is never aimed at Christians either.
Essentially to me sin consciousness is counting sin against yourself or others. 2 Corinthians 5:19 says God no longer counts sins against people thus neither should we.
God has similar feelings in Amos 5:21-24 regarding old testament assemblies which placed obstacles between men & God as I do about present assemblies.
“I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer up to Me offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at your peace offerings. Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."
Note that God never says He hates the people but the pretentious things, even the things He once commanded, which they do. That is how I feel too.
Now it is the righteousness of Christ that we need to flow not our own righteousness. Sin consciousness does not allow it but denies the righteousness He has given us. Putting on a show & having professional leaders denies the body the ability to flow out the righteousness of Christ because they are a silenced audience.
Related Posts
Ignore the Poison?
#1 The church service is a Non-relational performance (show) to an audience by professionals
#2 It is led by men instead of Christ
#3 It promotes (forces down your throat) sin consciousness
#1 destroys the purpose of Christ's body, to love one another and build one another up, to share Christ in them with one another. One another means every person is involved. If its non-relational it is not a biblical meeting of the body.
#2 is set up to sucker people into believing lies because an unquestionable expert is presenting all of the information. It also makes it very hard for people to hear the real voice of God.
#3 is the worst of all, it kills the experience of the gospel in your life & leads you to shame yourself & condemn others.
I see churches like a restaurant that serves a 3 course meal. Two of the courses may be the best food you've ever had but one of the courses is poisoned & you don't know which one. I'm not going to a restaurant that serves up poison nor will I recommend it to anyone. So to me this isn't an issue of "I disagree with the menu selection." It is a case of "This place serves poison! No one should be eating poison! Please don't eat their poison!" Saying "no church is perfect" can be a rationalization to eat poison because you love the other things that are served up.
Making mistakes is one thing but having institutions/traditions/practices that are intentionally present all the time is another. Mistakes are like a cook accidentally spilling soap in your food. Traditions (etc.) are like poison being listed in the recipe.
Churches as people can make mistakes and be loved in spite of them because they are our brothers & sisters in Christ. Churches as institutions are like faulty built machines. The blueprints are wrong and the machine will harm people because of it. I'm not promoting being "against them." I am stating why I am against an "it." While what I wrote is based on my observance it is also evident from scripture what is poison and what is not.
No matter how someone spins it I am not going to condone or promote poisoning the body. I am not saying, "Don't go to a church." At most I was saying, "Watch out, the church you are going to is very likely to be poisoned." I don't "support" eating poison, poison that I've seen harm people in countless ways. I don't want my brother to be harmed.
Thoughts from My Wise & Wonderful Wife
We have seen and experienced the bondage that people have been under unknowingly. There are some churches that may not have all three things going on that are listed but anyone of those things is a poison. We have seen a church to have true loving relationships. But even that is few and far between. Sin consciousness is for sure forced down your throat almost weekly. That's what the vast majority of sermons are. They are about a particular sin geared toward making you feel guilty about it. People call that conviction and pass it off as from God yet the only place in scripture that uses the word "convict" in reference to a Christian says that "He will convict them of their righteousness" not of their sin. We are dead to sin and alive to Christ and His righteousness because of His death on the cross and resurrection. Yet Christians walk around with so much guilt and shame that Christ died to take away.
When a sermon is nice and neatly put into a package and delivered to a vast group of people all of differing places in their walk with God it is very difficult to think through, "Could he be getting this wrong?" I've even experienced feeling guilty for daring to question whether what a preacher is saying is true!! I know they say study it out for yourself but in all honesty most do not. They assume the studied pastor must know what he is talking about. Plus we are not taught how to study. The bible is a very daunting book and we are made to feel like a true Christian will simply know how to study. So we keep quiet and hope the pastor is right.
We most certainly do promote meeting together with other Christians in a setting where all are free to contribute and growing and learning and discussing are present. These types of meetings can be difficult because we are so used to one man doing most of the talking but it is possible. We have seen people living in such guilt who feel that guilt is what God wants for us, to be down on ourselves and beating ourselves up.
Further Thoughts from Me
"Sin consciousness" refers to Hebrews 10:1-2 which says that the sacrifice of Christ has purified us for all time & our consciousness of sin can now disappear.
From a pulpit it comes out as a focus on "not sinning" usually through flesh based efforts or it comes out as guilt tripping, rebuking, or shaming the audience. Blanket statements of shame are made towards people who are not only undeserving in Christ (as all Christians are) but perhaps even undeserving in their behavior.
If you look carefully at the new testament you'll never see the word sin & the word repent in the same context unless it is talking about receiving the forgiveness of sins. The word repent is never aimed at Christians either.
Essentially to me sin consciousness is counting sin against yourself or others. 2 Corinthians 5:19 says God no longer counts sins against people thus neither should we.
God has similar feelings in Amos 5:21-24 regarding old testament assemblies which placed obstacles between men & God as I do about present assemblies.
“I hate, I reject your festivals, Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer up to Me offerings, I will not accept them; And I will not even look at your peace offerings. Take away from Me the noise of your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."
Note that God never says He hates the people but the pretentious things, even the things He once commanded, which they do. That is how I feel too.
Now it is the righteousness of Christ that we need to flow not our own righteousness. Sin consciousness does not allow it but denies the righteousness He has given us. Putting on a show & having professional leaders denies the body the ability to flow out the righteousness of Christ because they are a silenced audience.
Related Posts
Ignore the Poison?
Monday, August 20, 2012
How Sermonizing is Not Shepherding & More..
There is no biblical evidence of a sermon (non-interactive monologue)
being "preached" to a group of Christians in the New Testament. What we
do see is open participatory meetings where "each one" has songs,
teachings, revelations, etc (1 Corinthians 14:26). Thinking every time
the word "preach" is used in translation of scripture it means "preach a
sermon" is making an assumption not based on study. There is no such
thing as a "pulpit" in the New Testament. Today's type of "preaching" is
based on the traditions of men & misapplications of old covenant
scripture.
I don't think the Word of God "should be preached" among Christians as most people understand preaching (sermonizing). The traditions of men are an inferior substitute to the ways of God. I've heard preachers admit in sermons that sermons/monologues/lectures are the least effective form of communication/teaching but then blame the audience for not remembering sermon material. That would be like a coach intentionally training his team in the least effective way possible & blaming the team for being lousy.
To me there is a big difference between preaching & teaching. I don't consider an impersonal, non-interactive relay of information to be teaching. If you research the uses of the word preach & teach in scripture you'll see that preaching (usually meaning proclaiming or announcing) is something done for Non-Christians to make them aware of the gospel. You'll see that there are times that "preaching and teaching" are mentioned together hinting that they are separate things.
While I am aware that teaching does happen in churches, the sermon is something that falls short of the biblical idea of teaching (you could call biblical teaching discipling). While it could be called preaching (proclaiming) it is something we never see done in a Christian assembly in scripture. There are countless ways that sermonizing is harmful to the body. The message that always points back to the love of God & the finished work of Christ (the true gospel) will prevent most of that harm from occurring. The sermon, in most churches, is touted as the essential "main-event" of the normal Christian life. When it is touted as such that is one of its most harmful elements because its non-interactive & impersonal nature actually stops people from relating to & loving one another, instead it forces them into silence.
Sermonizing is Not Shepherding
We never see "preaching" associated with "shepherds/pastors" in scripture either. We hear that shepherds "feed the flock." What is feeding? Is feeding throwing food into a large crowd & never knowing if anyone in the crowd catches and eats anything? Where is the evidence that someone was fed? It is assumed that because you spread the seed that people are fed. Sermons don't accomplish feeding. The only type of feeding I would say a sermon does is like that of a grocery store. If people come in and appropriate the food they can feed themselves from it. Throwing food at people's mouths (ears) to me is not feeding. When I think "feeding" I think of how one would feed a baby or a small motherless animal. I would consider The Great Shepherd Jesus' interactive & personal discipling to be feeding.
Seeing-over a crowd when you preach is not the same as overseeing (teaching & guarding). Hebrews 13:17 says that overseers (the same thing as pastors/elders) are "those who are alert to the condition of your lives." You can't be alert to some one's condition when you aren't even relating to them. Sermons are non-relational. Sermons don't accomplish shepherding in any sense. The sermon itself does not accomplish biblical shepherding. When something is preached to a passive crowd it is all on the crowd to pay attention and feed themselves. It is no different than watching a sermon on television. People can learn from those but that doesn't mean "Televangelist Whoever" is shepherding them. There isn't shepherding it is just a relay of information.
In Ephesians 4:11, the only time shepherds is used for people other than Jesus and literal shepherds, it calls them shepherd-teachers. Shepherding does involve teaching & fellowshipping is essential to shepherding. If there is no relationship between someone & their pastor/shepherd it is impossible to be shepherded. Shepherding is personal & relational. Sermons are just as personal on TV as they are in person. Based on my study of scripture I would say that sermons do not accomplish shepherding in any sense from the shepherd's standpoint. While people can and do learn from sermons, preaching a sermon is not shepherding at all.
Church Service is Extra-Biblical
While the preacher speaks people have to be quiet & listen. It literally stops people from relating to one another for that time frame, which is the majority of the time they spend assembled together. One another relating cannot be done during a sermon. To share Christ in us with one another is the most important part of the Christian life, it is what scripture calls God's eternal purpose. So if the sermon is the "main event," building one another up etc. is less important & to most not even part of the normal "church experience."
Announcing testimonies, praises, & prayer requests does not accomplish most of the one anothering spoken of in scripture. Announcing good things (you could biblically call this "preaching") is beneficial but it is still not relational.
Typical Sunday morning church meetings go something like this,
Greet each other very briefly (usually with cliché greetings); Announce your testimonies, praises, & prayer requests to the congregation; Sing and don't talk to each other; Listen to the sermon and don't talk to each other; meeting over.
The elements & time managed structure of the meeting "actually stops people from relating to & loving one another." When the church comes together it has "better things to do" than sharing Christ in us with one another. You can hope that somehow the sermon or another element has inspired people to love & relate but overall the meeting itself does not even allow it to happen during its duration.
Example overrides information. What you do in practice is what people take as truth more so than your words. This is one of the things I mean when I said, "the gospel stops most of that harm from occurring" because in practice information from a sermon is touted as more important than relationships. Why? Because relating is something you are supposed to do outside of the meeting. 40 minutes or so is given to a sermon & maybe 2 minutes given to a meet & greet.
So the "church service" is an event to attend like a concert. The modern church service is something extra-biblical. This type of meeting, including the sermon, is not endorsed or even found in scripture. It bears almost no resemblance to the assembling talked about in 1 Corinthians 14 & Hebrews 10. Sure it can be beneficial but the traditions of men are still an inferior substitute to the ways of God. This Sunday morning church service is touted as the main event of the normal Christian life (often with the sermon as the primary portion of the service) but it is an extra-biblical substitute for genuine relationships & relational meetings where everyone can contribute. Meetings that are led by Christ the Head instead of led by programs, preparations, & preachers.
Related Posts
Community vs. Prescriptions
How "Preach" is Used with Bias in Translating the Bible
Love One Another
In Context: "Forsake not the assembling.."
In Context: "Forsake not.." & "I can do all things.." Revisited
Growth in Christ Through Relationships
Mistranslation of Words in The Bible
I don't think the Word of God "should be preached" among Christians as most people understand preaching (sermonizing). The traditions of men are an inferior substitute to the ways of God. I've heard preachers admit in sermons that sermons/monologues/lectures are the least effective form of communication/teaching but then blame the audience for not remembering sermon material. That would be like a coach intentionally training his team in the least effective way possible & blaming the team for being lousy.
To me there is a big difference between preaching & teaching. I don't consider an impersonal, non-interactive relay of information to be teaching. If you research the uses of the word preach & teach in scripture you'll see that preaching (usually meaning proclaiming or announcing) is something done for Non-Christians to make them aware of the gospel. You'll see that there are times that "preaching and teaching" are mentioned together hinting that they are separate things.
While I am aware that teaching does happen in churches, the sermon is something that falls short of the biblical idea of teaching (you could call biblical teaching discipling). While it could be called preaching (proclaiming) it is something we never see done in a Christian assembly in scripture. There are countless ways that sermonizing is harmful to the body. The message that always points back to the love of God & the finished work of Christ (the true gospel) will prevent most of that harm from occurring. The sermon, in most churches, is touted as the essential "main-event" of the normal Christian life. When it is touted as such that is one of its most harmful elements because its non-interactive & impersonal nature actually stops people from relating to & loving one another, instead it forces them into silence.
Sermonizing is Not Shepherding
We never see "preaching" associated with "shepherds/pastors" in scripture either. We hear that shepherds "feed the flock." What is feeding? Is feeding throwing food into a large crowd & never knowing if anyone in the crowd catches and eats anything? Where is the evidence that someone was fed? It is assumed that because you spread the seed that people are fed. Sermons don't accomplish feeding. The only type of feeding I would say a sermon does is like that of a grocery store. If people come in and appropriate the food they can feed themselves from it. Throwing food at people's mouths (ears) to me is not feeding. When I think "feeding" I think of how one would feed a baby or a small motherless animal. I would consider The Great Shepherd Jesus' interactive & personal discipling to be feeding.
Seeing-over a crowd when you preach is not the same as overseeing (teaching & guarding). Hebrews 13:17 says that overseers (the same thing as pastors/elders) are "those who are alert to the condition of your lives." You can't be alert to some one's condition when you aren't even relating to them. Sermons are non-relational. Sermons don't accomplish shepherding in any sense. The sermon itself does not accomplish biblical shepherding. When something is preached to a passive crowd it is all on the crowd to pay attention and feed themselves. It is no different than watching a sermon on television. People can learn from those but that doesn't mean "Televangelist Whoever" is shepherding them. There isn't shepherding it is just a relay of information.
In Ephesians 4:11, the only time shepherds is used for people other than Jesus and literal shepherds, it calls them shepherd-teachers. Shepherding does involve teaching & fellowshipping is essential to shepherding. If there is no relationship between someone & their pastor/shepherd it is impossible to be shepherded. Shepherding is personal & relational. Sermons are just as personal on TV as they are in person. Based on my study of scripture I would say that sermons do not accomplish shepherding in any sense from the shepherd's standpoint. While people can and do learn from sermons, preaching a sermon is not shepherding at all.
Church Service is Extra-Biblical
While the preacher speaks people have to be quiet & listen. It literally stops people from relating to one another for that time frame, which is the majority of the time they spend assembled together. One another relating cannot be done during a sermon. To share Christ in us with one another is the most important part of the Christian life, it is what scripture calls God's eternal purpose. So if the sermon is the "main event," building one another up etc. is less important & to most not even part of the normal "church experience."
Announcing testimonies, praises, & prayer requests does not accomplish most of the one anothering spoken of in scripture. Announcing good things (you could biblically call this "preaching") is beneficial but it is still not relational.
Typical Sunday morning church meetings go something like this,
Greet each other very briefly (usually with cliché greetings); Announce your testimonies, praises, & prayer requests to the congregation; Sing and don't talk to each other; Listen to the sermon and don't talk to each other; meeting over.
The elements & time managed structure of the meeting "actually stops people from relating to & loving one another." When the church comes together it has "better things to do" than sharing Christ in us with one another. You can hope that somehow the sermon or another element has inspired people to love & relate but overall the meeting itself does not even allow it to happen during its duration.
Example overrides information. What you do in practice is what people take as truth more so than your words. This is one of the things I mean when I said, "the gospel stops most of that harm from occurring" because in practice information from a sermon is touted as more important than relationships. Why? Because relating is something you are supposed to do outside of the meeting. 40 minutes or so is given to a sermon & maybe 2 minutes given to a meet & greet.
So the "church service" is an event to attend like a concert. The modern church service is something extra-biblical. This type of meeting, including the sermon, is not endorsed or even found in scripture. It bears almost no resemblance to the assembling talked about in 1 Corinthians 14 & Hebrews 10. Sure it can be beneficial but the traditions of men are still an inferior substitute to the ways of God. This Sunday morning church service is touted as the main event of the normal Christian life (often with the sermon as the primary portion of the service) but it is an extra-biblical substitute for genuine relationships & relational meetings where everyone can contribute. Meetings that are led by Christ the Head instead of led by programs, preparations, & preachers.
Related Posts
Community vs. Prescriptions
How "Preach" is Used with Bias in Translating the Bible
Love One Another
In Context: "Forsake not the assembling.."
In Context: "Forsake not.." & "I can do all things.." Revisited
Growth in Christ Through Relationships
Mistranslation of Words in The Bible
Friday, July 20, 2012
Christian Persecution & America
I've heard many American Christians sorta wish that American Christians were persecuted more & that we would suffer more. They look at the stronger faith of people in other countries where persecution & suffering is the norm. They think that if America was persecuted, Christians here would have a stronger faith. First, I wonder how many of those theorists have actually been persecuted? Secondly, I recall that this mindset is not confirmed in scripture.
"The seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away." (Mark 4:16-17)
It isn't persecution that draws you to God, It is God's love. If you don't already know His love Jesus says you will quickly fall away when persecution comes. Enduring persecution does not make you stronger, it only taps into the strength you already have. That strength to overcome is your trust in God (1 John 5:4). The more you know God loves you the more you will trust Him.
Persecution is Satan's way of stopping the gospel. When people don't know or believe the true gospel there is no need for persecution. Galatians 6:12 even suggests that those who try to live by law or by their own strength will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. In my opinion Christianity in America would virtually end if major persecution came because people are not "rooted and grounded in God's love" (Ephesians 3:17).
One of the easiest things, knowing that God loves you and letting Him love you, has become one of the hardest things because the traditions, false teachings, & false authorities of mainstream American Christianity. Its sin focused, mixed covenant, cross-ignoring teachings already have people barely hanging onto, not God, but a false picture of God. A picture that paints God as an utterly selfish, human hating, Christian hating, nagging, shame exploiting, greedy, & abusive monster who treats them worse than probably anyone they know & is 1,000 times more easily offended than any human being to ever walk the earth.
Because people believe God exists & believe the most basic gospel they honestly want to follow and serve God. But thanks to thousands of years of scripture twisting doctrines, man made traditions, and satanic deception people are told to follow this false picture of God whose abuse and constant fault finding are taught to be His "love." Or they are taught to serve & follow the preachings of an unbiblical religious system called "church" that pictures God as a distant CEO who you have to beg to show up in a "church service" to receive any recognition from him for all of your hard work for him.
Fear not, and engage the God who longs to unravel the lies you've been told so you can experience His love as He has always wanted. God loves you enough to accept you as you are. He is big enough & has shed enough blood to never be angry with you. He is who He says He is, God is love. Love that is easily identified by anyone who has ever wanted to be loved.
"The seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away." (Mark 4:16-17)
It isn't persecution that draws you to God, It is God's love. If you don't already know His love Jesus says you will quickly fall away when persecution comes. Enduring persecution does not make you stronger, it only taps into the strength you already have. That strength to overcome is your trust in God (1 John 5:4). The more you know God loves you the more you will trust Him.
Persecution is Satan's way of stopping the gospel. When people don't know or believe the true gospel there is no need for persecution. Galatians 6:12 even suggests that those who try to live by law or by their own strength will not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. In my opinion Christianity in America would virtually end if major persecution came because people are not "rooted and grounded in God's love" (Ephesians 3:17).
One of the easiest things, knowing that God loves you and letting Him love you, has become one of the hardest things because the traditions, false teachings, & false authorities of mainstream American Christianity. Its sin focused, mixed covenant, cross-ignoring teachings already have people barely hanging onto, not God, but a false picture of God. A picture that paints God as an utterly selfish, human hating, Christian hating, nagging, shame exploiting, greedy, & abusive monster who treats them worse than probably anyone they know & is 1,000 times more easily offended than any human being to ever walk the earth.
Because people believe God exists & believe the most basic gospel they honestly want to follow and serve God. But thanks to thousands of years of scripture twisting doctrines, man made traditions, and satanic deception people are told to follow this false picture of God whose abuse and constant fault finding are taught to be His "love." Or they are taught to serve & follow the preachings of an unbiblical religious system called "church" that pictures God as a distant CEO who you have to beg to show up in a "church service" to receive any recognition from him for all of your hard work for him.
Fear not, and engage the God who longs to unravel the lies you've been told so you can experience His love as He has always wanted. God loves you enough to accept you as you are. He is big enough & has shed enough blood to never be angry with you. He is who He says He is, God is love. Love that is easily identified by anyone who has ever wanted to be loved.
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Christianity: Academic Pursuit or Love Relationships
Some don't want scripture to speak to their heart before it speaks to their head so they require a reference for every scripture quoted. They want intellectual validation rather than spiritual validation. They look to interpret something based on their established lens rather than being taught by the Spirit of God who reveals the deep truths of God. Is Christianity merely an academic pursuit or is it about full-fledged love relationships with God and others?
Study Scripture or Show Your Spirit?
"Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)
The word "study" is an old English word used in the KJV that has changed meaning since the KJV was translated. It isn't talking about academic study. It means "make every effort" or "be diligent." Sure that could include academic study but academic study is not specifically in view here. That outdated translation has caused many to be "always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7). This is because they trust their intellectual interpretation of scripture over trusting the interaction of God in their spirit. They ignore the red flags that God gives through their feelings and write them off as selfishness. Presuppositions rule and our spirit is treated as if it were never reborn.
People take 2 Timothy 2:15 to mean, "Study scripture so God will approve of you" but what it really means is "You are already approved by God so make every effort to act like it." It doesn't mean you have to earn God's approval. You show that you already are approved of by God rather than strive to become approved. You do whatever you can to let others know what a joy it is to have God's approval. You live by and show your perfect spirit.
Divvying the Truth
"Rightly dividing the Word of Truth" does not primarily mean "make sure your sermon or lesson is accurate." It in fact runs contrary to that. Rightly dividing means you know who to give what truth to and when. The relational disbursement of truth is in view here not the blanketing of a message to a group of people. It is like dividing up a meal. You are considerate of the portions people need, their allergies, when they've eaten, and what they've eaten in the past.
"Rightly dividing the Word of Truth" is less about relaying information correctly as it is about relaying the correct information to the correct people. Don't simply tell the truth but know who needs what truth and follow the Spirit to give it to them at the best time. Just because you know doesn't mean you should tell everyone. Not everyone is ready to hear. Jesus taught in parables for that very reason.
Jesus deeply considered who He was talking to and when. Most today don't understand that about Him. Today people tend to approach the scriptures, especially the New Testament, with the mindset "I'm the audience so I must do whatever the bible says where ever it says it." Jesus' primary audience was pre-cross, under the law Jews. All people today are post-cross, post-resurrection, and are not under the law.
2 Timothy 2:15 is about others. You make every effort to show God's approving love to others. You give out truth to others when they need it most. This isn't a passage for a professional preacher. It is a scripture for every spiritual saint.
Person Traded for Papers
The Bible is like the biography of our friend God. The book does not replace God. Jesus said the Holy Spirit was one just like Himself sent to teach us & relate to us. Jesus specifically said in John 16:8-10 that the Holy Spirit is given to convince Christians of their righteousness (right standing with God) because God is no longer visibly on earth.
Modern Christianity treats the Bible as God. It treats Jesus as a distant historical figure. It treats the Father as someone in heaven who you pray strictly ordered prayers to who never talks back. For the Christian this views God as someone you try your best to act morally for because you are afraid God will get mad at you.
The reality: The Bible is mostly a historical record of God and His people in history prior to the 2nd century AD. It contains poetry about how some people felt and letters of instruction and advice from people who knew God well. It is a trustworthy record of God making Himself known to people in the time span it was written.
Jesus died on a cross to take away the sins of the world & He came back to life 3 days later. Because of this God never gets mad at His children. Jesus then became a life-giving Spirit who lives inside of all those who trust Him (1 Corinthians 15:45). He offers an unbreakable spiritual relationship. He is not distant but closer in the present than physically possible. The Father is like the Son, He lives in you and aims to show you love and to help, teach, & relate to you all your life.
God is not angry or distant. He holds no sin against any living person. He is closer to mankind than He has ever been. How sad would my relationship with my wife be if all it consisted of was me reading her love letters to me and leaving her messages about things I want? Approach God boldly and say "I want to know & experience your love." Don't feel like you are unworthy to do so. The blood of Christ has made you worthy forever.
No Summer Vacation
The methods of teaching in churches are patterned after Ancient Greece and not the style of Christ. Churches today have lectures (sermons) by professors (pastors) & classes with progressive lessons by teachers. Secular methods of teaching will result in non-spiritual learning. Thus people speak of God abstractly, think of Him as distant (impersonal), and argue about Him academically.
Church buildings are the schools Christians are "forced" to go to every week where most people can't wait to hear the final bell ring (the closing prayer). You get dirty looks for disrupting class (talking during a sermon or asking too many questions in Sunday school). You are required to sit and listen quietly and sometimes you get assigned home work.
I am not saying going to church is universally bad but I am saying that their methods are largely ineffective, unbiblical, & unChrist-like. It is much easier to receive falsehood and shame from the unquestionable trained professional than it is from a peer whom you can converse with. While it is fine to enjoy going to church a Christian doesn't have to want to go to church because churches as we know them aren't God's way and were never God's intention. What we call church is not the community of Christ that wows the world with their love for one another but instead is an obligatory academic institution.
Many of Jesus' famous sayings were responses to people not preplanned lectures. The Lord's Prayer & "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" are two examples. Most of Jesus' teachings were to His disciples whom He had relationships with. Jesus didn't teach them "a series on faith" or "a series on prayer." Jesus didn't teach with planned prescriptions. He taught man-to-man, person-to-person. He related with people and responded to them. He taught them at the times of their greatest benefit. Feel relieved that even in God's perfect timing the disciples still didn't understand a lot of what Jesus said.
Today preachers travel around preaching prepared messages to people they don't know. That is as unrelational as it gets and it is not Christ-like. When you don't have to relate to people you don't have to think much and you can just recite your prepared message with no interruptions. The Spirit has little to no wiggle room to help people through such messages.
Jesus taught crowds because crowds followed Him. He didn't schedule meetings for people to come. He actually attempted to escape crowds from time to time. We try to draw crowds to ourselves. Jesus didn't even command His disciples to set up meetings and draw crowds He sent them out in pairs to go house to house. Jesus' strategies were personal and impactful. Jesus "rightly divided the Word of Truth" His whole life all for the benefit of those who listened.
Jesus and Children
"People were bringing some children, even their babies to Jesus, so that He might touch them, lay His hands on them, and pray. And when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking those who brought them. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant, and called for them, saying to them, “Let the children alone. Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them from coming to Me, for the kingdom of the God of Heaven belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will not enter into it at all. And taking them in His arms, He was blessing them. And putting His hands on them, He departed from there." (Matthew 19:13-15, Mark 10:13-16, Luke 18:15-17)
Jesus took children into His arms. He didn't send them away to a class or force them to memorize scripture. How did Jesus treat children? He invited them, He did not push them aside, He showed affection by touch, He prayed for them, He blessed them, He healed them, and He validated them. Jesus said He only did what He saw the Father doing. Well look at what Jesus did with children. That is the Father there too! He wasn't burdening them with laws and scriptures and study. He lovingly showed them affection.
Sadly parents feel a responsibility to train their children academically in regards to God. "Family bible study is a serious time because God is serious." Christian parents still teach their children the old covenant law. The law that brings death! A self-aware teenager might view life like this, "Life sucks under the law and God is no fun to be around. He is always getting on my case!"
Jesus did not use fear, punishment, and obligation to manipulate people. Why? Because He wasn't afraid. He knew how the Father felt about Him, He knew who He was and He enjoyed working with His Father because of the love they shared. We can live like this too.
Summary
Jesus died so we could know God forever and experience and share His love. Relationships!
The Assembly (true church) is the community of Christ that wows the world with their love for one another. Relationships!
Jesus welcomed children and treated them with loving affection. Relationships!
Supplementary
"Do not argue about trivial, insignificant things. Doing so helps no one and ruins those who hear you." (2 Timothy 2:14)
Here are some interesting definitions of "academic"
Study Scripture or Show Your Spirit?
"Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)
The word "study" is an old English word used in the KJV that has changed meaning since the KJV was translated. It isn't talking about academic study. It means "make every effort" or "be diligent." Sure that could include academic study but academic study is not specifically in view here. That outdated translation has caused many to be "always learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7). This is because they trust their intellectual interpretation of scripture over trusting the interaction of God in their spirit. They ignore the red flags that God gives through their feelings and write them off as selfishness. Presuppositions rule and our spirit is treated as if it were never reborn.
People take 2 Timothy 2:15 to mean, "Study scripture so God will approve of you" but what it really means is "You are already approved by God so make every effort to act like it." It doesn't mean you have to earn God's approval. You show that you already are approved of by God rather than strive to become approved. You do whatever you can to let others know what a joy it is to have God's approval. You live by and show your perfect spirit.
Divvying the Truth
"Rightly dividing the Word of Truth" does not primarily mean "make sure your sermon or lesson is accurate." It in fact runs contrary to that. Rightly dividing means you know who to give what truth to and when. The relational disbursement of truth is in view here not the blanketing of a message to a group of people. It is like dividing up a meal. You are considerate of the portions people need, their allergies, when they've eaten, and what they've eaten in the past.
"Rightly dividing the Word of Truth" is less about relaying information correctly as it is about relaying the correct information to the correct people. Don't simply tell the truth but know who needs what truth and follow the Spirit to give it to them at the best time. Just because you know doesn't mean you should tell everyone. Not everyone is ready to hear. Jesus taught in parables for that very reason.
Jesus deeply considered who He was talking to and when. Most today don't understand that about Him. Today people tend to approach the scriptures, especially the New Testament, with the mindset "I'm the audience so I must do whatever the bible says where ever it says it." Jesus' primary audience was pre-cross, under the law Jews. All people today are post-cross, post-resurrection, and are not under the law.
2 Timothy 2:15 is about others. You make every effort to show God's approving love to others. You give out truth to others when they need it most. This isn't a passage for a professional preacher. It is a scripture for every spiritual saint.
Person Traded for Papers
The Bible is like the biography of our friend God. The book does not replace God. Jesus said the Holy Spirit was one just like Himself sent to teach us & relate to us. Jesus specifically said in John 16:8-10 that the Holy Spirit is given to convince Christians of their righteousness (right standing with God) because God is no longer visibly on earth.
Modern Christianity treats the Bible as God. It treats Jesus as a distant historical figure. It treats the Father as someone in heaven who you pray strictly ordered prayers to who never talks back. For the Christian this views God as someone you try your best to act morally for because you are afraid God will get mad at you.
The reality: The Bible is mostly a historical record of God and His people in history prior to the 2nd century AD. It contains poetry about how some people felt and letters of instruction and advice from people who knew God well. It is a trustworthy record of God making Himself known to people in the time span it was written.
Jesus died on a cross to take away the sins of the world & He came back to life 3 days later. Because of this God never gets mad at His children. Jesus then became a life-giving Spirit who lives inside of all those who trust Him (1 Corinthians 15:45). He offers an unbreakable spiritual relationship. He is not distant but closer in the present than physically possible. The Father is like the Son, He lives in you and aims to show you love and to help, teach, & relate to you all your life.
God is not angry or distant. He holds no sin against any living person. He is closer to mankind than He has ever been. How sad would my relationship with my wife be if all it consisted of was me reading her love letters to me and leaving her messages about things I want? Approach God boldly and say "I want to know & experience your love." Don't feel like you are unworthy to do so. The blood of Christ has made you worthy forever.
No Summer Vacation
The methods of teaching in churches are patterned after Ancient Greece and not the style of Christ. Churches today have lectures (sermons) by professors (pastors) & classes with progressive lessons by teachers. Secular methods of teaching will result in non-spiritual learning. Thus people speak of God abstractly, think of Him as distant (impersonal), and argue about Him academically.
Church buildings are the schools Christians are "forced" to go to every week where most people can't wait to hear the final bell ring (the closing prayer). You get dirty looks for disrupting class (talking during a sermon or asking too many questions in Sunday school). You are required to sit and listen quietly and sometimes you get assigned home work.
I am not saying going to church is universally bad but I am saying that their methods are largely ineffective, unbiblical, & unChrist-like. It is much easier to receive falsehood and shame from the unquestionable trained professional than it is from a peer whom you can converse with. While it is fine to enjoy going to church a Christian doesn't have to want to go to church because churches as we know them aren't God's way and were never God's intention. What we call church is not the community of Christ that wows the world with their love for one another but instead is an obligatory academic institution.
Many of Jesus' famous sayings were responses to people not preplanned lectures. The Lord's Prayer & "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" are two examples. Most of Jesus' teachings were to His disciples whom He had relationships with. Jesus didn't teach them "a series on faith" or "a series on prayer." Jesus didn't teach with planned prescriptions. He taught man-to-man, person-to-person. He related with people and responded to them. He taught them at the times of their greatest benefit. Feel relieved that even in God's perfect timing the disciples still didn't understand a lot of what Jesus said.
Today preachers travel around preaching prepared messages to people they don't know. That is as unrelational as it gets and it is not Christ-like. When you don't have to relate to people you don't have to think much and you can just recite your prepared message with no interruptions. The Spirit has little to no wiggle room to help people through such messages.
Jesus taught crowds because crowds followed Him. He didn't schedule meetings for people to come. He actually attempted to escape crowds from time to time. We try to draw crowds to ourselves. Jesus didn't even command His disciples to set up meetings and draw crowds He sent them out in pairs to go house to house. Jesus' strategies were personal and impactful. Jesus "rightly divided the Word of Truth" His whole life all for the benefit of those who listened.
Jesus and Children
"People were bringing some children, even their babies to Jesus, so that He might touch them, lay His hands on them, and pray. And when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking those who brought them. But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant, and called for them, saying to them, “Let the children alone. Permit the children to come to Me, and do not hinder them from coming to Me, for the kingdom of the God of Heaven belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will not enter into it at all. And taking them in His arms, He was blessing them. And putting His hands on them, He departed from there." (Matthew 19:13-15, Mark 10:13-16, Luke 18:15-17)
Jesus took children into His arms. He didn't send them away to a class or force them to memorize scripture. How did Jesus treat children? He invited them, He did not push them aside, He showed affection by touch, He prayed for them, He blessed them, He healed them, and He validated them. Jesus said He only did what He saw the Father doing. Well look at what Jesus did with children. That is the Father there too! He wasn't burdening them with laws and scriptures and study. He lovingly showed them affection.
Sadly parents feel a responsibility to train their children academically in regards to God. "Family bible study is a serious time because God is serious." Christian parents still teach their children the old covenant law. The law that brings death! A self-aware teenager might view life like this, "Life sucks under the law and God is no fun to be around. He is always getting on my case!"
Jesus did not use fear, punishment, and obligation to manipulate people. Why? Because He wasn't afraid. He knew how the Father felt about Him, He knew who He was and He enjoyed working with His Father because of the love they shared. We can live like this too.
Summary
Jesus died so we could know God forever and experience and share His love. Relationships!
The Assembly (true church) is the community of Christ that wows the world with their love for one another. Relationships!
Jesus welcomed children and treated them with loving affection. Relationships!
I pray that you experience the love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge (Ephesians 3:19)
Supplementary
"Do not argue about trivial, insignificant things. Doing so helps no one and ruins those who hear you." (2 Timothy 2:14)
Here are some interesting definitions of "academic"
- hypothetical or theoretical and not expected to produce an immediate or practical result
- marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects
- Scholarly to the point of being unaware of the outside world
- Theoretical or speculative without a practical purpose or intention
- Having no practical purpose or use; belonging or relating to a place of learning, esp a college, university, or academy (church)
- excessively concerned with intellectual matters and lacking experience of practical affairs
- conforming to set rules and traditions
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Psalm 1:5 in the Light of The Messiah
"Sinners will not stand in the assembly of the righteous." (Psalm 1:5)
Assembly is the proper translation of the word "church." The righteous are those who are "right with God." After the resurrection people are made right with God by trusting Jesus. Those who trust Jesus are born of the spirit (John 3:6-8), also called born again, born from above, or born of God. They have a new living spirit inside of them that is born of God. It is righteous, holy, and blameless just as Jesus is.
God has given us this perfect spirit as our new identity. God does not identify us as sinners anymore. He took our sins away on the cross and remembers them no longer.
We are the assembly, the body of Jesus and no member of our Lord's body is sinful. We are the spiritual body of our risen Lord.
Assembly is the proper translation of the word "church." The righteous are those who are "right with God." After the resurrection people are made right with God by trusting Jesus. Those who trust Jesus are born of the spirit (John 3:6-8), also called born again, born from above, or born of God. They have a new living spirit inside of them that is born of God. It is righteous, holy, and blameless just as Jesus is.
God has given us this perfect spirit as our new identity. God does not identify us as sinners anymore. He took our sins away on the cross and remembers them no longer.
We are the assembly, the body of Jesus and no member of our Lord's body is sinful. We are the spiritual body of our risen Lord.
"Sinners do not stand in the assembly of the righteous because, thanks to our Messiah Jesus, the righteous are not sinners but children of God."
Friday, September 16, 2011
Serving God by the New Way of the Spirit and Not the Old Way of The Law
Galatians 5 says, "You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace," and "a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." That yeast is the law, a little law takes away a lot of grace. If you put even one law on yourself, God's old covenant law or your own invented law, then you are putting yourself in bondage.
You are to serve God by the Spirit not the old way of the law as Romans 7:6 says, "We have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit." Serving God by the Spirit results in doing the good deeds described in the law and more. One difference is that there is no burden, no guilt, no shame, no condemnation. Serving by the Spirit is walking in the Spirit. It is a walk with God. It is not, as much of Christianity unwittingly practices, a walk without God trying to keep His laws and other moral laws (ones imposed by tradition, society, self, the church).
When you serve God by the Spirit you won't worry about "Am I doing enough? Am I spending enough time with God? Am I being a good witness?" and things like that. The primary questions are "Am I aware that He is with me?" and "Do I trust Him and His love for me?" When you serve by the Spirit you do what you see the Father doing just like Jesus did. We aren't to serve the law we are to serve God. It is falsely taught that serving the law equals serving God or that serving a church organization equals serving God.
"He is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn't live in man-made buildings (temples, churches), and he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else." (Acts 17:24-25)
Hands don't serve God. It is His Spirit in you and the new living spirit He has given you through Christ that serves Him. When you replace "trust in Him" with "trying for Him" your life will have misery because you try to serve God with your flesh, your hands. Jesus said in John 6:63, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all."
Thankfully God doesn't judge you by works even if they are done by the flesh rather than the Spirit. He loves you because love is who He is. "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you" (Romans 8:8-9).
You are to serve God by the Spirit not the old way of the law as Romans 7:6 says, "We have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit." Serving God by the Spirit results in doing the good deeds described in the law and more. One difference is that there is no burden, no guilt, no shame, no condemnation. Serving by the Spirit is walking in the Spirit. It is a walk with God. It is not, as much of Christianity unwittingly practices, a walk without God trying to keep His laws and other moral laws (ones imposed by tradition, society, self, the church).
When you serve God by the Spirit you won't worry about "Am I doing enough? Am I spending enough time with God? Am I being a good witness?" and things like that. The primary questions are "Am I aware that He is with me?" and "Do I trust Him and His love for me?" When you serve by the Spirit you do what you see the Father doing just like Jesus did. We aren't to serve the law we are to serve God. It is falsely taught that serving the law equals serving God or that serving a church organization equals serving God.
"He is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn't live in man-made buildings (temples, churches), and he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else." (Acts 17:24-25)
Hands don't serve God. It is His Spirit in you and the new living spirit He has given you through Christ that serves Him. When you replace "trust in Him" with "trying for Him" your life will have misery because you try to serve God with your flesh, your hands. Jesus said in John 6:63, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all."
Thankfully God doesn't judge you by works even if they are done by the flesh rather than the Spirit. He loves you because love is who He is. "Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you" (Romans 8:8-9).
Friday, July 8, 2011
Community vs. Prescriptions
Community is created by communication and unity. There is no unity without communication. The appearance of unity without communication is actually conformity. Conformity is impersonal and often comes from the fear of communication.
Prescriptions (such as typical Sunday morning meetings having the same order of events and the few performing for the many) kill the personal and remove Christ as the Head by not letting Him lead. Prescriptions instead go through the motions of tradition or through the agenda of those in charge.
Everyone is to freely participate in a meeting of the body of Christ like in 1 Corinthians 14. Why not have this type of meeting every time you get together? Why stop love, communication, brotherhood, and freedom just to have someone speak a non-interactive monolog we call a sermon and move us through the motions of the traditional order of worship?
Prescriptions (such as typical Sunday morning meetings having the same order of events and the few performing for the many) kill the personal and remove Christ as the Head by not letting Him lead. Prescriptions instead go through the motions of tradition or through the agenda of those in charge.
Everyone is to freely participate in a meeting of the body of Christ like in 1 Corinthians 14. Why not have this type of meeting every time you get together? Why stop love, communication, brotherhood, and freedom just to have someone speak a non-interactive monolog we call a sermon and move us through the motions of the traditional order of worship?
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
In Context: "Forsake not.." & "I can do all things.." Revisited
There were no chapter or verse separations in the original texts of
scripture. The presence of these separations cause us to read a chapter
or memorize a verse yet have no understanding of the story and the
context.
Many bible studies are based around "reading a chapter" when the next chapter often in the first few verses clarifies what the previous was about. I have come across places in scripture where chapter breaks the context and where verses break the sentence. Many of those places are very popular such as:
Hebrews 10:24-25
"Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not
neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging
one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
A small portion of this text is used to get people to frequent a church building when the meeting doesn't even involve the "one anothers" mentioned not just in the context but in oft quoted verse itself. "One another" means "each and everyone involved." In a typical church service a few perform in front of many and the many have little to no interaction with anyone. The modern church service bares almost no resemblance to the assembling that is being talked about here in Hebrews. Today there are a few big mouths talking to a multitude of passive ears. Is an impersonal and non-interactive monologue (sermon) the same thing as everyone "encouraging one another"? Obviously not. Yet "forsaking not the assembling" as it is taught has ignored the context and come to be taught as "You must sit in the audience at church every week or you are in sin."
Philippians 4:12-13
"I have experienced times of need and times of abundance. In any and
every circumstance I have learned the secret of contentment, whether I
go satisfied or hungry, have plenty or nothing. I am able to do all
things through Christ who strengthens me."
Of course "all things" is still "all things" but I find it interesting that contentment, one of humanity's most elusive features, is the context in which Paul says "I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me." This is often taken as a license to follow my own selfish ambition in God's name and chase after "greatness" rather than God enabling me to be content with wherever He has me right now.
Read The First Visits: In Context: "Forsake not the assembling..", In Context: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Many bible studies are based around "reading a chapter" when the next chapter often in the first few verses clarifies what the previous was about. I have come across places in scripture where chapter breaks the context and where verses break the sentence. Many of those places are very popular such as:
Hebrews 10:24-25
A small portion of this text is used to get people to frequent a church building when the meeting doesn't even involve the "one anothers" mentioned not just in the context but in oft quoted verse itself. "One another" means "each and everyone involved." In a typical church service a few perform in front of many and the many have little to no interaction with anyone. The modern church service bares almost no resemblance to the assembling that is being talked about here in Hebrews. Today there are a few big mouths talking to a multitude of passive ears. Is an impersonal and non-interactive monologue (sermon) the same thing as everyone "encouraging one another"? Obviously not. Yet "forsaking not the assembling" as it is taught has ignored the context and come to be taught as "You must sit in the audience at church every week or you are in sin."
Philippians 4:12-13
Of course "all things" is still "all things" but I find it interesting that contentment, one of humanity's most elusive features, is the context in which Paul says "I am able to do all things through Christ who strengthens me." This is often taken as a license to follow my own selfish ambition in God's name and chase after "greatness" rather than God enabling me to be content with wherever He has me right now.
Read The First Visits: In Context: "Forsake not the assembling..", In Context: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
The Word Leaders in the New Testament
The word leader(s) appears just 4 times in the NASB relating to Christians in the New Testament.
Leaders in Matthew 23:10
Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things, and do not do them. And they tie up heavy loads, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries, and lengthen the tassels of their garments. And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called by men, Rabbi. But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted." (Matthew 23:1-12 NASB)
The Greek word for leader(s) in Matthew 23:10 is the noun kathegetes. It means leader or guide. This word appears nowhere else in the New Testament. Why? Because His disciples obeyed what Jesus told them. Jesus said do not be called Rabbi or leader, do not allow someone to address you with such a title. This scripture warns against using titles associated with teaching (Rabbi, Father, Leader). Jesus clearly said that God is the only one deserving of these distinctions. Jesus said to His disciples "you are all brothers" meaning they are equal in God's family. Note that Jesus did not say "Peter is your leader." Jesus said the greatest among you shall be your servant. Jesus did not say the greatest among you shall be your leader or your servant leader.
These commands prohibit the disciples of Jesus from seeking or receiving titles, producing distinctions among themselves, implying authority to control the opinions and conduct of others, and claiming that others should acknowledge them as superiors. Honorary/religious/spiritual titles are to be avoided by God's people. God forbids us to receive any such reverence. In the kingdom of God there are no titles, special names, given to set someone above the rest. No one was called Pastor Paul, Reverend Peter, Minister John, or Priest James.
What did the writers of the New Testament call themselves if they did not use the titles we have today?
Paul, a bond-slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle (Romans 1:1)
James, a bond-slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ (James 1:1)
Simon Peter, a bond-slave and apostle of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:1)
Jude, a bond-slave of Jesus Christ (Jude 1:1)
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-slaves, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-slave John (Revelation 1:1)
All of the New Testament writers that acknowledged themselves as the authors of their writings called themselves bond-slaves or bond-servants of God. It is also worth noting that all of God's people are called His bond-slaves in Revelation 1:1. Bond-slave means one who sells himself into slavery to another, one who gives himself up to the will of another, one who serves another without regard for his own personal interests. The word therefore pictures the absolute submission of a man or woman to their Master. The bond-slave is totally devoted to the loving Master! It is the Master's love and the bond-slave's love for the Master which motivates this full submission. A bond-slave essentially says, "Nothing matters about me, so long as the Lord Jesus is glorified."
Leaders in Luke 22:26
"Behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Me on the table. For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!" And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing. And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors.' But not so with you, but let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves. And you are those who have stood by Me in My trials; and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:21-30 NASB)
The Greek word for leader in Luke 22:26 is the verb hegeomai. It means to lead or to guide. The word servant here is also a Greek verb which means one who serves. The NASB translates these as English nouns which gives the idea of status rather than action. Jesus is not using the title of leader here (which describes an official position) but rather describing one who leads (which describes an action which can be done by anyone). This would translate best to "Let the one who leads become as the one who serves."
Jesus is much more practical than we think. Christ is our one and only leader. We are not in bondage to obey men. Instead of setting up people in positions as official leaders He gives us all freedom. All followers of Christ can lead, guide, & direct because all of His followers are equal brothers and sisters. Jesus stressed the attitude that even when we are leading, guiding, & directing someone we are to do it as serving and caring. Jesus said that you shall not lord over others. Not so with us! Jesus exemplified this He came in the flesh to serve not to lord over others. The Lord didn't lord over others! We are not to lord over or exercise authority over other Christians in the Kingdom. Jesus did not put the focus on my works (leading) or my status (being a leader) but the needs of others (serving)!
Though Jesus gave the apostles the unique privilege to judge the twelve tribes of Israel in the future they are even equals even in that. Jesus didn't say, "Peter you will be the greatest judge and the rest of you will also judge." In this life they were still equals as well and they are addressed as brothers in verse 32. Remember Jesus is the firstborn among many brethren. He has the unique status as the "firstborn son."
Jesus assures them that His kingdom is established on different principles from those of the world; that his subjects were not to expect titles, and power, and offices in his kingdom. We should not aim at office and power, but to be humble, and serve and help one another. (See this look at the word office in the New Testament if you suppose they exist).
The word "benefactor" is a title of one who bestows "favor/benefit" on another. It was applied to kings by way of "compliment or flattery." So again here Jesus says "not so with you" concerning titles of honor. Should we dare allow ourselves to be given titles or to bestow titles on others when our Lord Jesus Christ came as a servant and humbled himself to the point of death, not just death but death on a cross?
Leaders in Hebrews 13:24
Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. (Hebrews 13:24 NASB)
The Greek word for leaders in Hebrews 13:24 is the verb hegeomai. Again it means to lead or to guide. This verse is best translated as "Greet all of those leading you and all the saints." This does not suggest someone who sits in an office called Leader Ted who never actually leads anyone, is devoid of relationships, and only speaks to them as a crowd.
Leaders in Hebrews 13:17
Similar is my post The Proper Translation of Hebrews 13:17
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
(Hebrews 13:17)
Of the four verses that use of the word leader(s) in the NASB this is the one that gets focused on the most by far. Simply by looking at the first two passages above we should recognize something sounds wrong here. Obey and submit to leaders? We already know that Jesus said that we shall not lord over or exercise authority over other children of God and that we are not to be called leaders or accept titles of honor. Does the bible contradict? No the bible does not contradict. The belief of the one man in authority over another hierarchy structure that exists in the church has caused scriptures to be skewed. Three words are mistranslated here: obey, leaders, and submit.
The English word obey means to carry out or fulfill the command, order, or instruction of. It carries the idea of obligation to do what someone else says & failure to obey results in sin. But a word meaning obey does not appear in Hebrews 13:17. The Greek word translated obey here is peitho. Peitho means "to persuade; to be persuaded."
The Greek word for leaders in Hebrews 13:17 is the verb hegeomai. We saw earlier that it means to lead or to guide. Here it is best translated as "those leading you" or "those guiding you." Thus it is not a title of people in positions but a verb describing one who is performing the action of leading.
The Greek word for submit in Hebrews 13:17 is hupeiko. The word means to yield, to give in to. The word only appears once in the New Testament. The Greek word hupotasso is the primary word for submit in the New Testament and is not used here.
Hebrews 13:17 is properly translated as:
Be persuaded by those guiding you, and be yielding; for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them watch over you with joy and not with grumbling, for this would be unprofitable for you.
This is essentially saying to be persuadable, to not be prideful but to be yielding. Allow those with wisdom to guide you to truth. Listen to the trustworthy and don't be rebellious. This verse does not say that there are leaders in positions or offices who we must obey on the basis of their authority. There is ONE LORD, JESUS CHRIST! Those who watch over & guide others are to do so joyfully and willfully not with grumbling. We are not to cause them to grumble by our unwillingness to yield to God's truth.
The verse could also be put as this, "Be responsive to those who guide you. Listen to their counsel. They are those who who are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God and His truth." There is no guiding or guarding without relationship. If someone is not actually guiding you personally, if that person is not alert to the condition of your life then that person is not keeping watch over your soul! Thus you can't be persuaded by this person because they do not even communicate with you and wouldn't even know if you yielded to them. Those who allow themselves to be called leader or pastor do not lead or shepherd if they do not actually guide and guard. God gives function, gifts, and ministry (ministry means work done for the benefit of others) thus Christians are defined by love and good works not by titles, positions, or power. Christians are defined by action not positions or titles. A follower who is not following is not a follower at all.
The Consequences
The action of leading is a perfectly biblical concept but the freedom of Christ demands that any child of God can lead. Leading is done by serving, that is loving and caring for others. There is no special leader, no unique "man of God." We have one leader Jesus Christ! Modern Christianity is obsessed with leaders of or being leaders of congregations, movements, or groups far more so than being followers of Jesus Christ and servants of others.
The English word leader means, "a person who leads; One occupying the first or foremost position." Leader makes us think of authority. If you are a leader that means you are in charge. God did not set up anyone to be in charge but Himself. We lose our equality and our freedom to function when we exalt other men or ourselves as leaders rather than Christ. We arrogantly claim to be humble by calling ourselves "servant-leaders" thus we think we can ignore Christ's command of putting ourselves above others. Jesus acknowledged Himself as the one true Leader but also said that while on earth He came to serve. We do not need more servant leaders; we need more servants..period! Many leaders don’t mind being called a servant; they just don’t like being treated like one. Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. Jesus Christ humbled himself to the point of death, death on a cross! Do we dare call ourselves humble?
Jesus' example for us runs very deep. Jesus didn't even go around calling Himself Messiah Jesus or Christ Jesus. Though there are many reasons we know that Jesus was often discrete in admitting who He was.
The woman said to Him, "I know that the Messiah is coming; when that One comes, He will declare all things to us." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He." (John 4:25-26)
So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” He answered them, “You say that I am.” (Luke 22:70)
So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.” (Mark 15:2)
The problem with being called a leader or other religious title is that it is you allowing yourself to be considered greater than others when all of God's children are equals, united in Christ. Being called a servant leader or first among equals is just silly. Every follower of Christ has the same life giving spirit of Christ within them. Exalting men as leaders discourages and disarms. It says, "let the pros handle it." But the pros can't handle it because God never intended them to. God wants all of us to love. Jesus clearly teaches us that accepting titles puffs us up and robs God of His rightful place. Interestingly elders/overseers/shepherds\pastors are the ones who were to observe us to protect us. Instead we observe people who claim to be those very things who know little to nothing about us. God did not intend for leaders to serve while the rest of us observe. He wants all of us to serve because He is our one Leader and we are all brothers.
Leaders in Matthew 23:10
Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, saying, "The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things, and do not do them. And they tie up heavy loads, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger. But they do all their deeds to be noticed by men; for they broaden their phylacteries, and lengthen the tassels of their garments. And they love the place of honor at banquets, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and respectful greetings in the market places, and being called by men, Rabbi. But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. And do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, that is, Christ. But the greatest among you shall be your servant. And whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted." (Matthew 23:1-12 NASB)
The Greek word for leader(s) in Matthew 23:10 is the noun kathegetes. It means leader or guide. This word appears nowhere else in the New Testament. Why? Because His disciples obeyed what Jesus told them. Jesus said do not be called Rabbi or leader, do not allow someone to address you with such a title. This scripture warns against using titles associated with teaching (Rabbi, Father, Leader). Jesus clearly said that God is the only one deserving of these distinctions. Jesus said to His disciples "you are all brothers" meaning they are equal in God's family. Note that Jesus did not say "Peter is your leader." Jesus said the greatest among you shall be your servant. Jesus did not say the greatest among you shall be your leader or your servant leader.
These commands prohibit the disciples of Jesus from seeking or receiving titles, producing distinctions among themselves, implying authority to control the opinions and conduct of others, and claiming that others should acknowledge them as superiors. Honorary/religious/spiritual titles are to be avoided by God's people. God forbids us to receive any such reverence. In the kingdom of God there are no titles, special names, given to set someone above the rest. No one was called Pastor Paul, Reverend Peter, Minister John, or Priest James.
What did the writers of the New Testament call themselves if they did not use the titles we have today?
Paul, a bond-slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle (Romans 1:1)
James, a bond-slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ (James 1:1)
Simon Peter, a bond-slave and apostle of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:1)
Jude, a bond-slave of Jesus Christ (Jude 1:1)
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-slaves, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-slave John (Revelation 1:1)
All of the New Testament writers that acknowledged themselves as the authors of their writings called themselves bond-slaves or bond-servants of God. It is also worth noting that all of God's people are called His bond-slaves in Revelation 1:1. Bond-slave means one who sells himself into slavery to another, one who gives himself up to the will of another, one who serves another without regard for his own personal interests. The word therefore pictures the absolute submission of a man or woman to their Master. The bond-slave is totally devoted to the loving Master! It is the Master's love and the bond-slave's love for the Master which motivates this full submission. A bond-slave essentially says, "Nothing matters about me, so long as the Lord Jesus is glorified."
Leaders in Luke 22:26
"Behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Me on the table. For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!" And they began to discuss among themselves which one of them it might be who was going to do this thing. And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors.' But not so with you, but let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves. And you are those who have stood by Me in My trials; and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:21-30 NASB)
The Greek word for leader in Luke 22:26 is the verb hegeomai. It means to lead or to guide. The word servant here is also a Greek verb which means one who serves. The NASB translates these as English nouns which gives the idea of status rather than action. Jesus is not using the title of leader here (which describes an official position) but rather describing one who leads (which describes an action which can be done by anyone). This would translate best to "Let the one who leads become as the one who serves."
Jesus is much more practical than we think. Christ is our one and only leader. We are not in bondage to obey men. Instead of setting up people in positions as official leaders He gives us all freedom. All followers of Christ can lead, guide, & direct because all of His followers are equal brothers and sisters. Jesus stressed the attitude that even when we are leading, guiding, & directing someone we are to do it as serving and caring. Jesus said that you shall not lord over others. Not so with us! Jesus exemplified this He came in the flesh to serve not to lord over others. The Lord didn't lord over others! We are not to lord over or exercise authority over other Christians in the Kingdom. Jesus did not put the focus on my works (leading) or my status (being a leader) but the needs of others (serving)!
Though Jesus gave the apostles the unique privilege to judge the twelve tribes of Israel in the future they are even equals even in that. Jesus didn't say, "Peter you will be the greatest judge and the rest of you will also judge." In this life they were still equals as well and they are addressed as brothers in verse 32. Remember Jesus is the firstborn among many brethren. He has the unique status as the "firstborn son."
Jesus assures them that His kingdom is established on different principles from those of the world; that his subjects were not to expect titles, and power, and offices in his kingdom. We should not aim at office and power, but to be humble, and serve and help one another. (See this look at the word office in the New Testament if you suppose they exist).
The word "benefactor" is a title of one who bestows "favor/benefit" on another. It was applied to kings by way of "compliment or flattery." So again here Jesus says "not so with you" concerning titles of honor. Should we dare allow ourselves to be given titles or to bestow titles on others when our Lord Jesus Christ came as a servant and humbled himself to the point of death, not just death but death on a cross?
Leaders in Hebrews 13:24
Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. (Hebrews 13:24 NASB)
The Greek word for leaders in Hebrews 13:24 is the verb hegeomai. Again it means to lead or to guide. This verse is best translated as "Greet all of those leading you and all the saints." This does not suggest someone who sits in an office called Leader Ted who never actually leads anyone, is devoid of relationships, and only speaks to them as a crowd.
Leaders in Hebrews 13:17
Similar is my post The Proper Translation of Hebrews 13:17
Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
(Hebrews 13:17)
Of the four verses that use of the word leader(s) in the NASB this is the one that gets focused on the most by far. Simply by looking at the first two passages above we should recognize something sounds wrong here. Obey and submit to leaders? We already know that Jesus said that we shall not lord over or exercise authority over other children of God and that we are not to be called leaders or accept titles of honor. Does the bible contradict? No the bible does not contradict. The belief of the one man in authority over another hierarchy structure that exists in the church has caused scriptures to be skewed. Three words are mistranslated here: obey, leaders, and submit.
The English word obey means to carry out or fulfill the command, order, or instruction of. It carries the idea of obligation to do what someone else says & failure to obey results in sin. But a word meaning obey does not appear in Hebrews 13:17. The Greek word translated obey here is peitho. Peitho means "to persuade; to be persuaded."
The Greek word for leaders in Hebrews 13:17 is the verb hegeomai. We saw earlier that it means to lead or to guide. Here it is best translated as "those leading you" or "those guiding you." Thus it is not a title of people in positions but a verb describing one who is performing the action of leading.
The Greek word for submit in Hebrews 13:17 is hupeiko. The word means to yield, to give in to. The word only appears once in the New Testament. The Greek word hupotasso is the primary word for submit in the New Testament and is not used here.
Hebrews 13:17 is properly translated as:
Be persuaded by those guiding you, and be yielding; for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them watch over you with joy and not with grumbling, for this would be unprofitable for you.
This is essentially saying to be persuadable, to not be prideful but to be yielding. Allow those with wisdom to guide you to truth. Listen to the trustworthy and don't be rebellious. This verse does not say that there are leaders in positions or offices who we must obey on the basis of their authority. There is ONE LORD, JESUS CHRIST! Those who watch over & guide others are to do so joyfully and willfully not with grumbling. We are not to cause them to grumble by our unwillingness to yield to God's truth.
The verse could also be put as this, "Be responsive to those who guide you. Listen to their counsel. They are those who who are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the strict supervision of God and His truth." There is no guiding or guarding without relationship. If someone is not actually guiding you personally, if that person is not alert to the condition of your life then that person is not keeping watch over your soul! Thus you can't be persuaded by this person because they do not even communicate with you and wouldn't even know if you yielded to them. Those who allow themselves to be called leader or pastor do not lead or shepherd if they do not actually guide and guard. God gives function, gifts, and ministry (ministry means work done for the benefit of others) thus Christians are defined by love and good works not by titles, positions, or power. Christians are defined by action not positions or titles. A follower who is not following is not a follower at all.
The Consequences
The action of leading is a perfectly biblical concept but the freedom of Christ demands that any child of God can lead. Leading is done by serving, that is loving and caring for others. There is no special leader, no unique "man of God." We have one leader Jesus Christ! Modern Christianity is obsessed with leaders of or being leaders of congregations, movements, or groups far more so than being followers of Jesus Christ and servants of others.
The English word leader means, "a person who leads; One occupying the first or foremost position." Leader makes us think of authority. If you are a leader that means you are in charge. God did not set up anyone to be in charge but Himself. We lose our equality and our freedom to function when we exalt other men or ourselves as leaders rather than Christ. We arrogantly claim to be humble by calling ourselves "servant-leaders" thus we think we can ignore Christ's command of putting ourselves above others. Jesus acknowledged Himself as the one true Leader but also said that while on earth He came to serve. We do not need more servant leaders; we need more servants..period! Many leaders don’t mind being called a servant; they just don’t like being treated like one. Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. Jesus Christ humbled himself to the point of death, death on a cross! Do we dare call ourselves humble?
Jesus' example for us runs very deep. Jesus didn't even go around calling Himself Messiah Jesus or Christ Jesus. Though there are many reasons we know that Jesus was often discrete in admitting who He was.
The woman said to Him, "I know that the Messiah is coming; when that One comes, He will declare all things to us." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He." (John 4:25-26)
So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” He answered them, “You say that I am.” (Luke 22:70)
So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.” (Mark 15:2)
The problem with being called a leader or other religious title is that it is you allowing yourself to be considered greater than others when all of God's children are equals, united in Christ. Being called a servant leader or first among equals is just silly. Every follower of Christ has the same life giving spirit of Christ within them. Exalting men as leaders discourages and disarms. It says, "let the pros handle it." But the pros can't handle it because God never intended them to. God wants all of us to love. Jesus clearly teaches us that accepting titles puffs us up and robs God of His rightful place. Interestingly elders/overseers/shepherds\pastors are the ones who were to observe us to protect us. Instead we observe people who claim to be those very things who know little to nothing about us. God did not intend for leaders to serve while the rest of us observe. He wants all of us to serve because He is our one Leader and we are all brothers.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Love One Another
The Greek word for "one another" or "each other" is "allelon." It indicates that action is given and received by each person involved. For example, I encourage you and you encourage me. If there are three people involved the command to pray for one another would mean the following in practice: I pray for you. I pray for her. You pray for me. You pray for her. She prays for you. She prays for me. All of us have been prayed for and all of us have prayed for everyone involved. That is what God has in mind when the term "one another" is used in scripture.
The following lists most of the “One Anothers” in the New Testament. It gives us a clear picture of what a Christian community can be like and how the children of God best relate with one another.
Love One Another
Joh 13:34 I give you a new commandment – to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
Joh 13:35 Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples – if you have love for one another.
Joh 15:12 My commandment is this – to love one another just as I have loved you.
Joh 15:17 This I command you – to love one another.
Rom 12:10 Be devoted to one another with mutual/brotherly love, showing eagerness in honoring one another.
Rom 13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
Gal 5:13 For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.
Eph 4:2 Show tolerance for one another in love
1Th 3:12 May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all
1Th 4:9 Now on the topic of brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.
Heb 10:24 Let us take thought of how to motivate one another to love and good works
1Pe 1:22 You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart.
1Jo 3:11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
1Jo 3:23 This is His commandment, that we trust in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.
1Jo 4:7 Let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been fathered by God and knows God.
1Jo 4:11 Since God so loved us, then we also ought to love one another.
1Jo 4:12 If we love one another, God resides in us, and his love is perfected in us.
2Jo 1:5 I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.
One Another Exhortations
Mar 9:50 Be at peace with one other.
Joh 13:14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
Rom 12:10 Be devoted to one another with brotherly love, showing eagerness in honoring one another.
Rom 12:16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be condescendingly proud but associate with the lowly.
Rom 14:19 Let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.
Rom 15:7 Accept one another just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.
1Co 11:33 When you come together to eat, wait for one another.
Gal 5:13 For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.
Gal 6:2 Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Eph 4:2-3 Bear with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Eph 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Eph 5:21 Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Phi 2:3 Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.
Col 3:13 Bear with one another and forgive one another ... Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others
1Th 5:11 Encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing.
1Th 5:15 Always pursue what is good for one another and for all.
Heb 10:24-25 Let us take thought of how to motivate one another to love and good works .. encourage one another
Jam 5:16 Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.
1Pe 4:9 Show hospitality to one another without complaining.
1Pe 5:5 Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another.
One Another Truths
Rom 12:5 We who are many are one body in Christ, and we are members who belong to one another.
1Co 12:25-24 God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the members that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
Eph 4:25 Having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
1Jo 1:7 If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another.
1Th 4:14-18 For if we trust that Jesus died and rose again, so also we trust that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For we tell you this by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not go ahead of those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
"Do not" One Another Exhortations
Rom 14:13 We must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister.
Gal 5:15 If you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out or you will be destroyed by one another.
Gal 5:26 Let us not become boastful, provoking one another, being envious of one another.
Col 3:9 Do not lie to one another
Jam 4:11 Do not speak evil against one another
Jam 5:9 Do not grumble against one another
Prayers
Rom 15:5 May the God of endurance and comfort give you unity with one another in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Th 3:12 May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all
One Another Fulfilled
Rom 1:12 For I long to see you, so that I may use my spiritual gift to strengthen you, so that we may be mutually encouraged by one another’s trust/faith, both yours and mine.
Rom 15:14 I myself am fully convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct/admonish one another.
1Th 4:9 Now on the topic of brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.
1Th 5:11 Encourage one another and build up one another, just as you are in fact doing.
2Th 1:3 We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your trust is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater
1Pe 1:22 You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart.
By Your Love for One Another...
Jesus said in John 13:35, "By your love for one another all people will know that you are My disciples." To show the importance of love as a witness to mankind please note what Jesus did not say.
The following lists most of the “One Anothers” in the New Testament. It gives us a clear picture of what a Christian community can be like and how the children of God best relate with one another.
Love One Another
Joh 13:34 I give you a new commandment – to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
Joh 13:35 Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples – if you have love for one another.
Joh 15:12 My commandment is this – to love one another just as I have loved you.
Joh 15:17 This I command you – to love one another.
Rom 12:10 Be devoted to one another with mutual/brotherly love, showing eagerness in honoring one another.
Rom 13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
Gal 5:13 For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.
Eph 4:2 Show tolerance for one another in love
1Th 3:12 May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all
1Th 4:9 Now on the topic of brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.
Heb 10:24 Let us take thought of how to motivate one another to love and good works
1Pe 1:22 You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart.
1Jo 3:11 This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another.
1Jo 3:23 This is His commandment, that we trust in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.
1Jo 4:7 Let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been fathered by God and knows God.
1Jo 4:11 Since God so loved us, then we also ought to love one another.
1Jo 4:12 If we love one another, God resides in us, and his love is perfected in us.
2Jo 1:5 I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another.
One Another Exhortations
Mar 9:50 Be at peace with one other.
Joh 13:14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
Rom 12:10 Be devoted to one another with brotherly love, showing eagerness in honoring one another.
Rom 12:16 Live in harmony with one another; do not be condescendingly proud but associate with the lowly.
Rom 14:19 Let us pursue what makes for peace and for building up one another.
Rom 15:7 Accept one another just as Christ has accepted you so that God will be given glory.
1Co 11:33 When you come together to eat, wait for one another.
Gal 5:13 For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh, but through love serve one another.
Gal 6:2 Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
Eph 4:2-3 Bear with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Eph 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Eph 5:21 Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.
Phi 2:3 Instead of being motivated by selfish ambition or vanity, each of you should, in humility, be moved to treat one another as more important than yourself.
Col 3:13 Bear with one another and forgive one another ... Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also forgive others
1Th 5:11 Encourage one another and build up each other, just as you are in fact doing.
1Th 5:15 Always pursue what is good for one another and for all.
Heb 10:24-25 Let us take thought of how to motivate one another to love and good works .. encourage one another
Jam 5:16 Confess your sins to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.
1Pe 4:9 Show hospitality to one another without complaining.
1Pe 5:5 Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another.
One Another Truths
Rom 12:5 We who are many are one body in Christ, and we are members who belong to one another.
1Co 12:25-24 God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the members that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
Eph 4:25 Having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.
1Jo 1:7 If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another.
1Th 4:14-18 For if we trust that Jesus died and rose again, so also we trust that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For we tell you this by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not go ahead of those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
"Do not" One Another Exhortations
Rom 14:13 We must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or sister.
Gal 5:15 If you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out or you will be destroyed by one another.
Gal 5:26 Let us not become boastful, provoking one another, being envious of one another.
Col 3:9 Do not lie to one another
Jam 4:11 Do not speak evil against one another
Jam 5:9 Do not grumble against one another
Prayers
Rom 15:5 May the God of endurance and comfort give you unity with one another in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Th 3:12 May the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all
One Another Fulfilled
Rom 1:12 For I long to see you, so that I may use my spiritual gift to strengthen you, so that we may be mutually encouraged by one another’s trust/faith, both yours and mine.
Rom 15:14 I myself am fully convinced about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct/admonish one another.
1Th 4:9 Now on the topic of brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.
1Th 5:11 Encourage one another and build up one another, just as you are in fact doing.
2Th 1:3 We ought to thank God always for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your trust is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one of you toward one another grows ever greater
1Pe 1:22 You have purified your souls by obeying the truth in order to show sincere mutual love. So love one another earnestly from a pure heart.
By Your Love for One Another...
Jesus said in John 13:35, "By your love for one another all people will know that you are My disciples." To show the importance of love as a witness to mankind please note what Jesus did not say.
- He did not say that by your preaching all people will know that you are My disciples.
- He did not say that by your teaching all people will know that you are My disciples.
- He did not say that by the doctrines you hold as true all people will know that you are My disciples.
- He did not say that by your attendance to a church every week all people will know that you are My disciples.
- He did not say that by your singing praise to me all people will know that you are My disciples.
- He did not say that by your education all people will know that you are My disciples.
- He did not say that by your leadership all people will know that you are My disciples.
- He did not say that by your smile and friendly greeting all people will know that you are My disciples.
- He did not say that by your public prayers all people will know that you are My disciples.
- He did not say that by your morality all people will know that you are My disciples.
In Context: "Forsake not the assembling.."
What the Bible actually says:
"Let us consider how to stir one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another." -Hebrews 10:24-25
This is almost always used as a verse to point out that we are supposed to go to a church weekly. This isn't only taken out of context but it isn't even the entire verse or sentence as it appears in scripture.
This text doesn't simply tell us not to forsake assembling together, it tells us what to do when we assemble. We are to stir one another to love and good works. We are to encourage one another. One another means each other, it indicates that action is given and received by each person involved. I encourage you and you encourage me.
So given that this text is used to tell us to go to a church, how in a typical Sunday morning church service can we practically encourage one another and stir one another to love and good works? Church services are spectator events. The professionals perform and the audience sings along or says "Amen!" There is no "one another" involved or even allowed. Forsaking a weekly church service does not equate to what this scripture speaks of. In fact you can forsake biblical fellowship, which involves participation & contribution, while still going to a church service every week! Don't let anyone pressure you into being in a church building on Sunday morning with this verse.
See this post for more: In Context: "Forsake not.." & "I can do all things.." Revisited
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
More Than Just Evangelism...
Evangelism isn't the primary job of the assembly. Here are just a few. Notice how they often involve having relationships & intimate relationships with one another.
1 Peter 4:8-11
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
Romans 15:2
“Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”
Romans 12:15
“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”
Romans 12:10
“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
Galatians 5:13
“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another in love.”
Hebrews 10:24-25
“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
1 Peter 4:8-11
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
Romans 15:2
“Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”
Romans 12:15
“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”
Romans 12:10
“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
Galatians 5:13
“You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another in love.”
Hebrews 10:24-25
“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
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