Discipling

This post is from me discipling my wife over Facebook chat, first I am helping her in her trial and then I explain how helping and teaching her is "discipling." It has been revised 11/2/11.

We rejoice in the hope of God’s glory. Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:2-5)

"We rejoice in the hope of God's glory" so the hope that is produced in trials is the hope of God's glory. The hope isn't only for ourselves, though it does benefit us, it is for God to have glory brought to Him, still God shares His glory with us. God pours His love out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit!

We love God not only because He deserves it but because He knows that it is the most beneficial thing for us to do. And because He is love everything we need is found IN Him.

Because Jesus himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 12:18)
Our trials most often bring temptations because our impurities (faults) are brought to the surface. God sends us trials but does not tempt us. This means that He intends for us to get help from Him concerning the temptations that come from the trials.

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. So even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.  (Hebrews 5:7-8)
I believe this mystery of Jesus learning obedience means that He learned it by experience. This, what He asks us to do, He did also. It is not as if the all knowing God needed to do this to learn but He did it for our sake and for His greater glory. God not only has the wisdom and knowledge to help us but also the experience. His experience is the example He set for us as Jesus Christ being an obedient disciple and Son of His Father. He also has thousands of years of experience in making His people into His likeness. This gives us no room for doubting Him! He not only told us but He also showed us! He lived and died for us so we would live and die for Him and know precisely how to do so!

This is what it means to disciple. I see YOUR need. I go to HIM. HIS Spirit teaches me what to teach YOU.
I hold one hand out to God and the other hand out to you so I can take and pass along whatever He gives me. This is just like the multiplying of the loaves and the bread is Him. Jesus is the bread of life.
God isn't just MY supply as often thought. If I submit to Him, & thus follow Him, He will give me enough to give to others. I stand between Him and them not as an authority (a minister as often thought of) but as a servant (the true meaning of the word translated minister). The purpose of me being in Him is so that HE may show up in THEM! Doing this makes me selfless and satisfied because I have HIS righteousness and am ready for HIS living water (Spirit) to flow through me so that others may drink of HIM. The only other option is to be selfish and supply-less, no benefit to myself or others and of course not to God.
 
So then, what is YOUR need? GOD is always your need and He is the sole giver of all good things. Discipling then is God giving Himself to me. Me giving myself to God, which is submission (trusting Him enough to choose to follow Him as I know Him and He reveals Himself to me). Then God gives Himself to You through me. This results in you giving yourself to God to have Him give Himself to another through you and the process continues on & on from there. This very thing is what Jesus meant when He commanded us to MAKE DISCIPLES. "Teach them to keep all the commands I have given you" (Matthew 28:20). And this includes the command to love others as He has loved you. His love for you causes the keeping because you are walking with Him in a relationship aware of His desires as He reveals them to you.

Trusting and Faithful

The Greek word pistos is a word that is translated into English as faithful, trustworthy, or believer. Pistos is similar to the verb pisteuo which means “to consider something to be true and therefore worthy of one’s trust, to believe.” Faith does mean belief and trust. Today someone who is a believer isn't always thought to be faithful or trustworthy. By use of this word (pistos) God defines what we translate as "a believer" one in the same as someone who is faithful or trustworthy.
"He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful." (Revelation 17:14)

The word pistos is an adjective. An adjective is a word that expresses an attribute of something. The words faithful & trustworthy are adjectives while the word believer is a noun.
One definition of pistos is used "of someone proven to be reliable and trustworthy in and by the execution of a given action." So someone who is faithful has not only confessed their faith in Jesus, but their life is also characterized as “faithful” to what God has declared.

I have found that the word faithful can be used to replace the word believer in the contexts of pistos being used but believer cannot replace the word faithful. Those who are faithful do place their faith in Christ but they are more than simply "believers." A believer trusts and has faith in what they believe is true. While a faithful person not only has trust and faith in what they believe is true but is also trustworthy and faithful to live by their beliefs. “Faithfulness” is a near synonym for “obedience.” The faithful accept God's truth and live in accordance with His commands (Want to know what God's will is? His commands are His will). Faithfulness to God is wrapped up in doing what He commands—that which pleases Him.

In 1 Corinthians 1:9 & 2 Corinthians 1:18 this same word (pistos) is used to declare that "God is faithful." As God makes us into His own character we become more and more faithful just as He is faithful.
"Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who calls you, is faithful and He also will bring it to pass." (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)

In closing we return to the verb pisteuo which again means "to believe, to trust, to have faith in." We return because this word is sometimes translated as the noun believer(s) also. When translated as believer(s) it should instead say "those who believe" or "those who trust." This may seem small but is worthy of note that scripture does not use a noun that means "believer." We have a verb, pisteuo, which focuses on the action of faith, trust, or belief. We have an adjective, pistos, which is used to describe someone who as trustworthy or faithful.

God does not use the word believer for His children. God says His children believe, trust, & have faith in Him. God calls those same children faithful and trustworthy because of their obedience to Him. Why is this significant? Because in terms of faith God does not give us a name to rest in (believer). Instead God wants us to actively have faith and for our character to be described as faithful. Our faith/belief/trust is not determined by a name we call ourselves but by our character that results from obeying Christ's commands. Truly faith without works is dead.
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Detailed Grammatical Description
Greek adjectives can be substantive, meaning they they can function as a noun. The word believer is always a noun but the word faithful can be an adjective or a noun. I have found that the word faithful can be used to replace the word believer in the contexts of pistos being used but believer cannot replace the word faithful. Yes the faithful are "those who believe", "those who have faith," that meaning is inclusive within faithful. Believer is not a title or name God has given us. Faithful (one who has faith or one who is trustworthy) is the proper meaning of pistos & can be used with clarity as it's translation in all cases.

Greek verbs in the participle mood can also be substantive, meaning they they can function as a noun. An example would be if the Greek verb pisteuo, meaning trust or believe, were in the participle mood it would mean "one who believes/trusts" or "those who believe/trust." This is why some Greek verbs are translated into English nouns. The problem with translating the Greek verbs as English nouns is that the verbs denote action & have a tense and a voice. [The voice indicates whether the subject is the performer of the action of the verb (active voice), the recipient of the action (passive voice), or ther performer and receiver of the action (middle voice)].

Let us take the English word driver, referring to one who drives a vehicle, as an example. As a noun driver is a name or a title. A person who is employed as a truck driver doesn't have to be driving a truck right now to be called a driver. If we use the verb drive as a participle meaning "one who drives" it can refer to a driver but the focus is on the action of driving. The tense indicates when the action of driving occurs. The tense could refer to the "one who drove" (past tense) or the "one who drives" (present tense), etc.

When the word believer is used as a title or name (a pure noun as it would appear to those reading the bible) one doesn't have to be presently believing or trusting to be identified. When the word believe/trust is in the participle mood & present tense it refers to "one who believes/trusts." In this case the one who believes/trusts is identified by present belief/trust and not by the name or title of "believer." The Greek verb pisteuo (believe/trust) is translated as believer(s) 4 times in many translations (Acts 4:32, Acts 5:14, 1 Thessalonians 1:7, 1 Thessalonians 2:10) in every case the verb's mood is participle.

See also my two looks at the term faith: One Two

The Letter of the Law, The Life of Love -1 Peter 2:11-17

Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul, and maintain good conduct among the unbelieving, so that though they now speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears. Be subject to every human creation for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as being superior or to governors as those he commissions to punish evildoers and praise those who do good. For God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. Live as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the family of God, fear God, honor the king. (1 Peter 2:11-17)

Misleading Translations
Verse 13 is often translated as "Be subject to every human institution" or "every ordinance of man" the word translated as institution or ordinance is the Greek word "ktisis" which is used literally to refer to creation. An example is Matthew 10:6 "But from the beginning of creation he made them male and female." This is always the translation elsewhere in scripture. The word ktisis is modified by the Greek adjective "anthropinos" which means of man, man's, or human (as an adjective). So the scripture is telling us to "Be subject to every human creation for the Lord’s sake." Nowhere does ktisis refer to an ordinance, decree, or law. Neither does ktisis refer to an institution such as an organization, system, or building.

What is a "Human Creation"?
I believe the context explains what a "human creation" is. It does this by giving two examples "whether to the king.. or to governors." Kings and governors are the creation of man. The human creations that are being referred to are the positions of kings, presidents, emperors, governors, police officers, judges, and the like. They are those who have the ability to punish evildoers. Those who claim authority by giving themselves a title of authority yet have no actual dominion (unlike a king who has a kingdom) are not to be considered authority.

Relational Intent
Kings and governors are persons. This is relational. We are to be subject to actual people. The mindset is always to be that of love. Love fulfills God's law and fulfilling the law is summarized in "love does no wrong to one's neighbor" (Romans 13:10). This isn't telling you to be in fear of breaking a law. It is about honoring & being subject to actual people where other actual people may see our good deeds and glorify God.

"Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul, and maintain good conduct among the unbelieving, so that though they now speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears" (1 Peter 2:11-12). "For God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good" (1 Peter 2:15).
Should we observe the laws of the land in front of others? Yes.
Would running a stop sign when no one is around be a sin? No, if we believe that then we believe that unsaved men can, with their own pen, create law that is bound in heaven without God's input.
Would it be better to maintain a habit of obeying the law of the land so we may be more disciplined in the presence of others (such as stopping at the stop sign when no one is around)? Yes.

Subjection
Subjection is the same as submission, it is a willful act that uses discretion. The word obey was not used here. The scriptures also say to "submit to one another" (Ephesians 5:21). This does not mean we obey everyone as master but that we, while using discretion & out of love, "do what is good for the building up of others" (Romans 15:2). If subjection is interpreted as total obedience I would have to obey everything someone would tell me right or wrong. God did not command that, He was wise in choosing His words.

Love
The entire point of subjection is love for others & for God. We love others by doing good, following God, and not doing harm physically, mentally, or spiritually (emotional harm is often related to taking an offense which sometimes cannot be avoided but ultimately we should try not to harm others at all).

"Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10). God's law is about loving God and loving others thus it is beneficial to all involved. Arbitrary rules given by men, even those in authority, are not laws from God. Jesus did not observe the rules that the Pharisees tacked onto God's law despite the fact that those who wrote those extra rules had authority among the people.

Most would commentate on this passage in 2 Peter saying "obey the laws of the land unless they conflict with God's laws." Adding laws that God did not command, I believe conflicts with God's law. "There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and to destroy" (James 4:12).

Submission and love must meet. The reason I would obey laws of the land should not be because "United States law states.." but because "God's law states, Love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18). Most obey laws out of fear but children of God should obey them out of love, a consideration of others. As in the case of all actions think to yourself "How will what I do affect others? Will it be beneficial? Will it be detrimental?" 1 John 4:18 states "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment." If our motivation as children of God for obeying a law is fear of getting caught or punished our motivation is void of love. May God give us His vision that we may see through our selfishness and have us show "love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere trust" (1 Timothy 1:5).

Summary
1 Peter 2:16-17 provides an excellent summary of verses 11-15.
"Live as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the family of God, fear God, honor the king."

"Live as free men" denotes willful submission.
"Do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God" speaks to the motivation of your submission which is to be love for God.
"Honor all people, love the family of God, .. honor the king." To honor is to give value to, don't count anyone as unworthy of love and consideration but "Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law" (Romans 13:8).
We must fear God, but we are not required to fear the king. The king is below God. In terms of honor we should honor the king, but no more than we would honor any one else. I think Peter wrote "honor the king" because people would not be inclined to thinking of honoring the king when reading "honor all people."
"Fear God" points back to the point of what you are doing is "for the Lord’s sake." "We love because God loved us first" (1 John 4:19).

"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other" (1 John 4:10-11)"


Related Posts
Judges in the Assembly Part 1: Why Romans 13 is not about Secular Government
Judges in the Assembly Part 2

Literal Example of Discipling

Here is a completely literal picture of discipling straight from scripture.

John was standing with two of his disciples, Gazing at Jesus as he walked by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” When John’s two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus (John 1:35-37).

John (the baptist) as a discipler literally pointed His disciples to Jesus and they literally followed Him. This is what we are to do in the spirit. As a disciple we willingly follow Jesus. As a discipler we point others to Christ so that they may follow Him.

Letter to God 8/21/2010

Lord I thank you for all you have given me. Your favor is inexplicable. You have given me life eternal and abundantly so. You've grown me in your likeness through the years. You give me the desire and obedience to love you. You gave me my wife, who is the prime ideal and so much more to me. You've given me friends, illumination, and godly teachers who know your strategy. You give me encouragement.
I pray that you give me courage where I need it. I pray you keep my perspective correct so I may not fail to obey you and that I may rejoice in the fruit you produce in me.
Give me diligence. Provide like I know you can and in that provision increase my family's trust in you. Make me who you want me to be and deliver me from sin, make me dead to it.
Thank you for being my God and the God of my loved ones and a God who is love. Teach me your ways so I may follow you closely all of my days.

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Follow Up from March 9, 2012
 This is a prayer written to God after watching the movie "Letters to God" and being encouraged to write one myself by the group I met with at the time. Here are ways He has answered my prayer since then:

I asked God to "give me courage where I need it."
God gave me courage. I moved to a city I had never been to before and He helped me to be myself and be unafraid when meeting new people. Great relationships resulted from this.

I asked God to "keep my perspective correct."
My perspective has been reshaped in innumerous ways and I greatly rejoice over His work on the cross and His work in me.

I asked God to "Provide like I know you can and in that provision increase my family's trust in you."
I was jobless late January to Early April 2011. God greatly increased my family's trust in Him in regards to His provision. He broke our false perceptions and drew us closer to Him.

I asked God to "deliver me from sin" & "make me dead to it."
Oh how true this became. He gave me the revelation of my sinless identity in His eyes as explained in my Sin? Forgetaboutit! teachings. At the time of writing the first of those (God's View on Sin, Inseparable & Unforsakable, Fellowship Never Broken, Sin? Forgetaboutit!) I had heard no one teach on it. God revealed it to me firsthand through study and contemplation (contemplation is one great way the Spirit teaches us) and He gave me the joy to go with it! He answered this prayer in 2011 literally beyond all I would have asked or imagined! My life with God explodes with joy every day!

Why use the word "Assembly" instead of "Church"

Words are important. The Holy Spirit chose the exact words for the writers of scripture to use. God did not leave anything to chance.
"Every word of God is purified; he is like a shield for those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he reprove you, and prove you to be a liar." (Proverbs 30:5-6)
When God's word is translated it should be kept pure, using accurate words to represent the meanings of the original words. We wouldn't want the word meaning life to be translated as house. We wouldn't want a word meaning eye to be translated as head. We shall focus on one such word which is translated so inaccurately.

The Meaning of Ekklesia
English translations of the bible continue to translate the Greek word ekklesia as the English word church. Church is a word that means "a building designed for public forms of worship; the practices or doctrines of the Church of England and similar denominations." Ekklesia is in fact a word which means assembly. An assembly is a group of people gathered together. (The word congregation can also be used to translate ekklesia but I do not prefer it because it currently refers to a group of attendees in a church building).
The word ekklesia is not a word with exclusive spiritual or religious meaning on its own (unlike the word church). Ekklesia was used of secular assemblies in scripture (see Acts 19:32,39,41, where it is properly translated as assembly). It was also used outside of scripture pertaining to a political assembly in ancient Athens.
The first time ekklesia is used in scripture is by Jesus in Matthew 16:18 where He says "I will build my assembly (ekklesia)." After this ekklesia in scripture usually refers to the assembly of God, the assembly of Christ, His assembly that He has built. We can read the appropriate context to discern this meaning.

God's Assembly in the Old and New Covenant
In the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew scriptures, the word ekklesia is used to translate the Hebrew word qahal. Qahal, in English translations, is usually translated as assembly. 1 Chronicles 28:8 says "all Israel" is "the assembly (qahal) of the LORD." So just as the assembly (ekklesia) of God refers to people in the New Testament so does the assembly (qahal) of God refer to people in the Old Testament.
To further drive this point here are two scriptures making it clear that assembly refers to a people rather than a place (unlike the word church).
Romans 16:5 says, "Greet the assembly that is in their house."
2 Chronicles 1:3 says, "Then Solomon and all the assembly with him went to the high place which was at Gibeon, for God’s tent of meeting was there, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness."
These two scriptures talk about the assembly being in or going to a place not the assembly being a place as the word church would make us think.
The connection between the Old Testament assembly and the New Testament assembly is completely lost when the word church is used.
Just as the high priest on the day of atonement "made atonement for all the people of the assembly" (Leviticus 16:33), "Jesus became a merciful and faithful high priest in things relating to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people." (Hebrews 2:17)
So when Jesus, the king of kings, said, "I will build my assembly" He was not introducing a completely new word or concept. Jews of His time would have surely realized a connection and even a continuation of His assembly, His people, now under a new covenant with Christ in which the unbelieving Jews are broken off and the believing gentiles are grafted in (see Romans 11).

The Origins of the Word Church
There is some uncertainty on the exact development of the word "church." The Compact Oxford English Dictionary says its origin is "from Greek kuriakon doma ‘Lord’s house’." According to The Online Etymology Dictionary, it is from the Old English cirice, from West Germanic kirika, and from Greek kyriake, meaning Lord’s, and the Greek adjective kyriakon, of the Lord. The inspired writings do not use the Greek word kyriakon. In every passage where the word “church” appears, the manuscripts from which we get our English translations read ekklesia. There is no etymological connection whatsoever between kyriakon / kyriaka (church) and ekklesia (assembly). Ekklesia and church  should have the same or similar meanings if we are going to use the word church to translate ekklesia but they do not.

The Mistranslation of Ekklesia into English
Why do translators choose to use the word church and not translate ekklesia properly as assembly?
King James of England “authorized” and funded a translation of the Scriptures which he and Archbishop Richard Bancroft gave certain rules for the translators to follow. The third rule states, "The Old Ecclesiastical Words to be kept, viz. the Word Church not to be translated Congregation &c." This third rule deliberately says to use the word church instead of congregation (which was a proper translation of ekklesia). This rule also meant the translators had to use commonly accepted religious terms in contexts that pertain to God's people, hence the use of words like [note proper translation is in parenthesis] church (assembly), pastor (shepherd), bishop (overseer), minister (servant), ministry (service), ordain (appoint), deacon (servant), baptize (this is a transliteration of baptizo, meaning immerse or submerge), & presbytery (elders). Modern translations have corrected the use of bishop and presbytery because of their catholic connotations but still retain the words that have protestant connotations such as church, pastor, minister, ministry, ordain, & deacon.

Here is an example that you can open you King James bible to that proves the bias of the translation for the word church. The New Testament, at Hebrews 2:12, quotes the Old Testament, at Psalms 22:22, word for word. Remember King James forbade translating ekklesia as "congregation."
Psalms 22:22, "I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee."
Hebrews 2:12, "I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee."

When this King James version was done, it was very important for it to retain the word "church" because the King had jurisdiction over the church. That was his specific edict. He has no religious jurisdiction over the congregation (people), but he does over the church (the organization and its physical buildings). He knew the correct translation, obviously, but he didn't want it in there, that way they retain control over "the church."

While the King James version was not the first English translation to use the word church it was clearly bias for the use and the word church clearly does not translate ekklesia. Because of its influence as a translation and the institutionalized church system still persisting to this day the word church has been used in virtually every English translation since. Because of the word church being incorrectly put into our bibles we have read the modern idea of the modern church (it being a place, a building, or a denomination) back into the New Testament causing ekklesia not only to lose its meaning but to have its meaning almost utterly replaced.

The Church is not The Assembly
Because the translators used the word “church,” meaning a building, instead of a more accurate word reflecting a functioning body, it has affected our whole approach to the meaning of body of Christ. The original intent of ekklesia was relational and not institutional. Christ never created an institution, commanded an institution, or condoned an institution. He told His people to make disciples which is what He Himself did. He did not tell anyone to build buildings, attend buildings, or fund buildings. Jesus wants us to build exploding individuals not imploding institutions.
Because of thousands of years of man made tradition churches today bare little to no resemblance to the assembly as they were described in the New Testament. Autonomy is replaced by authority. Open relationships are replaced by leadership, preaching, and rigidly defined meetings. Yes true Christians can attend churches but looking at the church system and equating it as a whole to the people of God is an error. The collective attendees of church institutions world wide do not equate to the bride of Christ. The spirits, hearts, and fruits will tell you who God's children are not a list of "members," a church directory, or even the many titles we give ourselves.

Learn more in Part II Why use the word "Assembly" instead of "Church" II: The Body of Christ

God is the Source of All Good

God is the Source of All Good

• Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. (James 1:17)
• A man is unable to have anything if it is not given to him from heaven. (John 3:27)
• Indeed, everything comes from God (1 Chronicles 29:14)

God is the Source of Salvation & Freedom from Sin

• God has bound all people to disobedience so that he may show mercy to them all. (Romans 11:32)
• The payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
• This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. (1 John 4:10-11)
• We love because God loved us first. (1 John 4:19)
• No one can come to me (Jesus Christ) unless the Father has allowed him to come. (John 6:65)
• For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness,” is the one who shined in our hearts to give us the light of the glorious knowledge of God in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)
• For we too were once foolish, disobedient, misled, enslaved to various passions and desires, spending our lives in evil and envy, hateful and hating one another. But “when the kindness of God our Savior and his love for mankind appeared, he saved us not by works of righteousness that we have done but on the basis of his mercy, through the washing of the new birth and the renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us in full measure through Jesus Christ our Savior. And so, since we have been justified by his grace, we become heirs with the confident expectation of eternal life. (Titus 3:3-7)
• But God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even though we were dead in transgressions, made us alive together with Christ – by grace you are saved! (Ephesians 2:4-5)
• For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
• God is the one who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not based on our works but on his own purpose and grace, granted to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but now made visible through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus. He has broken the power of death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel! (2 Timothy 1:9-10)
• Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, that is, into an inheritance imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. It is reserved in heaven for you. God, in his mighty power, will protect you until you receive this salvation, because you are trusting him. This salvation is ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5)

God is the Source of All the Good His Children Do

• It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. (Philippians 2:13, NIV)
• The one bringing forth in you both the desire and the effort – for the sake of his good pleasure – is God. (Philippians 2:13, NET)
• Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Corinthians 1:21)
• Jesus said, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who reside in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)
• O Lord, you make us secure & establish peace for us, for even all we have accomplished, you have done for us. (Isaiah 26:12)
• It is not that we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success come from God. (2 Corinthians 3:5)
• In Judah the hand of God was on the people to give to them one heart to do the command of the king and the officials by the word of the Lord. (2 Chronicles 30:12)
• For I (Paul) am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the assembly of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me has not been in vain. In fact, I worked harder than all of them – yet not I, but the grace of God with me. (1 Corinthians 15:1-10)

• For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. (Proverbs 2:6)
• If anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)

• What makes you better than anyone else? What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if all you have is from God, why boast as though you have accomplished something on your own? (1 Corinthians 4:7)
• From the fullness of his grace we have all received one gracious blessing after another. (John 1:16)

Praise the Lord! Praise, you servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! (Psalm 113:1)

Which one is the great commission?

Go therefore and build church buildings in all nations, telling them to come, & leading them in the sinner's prayer. And surely I will be with you at the rapture.
OR
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to keep all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.


Questions I have received concerning this.
What do you think is a good way to encourage and challenge our brothers and sisters to do so?

Teaching scripture concerning it is good for those who accept and act upon it's validity. But the main way would be to actually make disciples spend time and pour God's truth into our brothers and sisters. To make disciples is to lead them to Christ (if necessary) & teach them to treasure all the things of the person of Christ. The heart of disciple making is to know God loves you and to be His disciple, then anything Christlike God has put in you put into others as the Spirit leads.

What's wrong with planting churches?

In the sense of the goal being to have a church building that people come to, Jesus never commanded it. He commanded us to make disciples, if we aren't doing that we shouldn't be wasting our time doing things He didn't command. Those things aren't as effective for His kingdom as what He did command.

What's wrong with spreading the gospel to other nations? 

Spreading the gospel is included in discipleship. Evangelism is step one in discipleship. Baptism comes right after conversion (see when people are baptised in Acts).

"baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit"

People generally need to be Christians or at least seeking in order for them to be disciples... 

True, someone must be a Christian in order to be a disciple of Christ.

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." -John 8:31-32

Telling people to come to church & leading them in the sinner's prayer often creates false or perpetual baby Christians because no one ever teaches them how God loves them. They just hear sermons and teaching that can be over their head and are primarily one way lectures.

I ask you this,
Which is better?
To plant a church that people come to once a week
To plant God's Word (Jesus) in someone's heart who will go out with God's Word and spread it

Revised 10/31/11& 5/9/14

Arguing

When Discussing am I doing it to..

• present truth
• defend truth
• clarify truth
• learn truth
• correct falsehoods

Does being right or getting my point across mean more to me than helping someone or learning something new or even keeping peace? Here is some related scripture

• "Jesus died for all, that those who live should no longer live to themselves but to Him who died for them and was raised again." (2 Corinthians 5:15)
• “Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” (Romans 15:2)
• “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.” (Romans 12:10)
• "Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works .. encourage one another" (Hebrews 10:24)
• "Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the good news of Christ." (Philippians 1:27)
• God said to Job, "Would you indeed annul my justice? Would you declare me guilty so that you might be right?" (Job 40:8)
• Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. (2 Timothy 2:23-24)
• Avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. (Titus 3:9)
• Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. (2 Timothy 2:14)
• Command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work—which is by trust. (1 Timothy 1:3-4)

This is all for Christ and His kingdom. Avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, correct in humility, do not quarrel, be patient, be gentle to all.

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.”

Trust Never Discarded

It is true that once saved always saved but often our idea of salvation is that it is a one time past event. Trust in God is continual. Even in John 3:16 where it says "whosoever believes in Him" the actual tense of the verb (believes/trusts) in the Greek signifies not a one time past belief but a continual, present trust that doesn't end. There is no such thing as "once believed, now lost," or "I used to believe in God."

True continual trust in Christ will produce good works and God is the one who causes you to trust and causes you to produce good works.

Jesus said in John 15:5 "Apart from me you can do nothing."

"Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." -2 Corinthians 1:21

"It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose." -Philippians 2:13

Jesus said "All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out." -John 6:37

All My Rights Are Reserved by God

I wonder what God thinks of Christians copyrighting His scripture (all rights reserved) and selling it for profit. I also wonder what God thinks of Christians selling sermons or teachings which use his words for the gospel and to edify others.
Should we be withholding the truth for money?

Is not spreading God’s truth to the world more important than making a living off of it?

Let us look at 2 Thessalonians 3 (v7-8)
“For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you.”
Paul is saying how he worked night and day to not be a burden to anyone and he also tells us elsewhere to follow his example (1 Corinthians 11:1). Do you think Paul would have charged the Thessalonians for his letters to them?

If the spiritual is truly worth more than the physical wouldn’t we consider God’s truth to be priceless and give it away to those who need it? Instead we say “I’ve got life changing truth and I’ll give it to you but it’s gonna cost ya!”

In Luke 10 the 72 were spreading God’s word freely. Luke 10:7 says “Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages.”
"Whatever they give you." It doesn’t say to demand a certain amount of food from them before you give them truth. God is our provider. In Luke 10 they didn’t take money with them and they didn’t know when they would run into men of peace (who would give them food), they were trusting God to provide for them as they share His truth.

I’m not saying everything should be free but everything should be more than readily available to be free. Honestly if I post on the web too much scripture from a copyrighted version of the Bible, like the NIV, then I have broken the law for exhibiting God’s word. Does that send up a red flag to you as wrong? It is "all rights reserved" copyrighting that is the real problem. For example, there is a group called "Truth and Freedom Ministries" but I didn't have the "freedom" to share their "truth" on a Christian forum because of their rigid copyright notice. Paying for cost of material is ok. Even putting a notice to credit or not to alter your work can be fine. But to not "allow" me to quote the truth you got from God for the benefit of others is downright stupid. It is like saying "I own this truth, even though God told me it, and you can't share it regardless of the benefit."

I’m going to leave you with this scripture showing that it is ok to make a living from God’s work but perhaps that is not the best way to go about it. I’ll let you decide.

1 Corinthians 9:9-19
“For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned? Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?
But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. Don’t you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast. Yet when I proclaim the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to proclaim. Woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! If I proclaim voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. What then is my reward? Just this: that in proclaiming the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in proclaiming it.
Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.”

See initial discussion.

Learning Scripture: Perception, Purpose, and Practice

Perception
Today's mindset of learning is to get knowledge or retain knowledge. Learners usually think of themselves as containers with space to be filled by information a person or book possesses - the from "jug to mug model." Learners look to be filled with "truth" that may or may not later make some difference to their own life. The learners' goal is to put information into themselves. And our most common method of testing if someone has learned something is by written tests to see if the information can be reproduced in language or words rather than how the information actually affects their lives.

In Jesus' time the goal of a teacher wasn't to impart information, but to impact the life of the hearer, leaving a lasting impression without the benefit of notes or recorders. Whatever didn't make a difference in the hearer's life simply didn't make a difference. We instantly remember what makes a real difference in our life.

Knowledge of scripture shouldn't be held as trivial knowledge which in no way relates to our real day to day lives but being about God and who He is and what He has said in order for us to grow in love in our relationship with Him.
• This is the difference between what is often called "head knowledge" and "heart knowledge"
• Head knowledge is information that doesn't make a change in our life except that it is just more information. With just head knowledge a person can easily become prideful and argumentative.
• Heart knowledge changes our perceptions, beliefs, and character. Those things effect everyday life.
• We must not look at knowledge concerning God as trivial or a static list of memorization. Memorization can be good but knowledge for the sake of knowledge gets you nowhere. Knowledge for the sake of knowing a living God and to grow in a love relationship with Him, that knowledge can take you anywhere.

Jesus says in John 6:63, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life."
• This is a proper perception of learning God's words
• The Holy Spirit gives life & illumination.
• The flesh is no help at all. Trying to change in our own strength is like being on a tread mill. We get wore out assuming that because we are moving we are progressing.
• Paul says in Philippians 2:13, "It is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
• Jesus' words are life
• Jesus says in Matthew 4:4, "Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." Note that Jesus said "every word." God has not stopped speaking to us just because we have the Bible. Illumination involves present interaction from God.
• God is not going to hand a written test to us when we get to heaven and say, "Here you go, you pass this test and you get in." No, God wants us to know Him before we get there.

Jesus is the Word of God
• Revelation 19:13 says, "He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God."
• Jesus says in John 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
• If our perception of learning about Jesus is less than this, seeing Him as the way, the truth, and the life our perception is wrong. For years I saw Jesus only as the way and the truth. Then I saw Him as the life, as my life (Colossians 3:3). Seeing Him as life grew my realization of His love for me and grew my love for Him. And the love we share continues to grow & grow to this day.

Purpose
• As discussed the proper perception of learning scripture concerns a change of heart by God and not a simple addition to the mind.
• God wants to change our heart, our character, our day to day life not by changing what we do on the outside but by changing who we are on the inside.
• Jesus prays to the Father concerning His disciples in John 17:17, "Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth."
• God's words help sanctify us. He can use them to change who we are instead of just what we do.

Our modern purposes of learning are almost purely selfish. We look for a blessing or a benefit and if we find one it stops & stays with us.
• Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture inspired by God is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
• Teaching, rebuking, & correcting.. none of those can apply to a single person.

So God wants us to not just learn of Him for ourselves but for the sake of others as well?

Let's see what Paul says to Timothy right after what we just read.
• I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: proclaim the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
• God wants us to share His truth so that others may not only come to know Him but come to know Him better.
• How much value do we have in what we know if we are not willing to share it?
• God wants us to teach not for someone to simply learn information but to learn God's love more and more.

Practice
First I must point out that Christianity is not about practices to perfect but rather about a perfecting person who is God.
• It isn't about do, it is about who. Not about what we do but about what God has done, is doing, and will do.
• No practice, curriculum, or method can be of any worth without the work of the Holy Spirit
• The Bible is unique in that it is essential to know the author in order to truly understand it.

One important thing to realize is that while the bible is written for you it is not all written to you.
• Paul wrote in Romans 15:4, "For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope."


God doesn't want us to have what He called "the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees' They knew about God in their head but their hearts were far from Him. They tried to obey the law for the sake of obeying the law and impressing men.

So in closing I would just like to reiterate.
• Knowledge of scripture shouldn't be held as trivial knowledge which in no way relates to our real day to day lives.
• Knowledge of scripture should be held as being about God and who He is and what He has said in order for us to grow in love in our relationship with Him.