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His Word |
"But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay" (Jeremiah 20:9b). |
A PROPHETIC MINISTRY WITH A PROPHETIC PERSPECTIVE |
Reference materials used in the compilation of this material:
King James Version of the Bible
The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible
Vines Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words
Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible
Nelson’s Expository Dictionary of the Old Testament
Webster’s New Twentieth Century Dictionary (Unabridged)
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Since writing this book in 1995, I have come to understand that the institutional church is a paganized, Romanized, pope-modeled, traditional, biblically illegal man-made institutional system which is part of the antichrist system, totally out of God’s will and purpose, practicing, perfecting and perpetuating unbiblical teachings, and attempting to integrate their ungodly activities into mainstream society by compromising the gospel of Jesus Christ so they’ll be accepted by that sinful society which translates into more money for them to keep their man-made brand of “church” alive and well-financed. I’ve attempted to establish through my articles “God by the Spirit of Jesus Christ will build an assembly,” “The Spirit Of Antichrist,” “God’s Will And Purpose,” and “Women Keep Silence, or Don’t Lose Your Head, Please!” that the concept of the institutional church, as we know it today, has absolutely no legitimacy in God’s economy, plan, will and purpose for His ekklesia. By contrast the biblical home ekklesia of the New Testament is a model of Christian families meeting together in each others’ homes, as a family, to focus upon Jesus Christ. These meeting were a dynamically functioning organism that spiritually and factually represents the body of Jesus Christ and pursues God’s will and purpose as their reason for existence. Worship of Jesus is a natural expression of acknowledgement of His Presence in those meetings. These meetings are not, however, “worship meetings” and there was no great emphasis given to that single aspect of the biblical home meetings of the ekklesia. Each and every saint was the focus of the meeting, which met for the purpose of being a local part of the universal body of Christ as a spiritual dynamic expressing the Father’s will and purpose. Biblical support for these statements are to be found in the articles I have mentioned. The theme of my article, “A Sinking Submarine” is the fact that the institutional church system is beyond repair and must simply be abandoned. The saints must begin to meet in biblical home meetings of local ekklesias according to scripture. The practice of ceasing to attend an institutional church for the purpose of starting another “church” more to your liking, in a home, is not a legitimate biblical ekklesia. It’s silly to think that by simply moving all of the institutional church practices, procedures and programs into somebody’s living room that it constitutes a “home church.” A biblical home church is basically Christian families meeting together as families focused on “one another” and sharing, socializing and supporting those in need [read: fellowshipping]. |
An overview of God’s plan, purpose and provisions for His church.
God And Man
The Bible was originally the source of authority for the churches then being formed. Human tradition began to pollute the Bible as exclusive authority. Eventually, tradition and the Bible began to dictate as an authoritative source. As time progressed the Bible again became the authority, although certain camps insisted upon adding its traditions. Another extreme that surfaced was that of authority in man’s experiences and intellectual capacities.
Much to our discredit, every one of these viewpoints is rationalized and taught in today’s institutional church. The perverse thinking of their authors interpret these practices as “scripturally proper and correct.”
For the true child of God, only one option is valid. God inspired the Bible, it is infallible in its authority and inerrant in the original autographs. To bring to fruition every promise God has given us, we must accept the truth of scripture. We must live our lives by the guidelines of the Bible. To do so, we must have an understanding of the message contained in the Bible from our Creator.
Many translations and versions of the Bible are available today. While there are many variants in these translations, each has value. Those who acknowledge the translators as a matter of public record are usually reliable. None are as complete as the original manuscripts.
A brief chronological progression of the emergence of today’s Bible is as follows:
Explores the reasons why today’s church doesn’t demonstrate the scriptural authority and power assigned to it.
Power And Authority
Power is the ability to use wisdom to produce an effect from a cause. God’s Word went forth as the causative factor of creation (Genesis 1:1; Psalm 33:6; Hebrews 11:3; 2 Peter 3:5). God breathed into Adam’s nostrils the breath of life and His Holy Spirit and “man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). The union of the life breath and Spirit of God with Adam’s body was the cause that produced the effect of the soul of man. Cause is greater in power and intelligence than the effect, and requires a response from what has been effected. This response — or responsibility — is subject to the cause (God).
Authority is the legality, or right, to do something because of position. God’s authority is direct, or Divine (sometimes called intrinsic) because of His position as Creator. Authority is also delegated to others while they are standing in the position of another as a representative.
After revealing His power by creation, God has shown His authority to assign dominion to whomever He wills. This expresses God’s authority over the effect (the universe and man). God has assigned dominion to mankind (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-17; Jeremiah 10:12; 27:5).
When you are responsible for something (e.g., dominion), you must have faith. Faith that you have legitimate power — personal, plural (multi-personal) and perfect (Godly) power. You must have faith in that power to fulfill your responsibility to a thing. When you do, you will have authority over it. Adam failed to exercise faith and, subsequently, dominion.
When mankind fails to do what is required God may make the accompanying delegated authority inoperative or ineffective. He may do this by means of an opposite force (satan). Or He may use an influence (Holy Spirit power). He also may use an effect (effects of the fall, i.e., imperfection and corruption, e.g., sickness, aging and dying).
Man’s Fall
When the devil confronted Adam with his lesser power and intelligence, Adam chose to disobey God and responded to the devil. Because Adam had failed to do what God required of him, his delegated authority was rendered inoperative or ineffective. God used satan as an opposing force and removed His Holy Spirit from the totality of Adam’s completeness. Adam then lost his righteous relationship with God and was incomplete. No longer body, soul and Holy Spirit, he was now body, soul and human spirit. The soul of man today continues its function to willingly respond to a greater power and intelligence. God then initiated an effect of which Adam had been forewarned (Genesis 2:16:17). Adam began to die, spiritually.
In Genesis 3:15 we find the first Messianic prophecy spoken by God Himself. This gift of prophetic utterance has been amply proved throughout the Bible. God, angels and men have prophesied. The creation was a result of prophetic utterance by our Creator.
Throughout the Old Testament God has continued to reveal Himself. First, as Creator of all that exists. Then He has revealed His character, compassion and His conscience (Exodus 34:5-7; Deuteronomy 7:8; Isaiah 33:22; Jeremiah 31:3; John 3:16). We come to realize God’s character is love, subjectively caused by willful choice (thought). It is expressed throughout the Bible and the Living Word, Jesus (Word). God’s love is unconditionally activated through the cross (deed). God freely expresses His Divine love subjectively caused by His willful choice, and offers us His grace.
The compassion of God is extended to us through His grace and mercy. “Grace,” in the New Testament is charis, literally “graciousness,” from the root chairo, meaning to rejoice. In the Hebrew the word is chen, meaning subjectively, kindness, favor, or objectively, beauty.
God’s conscience deals with good and evil using Divine wisdom, judgment and justice. He considers our every thought, word and deed.
The first few chapters of the book of Genesis reveal to us the Creator, His creation, the creature (man), the commission of man and the completing of man (Eve). We see the commandment (broken), the conscience (developed), the curse and the consequences.
As we read further in the Old Testament, we find other covenants with the creature and other commandments. We read of the camp, the land of Canaan and the captivity. We see the corruption of the creation and the creature. Man becomes complacent, careless and confused. He is self-satisfied, inconsiderate and disordered. Corruption encompasses the covenant, the commandments, the camp, Canaan and captivity.
In all this we are impressed with the reality of it all. The creation — earth, heaven, mankind, angels, land, seas, trees, deserts. All very real and perceived by the five senses. The reality of the creature is described. He is a spirit, with a soul, living in a body. We read of the covenants — Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Moses, David, Jesus. Real commandments — written with the finger of God on stone tablets. And on the human heart, which only our Creator can do. A real camp with greatly detailed descriptions. And the tabernacle, a type of Jesus Christ. The land of Canaan. The reality of the captivity — 70 years of Babylonian exile.
As we read through the Old Testament we find the meanings of the true relationships we are to have.
The meaning of this corruption produces despair, desperation, despondency. Mankind becomes hopeless, harassed, helpless.
- Creation
- Creature (himself)
- Covenant
- Commandments
- Camp
- Canaan
- Captivity
- Service of the priests
- Sacrifices of the people
- Salvation of penitent
A discussion of God’s provisions through Jesus, scriptural types, the purpose of the law, prophecy and tongues, Holy Spirit gifts and diversity of God's gifts.
The Gift Of Godly Provisions
Jesus has compassion for our hunger for a shepherd. He is the Good Shepherd and our teacher. He has compassion and will provide for us. He will better equip us to handle problems.
When you obey the voice of Jesus, and begin to toil upon the way He has sent you, the winds of adversity will come against you. Jesus knows your every problem. He will come to you at an hour, a place and in a manner totally unexpected by you. He may have to do something that appears unusual to you. He may have to do this to get your attention. So that you will lift up your eyes from your despair, determination and distraction. So that you will look in the right direction and see Him. You will recognize His voice when He speaks and He will dispel your fear. Jesus will continue working miracles in spite of your dull and hardened heart.
“And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst” (John 6:35).
“This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat therof, and not die” (John 6:50).
As you eat of this Bread of Life people will recognize Jesus in you. They’ll bring the sick. As many as touch Jesus, through you, will be made whole.
John 7:37-39:
In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
In Exodus 15:25 Moses cried out to God Who showed him a tree (or piece of wood). Moses cast it into the bitter waters as a type of the cross. Jesus removes the bitterness from our life. In Exodus 17:6, Moses struck the rock at God’s command and water flowed out, another type of Christ. (Refer also to Isaiah 58:11; Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13).
Jesus continues to provide our river of Living Water.
We may fall into the lusts of the flesh and eyes, leading to pride of life. God’s forgiveness is readily available when we repent and ask for it. In His compassion He restores us. He returns to us our dignity, even while the stench of the filth of the world is still on us. He restores us to a higher place of rank in His kingdom. He endorses our authority we thought we lost. He lets us know that our rightful place of occupancy is in the heavenly realm, with Him.
Every time we go astray and then repent and return to the Father, He places more value upon us. Yes, we shall be clothed, church. Clothed with dignity, rank, authority and residency.
Follow Scriptural Types
The Old Testament illustrates, by type, the holy things of God and His attitude toward them. Leviticus chapters 1-7 offer insight into our approach to God. This is only a brief sketch to outline the progression of a rich study. The sequence of the offerings in these chapters are from God to man, but are here reversed to emphasize our approach to God.
Cleansing From Sin
The trespass, or guilt, offering (Leviticus 5; 6:1-7; 7:1-7; Colossians 2:13) was made for sins against God or man, either intentionally or ignorantly committed. It is a type of our cleansing from sin.
Cancelling Of Sin
The sin offering (Leviticus 4; 6:24-30; 7:1-7; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 2:14; 1 Peter 2:24) was made for sins committed ignorantly. It is a type of cancelling of our sin.
Communion With God
The peace offering (Leviticus 3; 7:11-38; Romans 5:1; Colossians 1:20) was a voluntary offering shared by all. God’s portion was burned on the brazen altar and the priest and the offerer had a portion, signifying fellowship. In Leviticus 7:12,13, cakes without and with leaven were to be offered. In the Bible leaven is always a type of sin. But God in His love, grace and mercy, recognizes man’s sin, and yet extends His fellowship to him. This offering is a type of our communion with Him.
Consecration To God
The grain (cereal, meat or meal) offering was to have no leaven (sin) or honey. (Leviticus 2; 6:14-23; Hebrews 7:26). God’s portion was burned on the brazen altar and the priests shared the remainder. This offering represents true consecration.
Commitment To God
The burnt offering (Leviticus 1; 6:8-13; Romans 12:1,2; Ephesians 2:1-6; Hebrews 10:5-7), was a voluntary offering that was entirely burned on the brazen altar, except the skin, which was the priest’s portion. This offering represents the Saviours’ substitutionary death for us. The offerer was to bring a bullock, sheep (or goat), or turtle doves (or pigeons, a smaller species). This indicated that whatever the size, strength or social level of sinful self you are an acceptable sacrifice, but must be voluntarily given up to God. This offering was a type of total commitment to God and His will.
A Progression
We are first to be cleansed from sin committed ignorantly or intentionally by surrendering our lives to Jesus. God has made provisions for cancelling sins we continue to ignorantly commit. We can then share in communion and fellowship with the saints and God, knowing we are accepted in the Beloved. As we consecrate ourselves for holy use, the season of the pleasures of sin will pass. Total commitment to God’s will comes by voluntary sacrifice of self.
The Tabernacle
When Moses completed the tabernacle, it was filled with the glory of God (Exodus 40:33,34) giving us another type of our holy walk.
Purging
In the outer court was the brazen altar of sacrifice. This represents our purging by blood atonement, repentance and death of self.
Purifying
Between the Holy Place and the brazen altar was the brazen laver. This is a type of our purifying by water baptism and self-examination.
Participation
Entering the Holy Place, the priests viewed the table of shewbread, with the bread of presence. This is a type of our participation in the Word of God and fellowship.
Perfecting
The golden lampstand illuminated this scene. This is a type of our perfecting by the light of the Holy Spirit and Jesus, the light of the world.
Prayer And Praise
The altar of incense, taken into the Holy of Holies only on the day of atonement, once a year, typifies our prayer life and our praise. The priests offered incense twice a day with the morning and evening sacrifices.
Presence Of God
Entering the Holy of Holies, the high priest was confronted with the ark of the covenant. It contained Aaron’s rod that budded, manna and the tables of stone. Aaron’s rod signifies man’s rebellion against God’s appointed authority (Numbers 16-17). The manna expresses man’s bitterness at God’s provisions (Exodus 15:23-27; 16:4,11-15; 17:2-7; Numbers 11:4-6). The tables of stone are a reminder of man’s rejection of God’s laws (Exodus 32:19). Only the blood sprinkled on the mercy seat covered these sins, permitting the presence of God to be manifested.
Steps Of Our Walk
Our walk consists of purging, purifying, participation, perfecting, and prayer and praise. This brings us into the glorious presence of God.
Entrance into the gate of the outer court may be compared with our justification. Passage through the door of the Holy Place is our sanctification. Through the Holy Place and past the veil of the Holy of Holies, our glorification. Participation in the Word of God, fellowship with Jesus and the saints, and the illuminating power of the Holy Spirit are necessary for our perfecting. Prayer and praise are prerequisites to entering into the presence of God.
The spiritual enlightenment provided by these types quickens the urgency to continue through the gate of justification. We must press violently through the door of sanctification and agonize and contend in powerful effectiveness through the veil, into the presence of God. When we stagnate in our walk, we defeat the purpose, power and plan of God for our lives.
These types have been given to us as examples for us to follow (1 Corinthians 10:6), and “... that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee ...” (Hebrews 8:5).
The Last Adam
In the New Testament we find the revelation of the Creator in the person of Jesus Christ by means of the gospel — the good news of Jesus Christ.
We see the provisions of Christ. He came to complete and perfect. Nothing is left out — the corruption, creation, creature, covenants, commandments, camp, Canaan and captivity — according to the promise of the Creator.
Christ is our example in the body of His flesh, of the character, conscience and compassion of God.
Salvation
Salvation is the process of man’s restoration to God’s intended relationship with the Creator, creation, fellow creatures, covenants, commandments, Canaan and captivity.
The reality of the process of salvation, and our hope of glory, is dramatized for us in Jesus. We see His birth, life, suffering, death and burial. We glory in His resurrection, ascension and return. All spoken of by the Old Testament prophets.
Jesus offers us His salvation. This is accomplished by the process of justification, sanctification and glorification.
Justification
Justification is what happened to our spirit in the past by the power of the blood (death) of Jesus. How are we justified?
God uses His highest creation, the creature of His own likeness and image. First, in God’s order, is the necessity for servants he can raise up for leadership.
A leader leads by example and shows the way. Moses, Joshua, the judges, kings, etc. throughout the Bible, were leaders. Israel was led by a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night (Exodus 13:21). Romans 10:14 asks how shall they hear without a preacher? The preacher leads the thinking processes of the individual.
The concept of servant/leadership is well established in the Word of God. If Jesus had not been sent by the Father as the way (as a servant/leader) mankind would still be struggling with the devil. In our own fleshly strength we would never have victory.
God charged the priests of Israel for the responsibility of Israel’s immorality as an example of bad leadership (Hosea 4:6).
The Bible states the responsibility of leaders in their teaching capacity (James 3:1; Hebrews 13:17; Luke 20:46,47).
The second step is to activate.
What does a leader activate? He makes active in the individual their sense of worthiness to God. Throughout His earthly ministry Jesus activated salvation and healing in His role of spiritual leadership (Matthew 4:23; 9:35). We see Paul exhorting Timothy “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up” (activate) “the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6). “Stir up” means to rekindle “as a fire capable of dying out through neglect” — Vines Expository Dictionary. We see Paul activating healing “And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother’s womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who steadfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked” (Acts 14:8-10).
We see Peter activating: “Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to stir up” (activate you) “by putting you in remembrance” (2 Peter 1:13). “This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up” (activate) “your pure minds by way of remembrance” (2 Peter 3:1).
So we see, in the Word of God, the servant/leaders activating by teaching and preaching, and healing accompanying the Word.
The third step is worthiness. Leaders activate worthiness.
Worthiness is the quality of a person that renders them useful, valuable and precious to God (2 Peter 3:9; Luke 21:36).
The fourth step is repentance.
Repentance may be defined as a change of mind resulting in sorrow for sin, and turning to God (Acts 16:20).
When you change your mind, you reject information you had previously thought to be the truth. You change your belief. You accept as the truth, your sense of worthiness to God — that quality within you that makes you useful, valuable and precious to God. “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). You are converted, or changed. You know the truth that your sins are blotted out. The new truth you know is that times of refreshing come from your being in the presence of the Lord. Repentance and belief are related. A direct relationship of repentance to healing can be seen in the Old Testament (Exodus 15:26; 2 Chronicles 7:13,14).
The fifth step is belief. To believe is to accept God’s Word as truth. Jesus said “Repent and believe the Gospel” (Mark 1:15). He related repentance to belief. Belief and healing are related (Luke 8:49,50; Matthew 8:13; Isaiah 53:1,4,5; Matthew 8:16,17; Mark 11:23,24).
Faith is the sixth step involved.
Shifts away from faith in the true God of the Bible come from man’s pride and rebellion against God. It shows a reevaluation by human wisdom of the objective of faith. The aggregate effect of prolonged prostitution of the institutional church has led many in a full circle to believe the lie of the serpent, “ye shall be as gods.” This lie is perpetrated in the press, in publications, and from the pulpit by being stated as fact, inferred or implied.
Mankind’s rationale to eliminate God as the object of their faith has not evaluated some areas pertinent to the different objects of their faith.
For as long as you are body, soul and spirit you will think, feel and choose. As a result our mind, emotions and will constantly generate desires.
Your personal value system will determine if these desires are to be satisfied or controlled and your conscience will determine your course of action.
Hope accompanies our desires. We hope for fulfillment of a desire. Therefore, hope is an attitude of favorable and confident expectation.
Faith is the substance, or materialization, of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. We have faith in an object to cause our hope to appear.
Faith and hope are not the absence of all doubt. Faith comes as decisions are made based on the best evidence available that proves the strength of its object. Therefore, faith is, ultimately, only as strong as the proven strength of its object. Evidence for revealed strength of an object is demonstrated by its power and promise. Living, rational beings will also reveal strengths through their purpose, performance and proving.
Faith is fulfilled, satisfied hope that has materialized. Unfulfilled, unsatisfied hope that has not materialized is disappointment.
Therefore, the opposite of faith is disappointment.
Hope is an attitude of favorable and confident expectation. Unfavorable lack of confidence is doubt.
Therefore, the opposite of hope is doubt.
When disappointed, we must ask how can my object of faith fulfill my hopes? We can then correctly assess the strength of the object based on the above parameters.
If there is no need for reassessment, we must lift our self-imposed time limitation, rekindle our hope and confidently await the materialization of it. If we find, however, that we incorrectly assessed the strength of the object of our faith, then we must redirect our faith toward a stronger object.
If you feel doubt because of your loss of hope in God, readjust your self-imposed time limitation and rekindle your hope.
If you have suffered disappointment in the object of your faith, redirect your faith to the strength of the true and living God of the Bible.
In Deuteronomy, we find doubt grouped in with the curses of chapter 28. “And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life” (Deuteronomy 28:66).
Doubt in this verse concerns a lack of assurance in our lives, i.e., lack of self-confidence. A lack of self-confidence that would cause fear. A constant expectation of fear, day and night.
Jesus mentioned our “little faith” several times. Lack of confidence causes doubt. Doubt is insufficient hope. Insufficient hope comes from lack of favorable expectations.
“And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?” (Matthew 14:28-31). (See also Matthew 6:30; 8:26; 16:8).
Peter had favorable expectations when he saw Jesus walking on the water, which gave him hope. His hope materialized into the substance of faith as he also walked on the water.
The wind distracted him from focusing on Jesus, the object of his faith. He then focused on himself and his human limitations. He recognized that he could not, by himself, walk on the water. He began to anticipate unfavorable expectations from what he was, in fact, doing by faith. He began to expect that his faith (in walking on the water) would not continue to materialize by his hope. With this lack of confidence came doubt, which replaced his hope. Disappointed, he began to sink and placed his expectations, hope and faith in Jesus. Jesus caught him and reproved him for being of little faith and doubting.
Jesus, however, urges us to have faith, and not to doubt. “Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done” (Matthew 21:21). “For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith” (Mark 11:23).
To conquer our doubt, which has its roots in a curse (Deuteronomy 28:66), God has made a provision for us. That provision is Jesus Christ our hope of glory (Colossians 1:27; see also Romans 5:2; 1 Peter 1:21).
The seventh step, confession, is a declaration of unquestioning belief in the Word of God as truth.
The word confession literally means “to speak the same thing.” When we confess, we say the same thing God says in His Word. He says we are sinners, we agree and come to salvation. (Matthew 10:32; Romans 10:9,10).
Let’s restate what we just went over:
A servant/leader shows the way to
Activate an individual’s sense of
Worthiness, making them useful, valuable and precious to God, in their own eyes, causing them to
Repent, that is, change their mind, resulting in sorrow for sin, and turning to God, which creates
Belief, which is accepting God’s Word as the truth, which builds
Faith, which is unquestioning belief in the Word of God, bringing about
Confession, a declaration of unquestioning belief in the Word of God as Truth.
We root the basis of Christianity in a response to the love of God. Some, however, looking for ritual rather than revival simply become “churchians” — a form of religion but denying the power thereof — which is rooted in a love to the response of self.
Repentance, faith and confession effect salvation, in the true biblical sense. Although repentance and faith may be present in an individual, they will not confess Christ as Lord and Saviour because of fear. They are afraid of making a mistake, or that they lack the ability to make a change, or that change may interfere with satisfaction of other needs of self. Thus “churchianity” becomes their religion. In other individuals repentance is present and confessed but faith in anything other than self is lacking. For them “churchianity” becomes a system of works. Others have faith and confess it, however, repentance is lacking as they are really quite pleased with self. “Churchianity” becomes an endless game of procrastination for this group. Fear, a “works” mentality, and procrastination are prevalent in the “churchianity” of today.
Justification is brought about by our confession that God’s Word is true when He says we are sinners. We agree and then come to salvation.
Sanctification
Sanctification is what is happening in our souls at this present moment — the weaning of the soul from self-to God-dependency. Experientially deficient, we work toward our position of perfection. How are we sanctified? By accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord of our lives.
We allow the Holy Spirit to continue His cleansing and purifying work. We choose to be consecrated, set apart, for God.
Helps to the sanctification process include, but are not limited to:
- The blood of Jesus, i.e., His death, as a legal reality that redeemed us and imputes righteousness to us
- The grace of God as a loving, lifting and lavish reality that restored us and by which our sins are remitted—sent away from us
- The reassurance of our conscience as a lasting reality that continually reminds us of the removal of our guilt
- Society—The world campaigns against us. We must pray for the Holy Spirit to convict and convince the world of the reality of sin, the availability of righteousness and the coming judgment.
- Sensuality—The flesh calls to us with its lusts of the flesh and eyes and pride of life. We must crucify our flesh.
- satan—The devil, a defeated foe, still attempts to conquer us. We must continue to resist him with authority and power.
Glorification
- Manipulation
- Maneuvering
- Man-made methods of motivation
- Intimidation
- Domination by spiritual abuse.
Matthew 5:17,18:
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.
Provisions Under The Law
Provisions under the law were complete and perfect. Failure was not due to a lack in the law, but in the heart of man.
The justice of God — the use of authority and power to uphold what is good — provided man a way to deal with injustice by procedural remedies under the law. The actions usually followed this alliterated sequence:
(1) Perception, or recognition, or cognizance
(2) Petition, or request, or complaint
(3) Punishment, or retaliation, or chastisement
(4) Payment, or restitution, or compensation
(5) Peace, or reconciliation, or calm
(6) Propriety, or responsibility, or correctness
(7) Perfection, or restoration, or conformity
(8) Purity, or righteousness, or completeness
The results of God’s provisions for us under the law: to bring us to a state of purity, or righteousness, or completeness. He used our sin to show our inability to do this on our own.
Purpose Of The Law
Matthew 5:19:
Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
God warns us not to add to His Word (Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32). In Matthew 15:7-9 Jesus admonished the scribes and Pharisees about adding the traditions of men to the law. The scribes and Pharisees were also guilty of teaching the doctrines of men as commandments. (See also 1 Timothy 6:3-5; 2 John 9-11; 1 Corinthians 4:6; 2 Corinthians 11:3-5; 13-15). (False teachers: Matthew 5:19; 15:9; 1 Timothy 1:7; 4:1; 6:3-5 — 2 Timothy 4:3,4; Titus 1:10,11; 2 Peter 2:1-3).
Initial behavior necessary to teach the commandments of Jesus is to learn and relate to them. We must keep them constantly fresh, alive and active to become part of our heart and soul. In every aspect of family life the Word of God is to fill our being. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9; 11:18-21). In today’s society, however, it’s constant TV, stereos in cars and homes and portable headphone radios, none of which teach God’s commandments. Today’s movies, TV and profane publications seduce the minds of men and women and youth with evangelistic fervor. The morals of humanity respond with destructive behavior and perversion to this secular fanaticism. The commandments of Jesus are not being done and taught.
Childlike faith, trust, and obedience to our heavenly Father qualify us to be great in the kingdom of heaven. To become great we must humble ourselves (Matthew 18:1-4) and receive those who have humbled themselves, just as we received Jesus (Mark 9:33-37). We must be the least among the brethren and be a servant to them (Luke 9:46-48; Matthew 23:11,12). That’s how we become great ... and God will exalt us.
Why is the law so important? The law has a sevenfold purpose:
First, to instruct us in the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:20; 7:7,13).
Second, to increase our experience of sin (Romans 5:20; 7:5,8; 1 Corinthians 15:56).
Third, to indict us for our guilt of sin (Galatians 3:10-12,19).
Fourth, to illustrate our inability to escape captivity to the law of sin and willfully perform righteously (Romans 7:15-25; Galatians 5:17-21; James 4:1,2; Jeremiah 17:9 — Matthew 15:19 — Mark 7:21-23).
Fifth, to inform us of the indebtedness we have to Jesus for paying the penalty for our sin (Romans 3:23,24; 8:2; 9:30-33; 10:4; 2 Corinthians 3; Galatians 3:13,24,25,29; Ephesians 2:4-9; Philippians 3:3-9; Colossians 2; 1 Timothy 1:3-11; Hebrews 7:18,19; 8-10; James 2:10,11).
Sixth, to initiate loving intimacy with one another and encourage forgiveness through the love of Christ within, instead of intimidation and judgment of one another by legalistic requirements of the law (see Appendix).
Seventh, to identify with Israel, as a believing remnant, consecrated unto God (Romans 9:25-27; 10:12,13,19-21; 11:5-12,22,23,28; Galatians 3:23-29). (God’s remnant principle — Noah-man, animals, birds; Jeremiah 23:3; Amos 9:11,12 — Acts 15:14-17; Jeremiah 29:10 — Ezra 2:64-65).
The results of the purpose of the law: for the saints to identify with Israel as a believing remnant consecrated to God.
Jesus stressed the gravity of not breaking the commandments and the necessity of teaching them. However, we must remember that Jesus fulfilled the law (Matthew 5:17). Several transitory statements by Jesus establish His fulfillment of the law. We are to carry out the stated commandments of Jesus and teach them.
“For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John” (Matthew 11:13; also Luke 16:16). This statement signaled the fact the law was destined to be fulfilled (Romans 8:3,4; 10:4; Ephesians 2:15, Colossians 2:13-15; 1 Timothy 1:5-11). John 13:34,35 states a new commandment by Jesus: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”
Within the boundaries of love for God and man (Mark 12:29-31; Matthew 22:37-40) we are sovereign (royal—James 2:8) and free (liberty—James 1:25; 2:12; 1 Corinthians 9:19-22). We can express that love without limitations in thought, word or deed. John 14:15,21,23 stresses the reciprocity of love and fellowship between the Father, Jesus and believers who keep Jesus’ commandments.
In John 15:10 we find a key transitional statement: “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” Jesus kept all the commandments that we were unable to keep, abiding in the Father’s love, thus fulfilling the law. (Ephesians 2:15; Hebrews 10:1,8,9 — Psalms 40:6-8; Hebrews 8:6 — Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 9:15; 12:24). In turn, Jesus has given His church commandments to keep, so we may continue to abide in His love. Continuing in verses 11 through 17, Jesus again stated His commandments to love one another and alluded to the Great Commission in verse 16 — see also Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; John 20:21, and Acts 10:42.
“One another” allelon, the plural of allos, expresses a numerical difference of objects of similar character and denotes another of the same kind. We are also to have love toward all men (1 Corinthians 16:14; 1 Thessalonians 3:12; Galatians 6:10; 1 Corinthians 13; Colossians 3:13,17).
It is by loving one another that the love of God is perfected in us (1 John 2:3,5; 4:12,16,17; Matthew 5:44-48; John 13:34,35; Colossians 3:14). Failure to love one another as Jesus commanded brands us as a liar, lacking truth and still in darkness (1 John 2:4,9,11; 2 John 4,6; 9-11 refer 1 Timothy 6:3-5). 1 John 3:10,14,15,17,18 tell us that failure to love one another also marks us as a child of the devil (verse 10), abiding in death (verse 14), and a murderer lacking eternal life (verse 15). If we fail to help a needy brother, loving him in deed and in truth, (verses 17 and 18), we lack love and are not obeying the commandments of Jesus (1 John 3:10-24).
“For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Galatians 5:14). “But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law” (Galatians 5:18). “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14). The fruits of the Spirit are listed and verse 23 says: “ ... against such there is no law.”
Scripture is clear: Loving one another, displaying the fruits of the Spirit, you are not under the law. If you don’t love one another, you are serving the devil and his purposes and are obviously under the law. “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them” (Galatians 3:10). “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offending in one point, he is guilty of all” (James 2:10). Jesus has redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13; Colossians 2:13,14), and we are now under grace, (Romans 6:14). Not loving our brother, however, places us under the law, with its attendant curse and condemnation.
Let him that has ears hear what the Word says about the foolish, petty asinine squabbles in the ekklesias of the called out ones who name the name of Jesus Christ. The result of this sown discord among the brethren is to place them back under the curse of the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). This brings heightened awareness of (1) knowledge, (2) experience, (3) guilt, and (4) inability to escape from sin, with its accompanying condemnation. They should have been (5) expressing their indebtedness to Jesus for paying the penalty for their sin of (6) not initiating intimacy and forgiveness toward one another and (7) identifying with Israel as a truly believing remnant consecrated to God.
The plan of God to make us rulers with Him used the vehicle of the provisions of the law. These provisions were to bring us to a point of purity, righteousness and completeness. God wisely used the instrumentality of our own sin to dramatize our lack of ability to successfully do so by our own efforts.
Through the purposes of the law, God again used our own sin to show our need for Christ. Acceptance of His purity, righteousness, completeness, vicarious suffering and death promotes love, intimacy and forgiveness for each other among His disciples. With love for one another, we are identified, with Israel, as a believing remnant consecrated unto God.
By the provisions and purposes of the law we became aware of our need for the love of God, as demonstrated by Jesus. Nothing in the law has been done away with. It is incorporated into the parameters of our love for God and man.
The provisions and purposes of the law are included in God’s plan. We are to model ourselves in the image of Jesus so that we may rule with Him. We will be pure, righteous, completed saints, identified with Israel as a believing remnant. Then we shall see the final outworking of God’s grace. God will assimilate us into Him as His church, His body — as we resemble Him and become a part of Him, as His bride.
Prophecy In The New Testament
“Prophecy” propheteia, in the New Testament is, literally, “to speak forth.” It’s from a root meaning a foreteller, by analogy, an inspired speaker, by extension, a poet. Throughout the New Testament Jesus used the word prophecy in referring to the Old Testament prophets Isaiah, Jonah and Daniel. This is the same New Testament word used in 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14 to refer to a prophet, or prophecy.
Others in the New Testament referred to Jeremiah, Isaiah, Samuel and Joel. New Testament writers did not differentiate between Old and New Testament prophets, applying the Greek term to the ministries of both.
In Matthew 7:11 and Luke 11:13 Jesus talks about giving gifts to your children. “Gifts” in both texts is doma, which gives greater emphasis to the concrete character of the gift by giving more prominence to the specific qualities and characteristics than to the fact that it’s a present freely given. The influence of the qualities and characteristics are implied or stated. It’s coupled with the word “good” in the original, which states the influence of the gift. Doma is used in Philippians 4:17 where Paul is commending the church at Philippi concerning their giving to him: “Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.” The same meaning is found: that of the specific qualities and characteristics of their gifts to Paul. Verse 18 explains the influence of their gifts: “But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God.” The influence of their gifts to Paul was to cause God to be well pleased with the givers.
Doma is used in Ephesians 4:8: “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.” In verse 11 the gifts are named. The specific qualities and characteristics of these gifts and their influence upon the body of Christ are explained in verses 12 through 16. These gifts given unto men — apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers — are to prepare and equip and make us fit for the work of the ministry. That means works of service in building up the body of Christ, “Till we all come into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:13). As I mentioned before the word “ministry” is best defined within the biblical parameters of servanthood/leadership. As such, it’s best defined as “public service, freely given.” We are to stop being selfish, immature children, tossed and blown around by the cunning craftiness of power-hungry men to deceive, speaking the truth in love, building ourselves up in love. Each of us is to be the part that God has empowered us for.
The doma gift of the Holy Spirit and the influence of His qualities and characteristics are fully explained throughout scripture. The Holy Spirit is also a dorea “gift” (Acts 2:38; 8:20; 10:45; 11:17; Hebrews 6:4). A dorea gift is a supernatural gift emphasizing it is a present freely given without persuasion, reasoning, or a cause. The Holy Spirit is yours as a gift for the asking.
The doma gift of the New Testament prophets is an ascension gift of the ministry of Jesus Christ Himself (Matthew 13:57; 21:11,46; Mark 6:4; Luke 4:24; 7:16; John 7:40; Ephesians 4:7-11). As such, it has no basis in law, but in grace.
New Testament prophets (including today’s church) were given a prophetical portion of the personal ministry of Jesus as an ascension gift. They are to continue to proclaim repentance, righteousness and restoration. They are anointed (equipped, enabled and empowered) in a way corresponding to Jesus’ ministry of teaching repentance, preaching righteousness, and healing for restoration (Matthew 4:23; 9:35).
The effects of the “spirit and power” of the prophetic are revealed in scripture.
In Matthew 17:10-13 (see also Mark 9:11-13) we read: “And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.”
In the same way the prophetic, in the “spirit and power of Elias” (Elijah) (Luke 1:17), will “first come, and restore all things.” The word “restore” is a key to the purpose of the prophetic.
Subjective experience of prophets and their ministry by today’s church does not negate their scriptural role as objectively stated in the Bible. Prophets will continue to teach repentance and preach righteousness to bring healing of body, soul and spirit to individuals so they may be restored back to their Creator.
God’s Attributes, Abiding And Assignments
God’s attributes balance the perspective of the fullness of:
1. His character,
2. His compassion and
3. His conscience.
(Exodus 34:5-7; Deuteronomy 7:8; Isaiah 33:22; Jeremiah 31:3; John 3:16).
Character
God’s character is love, subjectively caused by willful choice (thought). It is expressed throughout the Bible and the Living Word, Jesus (word). God’s love is unconditionally activated through the cross (deed). God freely expresses His divine love subjectively caused by His willful choice, and offers us His grace.
Compassion
The compassion of God is extended to us through His grace and His mercy. “Grace,” in the New Testament is charis, literally “graciousness,” from the root chairo, meaning to rejoice. In the Hebrew the word is chen, meaning subjectively, kindness, favor, or objectively, beauty.
Conscience
God’s conscience deals with good and evil using divine wisdom, judgment and justice. He considers our every thought, word and deed. God is the sum of all wisdom and lacks nothing. God uses supernatural revelation to give us a glimpse of His wisdom, i.e., His mind and counsel. God’s wisdom influences His judgment that is according to truth (Romans 2:2), deeds (Romans 2:6), and enlightened conscience (Romans 2:12-15). He is no respecter of persons (shows no prejudice) (Romans 2:11). God’s wisdom and judgment are the vehicles by which He executes justice which is the use of authority and power to uphold what is good. God exercises His wisdom, expresses His judgment and then executes His justice through His deeds by a system of rewards (blessings) and punishments (curses), as noted throughout the Bible. God’s wisdom, judgment and justice are recorded in a formal statement — His Word, the Bible.
Gifts
The gifts God has given to His church spring from these attributes.
From God’s character, i.e., His love, He has given us His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has the nine gifts of the Spirit, known as the charisma descension gifts.
From His compassion, i.e., His grace and mercy, He has given us the gifts listed in Romans 12:3-8. They have been referred to as “motive” gifts, but in truth spring from His compassion (grace and mercy).
From His conscience, i.e., His wisdom, judgment and justice He has provided us with the doma ascension gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor (shepherd) and teacher. The names in the original language of these gifts describe their actions and functions. They have been called “offices.”
Abiding of Holy Spirit, Father and Son
“If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you” (John 14:15-17).
If a believer loves Jesus and keeps His commandments Jesus will pray the Father and He shall send the Holy Spirit to abide (live in) the believer.
“I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him” (John 14:18-21).
Again we see that he that has the commandments of Jesus and keeps them, is the one that loves Jesus. And because of this love and obedience that person shall be loved of the Father. And Jesus will love him and manifest Himself to the person.
“Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?” (John 14:22).
The disciple asks how Jesus will manifest Himself to those who love Him and are obeying His commands.
“Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:23).
So we see from this dialogue that Jesus will first send His Holy Spirit to those who love and obey Him.
Because of this love and obedience that person shall be loved of the Father. Jesus will love him and manifest Himself to the person.
Still stressing love for Jesus, and obedience to His commands, Jesus says: “If a man love me, he will keep my words:”
Continuing to stress the love of the Father for the believer, He says: “and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
The believer has received the Holy Spirit. Continuing to love Jesus and obeying His commands, the Father will love the believer, and then the Father and Jesus will come unto him, and live with him (John 13:20; 17:11,20-23,26).
Applying this to the prophetic, there appear to be three levels of prophecy. (Also two levels of teachers).
1. The Holy Spirit charisma descension gift of prophecy (the Holy Spirit).
2. The compassion, i.e., grace and mercy charisma gift of prophecy (the Father).
3. The doma ascension gift of prophecy (Jesus).
The Holy Spirit Gift Of Prophecy
The manifestation of the charisma descension gift of prophecy is given to all Holy Spirit filled believers (the body). It is a gift for the body, regardless of maturity. (1 Corinthians 12).
A study of definitions of the manifested gifts of the Holy Spirit in the corporate assembly of a local ekklesia reveals their attributes. The following observations to bring perfection to the saints may be made:
To give individual and corporate:
(1) Correction (conformity to a just standard by discipline. It removes errors and adds truth to bring us to a state of goodness):
The practicality of wisdom. (Answers the question — what?)
The progression and placement of knowledge. (Answers the question — where?)
(But not always who, when, how or why)
(2) Direction (a necessary activity or attitude. It turns our attention to an immediately desired goal or effect to give us guidance.)
The permanency of faith. (Our starting point — an anchor — Hebrews 6:12-20;chapters 11,12)
The plurality of healings. (Encompasses all directions — within the physical bodyand also soul and spirit)
The power of miracles. (The cause of the effects— God’s power is the causeof the miracles)
The proclamation of prophecy. (Keeps us on a Godly course. It proclaims themind and counsel of God to man)
The presence of evil, human or Godly, discerned spirits. (Keeps us tuned in to our Godly source of direction and guidance. Alerts us to interference with that source.)
(3) Affection (requires desire, response and activity. It causes us to appreciate, delight in, and crave the presence of God. It causes us to please Him and promote His welfare (a state of thriving and progress) by being obedient servants to His will and purpose as our part of the body of Christ, exercising our gifts and anointings. This brings glory to God):
The personal use of tongues.
The public use and interpretation of pronouncements of God’s greatness, magnificent works, and mysteries, spoken in tongues.
1 Corinthians 12:11: “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”
“But” alla, means on the contrary. “Worketh” is energeo, literally, to work in, meaning to be active and operative. “... that one and the selfsame Spirit, ...” is emphatic. “Dividing” is diaireo, separating and distributing. “Severally” idios, means about self, i.e., one’s own. “Will” boulomai, strongly expresses the deliberate exercise of volition.
God’s Holy Spirit, and He alone, has deliberately chosen to activate and make operative the manifestation of the gift He distributes to each individual. This is the essence of Divine sovereignty. We must respond to Him by simple acceptance to attain God’s desired results for His corporately assembled body. This is the essence of human responsibility.
The blessing aspect of the Abrahamic covenant was expanded upon by the New Covenant. And the death of Jesus opened the way for the Holy Spirit to abide (live) in us and to teach us, in the same way that Jesus lived with and taught His disciples. This fulfilled the statement in Jeremiah 31:34 where God said “for they shall know me.” In God’s love, which is one of His attributes, He has given us His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has the nine gifts which Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 12-14.
We’ve seen how these nine gifts bring perfection, i.e., maturity, to the body of Christ. They bring needed correction to bring us to a state of goodness; direction to give us guidance towards the right spiritual goal; and affection to bring glory to God.
Purpose Of The Holy Spirit Gift Of Prophecy
The Holy Spirit charisma descension gift of prophecy, then, is for us to express God’s love, which is made possible for us through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit of God. A love that brings us to perfection, or maturity, by bringing correction for goodness, direction for guidance, and affection to bring glory to God. This maturity comes from corporate manifestation of all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, of which prophecy is one.
The Compassion Gift Of Prophecy
The compassion gift of prophecy, also a charisma gift, springs from the compassion of God, i.e., His grace and mercy (Romans 12:3-8). Romans chapters 12-15 deal with the subject of our lifestyle and conduct before God, self, the rest of the body, all men, government, neighbors and the weak believer. This “lifestyle” prophetic gift would come with more maturity in the Lord.
As a “lifestyle” prophetic gift, we go right back to Abraham, God’s prototype prophet, who apparently was a “lifestyle” prophet on the basis of God’s grace and mercy.
Grace
God’s grace has many aspects. Seven of them are briefly presented here as they are frequently sequentially manifested:
His attitude toward us — free unmerited favor. No works are necessary for God to view us favorably. Grace is contrasted explicitly and implicitly with debts, works and law (John 1:17 — 2 Corinthians 8:9; Romans 3:21-24; 4:4,16; 6:14,15; 11:6; Galatians 1:6,7; 5:4; Ephesians 1:3-7; 2:8-9 — verse nine “not of works” thus contrasting works with grace as the gift that saves; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 2:11).
His action in us — supernatural influence on the human spirit effecting observable change in man’s natural life (Romans 15:15,16; 1 Corinthians 1:3-5; 2 Corinthians 1:12; 4:15; 8:1-9; Ephesians 3:2-7; 1 Peter 5:10).
His activation of us — divine equipping, enabling and empowering for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:7,12 — also Romans 1:5, 12:6a; 1 Corinthians 3:10; 1 Peter 4:10).
His acknowledgment of our acceptance, application and thankful appreciation of His grace by further activation of us — giving us greater grace (John 1:16; Acts 4:33; Romans 6:17; 2 Corinthians 1:11; 1 Timothy 1:12,14; Hebrews 4:16; James 4:6, literally “a greater grace;” Proverbs 3:34; 1 Peter 5:5).
His augmentation of us, enlarging, extending and expanding us as individuals (2 Corinthians 9:8; Ephesians 4:7; 2 Peter 3:18).
His addition of us, i.e., the process of joining us to the body to increase the corporate total (Acts 2:47; Romans 1:5-7; 5:15; 12:3-5; Galatians 2:9; Ephesians 1:1,2; 2:19-22; Titus 3:7).
His assimilation of us — bringing us to a state of resembling Him and making the saints part of Himself (John 17:20-23; Colossians 3:14-17; 2 Thessalonians 1:12).
Growth in grace is achieved by being in union with God and with man. “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him” (Luke 2:40). This text speaks of the growth of Jesus as a young child. It’s comparable to the growth of the body of Christ—born-again believers—individually and corporately. As a young child he became larger physically (grew). He was strengthened as He increased in vigor in spirit (waxed strong). He developed practical skills and a keen mind (wisdom), and the grace (charis) of God was upon him. In verses 46 and 47, the doctors (teachers of the Jewish religion), and all that heard Him were astonished (amazed) at his “understanding.” This is sunesis, reflective thought, suggesting quickness of comprehension preceding action, and answers (responses). “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52). Jesus made progress in wisdom and maturity and in “favour” charis, grace, “with” sun, denotes union, God and man. The text does not say Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in grace with God. He attained wisdom, stature and grace as He remained in union with God and man. We must stay in union with humanity, saved and unsaved, to grow in proper scriptural balance.
Mercy
God’s mercy displays His actions to those in distress. The death of His Son, Jesus Christ, exemplifies this (Titus 3:4-6). Mercy results in peace — the experience in the heart of man (John 3:16,17; Acts 10:36; Ephesians 2:13-17).
Purpose Of The Compassion Gift Of Prophecy
The “lifestyle” charisma gift of prophecy, then, is for us to express God the Father’s grace and mercy.
The Doma Ascension Gift Of Prophecy
The doma ascension gifts of Jesus are to express His wisdom, judgment and justice.
Jesus, The Wisdom Of God
Matthew 12:42: “The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here” (See also Luke 11:31).
1 Corinthians 1:24: “But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”
Colossians 2:2-3: “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
The following is excerpted from New Unger’s Bible Dictionary on “wisdom” in the Old Testament: “Hebrew sakal to “be prudent, circumspect,” (1 Samuel 18:30; Job 22:2; cf. Psalms 2:10; 94:8); etc.).
“Hebrew tushiya properly “uprightness”, counsel, understanding (Job 11:6; 12:16; 26:3; Prov. 3:21; etc.).
“Hebrew bina “understanding”, the faculty of insight, intelligence (Prov. 4:5,7; 17:10).
“An attribute of God, wisdom is intimately related to the divine knowledge, manifesting itself in the selection of proper ends with the proper means for their accomplishment. Thus not only the world of nature but especially the economy of redemption is a manifestation of divine wisdom (see Psalms 104:24; Romans 11:33; 1 Corinthians 1:24; Revelation 7:12). Thus the Old Testament appeal of wisdom to men is the appeal of the only wise God (see Proverbs and Psalms).”
“Wisdom” in Greek is sophia, wise. It denotes practical skill or quickness of perception. It is keenness of mind or discernment; insight, hence, wisdom.
The sequence of the gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8, where wisdom is listed before knowledge, are not without significance.
In man’s experience, normally his educational process follows a sequential track. First facts exist independently of opinion, conjecture or theory. They represent the state of things in physical and spiritual reality. Learning is exposure to facts and retaining them in memory. Knowledge is retention of learned facts. Understanding is determining the meaning of facts. Wisdom is the ability to generate cause and effect from knowledge and understanding of facts. We can see that, in the natural, knowledge comes first, then wisdom. However in the listing of the gifts Paul lists a word of wisdom first, followed by a word of knowledge. This immediately alerts us to the fact that there is here a tacit understanding of a spiritual truth.
James 3:13-18 (New International Version):
13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.
16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Wisdom and “understanding” (verse 13, better translated as “intelligent”) appear to be related, as well as a good life, or behavior, as a result of the humility that comes from wisdom. The word “humility” is the same word in the King James Version translated as “meekness” in Galatians 5:23, which is a fruit of the Spirit. This word, prautes, means “meekness, mildness, self-control. A calm composed evenness of soul and spirit which comes from dependence on God. The exercises of it are first and chiefly toward God, with no fighting, struggling and contending with God. It’s associated with self-control and results in absence of pride, self-assertion and self-interest because of lack of pre-occupation with self.”
It’s evident then that Godly wisdom involves understanding and intelligence, and manifests itself in a Godly, good lifestyle that comes from an underlying attitude of dependency upon God and denial of self. This wisdom is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, impartial and sincere.
The lifestyle of these peacemakers results in a harvest of righteousness.
In these verses James contrasts the wisdom from above (Godly wisdom) with earthly wisdom. Proverbs 11:18,19 brings out the fact that righteousness brings life and unrighteousness brings death.
Godly wisdom brings righteousness and life. Earthly wisdom brings unrighteousness and death. This is the tacit spiritual truth that Paul is emphasizing by listing a word of wisdom first in his listed sequence of spiritual gifts.
If we lack wisdom, James 1:5 tells us to pray for wisdom. So we are to pray to receive Godly wisdom, which manifests in a “good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”
Don’t confuse this Godly lifestyle wisdom with the Holy Spirit charisma descension gift of a word of wisdom.
Impartation
1 Corinthians 12:4 reads: “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.”
“Diversities” diairesis, is literally, to take apart. It signifies to divide into separate parts and distribute. It is translated “diversities” here and in verse 6, and “differences” in verse 5. In verse 11 “dividing” is diaireo, same meaning. “Gifts” charisma, here and in verses 9,28,30 and 31 show spiritual endowments manifested, by God’s grace. This is through individual believers by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
Gifts of the Holy Spirit, as disclosed in verses 7 through 11, are separated and distributed by Him as He wills. In Hebrews 2:4 the word for “gifts” is merismos, a separation or distribution. It should read “and distributions of the Holy Ghost” referring to His gifts, but not explicitly stating the word “gift.” These manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and of Joel 2:28,29 are given by the Holy Spirit. They cannot be “imparted” to another.
Deuteronomy 34:9 is quoted as proof that one can “impart” a spirit of wisdom by laying on of hands. The following verses, however, make it clear that the “spirit of wisdom” spoken of in these passages refers to the Holy Spirit.
Exodus 28:3: “And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.”
Isaiah 11:2: “And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord;”
Ephesians 1:17: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:”
With this understanding, we can better understand Deuteronomy 34:9 and Numbers 27:18-20 as laying on of hands for receiving the Holy Spirit, or a fullness, or baptism of the Holy Spirit, Who is the giver of all gifts.
Deuteronomy 34:9: “And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses.”
The parallel account of this incident is in Numbers 27:18-20:
18 And the Lord said unto Moses, Take thee Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay thine hand upon him;
19 And set him before Eleazar the priest, and before all the congregation; and give him a charge in their sight.
20 And thou shalt put some of thine honour upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient.
Note that Joshua was “a man in whom is the spirit.” After Moses laid his hands upon him he “was full of the spirit of wisdom.”
Honour is hod, “splendor; majesty; authority.” The following is excerpted from Vine’s Expository Dictionary: “In many cases hod focuses on “dignity and splendor” with overtones of superior power and position but not to the degree seen in oriental kings: “And thou shalt put some of thine honor upon him, that all the congregation of the children of Israel may be obedient” (Numbers 27:20) — the first occurrence of the word. ... In every use of the word the one so described evokes a sense of amazement and satisfaction in the mind of the beholder.”
Genesis 48:10-22 is also quoted as proof of “impartation.” However, the context indicates laying on of hands for blessing in response to a subsequent prophetical utterance.
In Romans 1:11 when Paul said “that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift” the word “impart” is metadidomi, meaning to give a share of, as distinct from giving. Verse 12 explains Paul’s intent.
1 Timothy 4:14 and 2 Timothy 1:6 are also used as proof of “impartation.”
1 Timothy 4:14: “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”
2 Timothy 1:6: “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.”
Apparently, Paul is speaking of the same incident in these two verses. 2 Timothy 1:6 really explains that, whatever the gift was, it was “the gift of God.”
Examining 1 Timothy 4:14, the gift given to Timothy “was given thee by prophecy” which should make it clear that it was a Holy Spirit inspired utterance that conveyed the information that the Holy Spirit was giving Timothy a spiritual gift. The word “with” is meta, a primary preposition (often used adverbially); properly, denoting accompaniment.
After having announced that Timothy was receiving a spiritual gift from the Holy Spirit, it was accompanied by the ceremonial practice of laying on of hands by the elders. In 2 Timothy 1:6 Paul is reminding Timothy of the incident and speaks only of himself “putting on of my hands” but not mentioning the other elders present.
The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary says this about the phrase “by the putting on of my hands” in these verses—It is “with [not by] the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.” The apostle was chief in the ordination, and to him “by” is applied. The presbytery were his assistants; so “with,” implying merely accompaniment, is said of them. Paul was the instrument in Timothy’s ordination and reception of the grace then conferred; the presbyters were the concurrent participants in the act of ordination; so the Greek, “dia” and “meta.”
In other words the symbolic act of laying on of hands was done by Paul, with the presbytery (elders). This same principle holds true for all such incidents recorded in the New Testament.
An excerpt from Unger’s Bible Dictionary regarding “men already possessed of delegated power and authority” tells us that “Not that the mere act” [of laying on of hands] “could confer any special spiritual power, but it was employed as a fit and appropriate symbol to denote their full and formal consent to the bestowal of the divine gift; and, being accompanied by prayer to Him who alone can really bestow it, might ordinarily be regarded as a sign that the communication had actually taken place.”
We have the problem of accepting this logical explanation or of accepting the fact that the Bible contradicts itself in 1 Timothy 4:14 and 2 Timothy 1:6 when compared to 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 and Hebrews 2:4:
1 Corinthians 12:8-11:
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
Hebrews 2:4 “God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts” [read: distributions] “of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?”
It’s clear from these texts that “by the Spirit” and “by the same Spirit” and “the selfsame Spirit” and “according to his own will” mean what they say.
Laying on of hands for Holy Spirit baptism, blessing, healing and deliverance and raising the dead is scriptural. However, scripture is equally clear that gifts are given by God the Holy Spirit only.
This is a basic understanding concerning Godly wisdom which involves understanding and intelligence of God’s word and Godly principles. This Godly wisdom is pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy, impartial and sincere. With a Godly lifestyle of peacemaking it will result in a harvest of righteousness. This Godly wisdom brings righteousness and life. Earthly wisdom will bring unrighteousness and death.
Righteousness A Prerequisite
We can see from this that a need for righteousness, to bring life, is a necessary prerequisite for operating in the Holy Spirit descension charisma gifts.
Those whose lifestyle is not biblically righteous will come to us to minister with earthly wisdom and will bring unrighteousness and death to us.
Those who minister to us and those who minister must have this Godly wisdom operative in their life, manifesting righteousness and bringing the fruit of life. They must be prudent, upright, understanding and intimately related to divine knowledge, selecting proper ends for the proper means for their accomplishments in the natural world and especially in the economy of redemption. They will have Godly practical skill, quickness of perception, keenness of mind, discernment and insight into the righteousness of God and will minister in a fullness of the Holy Spirit of God that those who do not have this Godly wisdom cannot possibly attain to.
You must responsibly determine the lifestyle of those who minister to you. And you must responsibly follow Jesus in every way possible in thinking as He thought, speaking as He spoke and doing what He did.
The ministry of Jesus was the Father, and He did only what the Father told Him to do, and what the Father told him to say, and where the Father told Him to go. He was constantly attuned to the wisdom of the Father. As a disciple of Christ, that is also your responsibility.
The Word Of Wisdom
The mature prophet will not only have Godly wisdom, but will also manifest the Holy Spirit charisma descension gift of the word of wisdom, which must operate in conjunction with the word of knowledge for its full revelational purpose and value.
In the phrase “word of knowledge,” “knowledge” is gnosis, a seeking to know, inquiry, investigation. It denotes knowledge, especially of spiritual truth. Related to ginosko, it signifies to be taking in knowledge, to come to know, recognize, or understand. Inception or progress in knowledge is suggested, in contrast to fullness of knowledge. It also implies an active relation between the one who knows and the person or thing known. This is in contrast with simply coming within the scope of the knower’s perception.
The original language in the text in 1 Corinthians indicates that the manifestation of the word of wisdom, and the word of knowledge are paired and work together and are given to different people (numerically). They would be of the same kind, or sort. And they would be alike or agreeable in their character, type or nature.
The word of wisdom unaccompanied by a word of knowledge defeats the full revelational purpose of the utterance. A word of knowledge spoken without a word of wisdom fails to correctly apply practical righteous, i.e., Godly, wisdom to the situation.
The scriptural precedents Paul sets in the original language indicate different individuals manifesting the gifts together. This contributes to, and effects, a desired result. Another individual may be reluctant to speak out the manifestation of a word of wisdom or knowledge. The Holy Spirit will then use the original individual to manifest both to effect a desired result.
This is another reason why a prophetic partner, or a prophetic team is more effective and biblical in stating God’s will and purposes.
Jesus Exercises Judgement And Executes Justice
Psalms 89:14: “Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.”
Proverbs 21:3: “To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.”
Isaiah 9:6-7: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”
Jeremiah 23:5: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth.”
Judgement and justice are the “habitation,” i.e., foundational to the establishment, or support, of God’s throne, from which our King, Jesus, will execute judgement and justice. “Execute” is asah meaning “to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application.” Vine’s Expository Dictionary defines it as “to create, do, make.”
Judgement
“Judge” krino, means to form an opinion as a process leading to a decision. “Judgment” krima, is a pronounced decision made based on opinions.
James, chapters three and four, and Titus 3:2-7 instruct us not to judge fleshly weaknesses, as we all have the same problems. We are not to judge opinions, observances of days or what is eaten. We are not to be a stumblingblock, but are to use our strength (in the Lord) to bear up those who are weak (Romans 14-15:13 — see also John 7:24; 8:15; 1 Corinthians 8-11:1; Colossians 2:16; Galatians 6:1-10). We are not to judge prematurely the “counsels of the hearts” (i.e., motives or purposes) of another’s ministry. When the Lord comes He will “bring to light the hidden things ...” (1 Corinthians 4:1-7 — see also 1 Corinthians 2:15,16).
1 Corinthians 5 is clear that we are not to judge those in the world. However, we are to judge the effects of fellow believers on the body (see also 2 Corinthians 2:5-11; 7:8-12).
[Those who do not believe on Jesus are judged (John 3:17,18, where krino is translated “condemn(ed)” and verse 19 states the reason. Jesus did not come into the world to judge the world, but to save it (John 3:17; 12:47). The Father does not now actively judge but has placed that task into the hands of Jesus (Acts 17:31 — Psalms 9:8; 96:13; 98:9), Who has stated that His Word will judge (John 5:22-27; 12:47-50). The Holy Spirit teaches and reminds us of His Words (John 14:16,17,26; 15:26; 16:7,13). Therefore final judgment exercised after the second coming of Jesus (Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:22-30; 8:26; Acts 10:42; 17:31; Romans 2:16; 14:9-12; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5; Revelation 20:11-15) will be according to His Word].
We are also to judge between the brethren (1 Corinthians 6:1-8 — see also Matthew 19:28, Luke 22:25-30) and are to judge carefully and intelligently (Acts 4:19; 15:19 (where krino is translated “sentence”); 16:4 (where krino is translated “ordained”); 16:15; 21:25 (where krino is translated “concluded”); 1 Corinthians 7:37 (where krino is translated “decreed”); 10;15; 11:13,31; 14:29).
Justice
It should be clear that a truly mature prophet will have Godly wisdom, and will also strongly manifest the gift of the word of wisdom.
Will this mature, biblical prophet be entrusted with expressing God’s judgement and executing God’s justice?
We have seen from scripture that Jesus is the Wisdom of God and that judgement and justice are foundational to the rule of Jesus.
We, on the other hand, are not to judge fleshly weaknesses, opinions, observances of days, what is eaten, “counsels of the hearts” (i.e., motives or purposes) of another’s ministry or those in the world. We are not to be a stumblingblock, but are to use our strength (in the Lord) to bear up those who are weak.
Since final judgment exercised after the second coming of Jesus will be according to His Word, we are bound to judge according to the word of God.
When Jesus comes He will “bring to light the hidden things ...” The things that we, in our limited human perspective, are unaware of.
We are, therefore, limited in our judgement to judge the effects of fellow believers on the body, to judge between the brethren, and are to judge carefully and intelligently.
I’ll discuss the establishment of the governmental structure of the executive, judicial and legislative branches of the kingdom of God in a later section. There we’ll see that we don’t legislate new laws and we don’t function in a judicial capacity in that we don’t enforce justice which is the use of authority and power to uphold that which is good.
Only God in His wisdom, can exercise Godly judgments and execute Godly justice. However, we are empowered, and in fact required, to administer the laws and affairs of the kingdom of God as we go about our Father’s business.
While there are biblical examples of prophets judging and executing justice, the primary function of present-day apostles and prophets differs from that of their Old and New Testament counterparts. Those functions assigned to prophets were part of God’s method of establishing His governmental authority under a theocracy in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, we see only a few examples which re-establish the authority and power of the Holy Spirit in the eyes and the lives of the living stones of the newly formed Jewish and Gentile house of the true Israel. This will be discussed in the next few sections.
We must be guided by scripture: James 2:13 tells us “For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against” [read: triumphs over] “judgment.” We must extend mercy, as we have received mercy, and forego our human judgements.
This is not to say that today’s prophets cannot exercise judgement and execute justice. However God would only entrust those functions to a very mature, experienced prophet who knows the Father’s heart well enough that God can trust them.
The coming evil one world political and religious system will see the power of the true God in a confrontation requiring them to make a decision in the same way Elijah did with his statement in 1 Kings 18:21: “And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt” [read: limp] “ye between two opinions? if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people answered him not a word.”
This coming Elijah may very well be anointed and entrusted by God with expressing God’s judgement and executing God’s justice.
He will also anoint an “Elisha” and work together for a time until Elijah departs.
Purpose Of The Doma Ascension Gift Of Prophecy
The doma ascension gift of prophecy, then, is for us to express the conscience of God through the wisdom, judgement and justice of Jesus Christ.
The doma ascension gift of prophecy carries with it a higher level and corresponding greater authority and encompasses the other two. (Ephesians 4). It takes many years for God to develop a man or woman to this level, with considerable training in different areas. We are not going to study this training as it is another subject.
Apostles And Prophets Are Both Sent
We are here talking primarily about the doma ascension gift of prophecy, although it is possible that those with the compassion charisma gift of prophecy may also be included.
The word used for “sent” and “send” in the following verses is apostello (ap-os-tel'-lo), meaning to set apart, i.e. (by implication) to send out (properly, on a mission) literally or figuratively. It is from this word apostello that we get the word apostolos (ap-os'-tol-os) translated as “apostle” meaning a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ [“apostle”] (with miraculous powers).
Matthew 23:34,37:
34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Luke 11:49: “Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:”
Luke 13:34: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!”
Mark 1:2-4:
2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
Luke 7:27-28:
27 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.
28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
John 1:6: “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.”
John 3:27,28:
27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
It becomes evident from reading these verses that prophets are also sent by God, but most probably limited to being sent in order to proclaim the mind and counsel of God, but not necessarily limited to that.
The Purpose Of Prophecy
“But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort” (1 Corinthians 14:3). Paul is speaking of the orderly flow of the exercise of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit gift of prophecy.
“Edification” oikodome, is literally “the things of building up.” “Exhortation” paraklesis, is a calling to one’s side. It is an invitation to encourage one to a course of action. It comforts, relieves, and eases grief, loneliness, discomfort, etc. “Comfort” paramuthia, (para, near, muthos, speech), signifies speaking closely (to someone). It denotes comforting with a greater degree of tenderness than paraklesis. It stresses the process or progress of the act of comforting.
“... but he that prophesieth edifieth the church” (1 Corinthians 14:4). “... but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe” (1 Corinthians 14:22). “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace” (1 Corinthians 14:29,30).
“Revealed” apokalupto, here, is to unveil the mind of God for His church. “For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted” (1 Corinthians 14:31). “Learn” manthano, is to increase knowledge, frequently by inquiry, observation, use and practice. “Comforted” parakaleo is the verb form of paraklesis, translated in 1 Corinthians 14:3 as exhortation.
There is a teaching prophecy is for confirmation only. This teaching states a prophetical word must confirm something God has already revealed to you. If not it is not a true word of the Lord. Analysis of scripture fails to prove this teaching. In fact, it reveals the opposite. The first Messianic prophecy given by God to Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:15) did not “confirm” something they already knew. Jacob’s prophecies to his sons (Genesis 49) were a new revelation and “confirmed” nothing for them. All the prophets — including Jesus — spoke forth the mind and counsel of God. They spoke of things foreordained from before the foundations of the world. They didn’t wait for someone else to speak it first so they could confirm it.
A mature prophet may speak out that which is new to you (but not to God) as a timely word for you. It may be a revelation that is days, or years away, and it will have conditions attached to it.
All prophecy, in fact, has three addenda. One reads “to be continued,” another reads “incomplete,” and the other is a great big “if” stamped on it. The “continued” addendum is to let you know that prophecy is a dynamic process that will continue to speak into your life as time progresses. The “incomplete” addendum tells you that the prophecy doesn’t contain all there is to be said concerning the recipient of the prophecy. The “if” addendum lets you know that there are conditions to be met in order for the prophecy to be fulfilled.
Beware, however, of false prophets — you shall know them by their fruits (false doctrine, teaching and utterances — Deuteronomy 13:1-5; 18:20-22; 1 Peter 1:3-7) (Matthew 7:15-20; 24:11; Mark 13:22). Seek God for the manifestation of the gifts of a word of wisdom and knowledge and discerning of spirits. Then you may, among other things, truly discern if a prophetical word spoken is from the Holy Spirit, a human spirit, or an evil (familiar) spirit (1 Corinthians 12:8,10; 1 John 4:1).
In summary, the purpose of prophecy is to:
(A) Provide:
(1) A way for man to speak forth the mind and counsel of God for:
(a) Repentance to be taught,
(b) Righteousness to be preached and,
(c) Restoration, to heal (Matthew 4:34; 9:35), “... for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (King James Version) (Revelation 19:10.) In the Amplified Bible it reads: “Then I fell prostrate at his feet to worship—to pay divine honors—to him, but he [restrained me] and said, Refrain!—You must not do that! I am [only] another servant with you and your brethren who have [accepted and hold] the testimony borne by Jesus. Worship God! For the substance (essence) of the truth revealed by Jesus is the spirit of all prophecy—the vital breath, the inspiration of all inspired preaching and interpretation of the divine will and purpose [including both mine and yours].)
(2) A way for the priorities, the present-day utility of God’s power, and contemporary purposes to be communicated to man as history progresses (Amos 3:7 “Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.”; Hebrews 1:1,2 “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds”; Revelation 10:7 “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.”
Note: Those items are manifested in greater power and permanency in the doma, ascension gift of the prophet than in the charisma gifts of prophecy.
(B) Profess, or declare:
(1) Unto men (1 Corinthians 14:3)
(2) Exhortation — an appeal, encouraging a course of action. It also comforts, relieves, and eases grief, loneliness, etc. (1 Corinthians 14:3)
(3) Comfort — comforting with greater tenderness than “exhortation.” It stresses the process or progress of comforting (1 Corinthians 14:3)
(4) Revelation — unveiling the mind of God, to the mind or senses of man, for His church (1 Corinthians 14:30)
(C) Promote:
(1) Edification — spiritual growth and character development:
(a) Individually (Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”; 1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”, 19-21 “Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”)
(b) Corporately (1 Corinthians 14:3,4)
(2) Learning — increasing knowledge by inquiry, observation and use
(a) Individually (1 Corinthians 14:31)
(b) Corporately (1 Corinthians 14:31)
(3) Comfort (verb usage of “exhortation”) (1 Corinthians 14:31)
(D) Prove, or demonstrate:
(1) A sign for believers (1 Corinthians 14:22)
(E) Prioritize:
(1) Covet to prophesy, for the edification of the church, and forbid not to speak with tongues, with interpretation, i.e., explanation, in the church (1 Corinthians 14:1,4,5,12, 19,31,39).
The Purpose Of The Doma Ascension Gifts
In Ephesians chapter 2, note the time frame of what I will loosely call the “past” (verses 2,11,12 specifically speak of the past). This will explain the “Now therefore” in verse 19, which brings Paul back to his present time. “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;” (Ephesians 2:19). This is a key to understanding what he says in verse 20: “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;” (Ephesians 2:20).
Paul then completes the building analogy: “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:21,22).
Since Paul has spoken of the “past” it’s clear that the apostles and prophets he is speaking of in verse 20 are the New Testament apostles and Old Testament prophets—not those coming after he made the statement (but see the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary, below). It is they who laid the foundation. That was their purpose, their calling, their anointing. They laid the foundation for the building of which Paul speaks in verses 21 and 22.
Excerpts from the Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary on Ephesians 2:20:
“20. Translate as Greek, “Built up upon,” &c. (participle; having been built up upon; omit, therefore, “and are”).” ...
“foundation of the apostles, &c.—that is, upon their ministry and living example (compare Mt 16:18). Christ Himself, the only true Foundation, was the grand subject of their ministry, and spring of their life. As one with Him and His fellow workers, they, too, in a secondary sense, are called “foundations” (Re 21:14). The “prophets” are joined with them closely; for the expression is here not “foundations of the apostles and the prophets,” but “foundations of the apostles and prophets.” For the doctrine of both was essentially one (1Pe 1:10, 11; Re 19:10). The apostles take the precedency (Lu 10:24). Thus he appropriately shows regard to the claims of the Jews and Gentiles: “the prophets” representing the old Jewish dispensation, “the apostles” the new. The “prophets” of the new also are included. BENGEL and ALFORD refer the meaning solely to these (Eph 3:5; 4:11). These passages imply, I think, that the New Testament prophets are not excluded; but the apostle’s plain reference to Ps 118:22, “the head stone of the corner,” proves that the Old Testament prophets are a prominent thought. David is called a “prophet” in Ac 2:30. Compare also Isa 28:16; another prophet present to the mind of Paul, which prophecy leans on the earlier one of Jacob (Ge 49:24). The sense of the context, too, suits this: Ye were once aliens from the commonwealth of Israel (in the time of her Old Testament prophets), but now ye are members of the true Israel, built upon the foundation of her New Testament apostles and Old Testament prophets. Paul continually identifies his teaching with that of Israel’s old prophets (Ac 26:22; 28:23). ...”
Excerpted from Vine’s Expository Dictionary: “FOUNDATION (TO LAY), FOUNDED 1. themelios, or themelion is properly an adjective denoting “belonging to a foundation” (connected with tithemi, “to place”). It is used” ... “ metaphorically, (a) of “the ministry of the gospel and the doctrines of the faith,” (Rom. 15:20; 1 Cor. 3:10,11,12; Eph. 2:20), where the “of” is not subjective (i. e., consisting of the apostles and prophets), but objective, (i. e., laid by the apostles, etc.); so in (2 Tim. 2:19), where “the foundation of God” is “the foundation laid by God,”—not the Church (which is not a “foundation”), but Christ Himself, upon whom the saints are built; (Heb. 6:1); (b) “of good works, (1 Tim. 6:19).”
Paul states that Jesus Christ is the only foundation to be laid: 1 Corinthians 3:11: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
We find the same thought expressed by Paul in Romans 15:20-21: “Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation: But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.”
Paul’s thought is consistent: where someone has laid the foundation of Christ, be it apostle or prophet or another servant of God, then that is all sufficient. No other foundation can be or should be laid.
The sense of the meaning of Ephesians 2:20 then is: You were once aliens from the commonwealth of Israel (in the time of her Old Testament prophets), but now you are members of the household of faith of the true Israel having been built up upon the foundation, which is Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, laid by the New Testament apostles and Old Testament prophets.
It should be easily understood by this short study on Ephesians 2:20 that the New Testament apostles and the Old Testament prophets were responsible for laying the foundation of Jesus Christ Himself as the chief corner stone in the household of faith of the true Israel. Jesus is the foundation, not the apostles and prophets, who were simply the instruments by which the foundation was laid. No servant of God can or should attempt to build another foundation. We are to build upon the foundation of Jesus Christ which has already been laid in place.
Moving to chapter three of the same book, Paul in a long parenthetical statement makes another observation. Please note that Paul has now moved from the “past” to his “present,” again, loosely speaking.
Ephesians 3:4-6: “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ) Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit; That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:”
Note in verse 5 he refers back to the “past” (“which in other ages’) in which the mystery of Christ (and the Gospel) was not made known unto the sons of men. He then brings himself current to his own “present” and makes the statement “as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;” (Emphasis mine.)
I’ll just point out a few things in verse 5. Law transited to grace, and grace involves, among other things the giving of the Holy Spirit to the saints. By the Spirit, then, God’s holy apostles, still speaking of the New Testament apostles, wrote the New Testament, just as the Old Testament prophets wrote the Old Testament.
However, the prophets (and apostles) he refers to in verse 5 are those of his “present” time, not the Old Testament prophets (“as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets”). We have to keep in mind also, that the Apostles of the Lamb, the Twelve, were also either prophets or prophetical, especially in their New Testament writings.
The New Testament apostles and the Old Testament prophets are the ones who laid the foundation of Jesus Christ Himself as the chief corner stone of Paul’s allegorical building. However, the revelation of the inclusion of the Gentiles as “fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel” was given to the apostles and prophets of the New Testament period in which Paul lived. The Old Testament prophets had written of it, but the meaning of what they had written was a mystery to them. This was a sovereign act of God to progressively reveal His plan of salvation for all of mankind. This revelation has now been made known in all of its fullness as I’ll discuss in following paragraphs.
First the established building, then further revelation knowledge. All by the apostles and prophets at different times (the past and Paul’s present).
In Ephesians 4 Paul speaks again of apostles and prophets (and the gifts from Jesus of evangelist, shepherd and teacher). Paul has spoken of the past, and the present. He is now transitioning from his present time and speaking of the “future” (his future). It was during his lifetime that the transition from Paul’s “present” apostles and prophets to his “future” apostles and prophets occurred.
Speaking of Jesus, Paul says in Ephesians 4:11-16:
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Note that the “future” apostles and prophets (and the evangelists and shepherds and teachers) now have a different gifting from the “past” and from Paul’s, “present” apostles and prophets. This is simple to determine because the scripture says in Ephesians 4:8: “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.”
Were there not already prophets? Were there not already apostles? Yes. But scripture says “he ascended up on high ... and gave gifts unto men”—gifts which include “prophets,” and “apostles.”
It’s clear from scripture that the gifts of Jesus to His church (Ephesians 4:7-11) are not founded upon the Law, as the Law and the Old Testament prophets came to an end, and when Jesus came He fulfilled the law. “... for ye are not under the law, but under grace” Romans (6:14b). “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ” (Ephesians 4:7).
When Jesus ascended and gave gifts to men the Old Testament prophets and prophecy had ended. Jesus gave new gifts, under grace, instead of under the law, for His ekklesia, which now would include Gentiles also.
In the phrase “pastors and teachers” the word “and” in the Greek is the article “kai.” This word is used in a copulative and also an informational sense. So it doesn’t mean just “and.” I believe what Paul said was that Jesus has given gifts to mankind, some to be sent, some to speak the mind and counsel of God, and some to be itinerant preachers and some shepherds. In the phrase “pastors” [shepherds] “and teachers” the word “kai” is used in the informational sense and would be better translated as “namely” or some such intent. In other words, Jesus has given us those four gifts of public service—apostles, prophets, evangelists and shepherds—namely as teachers for the maturing (perfecting) of the saints and etc. In the framework of this understanding, “five-fold” may be a misnomer. However in actual function there still remain five distinct giftings. The actual identification would be more along the lines of apostle-teacher, prophet-teacher, evangelist-teacher, shepherd-teacher, which is four distinct doma ascension gifts, each however, combined with a teaching “gift”—a total of five servanthood “gifts” given by Jesus to His ekklesia for the purpose of maturing the saints.
The existing building and its foundation, still stands. The revelation knowledge of the original apostles (that is to say, those mentioned throughout the New Testament) still stands. There is no “new” foundation to put in place (unless, of course, you have replaced the chief corner stone, Who is Jesus Christ Himself, in which case what I’m saying is pointless to you).
There are no “new” revelations of Jesus and the Gospel which can replace the revelations of the New Testament apostles.
No, the “future” apostles of which Paul spoke have a detailed job description as given by Paul. I repeat that it was during Paul’s lifetime that the transition from his “present” apostles and prophets to his “future” apostles and prophets occurred. And those future apostles and prophets are the ones that continued after the New Testament and include what is our present-day apostles and prophets.
These present-day apostles and prophets have a different gifting from the Old and New Testament apostles and prophets. Today’s apostles and prophets (and evangelists and shepherds as teachers) are to mature the saints by preparing them for works of public service, or ministry. And to teach them how to build up the body of Christ. The purpose is to bring about unity of the faith that comes with the knowledge of the Son of God so that the body of Christ will mature into the full measure of Christ Himself.
There are no “super-apostles” coming to lay a “new” foundation and to give us further “revelations” that surpass those of the New Testament apostles and prophets regarding Jesus Christ and the Gospel of Christ.
Today’s apostles and prophets have a different function and that is to help the body of Christ grow in understanding and experiential knowledge of that which has already been written for us.
With this understanding of the scriptures you will be able to recognize the false prophets and false apostles that the word says will be among us in these latter days.
True unity of the faith is based upon the knowledge of the Son of God, which, of course, includes the truth of the word of God which teaches us of Christ. Unity in the body of Christ must be based upon the truth of scripture, not ecumenical councils or other devices which simply overlook the truth of the Bible.
Understanding the scriptural role of today’s prophets will help you recognize today’s false prophets and apostles that the word says will be among us in these latter days.
Gifts Of The Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 12:4:
Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
“Diversities” diairesis, is literally, to take apart. It signifies to divide into separate parts and distribute. It is translated “diversities” here and in verse 6, and “differences” in verse 5. In verse 11 “dividing” is diaireo, same meaning. “Gifts” charisma, here and in verses 9,28,30 and 31 show spiritual endowments manifested, by God’s grace. This is through individual believers by the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
Gifts of the Holy Spirit, as disclosed in verses 7 through 11, are separated and distributed by Him as He wills. In Hebrews 2:4 the word for “gifts” is merismos, a separation or distribution. It should read “and distributions of the Holy Ghost” referring to His gifts, but not explicitly stating the word “gift.” These manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and of Joel 2:28,29 are given by the Holy Spirit. They have been called the “descension” gifts, i.e., after Jesus ascended, the Holy Spirit descended and distributed His gifts.
Tongues
In 1 Corinthians 14:2 Paul makes a statement that is an apparent contradiction to scriptural factors recorded in Acts. In Acts, chapter 2, at least 15 different languages were spoken and understood, but Paul says no man understands tongues. “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.”
“Men” anthropos, is a human being, here, signifying mankind. “But” alla, means contrarywise, i.e., on the contrary. “For” gar (connects with a reason), “no man” oudeis, not even one, i.e., nobody, “understandeth” akouo. This word means to hear. It is used here in the sense of hearing what is spoken without the ability to grasp the meaning.
Paul then goes on to say that in the spirit he speaketh “mysteries” musterion. This is a secret through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites, and is known only to the initiated. In the New Testament “mysteries” is not a secret but is Divinely revealed dispensational spiritual truths of stewardship of the kingdom of God. The entire second chapter of 1 Corinthians explains the “mysteries” and Holy Spirit revelation (see also Colossians 1:25-29; 1 Timothy 3:9).
The word for dispensation in the New Testament is oikonomia (English, economy) meaning a house-distributor, i.e., manager, or overseer. It primarily signifies the management of household affairs. Vines Expository Dictionary tells us: “Note: A dispensation is not a period or epoch (a common, but erroneous, use of the word), but a mode of dealing, an arrangement or administration of affairs. Cp. Oikonomos, a steward, and oikonomeo, to be a steward.”
“And his disciples asked him, saying, What might this parable be? And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand” (Luke 8:9,10 — see also Matthew 13:10-17,34,35; Mark 4:10-12,33,34). “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14). Unto us, the church, is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God. The ungodly, seeing, might not see, and hearing, they might not understand.
There are implications associated with this spiritual impediment. A curse (Deuteronomy 28:49); rebellion (Isaiah 6:9,10; 28:11,12; Ezekiel 12:2); judgment (Jeremiah 5:21); hard hearts (Mark 8:17,18), and ungodly lusts and sensuality (Jude 17-21).
The Godly And Ungodly
Acts 2:5-12 tell us of the “devout” men eulabes, devoted to God. They heard and understood the spoken tongues (verse 5). “Every” hekastos, each, every, “man” heis, meaning one, heard them speak in his own “language” dialektos. This means discourse, denoting the known language or dialect of a country or district (verse 6). In verse 7 “one” is allos, expressing a numerical difference of objects of similar character. It denotes another of the same kind. And to “another” is allelon, plural of allos. In verse 12 “one to another” is allos pros allon.
In verse 13, however “Others” is (heteros) expressing a qualitative difference of objects different in character. It denotes another of a different kind. They “mocking said, these men are full of new wine.” There are two different groups of men represented here: the godly and the ungodly. The godly men heard and understood the spoken tongues in their own dialect. The ungodly heard only a drunken babble.
“... we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God” (Acts 2:11). “The wonderful works” megaleios, are magnificent works, or great deeds. What this godly group of men heard were the disciples praising the greatness of God’s works. According to Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:2, they were not speaking unto men, but unto God. God, in His sovereignty, allowed these men to scripturally verify what Paul was to later say.
“... they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God ...” in Acts 10:46. “Magnify” megaluno, means to make or declare great. Those who came with Peter understood the tongues in this instance.
It is an objective truth of the Bible that men have understood spoken tongues in their own dialects. It has been subjectively experienced in current societies. In Acts 19:6 “... they spake with tongues, and prophesied.”
The Purpose Of Tongues
1 Corinthians 14:2 states that tongues is speaking unto God (also 14:28), and speaking mysteries. Verse 4 says the tongues speaker edifies himself. In verse 5 Paul makes it clear that prophesy in public service is preferable to tongues (except if interpreted). This is so the church may receive corporate edification. In verse 22, tongues are a sign for them that believe not, and in verse 39 Paul admonishes us to “covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.”
Summing up, the purpose of tongues is to:
(A) Provide:
(1) God’s covenant symbol for:
(a) A religion (Godly provision for eternal life with Him in His place of delight, wherein is the tree of life)
(b) A reputation (Godly provision for renown as His covenant people)
(c) A relationship (God’s provision for societal unity within His church)
“And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven;” (man’s religion) “and let us make us a name,” (man’s reputation) “lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth” (man’s relationship) (Genesis 11:4).
(d) A reminder for redeemed mankind to exercise as often as desired as a memorial of God’s loving provisions
(B) Profess:
(1) Unto God, and to the speaker for personal edification (1 Corinthians 14:2,4,28)
(2) The magnificent works, the great deeds of God (Acts 2:11)
(3) The greatness of God (Acts 10:46)
(1 Chronicles 16:7-22 — Psalm 105:1-15;
1 Chronicles 16:23-33 — Psalm 96;
1 Chronicles 16:34-36)
(4) Mysteries, i.e., Divinely revealed spiritual truths of stewardship of the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 14:2)
(C) Promote:
(1) Edification, i.e., spiritual growth and character development:
(a) Individually (1 Corinthians 14:4,28; Romans 8:26; Jude 20)
(b) Corporately, when interpreted, i.e., explained (1 Corinthians 14:5)
(2) Intercession for the saints (Romans 8:27; Ephesians 6:18)
(D) Prove:
(1) As a sign to them that believe not (1 Corinthians 14:22)
(E) Prioritize preeminence:
(1) Covet to prophesy, for the edification of the church, and forbid not to speak with tongues, with interpretation, i.e., explanation, in the church (1 Corinthians 14:1,4,5,12,19, 31,39)
The Solution Summed Up
When we fail to avail ourselves of all of God’s provisions for us, and begin to substitute those things of our own making, then we are on the road to apostasy. Scriptural types abound that continue to give us Godly guidelines relative to how we are to think, feel and choose. When we understand that salvation and justification are an ongoing process in our lives—not a guarantee of heaven because some time in antiquity we mouthed some words indicating our “acceptance” of Jesus as our Saviour from the lake of fire (fire insurance mentality)—then we will become responsible for our actions towards our God and fellow human beings. Like it or not, our glorification is dependent upon how we handle this flesh of ours here on this planet.
Understanding the purpose of the law, and how Jesus fulfilled the law for us—or for our benefit—is important in order for us to gain a Godly perspective of what God expects of us—again, in this flesh and on this planet.
Without understanding that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy then you will continue to follow each and every one of those deluded individuals that proclaim themselves to be a “prophet.” Understanding God’s character of love, His compassion of grace and mercy and His wisdom in exercising judgment and executing justice will further help you to understand God and Jesus, Who is God.
Apostles and prophets are both sent out by the local ekklesia’s—maybe permanently, maybe from time to time—but they don’t sit around and attempt to build kingdoms for themselves. These are gifts given by God to mature, responsible, God loving and God fearing elders whom the local ekklesias recognize as such. Those who wander around proclaiming themselves to be an apostle or a prophet, or an elder, pastor, shepherd, evangelist, bishop or any other title should be avoided like a plague. Learn all you can about the gifts God has given His people by reading the Bible—they are part of your inheritance from God Himself. Don’t just suck up all these wild teachings based upon what some other person says. They will never operate in the gifts like you operate in the gifts—why take their word as Gospel truth? And yes, that includes what I have to say about the gifts. Check it all out for yourself, it’s your gift and your responsibility.
Our solution, then, is to follow God, read the Bible for all of its worth and check out the stuff in the Bible that we don’t understand or that seems to contradict the Father’s heart. There’s a tremendous variety of Bibles today—most of which are simply attempting to make what God said clearer to us today. There are also Hebrew and Greek dictionaries, other study aids and commentaries.
How you respond to God and the message He has left for us in His word is an indication, in the here and now, of how responsible you are towards God. Selah ...
Discusses false Christs, false prophets, false believers, “churchians” and deceiving signs and wonders
Man’s Redemption
When Jesus came, He redeemed us and removed us from the kingdom of darkness and placed us in the kingdom of light. Jesus has travailed for us to enable us to properly respond to God. He has cancelled the debt of sin against us and cleanses us from sin by the power of His blood. He has given us His Holy Spirit as His Gift that we might be made complete again. Our proper response is unsophisticated acceptance by our willful choice of His magnificent work for us.
Man’s Need
Man’s need is for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. Infilling with the Holy Spirit completes and perfects us. The sense of self-worthiness accompanying completeness becomes dynamic. The individual will recognize they are useful, valuable and precious to the God Who made them. God’s Word assures us of acceptance in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:6) and that His love is immeasurable (Romans 8:38,39). Relationship to our Heavenly Father is sealed by sonship (Romans 8:14,19), adoption (Romans 8:15,23; 9:4; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5) and marriage (John 3:29; Revelation 19:7,9; 21:2,9; 22:17) into His family.
A Warning
“And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.” ... “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before” (Matthew 24:4,11,24,25 — see also Mark 13:5,22,23,37; Luke 21:8,36).
The warnings of Jesus are clear in that we are not to be deceived by (1) false Christs, (2) false prophets, and (3) deceiving signs and wonders.
False Christs
“False Christs” pseudochristos denotes someone who claims to be Christ, and operate in all the glory of Christ. Obviously, this person would fulfill the expectations only of those who do not know the real Christ.
False Prophets
Matthew 7:15:
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
“Beware” is prosecho, “to hold toward oneself,” to focus your thoughts on something and keep it under surveillance. “Ravening” is harpax, “snatching, ravenous, rapacious.” Keep your thoughts on false prophets. They come in sheep’s clothing, looking for victims to devour.
Matthew 7:16:
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles?
“Know” is epiginosko, to fully recognize a thing for what it really is. “By” is apo, meaning “from.” You will fully recognize these false prophets for what they really are from their fruits. “For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit” (Luke 6:43). “Corrupt” is sapros, putrid, rotten and worthless, denoting deterioration from goodness. “For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes” (Luke 6:44).
The scriptural symbology of thorns show their link to the curse (Genesis 3:17,18; Isaiah 55:13; Matthew 27:29; Mark 15:17; John 19:2,5; Hebrews 6:8).
Grapes are symbols of good things. They are a symbol of restoration to the king’s favor (Genesis 40:9-13); of God’s provisions for the poor, the stranger, the fatherless and the widow (Leviticus 19:10); and of separation unto God (Numbers 6:2,3). Grapes symbolize hospitality and friendship by allowing the eating of a neighbor’s grapes, with warnings not to take advantage of hospitality by filling our vessels with grapes (Deuteronomy 23:24). Grapes are compared with Israel and contrasted with briers and thorns (Isaiah 5:1-7). The cup (the fruit of the vine — grapes) is used as a symbol of the New Covenant by Jesus as representing His shed blood (Jeremiah 31:31; Matthew 26:27,28). Amos 9:13 speaks of restoration and prosperity and includes grapes and sweet wine as part of the symbology.
Figs are symbols of good things, and of rotten things. Figs are a symbol of peace (1 Samuel 25:18), and of God’s provisions for healing (2 Kings 20:7). In Isaiah 34:4, God’s power is the subject and figs are used in the symbolism. Jeremiah, chapter 24 contrasts the good figs and the rotten figs. Good figs are compared with the Babylonian exiles from Judah, and bad figs to the Jews in Jerusalem under the reign of King Zedekiah. Jeremiah 29:17 speaks of vile figs that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.
Grapes and figs are symbols of plenty in the promised land (Numbers 13:20-23; 20:5). Violation of God’s commandments is depicted in Nehemiah 13:15-18, and symbolizes the need for proper order, and God’s judgment. God’s recognition of Israel is described in Hosea 9:10, and Micah 7:1,2 compares the lack of ripe grapes and figs to the lack of a good, upright man.
Matthew 7:17,18:
Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Every good tree — every good prophet — brings forth good fruit — grapes and figs. They restore to the King’s favor, provide for the poor, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow. Separating themselves unto God, they are hospitable and friendly, but don’t take advantage of hospitality. True Israelites, they teach and preach the New Covenant and the restoration and prosperity of that covenant. They offer peace, the peace of God, bring healing, display God’s power and are looked upon by God as good. Teaching the provisions for plenty in the promised land, they stay in proper order and teach it. Acknowledging God as judge, they hold out good things to those who are unsaved, and to those in the body of Christ. They teach recognition of Israel after the flesh as examples for all biblically spiritual Jews, and they themselves are like ripe grapes and figs and are good and upright men and women.
Every bad, putrid, rotten tree — every false prophet — brings forth evil fruit, fruit that is cursed, barren and rotten, and there will be many false prophets (Matthew 24:11-14; Mark 13:21-23; 1 John 4:1). These false prophets and false Christs work signs and wonders to seduce and deceive. However, if they don’t bear good fruit, and don’t minister as exemplified by grapes and figs, they are thorns and thistles. They are cursed, barren, bad, putrid and rotten. Verse 18 says they cannot, dunamai, they don’t have the power by means of their personal ability, opportunity, or permission to create good fruit.
Matthew 7:19,20:
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
In 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 false apostles transform into apostles of Christ. Satan is “transformed” metaschematizo, to transfigure or disguise; fashion oneself, into an angel of light.
Focus your thoughts on false prophets and keep them under surveillance. Beware of these wolves in sheep’s clothing sitting next to you on the pew, or that person behind a pulpit.
Deceiving Signs And Wonders
Throughout the Bible, signs, wonders and miracles have expressed God’s power. These signs and wonders are so powerful they could deceive believers. The stipulation “if it were possible” makes it clear true believers will not be deceived.
Violating God’s Will
The body of Christ is to have pride, interest and assertiveness in the things of God. In our self pride, self-interest and self-assertiveness we objectify competition, not cooperation; chaos, not coalescence; criticism, not conciliation; chastisement, not correction; condemnation, not council; crisis not credibility; and conflict, not consonance.
Toiling and laboring at lawlessness, wickedness and unrighteousness violates the will of God for our lives. Our relationship with Jesus and entrance into the kingdom of heaven depends upon doing the will of the Father.
False believers are thoroughly deceived through their sense knowledge of felt unrighteousness, sinfulness and guilt. They think they are doing the Father’s will by what they do, rather than what they are. The pressures they feel from sin, self, society, sensuality and satan are relieved by doing what they proclaim to be acts of righteousness. This alleviates their feelings of sinfulness and guilt.
They are not to be confused with hypocritical “churchians” who are playacting, caught up in their own pretense. “Churchians” have the potential to become true disciples of Christ.
False believers fail to exercise their faith. They do not draw upon the strength of the cross as a legal reality that redeems and imputes righteousness to us.
They do not accept by faith the grace of God as a loving, lifting, lavish reality that restores us and by which our sins are remitted.
They find it impossible to accept by faith their conscience as a lasting reality reassuring them of the removal of guilt.
In their attempts to reassure themselves and each other they become easy prey to the devil’s favorite technique of deception. This leads to denial of reality, and its attendant delusion, with attempts to defend their position.
This brings distortion of their concept of reality and departure from the source of Godly truth, opening them up to demonic influence. This, in turn, brings defeat in their walk, instead of victory, which will damage them, lead them to destruction and ultimately, death and denial of heavenly entrance.
Chapter Five—The Solution Implemented
Spiritual headship, the unique headship of Jesus and God’s scriptural pattern for leadership in the church are contrasted with our exaltation of self. We are urged to focus on Jesus.
The Purpose Of Spiritual Headship
In spiritual headship, i.e., delegated spiritual authority, Christ is clearly the head of the church (Ephesians 1:19-23; 4:15,16; 5:21-33; Colossians 1:13-18; 2:8-10,19). As head of the church, His body, Jesus is head of everyone, both male and female.
“But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God” (1 Corinthians 11:3). This statement that the head of the woman is the man appears to conflict with the fact that Jesus is head of the church, which includes women. We must remember that Paul is discussing order in a gathering of believers in the home ekklesia. Order and authority are related. If you don’t understand the truth of the biblical home ekklesias as taught, practiced and modeled for us in the New Testament read the article “God by the Spirit of Jesus Christ will build an assembly.”
The word “man” aner, is used in 1 Corinthians, chapter 11, verses 3 through 27, inclusive. Aner means a man, properly as an individual male, is never used of the female sex, and is distinct from a woman, boy or infant. It is also used as a word for husband. In verse 28 “man” is anthropos, mankind, a human being, male or female, a person. Verses 16 and 34 have no word in the original for “man.” The word for “woman” is gune, meaning a married or unmarried woman.
If we use “husband” where “man” (aner) appears, and “wife” for “woman” (gune) we resolve some conflict. Paul discusses the matrimonial relationship in Ephesians 5:21-33. In verse 32 he makes the statement that “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church (ekklesia).” In the light of verses 23 and 24 of Ephesians 5 it appears there is a tandem spiritual headship relation. It exists between Jesus, as head of the church, i.e., head of the husband and wife, and the husband, as head of the wife. Paul says this is a great “mystery” musterion, i.e., a divinely revealed spiritual truth of stewardship of the kingdom of God. We have a responsibility to walk in that truth.
Working from back to front in 1 Corinthians 11:3: Christ is equal to God, but God is His Head (John 5:18; 10:30,38; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Philippians 2:6; Colossians 1:15,19; 2:9; Hebrews 1:3). The woman (wife) is equal to the man (husband), but the husband is his wife’s head (Genesis 1:26-28; 2:23,24; 5:2; 1 Corinthians 11:7-12; Galatians 3:28). The man (husband) is equal to Christ, but Christ is his head (Psalm 8:4-6 — Hebrews 2:6-11; Matthew 12:46-50; Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21; John 20:17,18,27,28; 1 Corinthians 11:7; James 3:9). “The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master” (Luke 6:40). We are positionally, but not experientially, perfect in God’s eyes. We are as the Master, but not above the Master.
This scripture in Luke expresses the purpose of spiritual headship in God’s kingdom. God as spiritual head of Christ, Christ as spiritual head of the husband, and a husband as spiritual head of his wife, display factual dynamics. Godly spiritual headship always involves (1) sacrifice of self, for equality, (2) surrender of self, for uniting, and (3) servanthood of self, for anointing. Anointing is equipping, enabling and empowering for doing a specific task.
God, in Christ, sacrificed by giving of Himself to become equal to man (John 3:16,17). He temporarily laid aside the manifestations of His consummate divine identity to unite mankind into His body (Philippians 2:6,7). He was anointed as a servant to perform a specific task (Philippians 2:7,8). God exercised His spiritual headship over Christ. Christ is equal to God, united with God and anointed by God. Christ exercises His spiritual headship over His church (male and female, and husband and wife). His church is equal to Him, united with Him and anointed by Him to anoint others. Ephesians 5:21-33 exemplifies the headship role of the husband over the wife. She is equal to him, united with him and anointed by him to anoint others. Colossians 3:1-25 (see also Ephesians 4:20-5:33) give us excellent instruction for accomplishing the goal of spiritual headship.
Scriptural Types And Antitypes:
Types
Establishing the parameters, by type, of God’s spiritual headship of the first Adam
1. Sacrifice of the Father to effect equality
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” ... “This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him; Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created” ... “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” ... “And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed” ... “And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it” (Genesis 1:26,27; 5:2; 2:7; 2:8; 2:15). (See also John 3:16; Acts 2:4; John 14:16,17,23; 20:22).
God reproduced Himself, and in so doing gave Adam His own:
1. Image
2. Dominion
3. Completeness (male and female)
4. Blessing
5. Breath, or Spirit, of life
6. Provisions
7. Commission
2. Surrender of the Son to effect uniting
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7).
(See also John 17:11,21-23,26; Philippians 2:6,7).
This verse brings out that God gave Adam the breath, or Spirit, of life. They then became autonomous living beings. He fashioned their bodies in His image (Jesus) with the same Spirit by Whom He created the heaven and earth.
3. Servanthood of the Holy Spirit to effect anointing
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth” ... “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and multiply, and replenish and earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:26,28)
(See also John 14:26; 1 John 2:20-27; Philippians 2:7,8).
Having made Adam in His image, He gave them dominion. He blessed them, and anointed (equipped, enabled and empowered) Adam. They were to be fruitful, multiply, replenish and subdue the earth and have dominion over it.
Antitypes
Establishing the parameters by antitype of Adam’s spiritual headship of the woman
1. Sacrifice of self for equality (as an antitype of the Father)
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” ... “And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him” ... “And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man” (Genesis 2:7,18,21,22).
To have a help meet (and to manifest the completeness of God’s image) Adam had to sacrifice of himself physically — one of his ribs — more literally, part of his side.
2. Surrender of self for uniting (as an antitype of the Son)
“And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh” ... “Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created” ... “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them” (Genesis 2:23,24; 5:2; 1:27) (Ephesians 5:21-33).
Adam recognized his unity with the woman, manifesting their completeness.
3. Servanthood of self for anointing (as an antitype of the Holy Spirit)
“And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it” ... “And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make an help meet for him” ... “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth” ... “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” ... “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” ... “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat” (Genesis 2:15,18; 1:26,28; 2:16,17; 3:6).
Perhaps nowhere else in the Bible has man failed so miserably in servanthood of self for anointing. Adam’s failure to anoint (equip, enable and empower) the woman to carry out God’s Word totally changed the course of mankind and history. God’s wisdom and foreknowledge had predetermined that this would happen because of giving Adam free will.
A husband must responsibly and willfully exercise his spiritual headship. His wife must submit to his sacrifice, surrender and servanthood. Then they will successfully reproduce the completeness of themselves as the image of Christ and His ekklesia (Ephesians 5:21-33).
Scriptural Relationship
The significance of Paul’s statement that “For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels” (1 Corinthians 11:10) reflects the proper scriptural headship relationship of Christian husband to Christian wife. As a visible manifestation of the relationship of Christ to His church, they are witnesses to the angels of God. This passage connects, sense-wise, with Ephesians 5:21-33.
In this matter of Godly spiritual headship there are only two instances Paul discusses in Ephesians 5:21-33. These are (1) Christ’s relation to His ekklesia, and (2) a husband’s relation to his wife. Paul draws a parallel between the two to reveal the husband’s proper relationship to his wife as her Godly spiritual head. When a woman has no husband her head is Christ. When a woman becomes a wife her husband assumes a tandem spiritual headship position with Christ. He is to take on the same role as Christ’s role is to the church. The husband, in the same way that Christ does, must also sacrifice for equality, by equality, surrender to unite, by uniting, and enter into servanthood by, and for, anointing.
Paul does not discuss other matters such as pastoral, paternal, or parental authority. Much confusion results when these other avenues are explored with this passage. Paul’s purpose is clear and simply stated. Man’s wisdom should not try to extract a meaning that is not there.
The Headship Of Jesus:
The five-fold doma ministry gifts Jesus gave His church were all ably performed by Him.
Chapter Six—Scriptural Examples of Authority
Moses and the tabernacle of David dramatize the need for corporate authority and obedience to God to fulfill the great commission and restore His church.
Analysis
Moses was a Levite, learned in wisdom, mighty in words and deeds. He was headstrong, attempting to accomplish God’s purposes by the strength he had learned in Egypt. Nonetheless he rejected the pleasures of the sin of Egypt.
By God’s sovereign plan and purpose Moses spent 40 years tending sheep on the backside of the desert. He had the benefit of the advice of an elder, the high priest of Midian, Jethro, his father-in-law. Because he had good advice and 40 years of training in tending sheep, Moses had a supernatural encounter with God. He was commissioned by Him to deliver the Israelites from their Egyptian bondage. Moses continued to have problems with his flesh but in time learned to depend upon God. He became the meekest man on the face of the earth. Moses died healthy and with a powerful scriptural tribute as to his uniqueness as a prophet.
Analogy—The Church
As Levites (servants of God), the church today is learned in wisdom, mighty in words and deeds. It is headstrong, and attempting to accomplish God’s purposes by the strength it has learned in Egypt (the world). However, today’s church is not rejecting the pleasures of the sin of Egypt (the world).
God’s sovereign plan and purpose is for the church to submit to His authority and training. The church is to have a supernatural encounter with Him that He may deliver us from Egyptian (worldly) bondage.
We must lose our self-pride, self-assertiveness and self-interests. We must submit to God’s authority, become dependent upon God and develop meekness. Then we will be healthy, and earn powerful tributes as to our uniqueness as God’s prophets.
The high priest of Midian, Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, told Moses: “Hearken now unto my voice, I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee: Be thou for the people God-ward, that thou mayest bring the causes unto God:” (1 — Intercede on behalf of the people) “And thou shalt teach them ordinances and laws,” (2 — Instruct them in God’s decisions and laws) “and shalt shew them the way wherein they must walk,” (3 — Inspire righteous behavior) “and the work that they must do” (4 — Inform them of their duties). “Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:” (5 — Induct them into leadership) “And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee” (6 — Involve them in the decision-making process). “If thou shalt do this thing, and God command thee so, then thou shalt be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace” (7 — Initiate and implement a vision). “So Moses hearkened to the voice of his father in law, and did all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens. And they judged the people at all seasons: the hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves” (Exodus 18:19-26).
Moses, attempting to be singular ruler over multiplied thousands of Israelites, was wearing himself out. He was not properly ministering to the people. His father-in-law elder, Jethro, gave Moses Godly advice ignored by most church leaders of the same mind-set today:
(1) Intercede on behalf of the people
(2) Instruct them in God’s decisions and laws
(3) Inspire righteous behavior
(4) Inform them of their duties
(5) Induct them into leadership
(6) Involve them in the decision-making process(es)
(7) Initiate and implement a vision (goals, purpose, direction, priorities, etc.)
He was to teach men of his own congregation. He was not to run an ad and solicit men with experience or levels of education from the four corners of the world. The men of his own congregation were to be trained by him. He was to provide out of all the people who had been trained “able men.” These were men of ability, capable of responsibly exercising authority and making decisions as leaders. They were to be “men of truth” — men who were stable, honest and trustworthy, “hating covetousness” — men who personally hated dishonest gain.
These men so selected were to be “rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.” There was one person appointed head over a group of 1,000 people. 10 persons under him were appointed head over groups of 100 people. 20 persons under them were appointed over groups of 50. 100 persons under them were appointed as head of groups of 10 (all from that same group of 1,000). That adds up to 131 leaders (plus Moses, who was in charge of the whole nation) for every 1,000 persons. Every group of 10 persons had “able men,” i.e., a trained leader (ruler, judge).
Godly Truth And Order Necessary
The life of Jesus, seen as the antitype of which Moses is the type, reveals the fulfillment of the “spirit” of the truths that Moses learned. We see the incorporation of Godly order in the areas mentioned throughout the earthly ministry of Jesus.
The analogy of the church shows us that the institutional churches of today are falling from grace and attempting to get the saints back under the law of Moses.
One of the lessons to be learned from this is that we are to follow Jesus, Who fulfilled the law and the prophets. We are not to follow Moses, but we are to be disciples, i.e., learners, supporters, followers and imitators of Jesus Christ, and Him alone.
For many, the Old Testament Mosaic Law is apparently no longer seen as types and shadows of which the antitypes and substance are to be found in the New Testament. We, however, are under the New Covenant or Testament, and that is our focal reference point. From the New Testament we explore the Old Testament for details revealed in the types and shadows to be found there.
The practice of attempting to make the Old Testament our primary focal and reference point leads us back to bondage under the Mosaic Law. This is totally contrary to the purpose and teachings of Jesus and actually creates “another gospel” of which Paul the apostle spoke:
2 Corinthians 11:3-4:
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
Galatians 1:6-9:
6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
There are many aberrant teachings today that are “corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” Instead, they substitute “another Jesus,” “another spirit” and “another gospel.”
Paul warned us about those who “would pervert the gospel of Christ.” He said that even if an angel from heaven preached any other gospel different than that which is preached in the New Testament that they were double cursed (Galatians 1:8,9).
The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary on Galatians 1:8:
8. But—however weighty they may seem “who trouble you.” Translate as Greek, “Even though we,” namely, I and the brethren with me, weighty and many as we are (Ga 1:1, 2). The Greek implies a case supposed which never has occurred.
angel—in which light ye at first received me (compare Ga 4:14; 1Co 13:1), and whose authority is the highest possible next to that of God and Christ. A new revelation, even though seemingly accredited by miracles, is not to be received if it contradict the already existing revelation. For God cannot contradict Himself (De 13:1-3; 1Ki 13:18; Mt 24:24; 2Th 2:9). The Judaizing teachers sheltered themselves under the names of the great apostles, James, John, and Peter: “Do not bring these names up to me, for even if an angel,” &c. Not that he means, the apostles really supported the Judaizers: but he wishes to show, when the truth is in question, respect of persons is inadmissible [CHRYSOSTOM].
preach—that is, “should preach.”
any other gospel than—The Greek expresses not so much “any other gospel different from what we have preached,” as, “any gospel BESIDE that which we preached.” This distinctly opposes the traditions of the Church of Rome, which are at once besides and against (the Greek includes both ideas) the written Word, our only “attested rule.”
The word “accursed” in Galatians 1:8,9 in the Greek is anathema. Paul uses the same word in 1 Corinthians 16:22:
22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
It’s fair to say that preaching another gospel is expressing the fact that Jesus is not loved by those who do so. The ultimate end of not loving Jesus and obeying the gospel as taught in the New Testament is the lake of fire.
The Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary makes some astute observations: “A new revelation, even though seemingly accredited by miracles, is not to be received if it contradict the already existing revelation. For God cannot contradict Himself (De 13:1-3; 1Ki 13:18; Mt 24:24; 2Th 2:9).”
What a simple, simple, simple rule! Why don’t we use this standard?
“This distinctly opposes the traditions” ... “which are at once besides and against (the Greek includes both ideas) the written Word, our only “attested rule.””
The traditions being taught today are also “besides and against ... the written Word, our only “attested rule.”
“... when the truth is in question, respect of persons is inadmissible ...”
What a reflection of the carnival atmosphere of today’s institutional church! We have “new revelations” which for the most part are purely subjective backed up with isolated scriptures taken out of context. Some attempt to make their “new revelations” “seemingly accredited by miracles” most of which really strain credibility if not the truth itself. These “new revelations” are “besides and against ... the written Word, our only “attested rule.” “To top it all off, we exercise a supposed “respect of persons” simply because they promote and advertise themselves as “some great one!”
Acts 8:9-11:
9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:
10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.
The institutional church is also “bewitched ... with sorceries.”
Those who teach “another gospel”’ and those who receive it, “bewitched with sorceries” are destined to spend eternity in the lake of fire. If we will but learn and apply the teachings of the New Testament and accept its scriptural authority this eternal fate can be avoided. The choice is fully and squarely up to you.
The Tabernacle Of David
Nathan the prophet told David of God’s plans for Solomon to build His temple (2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17). Solomon received the Word of the Lord (1 Kings 6:11-14), and subsequently dedicated the temple (1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 5-7).
David appointed Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord in the tent he had prepared for it (2 Samuel 6:17; 1 Chronicles 15:1; 16:1,4-7,37). These ministers continued their work in Solomons temple when it was completed and the ark transferred into it (1 Chronicles 6:31,32; 1 Kings 8:1-6; 2 Chronicles 5:1,5). In 1 Chronicles 22-29 multiplied thousands of Levites were deployed by David to do and oversee the work of the service of the house of the Lord. There were officers and judges, gatekeepers, praise musicians and priests. Levites were also placed in charge of the temple treasuries.
In addition, other Israelites were placed over the king’s army. This consisted of 12 units of 24,000 men (1 Chronicles 27:1-15), and there were leaders appointed over the tribes of Israel (verse 16). Another leader was appointed to be in charge of the king’s treasuries, and another over the storehouses in the fields, cities, villages and castles (verse 25). There were those who tilled the soil (verse 26), were in charge over the vineyards, over the produce of the vineyards and the wine cellars (verse 27). Others were in charge over the olive and sycamore trees, the stores of oil (verse 28), the cattle in the plains, and the cattle in the valleys (verse 29). Others were also over the camels, the donkeys (verse 30) and the flocks (verse 31).
All these were the rulers (having and exercising dominion) of the substance which was King David’s (verse 31). There was also a counselor and a tutor to the king’s sons (verse 32) a counselor and companion to the king, and a general for the king’s army (verses 33,34).
Every one of these rulers offered willingly to consecrate his service unto the Lord, by giving of their substance (1 Chronicles 29:6-9).
A Literal Application
God will “raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen” (Amos 9:11) (see also Isaiah 9:6,7; Zechariah 12:7,8; Luke 1:30-33). David was anointed by God as (1) a shepherd (1 Samuel 17:34-36), (2) a musician (1 Samuel 16:14-23), (3) a poet (the Psalms of David), (4) a general (2 Samuel 8,10), (5) a king (1 Samuel 16:12,13; 2 Samuel 5:1-5), (6) a prophet (Acts 2:29-31, e.g., prophetical references to the Messiah made in the Psalms: 16:10; 22; 27:12; 34:20; 35:19; 38:13,14; 41:9; 68:18; 69:4,21; 109:3-5; 110:1,4), and (7) a politician (2 Samuel 1-10; 1 Chronicles 11-29).
This passage of scripture has application to the literal Israel. It has been presented as an antitype of kingly order and applied to the institutional church. As such it would incorporate the shepherd, music, poetry, generalship, prophetical and political abilities of King David among God’s people with scriptural precedents for order.
The question arises: can this scripture in Amos be applied literally to the institutional church today?
In Acts 2-7, we see the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the believers at Pentecost and the foundations of the tabernacle of David being put into place. Powerful anointing, preaching and fellowship were accompanied by common possessions, healings, prayers and authority structure. With the coming of persecution in Acts 8:1, all were scattered throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles. As the church spread and grew, the conversion of Paul to evangelize the Gentiles stimulated the growth of the body of Christ. All of the epistles, especially Paul’s, have helped the church to continue to build the antitypical tabernacle of David.
If the institutional church returns to foundational principles and building materials of the tabernacle of David, and rejects secular influences, it would grow according to scriptural patterns. However, this is not the case today.
As mentioned, the institutional church preaches another Jesus, another spirit and another gospel based upon fantasy-based “new revelations” which violate clear scriptural guidelines.
Because of this today’s institutional church is “anathema,” i.e., cursed, and displays a distinct lack of love for Jesus as Creator, Saviour, Lord, Master, Redeemer and Teacher.
Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary discusses Amos 11-15:
11. In that day—quoted by James (Ac 15:16, 17), “After this,” that is, in the dispensation of Messiah (Ge 49:10; Ho 3:4, 5; Joe 2:28; 3:1).
tabernacle of David—not “the house of David,” which is used of his affairs when prospering (2Sa 3:1), but the tent or booth, expressing the low condition to which his kingdom and family had fallen in Amos’ time, and subsequently at the Babylonian captivity before the restoration; and secondarily, in the last days preceding Israel’s restoration under Messiah, the antitype to David (Ps 102:13, 14; Jer 30:9; Eze 34:24; 37:24; see on Isa 12:1). The type is taken from architecture (Eph 2:20). The restoration under Zerubbabel can only be a partial, temporary fulfilment; for it did not include Israel, which nation is the main subject of Amos’ prophecies, but only Judah; also Zerubbabel’s kingdom was not independent and settled; also all the prophets end their prophecies with Messiah, whose advent is the cure of all previous disorders. “Tabernacle” is appropriate to Him, as His human nature is the tabernacle which He assumed in becoming Immanuel, “God with us” (Joh 1:14). “Dwelt,” literally, tabernacled “among us” (compare Re 21:3). Some understand “the tabernacle of David” as that which David pitched for the ark in Zion, after bringing it from Obed-edom’s house. It remained there all his reign for thirty years, till the temple of Solomon was built, whereas the “tabernacle of the congregation” remained at Gibeon (2Ch 1:3), where the priests ministered in sacrifices (1Ch 16:39). Song and praise was the service of David’s attendants before the ark (Asaph, &c.): a type of the gospel separation between the sacrificial service (Messiah’s priesthood now in heaven) and the access of believers on earth to the presence of God, apart from the former (compare 2Sa 6:12-17; 1Ch 16:37-39; 2Ch 1:3).
breaches thereof—literally, “of them,” that is, of the whole nation, Israel as well as Judah.
as in days of old—as it was formerly in the days of David and Solomon, when the kingdom was in its full extent and undivided.
12. That they may possess remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen—“Edom,” the bitter foe, though the brother, of Israel; therefore to be punished (Am 1:11, 12), Israel shall be lord of the “remnant” of Edom left after the punishment of the latter. James quotes it, “That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles,” &c. For “all the heathen” nations stand on the same footing as Edom: Edom is the representative of them all. The residue or remnant in both cases expresses those left after great antecedent calamities (Ro 9:27; Zec 14:16). Here the conversion of “all nations” (of which the earnest was given in James’s time) is represented as only to be realized on the re-establishment of the theocracy under Messiah, the Heir of the throne of David (Am 9:11). The possession of the heathen nations by Israel is to be spiritual, the latter being the ministers to the former for their conversion to Messiah, King of the Jews; just as the first conversions of pagans were through the ministry of the apostles, who were Jews. Compare Isa 54:3, “thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles” (compare Isa 49:8; Ro 4:13). A remnant of Edom became Jews under John Hyrcanus, and the rest amalgamated with the Arabians, who became Christians subsequently.
which are called by my name—that is, who belong to Me, whom I claim as Mine (Ps 2:8); in the purposes of electing grace, God terms them already called by His name. Compare the title, “the children,” applied by anticipation, Heb 2:14. Hence as an act of sovereign grace, fulfilling His promise, it is spoken of God. Proclaim His title as sovereign, “the Lord that doeth this” (“all these things,” Ac 15:17, namely, all these and such like acts of sovereign love).
13. the days come—at the future restoration of the Jews to their own land.
ploughman shall overtake reaper treader of grapes him that soweth—fulfilling Le 26:5. Such shall be the abundance that the harvest and vintage can hardly be gathered before the time for preparing for the next crop shall come. Instead of the greater part of the year being spent in war, the whole shall be spent in sowing and reaping the fruits of earth. Compare Isa 65:21-23, as to the same period.
soweth seed—literally, “draweth it forth,” namely, from the sack in order to sow it.
mountains drop sweet wine—an appropriate image, as the vines in Palestine were trained on terraces at the sides of the hills.
14. build the waste cities— (Isa 61:4; Eze 36:33-36).
15. plant them no more be pulled up— (Jer 32:41).
thy God—Israel’s; this is the ground of their restoration, God’s original choice of them as His.
While it may be commendable that the institutional church wants to apply this passage of scripture as a promise to the institutional church, it can’t be done by the will of men today. As described in Amos this application to Israel will be by the power, will and sovereignty of God Himself. How futile for mankind to attempt to make this prophecy fit their apostasy in today’s institutional church! The overcoming remnant body of Christ, those who will become the bride of Christ will see the “spirit” of this prophecy occur among themselves as they continue in obedience to the rules of the kingdom of God and His Christ, as given to them in the word of God, the Holy Bible. The “wannabees” will simply institute some type of fleshly application that meets the parameters of human wisdom, which according to James is earthly, sensual and demonic.
Chapter Seven—Authority and Responsibility of Leadership
God’s authority, our servanthood, responsibility and human authority and faith are discussed.
God’s Authority
God is the supreme authority. “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God” (Romans 13:1). Under the worst of circumstances Jesus verified that fact. “Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin” (John 19:10-11).
Our Servanthood
Jesus taught that our authority is exercised through our servanthood. He has appointed us as co-workers in exercising His authority. “And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth. Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Luke 22:24-30).
The Gift Of Service
God, in His sovereign wisdom, creates circumstances favorable for us to serve Him. Exodus, chapters three and four record events in the life of Moses when God called, chose and separated him as the deliverer of Israel. Our response to the call of God is, in many ways, no different than that of Moses. Moses spent 40 years tending sheep on the backside of the desert. “... Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian ...” In Exodus chapter 2 Moses married Zipporah, Jethro’s daughter. She bare him a son (and later another son). God spoke to Moses, then 80 years old, out of a burning bush. Moses had problems with readiness and receptivity but he did what God called him to do.
The Humble Receive Grace
We know that God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6). “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).
Power Of Leaders
We know that Jesus has all power in heaven and earth: “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matthew 28:18).
God has given authority to leaders to build His ekklesia, i.e., the individual saints, but not to tear them down (2 Corinthians 10:8; 13:10).
Leaders Are Examples
We know God doesn’t choose the wise, powerful and persuasive. He chooses the foolish and weak. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29; 2:3,4; 2 Corinthians 12:9). Leaders are to be an example, not a dictator. “The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock” (1 Peter 5:1-3).
The very popular and misused “Obey them which have the rule over you,” is a deliberate mistranslation by the King James translators in order to preserve the then established religious hierarchy put in place by authoritarian control freaks. The whole idea of Hebrews 13 is to “allow yourselves to be persuaded by the lifestyle of those who stand before you,” which is what it really says and means in the original language. The author of Hebrews is speaking of elders/shepherds/pastors/overseers/bishops, all of which are one and the same and recognized as such by the majority of those who assemble themselves together. That is to say that those who perform those functions are not self-appointed. They are recognized as elders and shepherds of the flock, et al, because of their maturity in Christ, not because they say they are elders and shepherds and pastors and overseers and bishops. That is nothing more than pure ego attempting to aggressively assert itself as an authoritarian leader where the Bible clearly says the opposite. Obviously, if their lifestyle is not the salt and light spoken of by Jesus, then use your common sense and don’t follow their example!
Leaders Are Responsible
We know that leaders have a responsibility. They are responsible to you and to God. “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise” (John 5:19). (Paul speaking) “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). “My brethren, be not many masters,” (teachers) “knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation” (James 3:1).
The greatest responsibility of those who are recognized leaders in the body of Christ is to be a true and faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, learning of Him, following Him, supporting Him and imitating Him. That includes His servanthood. When these people go astray they cease to listen to the Father and cease doing only what He says to do, and what He says to say and where He says to go. Instead, you will begin to see the plans of man being put into place. Those plans invariably mean building their own personal kingdom, using the excuse that “God told me ...” this, that or the other lie which is stated as their reason for finding ways to build their kingdom and get your money to do so.
Human Leaders Fallible
We have an additional responsibility to search out for ourselves the truth of teachings we have heard. “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). We also need to search the scriptures for testimony of Jesus and learning, that we might have hope. “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me” (John 5:39). “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).
Subjective Experiences
Many times leaders (and others) have powerful subjective experiences. These experiences are sometimes considered a Holy Spirit revelation. They are subsequently taught, accepted and practiced. This is a very delicate subject and charged with emotional overtones. However, we must recognize human fallibility. A subjective experience may be powerful, emotional and overwhelming. Many times it can be life changing. The problem is not in the experience, but in the fact that it cannot be verified. A Holy Spirit revelation is still subject to human understanding. It is sometimes difficult to correctly assess and interpret a revelation. Error can result and be further compounded by an attempted application. Great care must be exercised by searching the scriptures for supporting testimony. Without such evidence it is best to err on the side of conservatism. When the Bible speaks it may be a clear statement, a metaphor, poetry, prophetic utterance, a parable, etc. Every attempt should be made to seek the true meaning of a passage of scripture. If scriptural statements on any given subject are absent, we must accept that. When the Bible speaks on a subject, we may quote it and speak. When the Bible is silent on a subject, we should also be silent.
The Gift Of Responsibility
We all have many responsibilities. Some of these are more along the line of commands or ordinances. Some of these are to love God, love one another, water baptism, communion and prayer. There are many more activities that could be added to the list. These activities and the ones following may not be thought of as gifts. In a very real sense, everything our Creator has given us is a gift from Him. And we are responsible to Him for the proper usage of those gifts. Our alternative is, of course, to reject them. Many people have done this. Upon acceptance of Jesus as Saviour and Lord of our lives, however, we continue to display our love for Him by proper use of His gifts. Responsibility is to be no less regarded.
Scripture makes it clear we are responsible for seeking God.
God created us from one man, and has scattered all the nations throughout the earth. He determined where they would settle. His purpose in this is that all men should seek Him with all their heart and soul. God Has commanded men everywhere to repent. He has specifically commanded Israel to seek Him. God has promised that Israel will find Him. He has set a date on which He will judge the world. Then the world will be judged righteously by Jesus Christ (Deuteronomy 4:27-31; Acts 17:26-31; Jeremiah 29:13,14).
We are to seek the Lord, and His strength (Psalms 105:4). We are to seek Him while He’s near and we can find Him (Isaiah 55:6). We are to break up the fallow ground of our hard hearts, plant seeds of righteousness and reap love. As we seek the Lord, he will rain righteousness upon us (Hosea 10:12). The humble, those who obey His commands, are called to seek God, and His righteousness. They are to continue to seek humility. Then they will be hid in the day of God’s anger (Zephaniah 2:3).
Jesus summed up our responsibility to seek God: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).
We are responsible for embracing the truth.
The truth of God is in the conscience of man and displayed throughout nature. Those who reject the truth of God are subject to His wrath. Because of this, their heart is darkened (Romans 1:18-32) This causes a perverse desire for sensual satisfaction. The minds of these people become reprobate (literally, not approved, rejected). Among other things they become disobedient to parents. “Disobedient” means unwilling to be persuaded, obstinate rejection. These people reject all logic, even from their own parents. This shows a dependency upon their own logic, developing into self-sufficiency. They know they are worthy of death.
Christ destroyed him that had the power of death and removed the things that precede death. These who reject Christ embrace him that had the power of death. They enthrone the devil as lord over their lives. In so doing they make active all the conditions that precede death.
When a person has knowledge of Christ they accept or reject Him. (Postponement, procrastination and indecision are all a decision against Christ). Upon acceptance of Christ, we attempt to wean ourselves from self-to God-dependency. That includes not over-satisfying our sensual appetites. We have our problems, but we have the Holy Spirit to help us. We focus on Christ, and depend upon His supernatural strengthening (through His Holy Spirit).
We are responsible for accepting Christ’s provisions.
In Ephesians 1:3-10 we are to be holy and blameless in God’s presence. We are to reflect to the world the love that God has extended to us. Jesus has given us every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm. We have been redeemed by His blood and our sins have been forgiven (Colossians 1:14). He has enriched us with His grace. In the fullness of time He will gather us together and we will be with Him forever (Romans 8:29,30).
It’s our responsibility to know the Lord.
God’s laws are in our minds (consciences) and written in our hearts. We are to continue in our study of God’s written word. We are to etch His Word deeper into our beings.
We are responsible for studying the New Testament.
“But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:11-15).
Christ shed His Own blood and obtained eternal redemption for us. Our conscience is purged from dead works so that we may serve the living God. Christ is the mediator of the New Testament. He died for the sins we had committed.
We are responsible for recognizing God’s wisdom expressed in Christ
Christ is our wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:24), righteousness (Philippians 3:9), sanctification (Ephesians 5:26) and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:18-31).
We are responsible for rejoicing.
We are to rejoice in our hope (Romans 12:12), in the Lord (Philippians 3:1; 4:4) and forevermore (1 Thessalonians 5:16). And as partakers of Christ’s sufferings (1 Peter 4:13).
We are responsible for abiding in Christ.
In John 15, verses four through 16, in the King James Version, you’ll find the word “abide” nine times, “remain” twice, and “continue” once. It’s the same word in the original, meno. It means to remain, continue, dwell or stay. The text makes it clear that if you want the promises, power and purity of Jesus, you must remain, continue and stay with Jesus. He must dwell in you. Twelve times in thirteen verses Jesus uses meno.
We are responsible for following Christ.
“And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:38) (See also Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23).
“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).
The word “followeth”is akoloutheo, to be in the same way with, i.e., to accompany, one going in the same way, expressing union and likeness. “It is used 77 times in the Gospels, of following Christ.” — Vines Expository Dictionary.
“For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (Hebrews 6:4-6).
We are responsible for doing the will of God.
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven”(Matthew 7:21).
“And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever” (1 John 2:17).
“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure” (will) “they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11).
We are responsible for preparing for the return of Christ.
“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh” (Matthew 24:44).
“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
“And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28).
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:9-13).
We are responsible for confessing our sins.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:8-10).
We are responsible for not sinning willfully.
“For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:26-29).
“For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire” (2 Peter 2:20-22).
We are responsible for recognizing the times.
“Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-10).
We are responsible for recognizing the anti-Christs.
“Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also” (1 John 2:18-23).
We are responsible for warning the wicked.
“And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul. Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand” (Ezekiel 3:16-20).
“Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (2 Timothy 4:2-4).
Authority And Faith
“For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it” (Luke 7:8). “Set” tasso, means to place in regular order and arrangement, and signifies to appoint. “Under” hupo, here, is used in the sense of place. “Authority” exousia, means privilege, i.e., a right to exercise power based on demonstrated ability. The centurion indicated to Jesus that he was properly placed and appointed in regular order under authority. He had demonstrated his ability to be given authority over others.
“When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel” (Luke 7:9).
Jesus was a Man under authority Who stated that He did nothing of Himself. He sought the will of the Father, and did what He saw the Father do and taught Him to speak. He always did those things that pleased the Father (John 5:19,30; 8:28,29; 12:49,50; Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Acts 3:22-26). Because Jesus was a Man under authority and spoke the Words of the Father, the Father did the works (John 14:10).
Jesus, in the flesh of His humanity, was our example of total dependency upon God the Father, honoring Him as the only true God. His constant reference to Himself as “Son of man” sharply contrasted His humanity with His deity as God. Since Jesus Christ, sinless God incarnate, demonstrated dependency upon God the Father in His human form, should not we, as sinful redeemed humans in the bodies of our flesh, follow His example in thought, word and deed?
“Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit” (Jeremiah 17:5-8).
The Gift Of Authority
Jesus abolished death and brought life and immortality. He destroyed him that had the power of death. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. (Refer to 2 Timothy 1:10; Hebrews 2:14; 1 Corinthians 15:26). In these three verses the word “abolished” and the words “destroy and “destroyed” is the same word in the original. It means literally, to reduce to inactivity. The devil has been, and death will be, reduced to an inactive status in our lives. (In 1 John 3:8 the word “destroy” means to undo, loosen or dissolve). Jesus has reduced to inactivity and undone the devils power of death (Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8). He has also made inactive and undone the conditions which always precede, or cause, death. Conditions that destroy life. He has done this by forgiving our sins and by healing our bodies.
When Jesus removes those conditions that destroy life and cause death (sin), he removes them in their entirety (by healing) ... as a whole unit.
We still have the terminal illness of sin in our bodies because of Adam’s sin. That corruption and imperfection will, ultimately, affect our bodies by death. (Unless we’re raptured first). However, God, in His sovereign power, can rebuke sin and sickness in our bodies. And He has delegated authority to His church to do the same.
When Jesus told the paralytic in Mark 2:5 “... Son, thy sins be forgiven thee” that settled the matter. All the conditions had been removed. That included sickness, disease and infirmity. Then, He had to stop his ministry to the man and deal with the religious leaders and teachers of the law. He picked up their doubt and unbelief in His Spirit. He asked them: which is easier to say, your sins be forgiven, or to say, arise and walk?
He had forgiven the man. Then He said “But that ye may know ...” “Know,” here, suggests a fullness of knowledge based on seeing and observing. Jesus was telling the man “...(he saith to the sick of the palsy,)” and letting the unbelievers hear Him. What was He going to let them know? “... that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins ...” He was saying to them: ‘I’m going to show you the manifestation in this man’s physical body of the results of the forgiveness of his sins. It includes everything else which destroys life and causes death.’
Pardoned According To Thy Word
(Moses speaking) “Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now. And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word” (Numbers 14:19,20).
“Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job” (Job 42:8).
“If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it” (1 John 5:16).
“Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (James 5:14,15).
There is a recurring theme here. Variations of “I have pardoned according to thy word.”
James sums it up: “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” (James 5:19,20).
Sin And Healing
Another theme relating sin and healing is found in Numbers chapter 12. Miriam and Aaron challenged Moses’ authority. In verse nine the anger of the Lord was kindled against them. In verse 10 Miriam became leprous. In verses 11 and 12 Aaron interceded for Miriam and himself. He said to Moses “... Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned. Let her not be as one dead, of whom the flesh is half consumed when he cometh out of his mother’s womb.”
“And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee” (Numbers 13:13). In verse 14 God healed her although she was shut out from the camp seven days.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal” (rapha) “their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).
In 2 Chronicles 30:18-20 a multitude of the people had not cleansed themselves for the passover. They ate of the passover otherwise that it was written. But Hezekiah prayed for them and asked God’s pardon. He asked pardon for every one that had prepared his heart to seek God. Those that were not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. “And the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed” (rapha) “the people” (2 Chronicles 30:20).
“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed” (rapha) (Isaiah 53:5).
“Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).
The Power Of Love
A powerful scripture demonstrating the power of love in forgiving is in Luke. “Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, They faith hath saved thee; go in peace” (Luke 7:47-50).
With little love there is little forgiveness. With much love there is forgiveness of many sins.
Man’s Authority
We have authority to say “rise up and walk” or any other healing command in Jesus’ name. When we do, we are removing conditions which destroy life. They are pardoned according to our word. We bring life and immortality to light through the gospel. This abolishes by rendering death inactive.
Jesus said “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19). (Also Matthew 18:18). The original language indicates that what we bind or loose is already bound or loosed in heaven. There is some argument about these scriptures. Binding and loosing are rabbinical terms indicating permitting and forbidding. This view of these scriptures fits well with the theme of “pardoned according to thy word.” In the larger sense, our binding and loosing must line up with the Word of God. (No matter how you interpret binding and loosing).
After His resurrection Jesus said “Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained” (John 20:23). All we have to do is say nothing, and mens sins and sickness are retained. Without preaching, evangelism, and prayer there is no remittance of sins and healing of bodies. With teaching, preaching, healing and salvation there is remittance of sins. God does the forgiving and the healing. They are “pardoned according to thy word.”
We use the authority and power of the name and person of Jesus Christ to give sinners access into the kingdom of God. It’s up to their free will to determine whether to step across that threshold into the throne room of God’s grace.
Human experience, God’s provisions, and our dependency and weaknesses emphasize or need for a strong foundation, experiential faith, training and God’s spiritual gifts.
Human Experience
From the very beginning of mankind God has given us dominion. Implicit in this are the exercise of authority and power to accomplish His commission. The first Adam did not obey God and by the principle of replication we have inherited his corruption and imperfection. We lost our dominion to satan, who became the god of this world. The second Adam proved His spiritual headship and was explicitly obedient to God, even unto death. By our acceptance of Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord of our lives, we have, by the principle of replication, inherited His perfection. We, therefore, have regained our dominion. Everything is perfectly legal and binding, positionally. However, we find experientially that we are not operating in power and authority as Jesus did. There are many opinions on why this is so. There is no one, single, simple answer. We stated in the beginning of this book: “When we fail to do what is required God may make the accompanying delegated authority inoperative or ineffective. He may do this by means of an opposite force (satan), influence (Holy Spirit power) or effect (effects of the fall, i.e., imperfection and corruption, e.g., sickness, aging and dying).”
God’s Provisions
Scripture always best explains scripture. What we think, say and do affects us in the spiritual realm much more powerfully than we realize. Our human passion, prejudice and perspective are our worst enemies. Our inability to dialogue with the Master Architect of our temple greatly affects our understanding of the teachings He conveys to us.
God has given us His Word, His Son and His Holy Spirit. He has explicitly spelled out His architectural design in His Word. He sent His Son to summarize that plan and demonstrate to us, personally, how it works. Jesus gave us leadership gifts, and the Holy Spirit gave us functional and service gifts. Failure in communication is not by the Originator. He is perfect. Failure to properly understand Divine instructions is on our part. This communication breakdown stems from our choosing to ignore the supernatural. Instead, we want to rely upon our physical senses.
Our Dependency
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:16). The lust of the flesh is our desire to cater to our sensual appetites. Lust of the eyes is our unbridled imagination desiring the latest and greatest of worldly stuff. The pride of life is dependence upon one’s own ability, human facility and earthly stability. The pride of life — depending upon yourself, others and the stability of earthly things — is usually recognized, eventually. When properly repented of, forgiveness is granted. However, wisdom is many times not properly exercised. We find ourselves repeatedly falling prey to the pride of life. If we retrace our steps, we’ll find we are following a progression. First comes our desire to satisfy our sensual appetites (lust of the flesh). This may not necessarily be sinful, but it is more than our natural desires. Then our imagination begins to desire the new (new to the market and/or new to us) options available to us in our lives (lust of the eyes). These two steps always precede the trap into the pride of life. At this point we cease to depend upon God and attempt to elevate ourselves to His ruling position in our lives.
When we find ourselves in the trap of the pride of life we must stop. Stop and analyze, and pray and repent. If you continue doing what you’ve been doing you’ll wind up in the same place. We must control our sensual appetites and our imagination. We must feed our soul and spirit the Word of God.
A Deadly Sin
One of the deadliest spinoffs from this pride of life is lack of understanding of proper spiritual headship. This is particularly true in the lives of those who are being restored. They had originally failed to understand true spiritual headship. They are well intentioned and love Jesus. But they are still depending upon themselves, others and the stability of earthly things. They are still ruled by their sensual desires, and unbridled imaginations. Submission to discipleship of Jesus Christ for them is almost impossible. After all, didn’t they have a great (or small) ministry? Didn’t they teach, train and influence others? What do you mean, be a servant? But what are they trying to replicate in others by their example? Do they really want others to think, speak and act as they do? That takes them down the same road. They will then be subject to abnormal sensual appetites, imagination and dependence upon self and earthly things.
A proper understanding of the spiritual headship principles will lead you in another direction. You will sacrifice for equality, surrender for unity and become a servant to anoint others. Anointing others means equipping, enabling and empowering for a specific task. You have a task, a job to do, a commission to fulfill. That is to become a disciple of Christ. Then you are to replicate yourself in others. Use your natural abilities, learned skills and supernatural gifts God has given you.
Foundation Needed
God has given us a firm foundation upon which to build. This requires study of His Word. We must have a proper understanding of the Bible. This gives us insight into the spiritual principles necessary to be a true disciple of Christ. A thorough understanding of the teachings of Jesus is mandatory.
One of Jesus’ most comprehensive teachings is The Sermon On The Mount (Matthew chapters 5-7). In this teaching Jesus stressed the importance of recognizing and overcoming our impoverished spiritual state. He demonstrated His servanthood and obedience to God the Father — obedience unto death. We discover God’s provisions to help us for our unforgiveness, hatred and spiritual apathy. He explained that the provisions of the law make us responsible for our thoughts and words as well as our actions.
Marriage, adultery, divorce and the value of the family and ministry are illuminated. Our inherent rebellion in attempting to manipulate God is exposed. Moses’ law is contrasted with the Master’s love. Our spiritual maturity is measured against the love and mercy we show toward our enemies.
We are admonished to check our motives for our good deeds, prayer and fasting. We are urged to sow our earthly treasures to reap spiritual benefits. Our priority is seeking God’s kingdom and His righteousness. We are warned that our judgment and forgiveness are pre- determined by ourselves. We are to be persistent in asking, seeking and knocking in petitioning God for our needs. This will build our experiential faith.
The permanency of God’s corporate and individual gifts is explained. We are urged to be violent in our opposition to hypocritical traditions of men. Scripture explains scripture in recognizing the fruit of false and true prophets. Stress is shown to reveal those who obey the teachings of Jesus and those who do not.
Faith Comes Experientially
There is no such thing as “instant faith.” All faith builds upon experience. Our faith is reinforced by the positive experiences we go through. We may feel some experiences are negative. As time goes on, however, we will begin to see the wisdom of God. We will come to trust God to bring us out of our trials, turmoil and temptations. We will begin to have faith in God to do that which is necessary to mold us into the image of His Son. God is not afraid to be misunderstood by you, or anyone else. He uses His supernatural wisdom to make you as much like Jesus as you will allow Him to.
Training Needed
One reason the ekklesia’s of God don’t have dominion is because the body of Christ, especially both husbands and wives, fail to recognize true spiritual headship. This requires study, training, discipleship and experience. It should be clear by now that God doesn’t raise up leaders. He raises up servants for spiritual headship and for teaching the universal ekklesia’s.
Spiritual Gifts
Another reason the church doesn’t have dominion is lack of understanding and utilization of the spiritual gifts. Without them, we are operating in the natural realm. Man will never function at his full capacity without learning to rely upon God’s gifts. There are many organizations throughout the world teaching the saints how to operate in the gifts. However, without the proper foundations this is an exercise in futility. God is love and without the love of Christ you will be a big noise. Without discipline, training, discipleship, and responsibility the results will be unsatisfactory. We must accept the Word of God as truth. We must follow the master plan of the Architect.
Essential Gifts
The giving nature of God and His essential gifts to us are another area we seem to have neglected. Little or no emphasis is placed on understanding how He has surrounded our environment with everything we need. And the absolute necessity of our proper response to God in order to appropriate everything He has given us. Our conscious, deliberate choices are our responsibility. Failure to make choices is as much a deliberate act as is a conscious choice.
The Gift Of Overcoming
The birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus tell us many things. The Old Testament prophets and the Psalms foretold us of His comings. He spoke of His sufferings, His rejection, His death, His resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father. He spoke of these things to His disciples, who did not understand Him.
In much the same way, His life speaks to us today. As His disciples, we also do not understand Him. His teachings prepare us for many things. One of the most important lessons we must learn appears to have been ignored.
God is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent as One in essence, manifesting as Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and He is righteous. That is to say that He is invincible, all-wise, everywhere simultaneously while retaining His essence as One, and totally good.
Yet He came to earth as a human being and suffered as we do. He laid aside His deity to suffer on our behalf. To suffer human suffering. Yet He says “... even as I also overcame ...” And He holds out glorious promises to those of us who also overcome. Who overcome as He and the brethren of Revelation 12:11 overcame.
God, Who is perfect, created mankind perfectly. Because of our free will, we rebelled against God and have become imperfected and corrupt. God in His love has made every provision to make us perfect again. All of the teaching, preaching and healing associated with the ministry of Jesus show us the way to be perfect.
His life also further demonstrates the plan of God to perfect us.
Jesus had to give up His omnipotency when God sent Him. No longer all-powerful and invincible, He was prey to all the imperfection and corruption being devised in the human hearts all around Him. He became capable of being conquered, of losing the victory, of being overcome. He was unprotected and helpless. As an infant, Herod attempted to kill Him. As an adult, His death was sought by the religious establishment. As our risen Saviour, He is the target of many in the world who would assassinate Him.
No longer omniscient, i.e., all-knowing, Jesus had to depend upon human teachers as a human being. A more than capable student, Luke, chapter 2 records that the teachers of the law were astonished at His understanding and answers at His then age 12.
Jesus recognized Who He was, part of the essence of One, manifesting as the Son of God. He knew He and the Father were One. If you had seen Him, you had seen the Father.
Jesus was well aware of His sinless life, and His righteousness, even while He was a human being.
God’s love, grace, mercy, wisdom, judgment and justice are perfect. God sent Jesus into the midst of imperfection and corruption to bring us perfection and incorruption. He showed us the way to overcome. The brethren of Revelation 12:10 overcame. We can overcome.
God is omniscient, all knowing. Within that knowledge are values, meaning, purpose and morality. We are not omniscient. Jesus was not omniscient as a human being. He had to depend upon human teachers, and the Holy Spirit of God. Jesus lived in a world with imperfect and corrupted values, meaning, purpose and morality. He showed us the way to overcome. The brethren of Revelation 12:10 overcame. We can overcome.
Jesus was righteous, totally good in a totally bad world. Jesus has told us our number one priority is to seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness.
How can we cling to righteousness and justice and fairness when everything around us is the opposite? Jesus showed us the way to overcome. The brethren of Revelation 12:10 overcame. We can overcome.
Who are we in this confused predatory society which makes no sense, which is so unfair? Jesus knew He and the Father were One. We are one with Jesus and the Father. Jesus prayed that it be so. He sent the Holy Spirit to live in us. He said He and the Father would make their abode with us. Who are we? We are sons of the living God. We will be one with the essence of God, when we are glorified.
Jesus, in His moments of feeling human frailty prayed that His Father’s will be done. He showed us the way to overcome. The brethren of Revelation 12:10 overcame. We can overcome.
We are now in the process of being sanctified, weaned from self-to God-dependency. We must live, as much as is humanly possible, the life of Jesus. We must think and speak the thoughts and words of Jesus. We must tenaciously deny our own opinions up to the very point of death, and not love our own thoughts, feelings and choices.
We are weak, fragile human beings. We have not yet attained the glorification of our bodies. We still see through a glass darkly. We still do not know as we are known. If we overcome, we will see clearly and know as we are known. Then we shall be the bride of Christ, part of Him. Then we will understand omnipotency.
Now we are capable of being conquered, of losing the victory, of being overcome. But we are no longer unprotected and helpless. We have Jesus and His Holy Spirit to help us overcome. The example of the life of Jesus on earth tells us to expect conflict. As saved human beings, washed by the blood of Jesus, we are to expect conflict.
The church of Jesus Christ, His ekklesia, is ill-prepared for conflict. Natural and man-made disasters, lying, cheating, theft, rape, robbery, violent crimes — they all take their toll on our human souls. They strip us of our possessions, self-worth, peace of mind and dignity. Alcohol, tranquilizers, drugs, promiscuity, divorce and irresponsibility are our answers.
We are traumatized, lose our drive and ambition, seek counseling and therapy for our shattered lives. Countless physical ailments have been traced to this lack of wholeness of the totality of our beings. What is the solution for this problem, especially in the church?
Our answer is in Christ, if we will but learn the answer He has taught us.
Don’t expect that you have power to overcome a wicked environment. You don’t. Don’t expect the world to respond logically and knowledgeably to your logic and knowledge. It won’t. Don’t expect immorality, unfairness and injustice to flee as you approach with righteousness. They won’t. Don’t expect that you are what you do, what you know, where you work and what your relationships and hobbies are. You’re not.
Jesus has taught us that we are not invincible to adversarial attacks and to expect them. He has taught us that in our limited logic and knowledge we should expect illogical and unknowledgeable approaches to solving human problems. He has taught us that our being righteous will be countered by immorality, unfairness and injustice.
Jesus has provided a defense for adversarial attacks by telling us to expect them. He has given us logic and knowledge to expect the illogical and unknowledgeable. He has given us righteousness that we may recognize and come against the expected immorality, unfairness and injustice in our lives.
Most important of all He has taught us who we are in Him. And who we are in relationship to the Godhead. He has taught us by His Words, and He has clearly taught us by His life, to expect these things.
We said previously that the opposite of faith is disappointment. Disappointment is accompanied by a sense of rejection, and vice-versa. Disappointment and rejection are ugly companions. You can’t host one without also entertaining the other. Guilt, which is assuming responsibility for the problem, intensifies those feelings.
There is a tremendous amount of rejection and disappointment in the body of Christ. It tears up the individual, their families, their witness, their ministries and the church. It tears up the very heart of God, Who warned us beforehand, and gave us Jesus to help us overcome.
We must maintain healthy family relationships. That especially includes brothers and sisters in Christ. It will provide you with rich resources for friendship, prayer and counseling.
“Is any among you afflicted?” (kakopatheo — suffering hardship) “let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. Is any sick” (astheneo — lacking strength, feeble) “among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer” (euche — prayer of petition) “of faith shall save the sick,” (kamno — those who are weary and tired) “and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults” (hamartia — sins) “one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent” (energeo — putting forth power — or it may also mean it’s powerful in working changes in the one praying) “prayer” (deesis — prayer of supplication for a need) “of a righteous man availeth” (ischuo — powerfully prevails) “much” (James 5:13-16).
The last sentence could possibly translated as: ‘The energetic prayer of a righteous man generates an abundance of power’. It’s important that you be righteous. It’s important that you have righteous friends and family. It’s important you pray energetically. It could mean the difference between life, and life more abundantly, or a death preceded by depression.
Every one of us has been and will continue to be affected by these adverse factors in our lives. You will have to redefine the parameters of your life. You must begin to expect from every circumstance, situation and environment these attacks upon yourself, family and friends. Attacks that would paralyze you, traumatize you, make you nothing but a bowl of quivering jello bowing before the gods of adversity. Forewarned, you will expect them.
After having endured these expected things, we are to remember Him.
“... this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19. See also 1 Corinthians 11:24,25).
Today, when we speak of the “church” we have a mental image of what we have known all of our lives, good, bad or indifferent. However, when Paul speaks of the “church” in the Bible, he is talking about a living organism composed of the true saints of God that functions as a family does, that met in homes to be the body of Christ. The home meetings of the local ekklesias were a group of Christian families, meeting together as a family. This is the setting within which the instructions of Paul the apostle are given to the ekklesia at Corinth.
The Lord’s Supper was instituted by Jesus as part of a meal to memorialize Him. He did this at a Passover meal with His disciples. Passover was a time of deliverance for the Israelites. In the same way, the Lord’s Supper is a time of deliverance for disciples of Jesus. Jesus has delivered us from the consequences of our sins by the shedding of His blood.
In following the pattern established for the Passover meal, the New Testament pattern is for the bread and wine to be eaten and drunk after an ordinary meal has been eaten by the saints in attendance at a biblical home meeting of the ekklesia.
This part of the meal has been isolated from the scriptural setting practiced by the New Testament ekklesias by the corrupted institutional church system. It has become known as “communion” or “the Eucharist.” Unfortunately, we human beings have taken a simple command from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, and turned it into a ritualistic practice devoid of the intent Jesus assigned to it.
The word “communion” in the Greek is koinonia, which encompasses in its meaning three different aspects—those of sharing, socializing and supporting.
The very meaning of the word should tell us that it involves a time of sharing with other like-minded saints. The setting of the Last Supper should tell us that that time of sharing should be while eating a meal together with other saints. While sharing that meal, we will be socializing with each other and we are also to support those in need. This is also made clear in Paul’s admonition to the Corinthians.
Because this time of communion [read: sharing, socializing and supporting] involves participation with other saints the idea of “taking communion” is invalid. Particularly when we religiously take our little thimble-full of grape juice and a piece of stale cracker all by ourselves for a warm fuzzie feeling thinking we are really closer to God because of it.
Jesus wants us to share and socialize and support those in need while eating a common meal with them, and during or after that time to take time to eat from a common loaf and a common source of wine (or grape juice).
At that point in our fellowship time with each other we are to remember the blood and body of Jesus Christ. Jesus’ blood was shed so that we would have forgiveness of our sins. It is also the blood of the covenant of the New Testament (Covenant). His body was given for us, i.e., every person who will ever live on this earth.
In this process of remembrance we are to recall to mind the greatness of the sacrifice of Jesus—and the greatness of our own personal sins—which is part of the symbology of the blood of Jesus as represented by the wine.
We are also to remember the body of Jesus—the totality of His Person—from all that we know from reading the Bible and learning of Him, i.e., His power, His presence, His passion and His purpose.
We are to remember that because of the shed blood of Jesus we have forgiveness of our sins. We are to remember that we are to be disciples of Jesus Christ, i.e., learners, followers, supporters and imitators of all that He thought, said and did. In this time of private remembrance we are to fellowship with our Creator, God, Redeemer, Lord and Saviour as we share with Him and socialize with Him and support Him as we give to the fatherless, widows, travelling strangers in the land and those who are publically recognized as having been called as spiritual Levites in the body of Christ. Selah ...
This is a time of special significance for the true disciple of Christ.
This is a very personal time of communion with the Lord, and with each other. The language the Apostle Paul uses in the 11th chapter of 1 Corinthians emphasizes this fact. Don’t eat or drink “unworthily” anaxios, here, meaning to treat the bread and wine as common and ignoring the symbolic importance. It’s implied the individual must decide their own understanding of their symbolic importance.
A man should examine himself. “Examine” is dokimazo, used of metals, it means to test, or scrutinize, to prove with an expectation of approving ... again a personal inventory. We are to judge, diakrino, to separate thoroughly or throughout, ourselves. Here it means to make a conscious decision of what the bread and wine represent. All speak of a personal estimate of one’s internal state.
We must understand the symbolic importance of this part of the Lord’s Supper and of the bread and the wine. We must make a conscious decision of what they represent.
If we don’t perform this personal assessment, the Apostle Paul says in verse 27, we shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. “Guilty” is enochos, “liable to.” It is used in the legal sense of being liable to the penalty for a misdeed. In this instance the misdeed would be a crime against the body and blood of the Lord.
When we eat and drink the bread and the wine without an understanding of their significance we eat and drink damnation to ourselves. “Damnation” is krima, a pronounced decision made based on opinions. Here it means the person passes a sentence, or verdict, upon himself.
If we don’t have an understanding of what we are doing we are guilty of a crime against the body and blood of the Lord. Without that understanding, we are passing a sentence upon ourselves.
Paul says because of this many are “weak” astheneo, feeble, lacking strength. And “sickly” arrhostos, weak, sickly. Others die, Paul says. This is a terrible penalty for not understanding what we are doing.
If we judge ourselves, verse 31, we won’t be “judged” krino, to form an opinion as a process leading to a decision.
If God judges us, because we haven’t judged ourselves, we are chastened of the Lord. “Chastened” paideuo, means to train or discipline children. It also has the meaning to chastise with blows or scourging (Luke 23:16,22). It appears to encompass training and discipline ranging from words to wounds.
The reason we are “chastened” by God, Paul says, is so that we should not be condemned with the world. “Condemned” katakrino is a stronger form of krino meaning judged against or to pass sentence on.
Paul also admonishes us in verse 33 that when we come together to eat the Lord’s supper we should tarry for one another. “Tarry” ekdechomai, means to await, expect. It suggests reaching out in readiness to receive from another.
In verse 34 we are told not to come together unto condemnation, krima, a pronounced decision made based on opinions. We are not to gather to have our attitude and actions judged as guilty for not knowing the purpose for which we are there.
We are to shew the Lord’s death until He comes (verse 26). “Shew” katangello, literally, to report down, means to proclaim or declare, frequently translated as “preach.” We are to proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. In proclaiming His death, we must start with His life. In proclaiming His life and death, we must start with the prophets who foretold of His life and death. We must include His purpose in coming and dying for us. These things are all to be considered while we examine ourselves.
Remember Christ. And remember His sufferings. Remember the sufferings of your fellow believers. Reach out in readiness and receive from one another. Remember your own sufferings. The trauma, shock, mental instability, stress, fear and physical diseases spawned by that which Jesus had already told us to expect.
As you eat the bread and drink the wine, symbolic of the body and the blood of Jesus, remember.
Remember these things. Be comforted by the knowledge that as you went through these horrible, awful, nightmare ordeals Jesus was with you. And now you are to remember them and remember that He went through the same things. And He overcame.
Remember that Jesus was punished in your place. Because of that, you are forgiven.
Remember that Jesus became a sin offering. Because of that, you are made righteous.
Remember that Jesus became a curse. You are blessed.
Jesus was beaten and whipped. You are healed.
Jesus died in your place. You have been given life eternal.
Jesus was rejected by man. Jesus was also rejected by God. He cried out on the cross “... My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” My God, the Father. My God the Holy Spirit. Because Jesus was rejected by man and God, you have been accepted in the Beloved. You will never know the pain of Jesus, because you will never be forsaken by God.
The unbearable trauma suffered by Jesus is documented by the prophets, the Psalms and in the New Testament. You have been given peace.
When Jesus was resurrected the third day, you were made a new creature.
Remember that Jesus suffered vicariously on your behalf. Everything that you have ever suffered, every time you suffered, Jesus was there.
Jesus is your hope of glory. He showed us the way to overcome. The brethren of Revelation 12:10 overcame. We can overcome.
The Tree Of Life
Another reason the church doesn’t have dominion is our insistence upon eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. We place more value upon our prideful judgments and opinions than we do God’s Word.
Marriage Restored
Genesis describes God’s matrimonial archetype, created in His likeness, male and female, to be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it and have dominion (Genesis 1:26-28). Created male and female, blessed of God, their name was Adam (Genesis 5:2). Adam changed the female’s name after the fall to Eve (Genesis 3:20). The substance for Eve was incorporated into Adam when God created him. God declared it was not good for Adam to be alone and made a help meet for him (Genesis 2:18). He took one of Adam’s ribs and made a woman from Adam’s bone and flesh (Genesis 2:21-23). Now male and female, they were innocent, with the power of love, creation and dominion.
In the third chapter of Genesis the man and woman failed to exercise their dominion. Their innocence was defiled, and they began to doubt God’s Word. Deceived, they succumbed to fleshly desire and disobeyed God. Genesis 3:7 reveals their eyes were opened and the first result of the fall was self-awareness. They knew they were naked, and no longer not ashamed (Genesis 2:25), they felt shame and embarrassment. Sitting in judgment of each other, pointing out each others nakedness, they sewed fig leaves together for aprons. This caused a separation between themselves because of their shame and by their knowledge of good and evil. They initiated separation of their relationship with God because of their fear and their new knowledge (Genesis 3:8-13). They suffered the effects of a curse (Genesis 3:14-19), and were sent away from the tree of life and from paradise (Genesis 3:22-24). This succession of events — (1) self-awareness leading to (2) shame and embarrassment, (3) sitting in judgment, (4) separation from each other and from God, (5) suffering the effects of a curse and (6) being sent from the tree of life and God’s paradise — have permanently affected man’s life.
Thousands of years later the same God of creation, clothed in human flesh, went to a marriage feast in Cana of Galilee. In His first miracle as a human being He restored marriage to its proper place in God’s economy. The couple in this text, the mother of Jesus, and the disciples are not mentioned by name. The theme of the story is the miracle, the marriage, and the Master.
The Miracle
Marriage was a significant social event held in the husband’s home, and they emphasized hospitality. Jesus, His mother and His disciples were at the marriage in Cana (John 2:1,2). “And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine” (John 2:3). Jesus’ mother saw the need, and spoke for the couple, which is intercession in its simplest form, prompted by her love and concern for them. She was full of hope — favorable and confident expectation — or she wouldn’t have spoken to Jesus. “Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come” (John 2:4). Vines Expository Dictionary and Young’s Analytical Concordance give us the correct translation from the Greek: “What to me and to thee, woman?” The word “woman” as used here is a term of endearment. Jesus’ reply could be paraphrased “Yes, you’re right mother, there is a need, but it’s not my problem and it’s not your problem.” Then He said “mine hour is not yet come” explaining why it wasn’t His problem, i.e., it was not yet time for Him to work miracles. He did only what He saw the Father do, and what the Father taught Him to speak to always do those things that pleased the Father (John 5:19,30; 8:28,29; 12:49,50; 14:10).
Jesus responded to her implied request negatively, ending the discussion. His mother did not silently accept His adverse response. She obliquely phrased her reply to Him via the servants and “His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it” (John 2:5). Her hope thus expressed itself in a statement of faith as she displayed her persistency.
In verses six through eight Jesus told the servants to fill six waterpots with water. They were then to draw it out and take it to the governor of the feast. They did this in obedience to His spoken word. Jesus’ mother had recognized a need and interceded for the couple. She was prompted by love, full of hope, expressed her faith and displayed persistency. The Father then apparently spoke to Jesus, Who moved His timetable for working miracles up to that present moment.
In verses nine and 10 the ruler of the feast remarked upon the excellent quality of the wine. In verse nine the word “drew” antleo signifies primarily to draw out a ship’s bilgewater, to bale or pump out, and came to mean to draw water in any way. Note that the servants filled the waterpots with water and drew water out. Somewhere between the time the servants drew the water out and the time the ruler of the feast tasted the water it became wine.
Jesus had responded to His mother’s prologues, but the need of the couple was met when the servants obeyed His commands. Need alone does not move the hand of God or there would be no sickness, poverty or lack.
Need, coupled with intercession, prompted by love, with fullness of hope, an expression of faith and persistency did not cause a miracle. These factors contributed to the miracle. The determinant cause that effected the miracle was obedience to the Word of God demonstrated by the servants. Obedience to the Word of God is the foundational basis for salvation of mankind and the ultimate source of God’s blessings (Genesis 2:16,17).
The Marriage
When Jesus turned the water into wine, the couple’s self-awareness of having their eyes opened to each other’s faults with the resultant shame and embarrassment at running out of wine was eliminated. Sitting in judgment of each other to affix blame for the wine shortage was averted, as was the wall of separation that would have been raised between them. This prevented separation from God, as our relationship to others affects our relationship with God and vice versa. Gone was the possibility of suffering under a curse of poverty, sickness and disease by being removed from God’s presence and covering. They were returned to the garden of Eden, that place of delight, in their marriage. They had tasted of the fruit of the Living Tree of Life.
Substance And Symbols
Water is a clear, odorless, tasteless substance in abundance everywhere. Changed into wine it had a color, odor and taste that provided perceptible evidence of its transformation. Grape juice, the basic ingredient of wine, prefigures blood (Genesis 49:11, Deuteronomy 32:14) as a type of sealing of the New Covenant by the blood of Jesus (Exodus 24:6-8; Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25; Hebrews 10:29).
The Master
Symbolically, the purpose of the first miracle of Jesus was to restore marriage back to its proper setting in a place of delight. He stripped away works of the flesh that have subverted God’s purposes for a man and wife, He sealed that restoration as a finished work. Eating from the tree of life will remove the curse, eliminate separation from God, put us back in His presence, and restore relationships. Sitting in judgment of others will voluntarily cease, and shame and embarrassment resulting from self-awareness will end. Restoration to God’s paradise, His place of delight for us, with the power of love, creation and dominion, is ensured for every saved husband and wife, and it has been accomplished and sealed with the blood of Jesus.
The Message
We, the church, the ekklesia, the called out ones who assemble in the name of Jesus Christ, must stop eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. We take perverse pride in doing that which has been forbidden. We indulge our flesh, let our imaginations run wild, and shift our dependency to self instead of God.
Our only remedy is to eat from the tree of life and reverse the sequence. Then we will return to God’s paradise, His place of delight for us. Then we’ll get out from under the curse. And we’ll close the gap of separation between others. When we draw closer to one another, we’ll draw closer to God. Sitting in judgment will voluntarily cease as our closeness develops into loving intimacy for each other. Shame and embarrassment will turn into joy and gladness as we lose our self-awarenesss and make Jesus the center of our life. And we must lay down all of our reliance upon self, others and earthly things (pride of life). In simple, child-like faith, we must follow God’s plan and use His provisions. If we do this, we will discover that we are, truly, disciples of Jesus Christ.
Appendix To Chapter Three
Judging Others
Matthew 7:1:
Judge not, that ye be not judged.
“Judge” krino, means to form an opinion as a process leading to a decision. Jesus states in a companion passage: “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:” (Luke 6:37). “Judge” is the same word, “condemn” katadikazo, here, to exercise judgment against someone, i.e., pronounce guilt. “Forgive” apoluo, is to loose away from, to release. When you form opinions about others and exercise judgment, pronouncing guilt, the judgment you exercise will be exercised against you (Luke 19:22 — Matthew 25:26). You are to forgive and you will be forgiven and released of opinions and judgments against you by others.
Matthew 7:2,3:
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
“Judgment” krima, is a pronounced decision made based on opinions. The mote and beam are used as a comparison between something very small and very large. “Beholdest” blepo is to contemplate, “considereth” katanoeo, to perceive fully by the function of the mind in awareness and understanding the facts about something. The contrast is evident. Why contemplate the small thing in your brother’s eye, not fully perceiving in your mind any understanding and awareness of the very large thing obvious in your own eye?
Matthew 7:4,5:
Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
James, chapters three and four, and Titus 3:2-7 instruct us not to judge fleshly weaknesses, as we all have the same problems. We are not to judge opinions, observances of days or what is eaten. We are not to be a stumblingblock, but are to use our strength (in the Lord) to bear up those who are weak (Romans 14-15:13 — see also John 7:24; 8:15; 1 Corinthians 8-11:1; Colossians 2:16; Galatians 6:1-10). We are not to judge prematurely the “counsels of the hearts” (i.e., motives or purposes) of another’s ministry. When the Lord comes He will “bring to light the hidden things ...” (1 Corinthians 4:1-7 — see also 1 Corinthians 2:15,16).
1 Corinthians 5 is clear that we are not to judge those in the world. However, we are to judge the effects of fellow believers on the body (see also 2 Corinthians 2:5-11; 7:8-12).
[Those who do not believe on Jesus are judged (John 3:17,18, where krino is translated “condemn(ed)” and verse 19 states the reason. Jesus did not come into the world to judge the world, but to save it (John 3:17; 12:47). The Father does not now actively judge but has placed that task into the hands of Jesus (Acts 17:31 — Psalms 9:8; 96:13; 98:9), Who has stated that His Word will judge (John 5:22-27; 12:47-50). The Holy Spirit teaches and reminds us of His Words (John 14:16,17,26; 15:26; 16:7,13). Therefore final judgment exercised after the second coming of Jesus (Matthew 25:31-46; John 5:22-30; 8:26; Acts 10:42; 17:31; Romans 2:16; 14:9-12; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5; Revelation 20:11-15) will be according to His Word].
We are also to judge between the brethren (1 Corinthians 6:1-8 — see also Matthew 19:28, Luke 22:25-30) and are to judge carefully and intelligently (Acts 4:19; 15:19 (where krino is translated “sentence”); 16:4 (where krino is translated “ordained”); 16:15; 21:25 (where krino is translated “concluded”); 1 Corinthians 7:37 (where krino is translated “decreed”); 10;15; 11:13,31; 14:29).
In the light of these scriptures Jesus’ statement makes it clear the purpose, motivation and goal of your judgments is the measure you have meted out. It will determine how you will be judged. We are to exercise, as far as humanly possible, the attributes of God’s conscience in using Godly wisdom to arrive at judgments of justice.
Forgiveness Brings Blessings
Give abundantly and you will be blessed abundantly (Luke 6:38). A Godly spiritual principle is that the measure you use will be used to measure back to you. This text specifically speaks of releasing opinions, decisions and judgments of the fleshly weaknesses of fellow believers, urging forgiveness. It emphasizes equivalent treatment for our acts of kindness or cruelty. “Ye shall know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16-20; 12:33-35; Luke 6:43-45).
The hypocrisy involved in using the wrong measure in judging is discussed by the Apostle Paul. He sternly warns us of the danger of storing up judgment for ourselves by such a practice (1 Corinthians 11:27-32; Romans 2:1-11).
Loving and judging one another are two different things. We are to love unconditionally, but are to judge erring on the side of love and forgiveness. It must be according to the attributes of God’s character, compassion and conscience. We must remember that Jesus will ultimately judge all, and will judge according to His Word (Romans 14:7-13 — 2 Corinthians 5:10).
