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Disciples Handbook 03
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FOUNDATION
OF THE APOSTLES
The Foundation
of the Apostles
Every
Believer Becomes a Disciple "
Apostles were first disciples. Disciples walked
with the Lord in an intimate way. They learned his
ways by first hand observation, through hearing
his word and knowing his voice. The disciples while
they were growing in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus
were also participants in the work of Jesus'
ministry. It was they who announced, 'the Kingdom
of G-d is at hand." They showed that the Kingdom
could be demonstrated by both the spiritual power
and the authority to impact the afflicted, the oppressed,
the poor and the broken hearted. Disciples
were and are called to be partakers of Jesus Christ's
ministry. Each of us continues to share the same
access to Jesus Christ. We share the same Spirit,
we share in the same commission. "For this reason
the son of G-d was manifested, that he might destroy
the works of the Devil." (1John 3:8)
We
aspire to attain to the same unity and inclusiveness
as the original fellowship of disciples. There was
no member of the original circle of disciples who
was just like another. Yet, there was a unique niche
for each of those Jesus called.
Each of the first disciples had a divine destiny
and an unlimited opportunity for growing up in the
fullness of the Lord. Jesus
chose the original disciples. He singled them out
and called them aside to walk with him and to have
a face-to-face relationship with him. Descriptions
indicate that each had attributes which could label
them as plain folks or ordinary people. Some associated
with Jesus more intimately than others. Each disciple
had unique traits and attributes of character; Matthew
a worldly businessman, a publican, a tax collector;
Peter a robust, headstrong man who generally spoke
without thinking and was always competing to be
someone; John a warm, compassionate and trusting
youth; Nathaniel innocent and open; Thomas a scientific
minded pragmatist who had to have things proven
before he could be persuaded and so on. The
twelve included men who we might not have chosen,
including Judas the deceiver and betrayer who Jesus
also called a robber. Outside of the twelve were
a multitude of other disciples including women who
traveled extensively with Jesus though were not
part of the inner group of the twelve.
It is possible that those who were reasonably close
and connected to Jesus may have been about 500 individuals.
The
apostles were men with whom Jesus visited, taught
and broke bread. He also imparted his life and Spirit
into them. After he had risen from the dead, he
breathed upon the disciples saying to them, "receive
Holy Breath (Gr. pneuma)." The word breath
and spirit are the same word in the original text.
This is the same as to say, "Receive the Holy Spirit."
It was this action which imparted Holy life within
each disciple this afforded, I believe the new heaven
borne experience that we believers today call born
again or spiritual renewal. The eleven and Judas
Iscariot's replacement Matthias were born from above
or conceived as a new spirit being at this time.
The apostle Paul (originally Saul) came on board
some time later being called by Jesus for a particular
revelation and ministry. Saul of Tarsus was a Jewish
theologian, a Pharisee of the strictest sect of
Judaic fundamentalism of the day. Saul was an intellectual
of supreme discipline and credentials. The zealous
Saul, set out to destroy the disciples of Jesus,
persecuting and imprisoning all who preached Jesus
as Messiah and the doctrine of the resurrection
from the dead. Saul was added to the order of discipleship
but in a special way after Christ's resurrection.
How did Saul become a disciple and an apostle?
Paul recounted and retold his account of the encounter
several times, but the original encounter is described
in Acts, Chapter 9. G-d supernaturally intervened
in Saul's life, on a journey to Damascus. His travels
were interrupted by Jesus appearing to him in a
brilliant light. Saul was blinded and knocked him
off his horse onto the ground. The voice spoke to
him saying, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting
me?" Paul
answered this voice saying, "Who are you, Lord?"
and Jesus replied, "I am Jesus who you are persecuting."
Jesus then gave Saul brief instructions about who
he was to visit to received further ministry and
instruction. Jesus began to tutor a new disciple
after this. Jesus did not give Saul any information
that he did not need to know at that time, but he
told him the first thing to do. Paul was told where
to go in Damascus to get further help. G-d likewise
does not give us more information than we need to
get started. He does list all of the stages of our
journey, including both the trials and the victories.
The journey of faith is an hour by hour, day by
day program. The
journey of discipleship begins with a first step
forward into a new life. In the first chapter of
his letter to Galatia, Saul who has been given a
new name, Paul, to go along with his new nature,
accounts how he was taken aside and how he began
to be instructed face-to-face, personally by Jesus.
For three years in the deserts of Arabia, Paul learned
Christ. being discipled as one "out of due time
a description of his apostolic commissioning found
in 1Corinthians 15:5-10.
The Apostles
Doctrine
The
Apostles' Doctrine
Why should we place an emphasis on the
apostles and the disciples?
Because we wish to be connected to the
same pure doctrine and the same spirit
and the same spiritual life that was
manifested and brought forth in the
beginning of the church. It must also
contain the same power and the same
divine order. The apostolic teachings
have been described as the foundation
in building a house and we must build
upon a foundation which is true and
sound. The foundation is the apostle's
doctrine. It is based upon the essential
of the true faith of G-d in Jesus Christ.
We also desire to attain to the same
unity and inclusiveness as was part
of the original fellowship of disciples.
There was no member of the original
circle of disciples who was just like
another. Yet, each shared the same access
to Jesus Christ, they all shared the
same Spirit, they all shared the same
calling to ministry that Jesus was commissioned
to execute:
For this reason
the son of G-d was manifested, that
he might destroy the works of the Devil.(1John
3:8)
The
apostolic teachings have been described
as the foundation upon which the house
of G-d is constructed. We who continue
to build the Kingdom of G-d must continue
building upon the same foundation which
is true and sound. The foundation is
the apostle's doctrine. It is based
upon the essentials of the true faith.
The "promise of the Father"
a nation of kings and priests through
Jesus Christ, designated as "the
firstborn of many brethren."
Understanding the Apostle's Doctrine
The writings of the apostles constitute
practical, uncomplicated, hands-on teaching
of how to live a Spiritual life. The
Apostles who wrote in the Bible include
Peter, James, John, Paul and Luke is
generally credited with authoring the
Book of acts as well as the Gospel of
Luke, Paul is generally credited with
writing most of the other epistles.
Theologians
fine tune and over-process questions
of authorship and have vain debates
over endless issues of scholarship,
but such debates bear little relevance
to living the Spiritual life if we merely
accept the epistles as true.
The apostle
Paul has a unique revelation that speaks
to a different audience, the gentile
world. What he calls 'His Gospel,' also
explores power of the crucified and
resurrected Jesus. The emphasis in Paul's
teaching is directed to the entire world
(the Gentile world.) His resurrection
brings to all, not just the Jews in
Jerusalem, the promise of sonship and
new life as a Spiritual Creation in
Christ. The original apostles, including
Peter, James and John, focused on the
Jews and Israel. The resurrection denoted
the identity of Jesus as the Son of
G-d and the King of Israel who would
eventually restore the Kingdom to Israel.
Jesus as the risen son on G-d was the
corner stone of both group's gospel
message consistent with the revelation
of Christ's grace shared by Peter, James,
John or Luke. It is clear however, that
Paul was not taught the Gospel by the
apostles in Jerusalem but given unique
revelation and instruction by Jesus
personally, for 3 years after his conversion
on the Damascus road.
Principles of faith and practice are demonstrated
in the Foundation of the Apostles
There is a very brief phrase which occurs
in Paul's letter to the Ephesians, between
Chapters 4:17 and 24. Paul is contrasting
the life of the gentiles which is essentially
a life without the presence and promises of
G-d. It pertains to all of the non Jews in
the world and reveals all of the behaviors
which characterize fallen man. Then he states
that these behaviors are totally unlike the
life which is generated in Christ. . It is
from this phrase that I appropriate the concept
of learning Christ which I will present as
fundamental to apostolic doctrine. "This
I say therefore, and testify in the Lord,
that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles
walk, in the vanity of their mind," "Having
the understanding darkened, being alienated
from the life of G-d through the ignorance
that is in them, because of the blindness
of their heart:" "Who being past feeling have
given themselves over unto lasciviousness,
to work all uncleanness with greediness."
"But ye have not so learned Christ; "If so
be that ye have heard him, and have been taught
by him, as the truth is in Jesus:" That ye
put off concerning the former conversation
the old man, which is corrupt according to
the deceitful lusts;" "And be renewed in the
spirit of your mind;" "And that ye put on
the new man, which after G-d is created in
righteousness and true holiness." -- Eph
4:17-24 kjv
Inherent
in the above message is the fact that we were
not only separated spiritually from G-d, but
that our mental attitudes and understandings
were corrupted by previous belief systems
which stand apart from faith in Christ. In
the renewal process which is the first stage
of a spiritual life, we begin to divest ourselves
of what we once believed and held to be valuable,
this is not done self consciously but is a
work of the Spirit of G-d and it coincides
with the study of the Word of G-d. Therefore
it states in 4 verse 21, that we heard
of Him and were taught by Him, because the
Truth is in Jesus. G-d's plan is
for our teachers to be taught by Jesus and
learners to be taught by Jesus. This influence
is immediate, dynamic, (ongoing) and it is
divine in nature (Holy Spirit directed.) This
is the apostolic way.
Apostles
were chosen from Christ's Disciples
Learning Christ is the doctrine
of the Apostles. Apostles were first Disciples.
Disciples walked with the Lord in an intimate
way. They learned his ways by first hand observation,
through hearing his word and knowing his voice.
The disciples while they were growing in the
knowledge of Christ were also participants
in the work of Jesus. They announced,
the Kingdom of G-d is at hand.
They showed that the Kingdom could be demonstrated
by spiritual power and authority to impact
the afflicted, the oppressed, the broken hearted,
the poor. The original disciples walked
with Jesus the Messiah and knew him face to
face. All of them had attributes which could
be labeled plain folk or ordinary people.
Some more intimately than others each disciple
had personality traits and attributes of character
that were unique; Matthew a worldly businessman,
a publican, a tax collector; Peter a robust,
headstrong man who general spoke without thinking;
John a warm, compassionate and trusting youth;
Nathaniel innocent and open; Thomas a scientific
minded pragmatist who had to have things proven
before he could be persuaded and so on.
The twelve included men who we might not have
chosen, Judas the deceiver and betrayer who
Jesus also called a robber. Outside of the
twelve there were a multitude of other
disciples including women who traveled
extensively with Jesus but were not subject
to the same intimacy as the twelve. It is
possible that those who were very close and
connected to Jesus may have been about 500
individuals. It is these that Jesus visited
in the flesh after had arisen from the dead.
The
disciples who became apostles were men Jesus
called and taught face to face. Before Jesus
physically ascended into heaven he also imparted
his life and Spirit into them. In the time
following Jesus' resurrection he breathed
upon each of the disciples, saying to them,
receive Holy Breath (gr. pneuma).
The word breath and spirit are the
same word in the original text. This is the
same as saying, Receive the Holy Spirit. It
was this action which brought forth Holy life
in each disciple. They were born or conceived
a spirit being at this time.
Saul
of Tarsus was a Jewish theologian, a Pharisee
of the strictest sect of Judaism. A fundamentalists
of his day, Paul was an intellectual of highest
discipline and credentials. The zealous Saul,
set out to destroy the Disciples of Jesus,
persecuting and imprisoning all who preached
Jesus name or Jesus as a resurrected Messiah.
How did Saul become a disciple and an apostle?
We hear Saul give retell his account of the
encounter several times, but the original
encounter is described in Acts, Chapter 9.
G-d supernaturally intervened in Saul's life,
on a journey to Damascus when his travels
were interrupted by Jesus appearing to him
in a bright light, which knocked him off his
horse onto the ground. The voice spoke to
him saying, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting
me? Paul answered this voice saying,
Who are you, Lord" and Jesus replied,
I am Jesus who you are persecuting.
Jesus
then gave Saul specific instructions about
who he was to visit to receive further ministry
and instruction. Jesus began to tutor a new
disciple at this time. Jesus does not give
his servant Saul more information than was
immediately necessary nor does he with us.
He will show us the way one step at a time;
the necessary information that we need to
get started. The journey of discipleship begins
with a first step forward into a new life. Paul
was given a new commission separate from those
disciples in Jerusalem who ministered to the
Jews. Saul was given the task of bringing
Grace and salvation to the Gentiles, the non
Jewish world.
In the first lines of his epistles, Saul identifies
himself with a new name, Paul, to go along
with his new nature. Paul in Galatians, accounts
how he was taken aside and how he began to
be instructed (face to face) personally by
Jesus. For three years in the deserts of Arabia,
Paul learned Christ. being discipled as one
out of due time, a description of his
apostolic commissioning found in 1Corinthians
15:5-10.
E
Book 1:
The
Gospel Without Religion
E Book 2:
A
Disciples Handbook
E Book 3:
Mysteries
in the Bible
Index
to all Charles Pinkney Christian Titles
Go to next book:
Disciples Handbook 04
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