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AUTHOR'S
VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE
Author's Brief Testimony
Accessing
the life of God
Without being sidetracked by religious
tradition."
By Charles Pinkney
The
Function of the Priesthood, Headship and Heirarchy of the Clergy
The function of the clergy or priest
in Christianity is a tradition that for the most part has been integral
and goes unquestioned. For centuries every congregation had a cleric,
“a man of the cloth” presiding over it. The church (ekklesia-called
out ones) in the
beginning did not function as it does now. The disciples of Jesus
the Messiah were empowered to minister to the nations through the
divine enablement of the Holy Spirit. This endowment of power gave
them the credentials required to be sent apostles. Thereafter, every
man, woman, or child who came to authentic belief was similarly
empowered. They as individuals were gradually
discipled
into maturity while their own Spiritual gifts added to the edification
of the body (believers
in common meeting).
Natural (unsaved) men and women would have to transition from previous
lifestyles and understanding to understanding Spiritual things and
the mind
of Christ. This
was of course part of the function of the Holy Spirit. There would
be no Spiritual understanding without the action of the Holy Spirit
at work jointly and severally. The Old Covenant priesthood provided a priest class set apart for ministry. The priest acted as a go-between between God and the community. The Levites were thoroughly schooled in temple priest craft and thus qualified to go to God on behalf of others. Priests met with God and receive from God on behalf of others. Priestly rites in the days of the tabernacle and the temple were specific and had to be followed to the letter. It is the same in other religions where a priest or a shaman communicates to a local gods or goddess according to their prescribed rites. It can be said that the priest was the one person who had the proper spiritual credentials to offer incense, sacrifices, offerings, prayers and petitions to their God (gods.) The Canaanite religions had their own priests or priestesses. They led in the worship of their own demon gods or goddesses. Among these Canaanite demon gods were Baal, Molech, Chemosh, Dagon, Ashtoreth, Milcom and others.
Christianity was intended in the beginning
to be a different kind of worship and priesthood. Jesus followers,
the disciples and apostles, were given a distinctly different charge.
Jesus did not come to create a religion that required a priest.
The new creation was the fulfilment of the original Pentecost described
in Exodus 19. It was JVHV's plan that there would be a
kingdom of priests. The people of Israel, out of
fear and terror of God's presence, declined that plan and insisted
that Moses and Aaron would meet with God and receive any of the
instructions to be given. After Jesus rose from the dead he met
with his disciples and gave them a brand new commission, it is called
the "great commission."
It was to go into the world, including all nations outside of Israel
and make disciples. Disciples were to be not merely believers; they
were men, women and children who were spiritually transformed. They
carry with them an incorruptible seed that made (and continues to
make) them a different kind of creature than their natural selves.
The prophet Jeremiah gives us a description of a new kind of creation:
(Jeremiah 31:31) Behold,
the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with
the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: 32 Not according
to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I
took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which
my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith
the Lord: 33 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with
the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will
put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts;
and will be their God, and they shall be my people.
The Church Reformed, but Not Too Much
We have inherited the tradition of
a priesthood that governs churches. Without questioning the fact,
Christians after the reformation continued to follow the tradition
of the priesthood practiced by the Roman Catholic church. The Roman
Catholic priests who perform the ceremonies and ordinances of the
"church." are dressed in priestly regalia. Religious costume
elevates and separates the official priest from the congregation.
The priest continues to act as intermediary to God as if the common
folk, the laity, could not access God in any way. The priest has
particular readings of Scripture planned to focus on the proper
doctrines that are essential. In most cases protestant clergy are more or less unapproachable when it comes to direction or correction from anyone in the "laity." There is a huge gulf separating those who are the clergy and those of the laity. The structure of a worship service becomes codified, routine and predictable. Worship services are governed by time allotments and number of meetings in a given day. The pastor is likely not a true disciple maker. In most cases there is not an emphasis to make believers ready to minister.
Some passages ought to make
a difference in how a church "body" functions.
In the early church, that is the church of the apostles, there were no priests. All partook of the gift of God and the Spiritual gifts were allocated to every believer at God's discretion. These Spiritual gifts were the provision needed to bring glory to the Father and to validate the gospel supernaturally.
Kingdoms
of This World vs. The Heavenly Kingdom
Where
Did the Clergy and the Laity Doctrine Come From? In light of the gospel, with the birth of the "church" and the New Covenant, we see a discontinuation of any kind of priesthood. Jesus is the one high priest of the New Covenant. Remember that the role of priests are people believed to have the authority to minister to God or receive knowledge from God on behalf of others. These others are somehow excluded who cannot go directly to God themselves. Following the protestant reformation, 1517 and following, the priesthood was still seen as the proper function to serve a body of believers. In a time when few had access to the written word we can justify the role of a literate leader of a congregation but the concept of the functional priest should have been viewed as a vestige of the past. We are reminded of the mentality of priesthood and laity in every church where there are pulpits and pews.
Addressing
The Need For Real Discipleship Priesthood by definition is any system in which a person (a leader or person of authority) intervenes with God on behalf of others. The revelation of the New Covenant Gospel points to a new dispensation: a priesthood of all believers. Further, in the book of Revelation, John receives a vision of the churches and among these we find reference to the doctrine of the Nicolaitins, (Rev.2:6) a doctrine that God despises. Nicolaitinism is a system in which a leader assumes control over a body of common believers and essentially take them captive, ruling over them and dispensing whatever teaching he deems necessary, making merchandise of the sheep. In my opinion, the priesthood fulfils the definination of Nicolaitin. Many cults such as Jim Jones of Jonestown fame, begin to function in accordance with this model. Pastors who exhert a stifling control over a congregation also fit this application. We find it hard to compare the forms of worship and discipleship described in the epistles to that which we find in most formal church experiences known today. In the early days of the church there was no formalized ministry. There was apostolic leadership that brought the gospel, discipled believers and released them to lead and minister in their own communities. There were no theology schools, nor accrediting agencies to credential ministers but there was the active reliance upon the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Jesus which was promised to guide and equip believers in all matters of spiritual witness. The churches (ekklesia) consist only of believers who after being told the good news, have received the free gift of salvation, were discipled in matters of the Spiritual life through the ongoing revelation of the Son of God. Unbelievers are converted in the presence of the Holy Spirit working through the body. Believers are the disciples to whom it is given to experience the powers of the world to come, (The Kingdom of Heaven.) These first century believers were not taught in schools of theology, even as Christ was not schooled formally like the Jewish Pharisees and doctors of the law. Yet, the saints of the first century experienced the mighty works of God on a day to day basis. All learned that Jesus (Yeshua) the Christ (Messiah) made it possible for any and all who believed to become adopted children of God. Believers in every generation became new creations through acknowledgment that Jesus' died for the sin of all humankind. With the empowerment of the Holy Spirit each were led to understand that they could partake in the exploits that replicated Jesus' ministry. The Holy Spirit and Power (dunamis) was given at Pentecost.
The
Power of God Heralds a New Status of Humanity
Throughout
the earliest days of the Christian faith the question has been asked
and must continue to be asked, "Should we obey God or man?"
In order to distinguish between these two voices something is required
of us: To begin, each of us must acknowledge that the Bible IS the
Word of Truth and trust it to be the single valid source of truth
and doctrine. Too few in the modern world have actually discovered
this and believe it. Secondly it is required of us to listen to
the voice of inner witness which God has given to all his children.
Those seeking truth will usually seek some expert, theologian, or
cleric explain to explain to us what is written. If any expert tells you, with assumed authority, that the gifts of the first century apostolic church have disappeared (doctrine of cessationism), do not believe them. Flea quickly any association from any such group or authority. As Jesus said addressed leaven of the Pharisees (religious traditionalists without spiritual understanding); who resisted the Holy Spirit. Matt 23: 15 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves." (also see Revelation Chapter 8, Stephen's testimony of how the religious always withstand the Holy Spirit.) We begin our spiritual path as spiritual infants who crave "the milk of the Word." Too many who God has called to be established as a new born child of God become polluted with religious doctrine. Our understandings can be poisoned and corrupted by evil doctrine. As a result, many receive the wrong Jesus, the wrong spirit, or the wrong gospel. (1 Corinthians,11;3) Discerning truth is a constant challenge. Religion presents teachings or stipulations that become binding or obligatory upon the followers. Are we to question the teachings of traditional authorities? Yes, prove all teachings with scripture. Are we to question the doctrine of our church or church leadership? Yes, there are many in the pulpit, who are nothing more than "blind guides." Many who question will be shunned, or dismissed as heretical. Though we suffer condemnation it becomes the path to liberty.
In the New Testament texts, the word translated "ministry" is translated from service. The term ministry comes from Greek Diakonia. Thus ministry means to serve. Through the process of generations of religious practice, ministry has come to mean something else, something formal and liturgical. Gifts denoted experience and leadership become designated as a religious office.e.g. Pastor, Deacon, Bishop, or Cardinal. Within the context of "church house" practices, ministry has been defined and restricted to that which is done behind a pulpit and then only by the few with "credentials."
All Believers
are called Disciples and Saints The Tradition of the Professional Clergy There are some elements in the institutional church that are positive. These include social relationships and a place to receive teachings and moral precepts that are Biblical. But even in this light such deeper and more intimate relationships are limited and lack deeper levels of discipleship and growth in the knowledge of heavenly things. Institutional religion has remained a long standing stronghold and is resistant to change and resolute. Institutional religion in some ways is in descendency as numbers who participate gradually decline. But olld habits and traditions die hard. The inertia of centuries of social tradition is hard to alter.
We have learned to accept without
question, the role of a professional clergy person. Many of these
men and women have wonderful natural gifting. Many are brilliant
communicators, possessing compassion and dedication. These will
I believe, received their heavenly rewards according to the fruitfulness
in their calling. Such who carry the love and zeal of God are beloved
by those who they touch or disciple. The gift and calling of a Spiritual
shepherd is a gift to disciple the body. A pastoral gift
enables mentor-ship and , encouragement. The pastoral call may just
as easily minister that gift outside of the parameters of religious
formalism. But this may be a call without a salary or a congregation.
The shepherding gift forms caring relationships. It brings with
it a necessary compassion and wisdom to minister hope, encouragement,
wisdom to strengthen the 'flock.' Leadership is based upon experience
and depth of understanding of the Word of God and the True Gospel.
It should not be imagined as a mere career calling. I know very
few who fit these criteria. I believe that most in professional clergy presume their own pre-eminence owing to their credentials. It would be a great if people approved with seminary credentials would use as a doorway to service, to bless and to edify. Sadly these spiritual credentials are often turned into a tool of personal gain and control over others. Examining The Clergy and the Laity The Clergy-Laity doctrine divides the flock into two disparate parts. The good shepherd story described in John's gospel, chapter 10, describes the characteristics of a good shepherd. It lists among the virtues, intimacy and closeness of the shepherd to the flock. The shepherd knows each of his charges and calls them by name; he will sacrifice his personal comfort and life for the flock. Finally we are told that Jesus is this shepherd. The psalmist has written almost a thousand years before, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." Jesus Christ remains the true shepherd, the true bishop (overseer) and shepherd (pastor) of our souls." Jesus modeled correct shepherding. His ministry modeled preaching, teaching and leading with care and compassion. The Messiah demonstrated his Spiritual credentials with miracles, signs and wonders, and with deliverance from the demonic. Jesus knew the Father's plan to extend the Kingdom of God and eventually establish the Millenial Kingdom. He gave more intimate insight to his closest disciples. Jesus engaged in dialogue with his closest disciples and to them he expounded deeper truths and unraveled parables. Jesus came and ministered with authority and yet with the meekness of a servant. He was a friend to sinners. He came to seek and to save and to serve. Modern church members tend to exalt leadership and place them on unrealistic pedestals and grant them unusual authority. Jesus taught us about those who lead: (Matthew 23) "Who is the greatest among you, Jesus said, shall be a servant to all." Moreover, Jesus instructed his own disciples not to place one man over others. He required that they were not to give titles to these 'masters' saying call no man master, No man teacher, No man father. This ought to qualify as a template by which to measure the character and role of those in the role of pastoral leadership.
THE BODY
: Edified by a multiplicity of gifts Guidance by Spiritually Mature Mentors
Throughout the apostolic letters we
are told that mature men of God were to guide and direct to maintain
purity of doctrine and practices. These were designated overseers
(Gr. presbuteros) of the local
flocks (fellowships) of God. These bodies met in a form and place
having no resemblance to church houses today. After the early days of Christianity, elders, pastors, or overseers evolved into an office that assumed the whole responsibility of "ministry." Thus the evolution into the clergy roles of today. There is some interest in returning to the form of early church fellowship and worship today. In most cases it takes the form of small group meetings that are sponsored by larger church ministries. It is at least a first step to a return to New Testament forms of Koinonia, Ekklesia the harmony Christians assembling together.
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