|
Welcome
to any seeking to know God
This is
an introduction to a collection of Christian commentaries entitled "The
Gospel Without Religion" which best captures its focus and intent. It
is based upon my own Spiritual revelations of and in the liberating
promises of Scripture.
I came
to a better understanding of the "Gospel" only after becoming a "believer."
I had experienced God in his love and forgiveness in my own life,
encountering God and being 'born of the Spirit' in 1981. I was amazed
and also a little dismayed that the simplicity and truth of the power
of Jesus' Gospel was never presented clearly from the pulpit of the
Spiritually impoverished denomination I grew up with. I was not
taught that the Gospel had spiritual dimensions and more importantly
that Jesus had the power
to change lives.
Knowledge
of these same Bible truths are still either virtually unknown or unpracticed
by many of the tradition- bound teachings of thousands of supposedly
Christian "churches" throughout the world.
I have discovered that there are 3
paradigms of "wisdom"
and "truth" which people are inclined to live by:
Read
about the power of paradigms in life and thought
The
first, the paradigm of worldly wisdom;
Except for a few remote and primitive societies, most all human culture
is ruled by the natural or materialistic world experience. The contemporary,
worldly-wise person, follows a humanistic, materialistic belief system.
This belief system is based upon experiences and observation of a strictly
physical kind. Yet, as described in the writing of Paul to the Corinthians,
(1Corinthian; Chapters 1 &2) the natural man can not know God, neither
through science nor through scholarship.
The Holy
One through his wisdom has made it nearly impossible for the strong,
the wise, the self sufficient, the noble, the well-off of this world
to know the truth. To advance in the knowledge of God
we must first recognize our desperate need and our inadequacies. We
must become "needy" and "poor" and be made small like a child in order
to enter in at this gateway of truth and the "Kingdom of
God."
The
second, the paradigm of religious wisdom;
As it pertains to "godliness" and truth, "church house" religion
offers many well defined and unequivocal answers, though not always
the right answers. This religious paradigm is observable more or less
in every formal and institutional house of religion where human leadership
and traditions rule. The theology and disciplines of years of tradition
build the dogma which at times includes Biblical terms and understandings.
While at the same time omitting certain important features of the Gospel
that might have been stipulated and practiced by the first century apostles.
For those who think that the Gospel of the book of Acts doesn't pertain
to the twenty first century seeker they present a fragmented or perverse
form of Christianity.
The
third paradigm of Truth is a belief and experience revealed by the power
of the Spirit whom we call the Holy Spirit.
The new covenant actually provides us a teacher. The Holy Spirit is
given only through Christ Jesus to each believer who seeks it. Through
the Spirit we are enabled to become disciples (children of God) to know
the ways of God which were once totally alien to us. It is a token investiture
of heaven, the Kingdom or God, or Divinity. And it is freely given as
a gift who seek the higher life of God on earth.
The true
believer, in the Holy Spirit paradigm, requires no priests or intermediaries
though whom we access God. We are all called upon to be first disciples
(learners) then, guides, mentors and eventually mature. There is so
much richness, depth and revelation within the Bible, the Word of Truth,
that no disciple or teacher can exhaust the depths of its glory. The
object of the Spiritual life is to continuously grow in the knowledge
of Christ Jesus the Messiah. Discipleship is a very real priority. New
born babes require milk but it must be pure and free of taint or else
it will spoil the life and maturity of the believer. Year after year
of studying the Word and seeking Jeshua, Jesus and the wise counsel
of matured gifts of the body of Christ bring each of us into greater
understanding. Understanding and the expression of Godliness are the
principle things.
We need a fellowship that is pure, not one dominated by human authority
and control. Such a fellowship will express love, acceptance and forgiveness
that extends the "kingdom of heaven" to our hearts (our spiritual selves)
and transforms our souls (mind, will, and emotion). Two or three
centuries after inception of the "Church" in the age of apostles, human
rulership and tradition took the place of the divinely ordered fellowship
of believers in which Jesus reproduced himself in each believer.
Apostolic
Teachings point to Expectations and Guidelines for Christian Fellowship
What
we are called upon to seek in 'Koinonia'
The word 'Church' (Ecclesia in the Greek meaning those
called out) now has so much institutional baggage associated
with it, I hesitate to use it when talking about true fellowship
or life in the Kingdom of God! Today say "Church" and
our first thought is my church versus your church; Or the building
that stands on such and such corner of town.
A better term is Koinonia. Koinonia is the bond of fellowship and
mutual participation made possible by being of the same mind and
faith in the Lord Jesus. The word tells us "If we have fellowship
in the Light as He is in the Light, we have fellowship with one
another. It is always a common testimony or a common experience
that binds friends together. The Lord calls the solitary soul to
become part of a "family". We are the children of the
Holy one, God Almighty. This is an awesome starting point for fellowship.
Do
Not forsake the gathering of yourselves together, and even more as you
see the day
(day
of the Lord - Jesus Christ - a dispensation of judgment against the
ungodly and rebellious) approaching (Hebrews 10:25)
I
would like to add a brief comment to the above scripture relative to
the gathering of a body in fellowship. As simple as the words might
appear, it would be good to look at it more deeply. If we ask questions
certain understanding might be revealed:
1. 'The Day of the Lord' is a long held prophetic event spoken of throughout
the prophetic books of the Old Testament.
and reiterated throughout the New Testament.
1.1 The scripture above reinforces the idea that ISRAEL is still a part
of the prophetic time table.
1.2 Contrary to Kingdom Now or Preterist theology, we are still outside
of the dispensation of the Lord's kingdom on this earth;
1.3 The so-called Christian church has not replaced Israel;
1.4 Evangelistic outreach in itself will NOT bring in the Kingdom but
the supernatural time of judgment will through God directed natural
and political events and finally Jesus Christ's direct intervention.
2.1
'Even more so - -" Although
the obvious and assumed meaning would be to continue faithful in church
attendance and not to neglect obedience to the God focused life.
But, what if a church fellowship does not manifest the power and giftings
of the Holy Spirit?
2.2 The next and probably more important aspect of this phrase, hinges
upon the insights and revelations which are expected and normal in true
fellowship where revelation is brought forth by the prophetic word.
2.3 God through the Holy Spirit must be active and in charge in the
gathering together.
2.4 "As the day approaches" indicates that God will not only
give us encouragement, but life saving insight into the times in which
we are living.
Expectations and Guidelines
for Christian Fellowship &
Worship
To be:
United in Spirit and purpose - knowing the reality of Jesus as Savior;
and having fellowship with God through Him and giving glory to God.
After any person is reborn spiritually, they become part of one heavenly
family who share the gift of God.
- To
continue to be United in Spirit - That same Spirit that is in Christ
Jesus.
- For
the body in fellowship to continue to grow (be edified) in knowledge
of Truth (Bible is guide)
- To
be bound in mutual love and acceptance. The spirit of Love denotes
we are Christians.
- To
seek God's manifested presence corporately. See 'gathering together'
comments above
(Activating His kingdom being manifested in earth)
- To
invite the Holy Spirit that He be given place to empower, lead
and guide to reveal Jesus.
- To
value and build from the unique gifts and abilities that the Holy
Spirit of God has given to each believing disciple. (our brothers
and sisters)
- To
follow the "gatekeeper", a leader, or the head of
the home. This person should be equipt with spiritual knowledge as
well as experienced in following the Holy Spirit in an orderly way.
(This is not about one person being the only gift used.)
- For
all to discern and guard against spiritual pitfalls, against against
disunity; To guard against the expression of any wrong spirit -- anger,
prejudice, suspicion, jealousy that will "grieve" the Holy Spirit.
- To
see to it: That all things serve to edify, building each believer
with liberty in the Holy Spirit.
- Correct
precepts (understanding) must employ the whole counsel of God, The
Word of God
(Scripture) is the guide for instruction in Godliness, correction
and reproof. This matter addresses doctrine.
The
Scriptural model of intimate corporate fellowship (Koinonia) is found
in
1 Corinthians, Chapters 12, 14; 1 Peter 4:10
Growing
in the knowledge of God as a Disciple
Our understanding of how things "are supposed to be" are called
paradigms
Paradigms control our level of faith and our ability to believe
- Discipleship
provides learning experiences for a believer.
- Knowledge
of fundamental principles of doctrine which are taught in the Word:
Essential Apostolic Doctrine.
- Becoming
grounded in spiritual matters and apostolic doctrines, such as:
- understanding
fellowship with God through prayer
- understanding
our position and authority as righteous believers
- understanding
our liberty, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit
- understanding
the power of agreement recognizes - -spiritual law pertaining to agreement
between
2 or 3 witnesses, the Amen of God.
- understanding
principles pertaining to God speaking the "end" from the
beginning,
The Spirit of prophesy is the testimony of Jesus. Prophecies
from the covenant foundations of Israel
- understanding
principles pertaining to words and their power.(Veracity and faithfulness
exhibited in words)
- understanding
principles pertaining to blessings and curses. (Spiritual power exhibited
in words)
- understanding
principles pertaining to apostolic foundations and order
- understanding
principles pertaining to the New Covenant (gospel); Our new
position as believers in Christ
- understanding
principles pertaining to the blood of Jesus, Purity, power, the cross
and salvation, etc.
- understanding
principles pertaining to types and foreshadows of Christ in the Old
Covenant Scriptures
- understanding
principles pertaining to respecting our Jewish roots of the
Gospel; the law, the prophets, the psalms, fulfilled in Christ
- understanding
principles pertaining to feasts of Israel, fulfilled in Christ
- understanding
principles pertaining to the Kingdom of God - Heaven's rule Spiritual
hierarchies
- understanding
principles pertaining to kingdom authority of the believer over
demonic (spiritual enemies)
- understanding
principles pertaining to praise and worship entering the streams of
God
- understanding
principles pertaining to agreement the first step in receiving from
God
- understanding
principles pertaining to spiritual warfare, the ongoing battle for
each divinely invested saint
- understanding
principles pertaining to ways of prayer, communion, intercession,
enforcement, faith
- understanding
principles pertaining to ministry of every disciple
- understanding
principles pertaining to baptisms (Hebrew 6)
Baptism the command of Jesus, Holy Spirit baptism, equipping and empowering
the disciple to minister.
For
any wishing to investigate the practice of active discipleship,
you may click on the link below. The e-book is called
"The
Disciples Handbook"
C
1995-2024
additional
Biblical themes
|
