From Jim McGuiggan... Church Unity And Reality With Structure

Church Unity And Reality With Structure

Unromantic as it might seem church unity is a reality with structure. Psalm 68 speaks of God accompanied by his elect enthroned on high and receiving gifts from nations all around. Perhaps quoting a Targum that scholars tell us was available to him, Paul has the exalted one (Jesus) giving gifts rather than receiving them. (Peter speaks of such a giving and receiving when he speaks of Jesus who, precisely because he is exalted, pours out this that you now see and hear—the Spirit and all his gifts—Acts 2:33). Since Paul is proclaiming the God who has shown himself in and as Jesus Christ he wants to connect the exaltation of God in the psalm with the self-emptying that's seen in the incarnation and cross experience of God, so he includes Jesus' descent in the picture (4:9-10).

It's as if Paul is giving us two pictures of God. One from the OT and here in the NT. But he connects the two pictures with the one text (Psalm 68). The God who has shown himself in and as Jesus Christ is at one and the same time the victorious and exalted one and the self-humbling one.

The victory and enthronement of God in the psalm is worked out in the exalted Jesus Christ who is exalted precisely because he came down. This would surely have deeper force in a section that calls for meekness and love. And the gifts to the church are gifted people.

They are gifted people so they have no reason to be arrogant.
Gifted people so there are no grounds for worshipping them.
Gifted people so they need to be faithful to their ministry.
But they are gifted people so we do need to recognize them as called by God to function for the body
(and therefore the world).
The gifted ones in this section are more centrally concerned about bringing the word of God to his people
with a view to maturing and unifying them in their confession.

One of the blessings of the Reformation was the freedom from intellectual, religious and spiritual tyranny.Once our parents were chained and walked the line they were told to walk until some of them stood up and struck for freedom, saying they would have no more of it. The days are long gone when we will allow people to stick a verse up to our heads like a revolver and insist that we put our intellectual hands up. We won't go back to that.

But the Reformation wasn't all gain. With the loss of a single voice (if there ever was one) we finally got ten thousand, all claiming that full equality in Christ must mean everyone has been gifted to teach. Churches sprang up like mushrooms in the dark and church splintering continues to this day as teaching men and women draw away disciples after them. But "mutual ministry" (4:16) doesn't mean the whole body is a mouth! God gave some to be teachers and however we need to balance that, we first must gladly accept it as the will and work of God. And those who profess to be gifted by God for the ministry of the Word need to be obedient to their call and resist the temptation to be a "jack of all trades". It may be unromantic to think of church unity in terms of structure but it would be crass foolishness to think of a body as a single part.

It is perfectly true that there can't be many parts without a body but it's also true that there can't be a body without many parts. An eye is not a body and 1 Corinthians 12:17 insists on that. So there is no life or growth without some structure and there is no true imaging of God in a solitary part or function. We are glad our bodies have various parts able to do the needed things for the benefit of the whole. Our hands aren't jealous of our feet and our ears are pleased that there are eyes. Our inter-body diversity is a blessing that God has given us and is a means to bring about his even more glorious purposes.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, theabidingword.com.

The Only True God by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=11&article=5014

The Only True God

by	Eric Lyons, M.Min.

The Bible is full of scriptures that, when quoted without any consideration of the immediate and remote contexts, a person can misuse in all sorts of ways. As proof that we do not have to work to provide for our family’s material needs, some may quote Jesus’ statement, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life” (John 6:27). In order to show that Jesus was a liar, the Bible critic might quote Jesus’ acknowledgement: “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true” (John 5:31). Those who exclude baptism from God’s plan of salvation often quote John 4:2: “Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples.” When the Bible reader is “rightly dividing” (2 Timothy 2:15, NKJV) or “handling accurately the word of truth” (NASB), however, he will remember that “[t]he sum of thy [God’s] word is truth” (Psalm 119:160, emp. added). Since the Bible teaches “if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10; cf. 1 Timothy 5:8), Jesus never implied that working to help feed one’s family is wrong (John 6:27). “He simply was saying that spiritual food is more important than physical food, and as such, should be given a higher priority” (Butt, 2003, emp. in orig.). Jesus did not confess wrongdoing in John 5:31. He simply acknowledged that, in accordance with the law (cf. Deuteronomy 19:15), His testimony apart from other witnesses would be considered invalid or insufficient to establish truth (cf. John 8:13-20; see Lyons, 2004). Likewise, Jesus never taught that baptism was unnecessary for salvation. In fact, He taught the very opposite (cf. John 3:3,5; Mark 16:16; Matthew 28:18-20; see Lyons, 2003).
Consider another proof text from the Gospel of John regarding the nature of Christ. Some (e.g., Jehovah’s Witnesses) contend that Jesus was not deity since, on one occasion, He prayed to the Father: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3; cf. “Should You Believe...?,” 2000). Allegedly, by calling the Father, “the only true God,” Jesus excluded Himself from being deity. Such an interpretation of John 17:3, however, contradicts numerous other passages within John’s own gospel account. From beginning to end, John bore witness to the deity of Christ. Some of the evidence from the Gospel of John includes the following:

• In the very first verse of John, the apostle testified: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (emp. added; cf. 1:14,17).
• Two verses later the reader learns that “[a]ll things came into being by Him [the Word], and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being” (John 1:3, NASB).
• Still in the first chapter of John, the apostle testified that John the Baptizer was the one whom Isaiah foretold would “prepare...the way of Jehovah” (Isaiah 40:3; John 1:23; cf. 14:6). For Whom did John the Baptizer come to prepare the way? Isaiah called Him “Jehovah.” The apostle John, as well as John the Baptizer, referred to Jehovah as “Jesus” (John 1:17), “the Christ” (3:28), “the Word” (1:1), “the Light” (1:17), “the Lamb” (1:29), “the Truth” (5:33), etc.
• When the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well told Jesus, “I know that Messiah is coming” (John 4:25), Jesus responded, “I who speak to you am He” (vs. 26). Isaiah foretold that the Messiah would be called “Mighty God” (9:6) and “Jehovah” (40:3). Thus, by claiming to be the Messiah, Jesus was claiming to be God.
• In John chapter nine, Jesus miraculously healed a man with congenital blindness (vs. 1). When this man appeared before various Jews in the synagogue and called Jesus a prophet (vs. 17), he was instructed to “give glory to God,” not Jesus, because allegedly Jesus “is a sinner” (vs. 24). Later, after the man born blind was cast out of the synagogue, he confessed faith in Jesus and worshiped (Greek proskuneo) Him (vs. 38). In the Gospel of John, this word (proskuneo) is found 11 times: nine times in reference to worshiping the Father (John 4:2-24), once in reference to Greeks who came to “worship” in Jerusalem during Passover (12:20), and once in reference to the worship Jesus received from a man whom He had miraculously healed, and who had just confessed faith in Jesus. Indeed, by accepting worship Jesus acknowledged His deity (cf. Matthew 4:10; Hebrews 1:6).
• While at the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, Jesus claimed: “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). “Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him” (vs. 31). Why did Jesus’ enemies want to stone Him? The Jews said to Christ: “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God” (vs. 33, emp. added; cf. 5:17-18).
• After Jesus rose from the dead, the apostle Thomas called Jesus, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Jesus responded: “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (vs. 29). Notice that Jesus did not deny His deity, rather He acknowledged Thomas’ faith and commended future believers. Believers in what? In that which Thomas had just confessed—that Jesus is Lord and God.

It was in the overall context of John’s gospel account, which is filled with statements testifying of Jesus’ deity, that the apostle recorded Jesus’ prayer to His Father the night of His betrayal (John 17). But how can Jesus’ statement about His Father being “the only true God” (17:3) be harmonized with statements by Jesus, the apostle John, John the Baptizer, Thomas, etc. affirming the deity of Christ? When a person understands that Jesus’ statement was made in opposition to the world’s false gods, and not Himself, the reference to the Father being “the only true God” harmonizes perfectly with the many scriptures that attest to the deity of Christ (including those outside of the book of John; cf. Matthew 1:23; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:5-13). On the eve of Jesus’ crucifixion, it was completely natural for Him to pray that “all flesh/people” (John 17:2, NKJV/NIV), many of whom were (and still are) pagan idolaters, would come to know “the only true God” and receive eternal life (17:3). Thus, Jesus contrasted Himself not with the Father, but “with all forms of pagan polytheism, mystic pantheism, and philosophic naturalism” (Jamieson, et al., 1997).
Furthermore, if Jesus’ reference to the Father being “the only true God” somehow excludes Jesus from being deity, then (to be consistent) Jesus also must be disqualified from being man’s Savior. Jehovah said: “Besides me there is no savior” (Isaiah 43:11; cf. Hosea 13:4; Jude 25). Yet, Paul and Peter referred to Jesus as our “Savior” several times in their inspired writings (Ephesians 5:23; Philippians 3:20; 2 Timothy 1:10; 2 Peter 1:1,11; 2:20; etc.). Also, if Jesus is excluded from Godhood (based on a misinterpretation of John 17:3), then, pray tell, must God the Father be excluded from being man’s Lord? To the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote that there is “one Lord” (4:4, emp. added), and, according to Jude 4 (using Jehovah’s Witnesses own New World Translation) “our only Owner and Lord” is “Jesus Christ” (emp. added). Yet, in addition to Jesus being called Lord throughout the New Testament, so is God the Father (Matthew 11:25; Luke 1:32; Acts 1:25) and the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17).
Obviously, when the Bible reveals that there is only one God, one Savior, one Lord, one Creator (Isaiah 44:24; John 1:3), etc., reason and revelation demand that we understand the inspired writers to be excluding everyone and everything—other than the triune God. As former Jehovah’s Witness David Reed explained: “Jesus’ being called our ‘only’ Lord does not rule out the Lordship of the Father and the Holy Spirit, and the Father’s being called the ‘only’ true God does not exclude the Son and the Holy Spirit from deity” (1986, p. 82).

REFERENCES

Butt, Kyle (2003), “Wearing Gold and Braided Hair,” Apologetics Press, http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2264.
Jamieson, Robert, et al. (1997), Jamieson, Faussett, Brown Bible Commentary (Electronic Database: Biblesoft).
Lyons, Eric (2003), “The Bible’s Teaching on Baptism: Contradictory or Complementary?” Apologetics Press, http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/617.
Lyons, Eric (2004), “Was Jesus Trustworthy?” Apologetics Press, http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/516.
Reed, David (1986), Jehovah’s Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).
“Should You Believe in the Trinity?” (2000), http://www.watchtower.org/library/ti/index.htm.

From Mark Copeland... The Christian's Duty To Government (Romans 13:1-7)

                      "THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS"

              The Christian's Duty To Government (13:1-7)

INTRODUCTION

1. Christians are blessed to be citizens of a heavenly kingdom...
   a. Our citizenship is in heaven - Php 3:20
   b. We have been conveyed into the kingdom of God's dear Son - Co 1:13; Re 1:9
   -- As such, we are described as "sojourners and pilgrims" in this
      world - 1Pe 2:11

2. As "pilgrims", we live and work under the governments of men...
   a. With a variety of political systems:  democracies, kingdoms,
      dictatorships, etc.
   b. Offering varying degrees of freedom, responsibilities, etc.
   -- What is our duty to such governments?

3. The Lord's church began and thrived during the Roman Empire...
   a. To Christians in the capital city of Rome, Paul wrote of their
      responsibility
   b. To Christians dispersed in outlying areas of the Empire, Peter did
      also
   -- The Christian's duty to government is made very clear by the
      apostles

[Using Paul's comments in Ro 13:1-7 as our starting point, let's review
what our duties are...]

I. BE SUBJECT

   A. THE RULE...
      1. Stressed twice by Paul
         a. "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities"
            - Ro 13:1
         b. "Therefore you must be subject..." - Ro 13:5
      2. Peter likewise taught this duty - 1Pe 2:13-14
         a. "Therefore submit yourselves..."
            1) Submit means "be subject to"
            2) Signifying "to place one's self under subjection; to
               render one's self subordinate"
         b. We are to submit "to every ordinance of man"
            1) The word "ordinance" literally means "a creation"
            2) The Greeks and Romans described the appointment of
               officers as the "creation" of them
            3) Thus the expression "ordinance" actually refers:
               a) Not to a particular law passed by government
               b) But to the civil government or institution itself
               c) Cf. "to every human institution" (NASB, NRSV)
            4) Note that we are to submit to every human institution
               (whether it be a monarchy, democracy, totalitarian state,
               etc.)
      -- Our responsibility is clear:  "Let every soul be subject" - Ro 13:1

   B. THE REASON...
      1. Governing authorities that exist have been appointed by God!
         - Ro 13:1
         a. As emphasized in the book of Daniel - Dan 2:20-21; 4:17,25a,
            32a
         b. Even those that are evil, which God often uses for His
            divine purposes and then replaces - cf. Exo 9:16 (Egypt);
            Isa 10:5-12 (Assyria)
      2. Therefore to resist government means to resist God Himself!
         - Ro 13:2-4
         a. To resist is to bring judgment upon one's self
         b. For government is a minister of God, designed to avenge evil
      3. Peter adds two good reasons - 1Pe 2:15
         a. First and foremost, "this is the will of God"
            1) Cf. also, "for the Lord's sake" - 1Pe 2:13
            2) This will suffice for all true servants of God
         b. That we may "put to silence the ignorance of foolish men"
            1) Because of their allegiance to a heavenly king,
               Christians are often falsely accused of sedition or
               treason - e.g., Ac 17:5-8
            2) By doing good (e.g., by submitting), we can "silence"
               (lit., muzzle) ignorant charges
      -- To avoid wrath and have a good conscience, "you must be subject"
         - Ro 13:5

   C. THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE...
      1. It is not whenever government is oppressive
         a. Consider the government and conditions when Paul and Peter
            wrote
         b. The government was totalitarian, under Nero's evil and
            despotic rule as emperor
         c. Under Nero's reign, Christians suffered greatly - cf. 1 Pe 4:12-13; 5:8-9
         d. Paul and Peter were eventually martyred
      2. The only exception:  we must obey God rather than man!
         a. As illustrated by Peter and the apostles - Ac 4:18-20; 5:
            27-29
         b. When government tries to force us to disobey God, we must
            disobey the government
         c. Even then, we may break only the particular law designed to
            force disobedience to God
         d. We have no authority to break other laws in protest to the
            unjust law
      -- When government seeks to stifle our service to God, we must
         obey God rather than man!

[As we return to our text, we note additional duties to government...]

II. PAY WHAT IS DUE

   A. WE ARE TO PAY TAXES...
      1. As an act of submission we should pay our taxes - Ro 13:6
      2. Also other fees that are due, such as customs - Ro 13:7
      -- We may not approve of how the taxes are spent, but I doubt the
         early Christians approved of how Nero spent the government's
         money either

   B. WE ARE TO PAY RESPECT...
      1. Fear to whom fear is due - Ro 13:7
         a. Such as police officers, judges
         b. And if you do evil, be afraid! - Ro 13:4
      2. Honor to whom honor is due - Ro 13:7; cf. 1Pe 2:17
         a. Such as presidents, kings, governors, local leaders
         b. Out of respect for the office, if not for the man (or woman)
      -- Our duty is not limited to those whose political or personal
         behavior we approve

[Before we end our study, we should certainly note another duty to
government that is ours...]

III. PRAY

   A. FOR KINGS AND ALL IN AUTHORITY...
      1. We are to offer supplications, prayers, intercessions - 1Ti 2:
         1-2
         a. Praying for those who lead, not only our country, but those
            around the world
         b. Praying that they rule with wisdom, righteousness, and mercy
      2. We are to offer thanks - 1Ti 2:1-2
         a. Taking time to thank God for those who rule well
         b. Thanking God for when we live in peace and prosperity, and
            for protecting us when we do not
      -- An invaluable contribution Christians can give their country
         are their prayers

   B. THAT WE MIGHT LEAD GOOD LIVES...
      1. Good in a material sense, to enjoy quiet and peaceful times
         - cf. 1Th 4:11; He 12:14a
      2. Good in a spiritual sense, free to be godly and reverent - cf.
         He 12:14b
      -- As God works through the governments of men to bestow peace,
         prayer should be a priority for those who wish to live in peace

CONCLUSION

1. The duties placed on Christians toward their earthly governments are
   clear and simple...
   a. Be subject to governing authorities
   b. Pay what is due in taxes and respect
   c. Pray for all those in positions of authority

2. Beyond this, our involvement in the affairs of government may fall
   into the realm of judgment...
   a. Should we enter politics, serve in law enforcement, enlist in the
      military?
   b. Such questions have been debated by Christians for centuries
   -- One thing is clear, we must obey God rather than man, and avoid
      becoming entangled with the affairs of this life to the neglect of
      our service to God (2Ti 2:4)

As a Christian, are you faithfully fulfilling your duty to earthly
government, while sojourning as a citizen of a heavenly kingdom...?

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

From Gary... Being the proper kind of hater

I remember a conversation with a supervisor in which he called me names because I said that I hated evil. In his way of thinking, to hate at all proved that you were a hypocrite, bigoted, stupid and a poor example of a Christian.  Well, the LORD hates and some things should be hated...

Proverbs 6:16-19 NASB
(16)  There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
(17)  Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood,
(18)  A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil,
(19)  A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers.

People can say a lot of things, that does not make them right. As for me, I intend to go right on hating evil.  I admit, sometimes it is extremely hard to care for those practising it, but who ever said following God was easy.  Hate evil and love the good. Forgive and try to understand others. God did, does and always will. Remember Jesus?