This is a statement to the first Century Church of the newly formed Christian Church of the Corinthians. Paul have learned that there was infighting between it's members on who is following who. They have quickly aligned themselves with "sides" for whatever reasons, and became adversarial. Paul quickly lets them know their error. They have reverted to a base understanding, a hierarchical stance of who to follow. They have become not of one mind as Paul had taught and preached. Instead he pulled out the term "mere human" as if to shake up their understanding of what they had really become and who they had par-taken of. Of Christ's Spirit, and not of men. Christ was Deity and had imparted some of that "like" Deity in each one who was a believer. In other words, Paul sought to teach them with Spiritual words, taught by the Spirit. A new thing. Foolishness to the wise of this world. God had taken the poor, downtrodden, and not "wise who were many" and turned the world upside down with a new way to understand God's purposes for mankind. Paul always preached a crucified Christ and also a risen, Christ, so that the Gospel would not lose it's power and message. He strenuously preached a Gospel not of eloquent words so as to strip the Gospel of it's Spiritual power to redeem and restore men. Restore to what, you ask? Not to be mere humans.....
In C. S. Lewis's book, Mere Christianity, he, in one chapter, lays out the premise that what God begets, are God-like, and what man begets are man-like or human in other words. So The Son of God, Christ, led Captivity captive and created a whole new thing, Spirit filled people, with Spirit filled understandings, and we were meant to come away with new reasoning's. So no small wonder of Paul's strong letter to those he founded in Christ.
We in this Century have created or have been subjected to a "worldview" of Christianity that has morphed over centuries I believe to become weaker and less effective gospel bearing representatives of our Lord. This has taken centuries to get where we are, and most likely will take "much time", if we have, it to fully understand how far removed we are from the First Century beliefs of those forerunners before us. Fortunately, I have lately been in circles where this is understood and new teachings are about. This is refreshing.
You see, if we continue to debase all that is Spiritual and bring it down to a level of our understanding, then we lose a gift of God, not only in it's power to redeem but, loss of a real binding of Spiritual strength of being in one mind, with one another.
Following men blindly can lead to some trouble of which I have been acquainted.
That is not to say, we must not follow men, ( it is necessary) but, we must be wiser that we sometimes are. For there are wolves in sheep's clothing, still seeking to lead astray those who are "unwise."
If then we can be of the mind that we have become "more that Mortal" in that the resurrection is a reality and we will rise like Christ, then we are more that "mere humans", and must act accordingly. However, living this out is harder in our twenty- first century with all it's trappings of post-modernism's thought we have absorbed.
Monday, May 14, 2018
Sunday, April 22, 2018
Indelible words; Marks upon the soul
"Well you have long ones" (legs) In response to my wanting to help an old time missionary (85 years old) to further the gospel in passing out literature. (tracts.)
"Save your money" (In offering to help.)
"We were never here for the lost" (" God wanted a body of people here.") Finding out many many years later that we would never reach out for the "lost." as ministry.!
"Your too nice." After buying groceries for a sick sister.!
"Better get yourself into a church...or risk becoming a false prophet!." After telling my best friend and Elder I could no longer support his vision of a closed Christian ministry that excluded people.
"We are done being the moving company." Being told they would no longer help us to move, a few blocks, after we moved 2200 miles to support their ministry and build a Church.
"You came in the back door." After returning to the Church we spent 17 years in after leaving the the one mentioned above because of exclusion. We then left permanently after seeing the same traits of those we left.
"The Spirit has no memory." (Really, Christ can't remember what he just said and did?)
"We are going to have a community garden, with lodging for brothers and sisters." Not..!
"We are going to build on the hill." Not.!
"We are going to have a bus ministry." Not..!
"We cannot build with them." ( Couldn't build with any churches in the area!)
"God would not have us swallow and idol." ( In building with another Church after much preparation and thought."
"We cannot help you, ( with money to save our house 300.00 dollars.) You have not been able to show responsibility in your budgets! ( We never had enough to budget.)
"You cannot get married yet, you have to learn how to be "single first in the Lord." We waited 5 years!.........under the false teaching to be single. (Paul said forbid not those who want to marry.!)
These are the marks on the soul we ( my wife and I had to endure at the hands of the Elder ship in a non-denominational church in which we spent 17 years helping to build community, with weekend labor all free and all given with the right intentions.
Most of the things listed above that we labored for and gave money for never transpired. Every year a "different vision" was promoted and offered to a group of people who honestly gave 110 percent and more to create a Christian community in the mold of the first century church. 15 to 20 houses were built with exceptional skills over the course of 17 years from men and women who wanted freedom and spiritual life in a setting that was almost ideal. Over the course of those many years something went terribly wrong and many of those who had given their all were driven away by that same elder ship under the guise of "correction" and many lost for a time their sanity because of intense loss of property and friendships cultivated over almost two decades. We ourselves lost friends, babies, and a house and cars, all because of some twisted doctrines intertwined with Christian ones that skewed belief into a cultish-Christian inward turned church.
This should never happen. This was a pre-eminent doctrine known as the "shepherding" movement of the early and late eighties. Doctrines of submission, separation of sexes, (what men do and what women do...) how much we could work (40 hours) anything more would be without faith that God would provide, even though the leadership themselves never lacked because they received the tithes from the people. Who could marry who and who could build on "the farm" was regulated even though all gave to see the vision come to fruition.
We were totally given over, we were 18 and 23 years old when we joined what we thought was a great Church. I was 41 and my wife was 36 when we left. With nothing, except the wonderful children 2 and 3 years old that would never have to experience what we did.......Thank God for his mercy! And thank God for those we met in another State familiar with false teachings and doctrines that destroy and warp minds. These teachings came out of a Pentecostal doctrine that was legalistic to the max, and presented as if it were not. "We were highly "Lorded" over and the scripture clearly states we are not to do so to one another. This was so because the "gentiles" Lorded over themselves, and Peter (1st 5:3) cautioned against this, for the new Christians.
Now twenty one years later....after experiencing many, many Christian Churches, we find that it is exceedingly hard to embrace any one because of the current climate. As we now know many evangelicals voted for and helped elect Trump regardless of the may flaws and moral failures in the man, they obviously ignored, in favor of furthering their agenda. A Christian that truly followed Christ would never have done so. There are so many anti-Christ traits on full display in that one person. Could it be that we (the church and those in it) are in the time that scripture for tells that many would be deceived? And could it be that the Devil is fully active in the Church so subtly that doctrines are twisted ever so artfully so as not to be noticed? I believe so and have experienced it. So with caution I regain my mind with open thinking, and peruse the scriptures with ever increasing caution and follow as closely as possible to Christ's teachings and glean from them a better accuracy and not from our twenty first century..."nationalistic imbued", gun toting mix of Christianity so prevalent and on display in our society. If we have to fight to save our children from assault weapons in our schools and have Christians defend the 2nd amendment blindly, while they die, then our values are truly not Christ like. Politics should not come first while lives are at stake. The children are shaming, I hope (those in Washington) in doing the right thing. I exhort them not to give up!! The children...
While I and my wife continue to believe in the Good word of the Gospel, it is hard to attend any kind of Church and knit with a church that is unable to separate its Christian dogma from it's political and dangerous leanings. While it was said that "religion is the opiate of the people" we need to heed it's deeper meaning often not known...in it's full context..."Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people." Attributed to Karl Marx. "Die Religion...Ist das Opium des Volkes.
Religion as it had become in the days of Christ was oppressive and Christ wanted to set people free. Therefore, Christ did what the law never could, give life. Religious law is dead works.....So all those who follow en-masse (as a group, simultaneously as one...be careful who and what you follow.
"Save your money" (In offering to help.)
"We were never here for the lost" (" God wanted a body of people here.") Finding out many many years later that we would never reach out for the "lost." as ministry.!
"Your too nice." After buying groceries for a sick sister.!
"Better get yourself into a church...or risk becoming a false prophet!." After telling my best friend and Elder I could no longer support his vision of a closed Christian ministry that excluded people.
"We are done being the moving company." Being told they would no longer help us to move, a few blocks, after we moved 2200 miles to support their ministry and build a Church.
"You came in the back door." After returning to the Church we spent 17 years in after leaving the the one mentioned above because of exclusion. We then left permanently after seeing the same traits of those we left.
"The Spirit has no memory." (Really, Christ can't remember what he just said and did?)
"We are going to have a community garden, with lodging for brothers and sisters." Not..!
"We are going to build on the hill." Not.!
"We are going to have a bus ministry." Not..!
"We cannot build with them." ( Couldn't build with any churches in the area!)
"God would not have us swallow and idol." ( In building with another Church after much preparation and thought."
"We cannot help you, ( with money to save our house 300.00 dollars.) You have not been able to show responsibility in your budgets! ( We never had enough to budget.)
"You cannot get married yet, you have to learn how to be "single first in the Lord." We waited 5 years!.........under the false teaching to be single. (Paul said forbid not those who want to marry.!)
These are the marks on the soul we ( my wife and I had to endure at the hands of the Elder ship in a non-denominational church in which we spent 17 years helping to build community, with weekend labor all free and all given with the right intentions.
Most of the things listed above that we labored for and gave money for never transpired. Every year a "different vision" was promoted and offered to a group of people who honestly gave 110 percent and more to create a Christian community in the mold of the first century church. 15 to 20 houses were built with exceptional skills over the course of 17 years from men and women who wanted freedom and spiritual life in a setting that was almost ideal. Over the course of those many years something went terribly wrong and many of those who had given their all were driven away by that same elder ship under the guise of "correction" and many lost for a time their sanity because of intense loss of property and friendships cultivated over almost two decades. We ourselves lost friends, babies, and a house and cars, all because of some twisted doctrines intertwined with Christian ones that skewed belief into a cultish-Christian inward turned church.
This should never happen. This was a pre-eminent doctrine known as the "shepherding" movement of the early and late eighties. Doctrines of submission, separation of sexes, (what men do and what women do...) how much we could work (40 hours) anything more would be without faith that God would provide, even though the leadership themselves never lacked because they received the tithes from the people. Who could marry who and who could build on "the farm" was regulated even though all gave to see the vision come to fruition.
We were totally given over, we were 18 and 23 years old when we joined what we thought was a great Church. I was 41 and my wife was 36 when we left. With nothing, except the wonderful children 2 and 3 years old that would never have to experience what we did.......Thank God for his mercy! And thank God for those we met in another State familiar with false teachings and doctrines that destroy and warp minds. These teachings came out of a Pentecostal doctrine that was legalistic to the max, and presented as if it were not. "We were highly "Lorded" over and the scripture clearly states we are not to do so to one another. This was so because the "gentiles" Lorded over themselves, and Peter (1st 5:3) cautioned against this, for the new Christians.
Now twenty one years later....after experiencing many, many Christian Churches, we find that it is exceedingly hard to embrace any one because of the current climate. As we now know many evangelicals voted for and helped elect Trump regardless of the may flaws and moral failures in the man, they obviously ignored, in favor of furthering their agenda. A Christian that truly followed Christ would never have done so. There are so many anti-Christ traits on full display in that one person. Could it be that we (the church and those in it) are in the time that scripture for tells that many would be deceived? And could it be that the Devil is fully active in the Church so subtly that doctrines are twisted ever so artfully so as not to be noticed? I believe so and have experienced it. So with caution I regain my mind with open thinking, and peruse the scriptures with ever increasing caution and follow as closely as possible to Christ's teachings and glean from them a better accuracy and not from our twenty first century..."nationalistic imbued", gun toting mix of Christianity so prevalent and on display in our society. If we have to fight to save our children from assault weapons in our schools and have Christians defend the 2nd amendment blindly, while they die, then our values are truly not Christ like. Politics should not come first while lives are at stake. The children are shaming, I hope (those in Washington) in doing the right thing. I exhort them not to give up!! The children...
While I and my wife continue to believe in the Good word of the Gospel, it is hard to attend any kind of Church and knit with a church that is unable to separate its Christian dogma from it's political and dangerous leanings. While it was said that "religion is the opiate of the people" we need to heed it's deeper meaning often not known...in it's full context..."Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people." Attributed to Karl Marx. "Die Religion...Ist das Opium des Volkes.
Religion as it had become in the days of Christ was oppressive and Christ wanted to set people free. Therefore, Christ did what the law never could, give life. Religious law is dead works.....So all those who follow en-masse (as a group, simultaneously as one...be careful who and what you follow.
Sunday, February 18, 2018
Measuring Up...
There is now therefore; no condemnation in Christ........
There are all sorts of way to measure things, especially in our society. In a given day, how many times do you make a judgment...of anything? I can tell you, hundreds of times. Now I am especially concerned with the judgments we make of one another and of strangers. The words above, from Paul's letter in the New Testament concern the Law of Sin and Death. Doing the things we do not want to do but do anyway, and doing the things we want but do not. I think this can be stretched to our judgment of others as well. For God does not look at man as a man does to man on the surface, but looks intently and deeply into the heart. It is for this reason we are forgiven, all of us, there is no impartiality. (Apprehending this forgiveness is a whole other story.) In other words if we have been, as I have been, on the receiving end of some one's unjust judgment and categorically "pigeonholed" say, as someone undeserving of love, of respect, of anything kind at all, then we (and I) miss the mark and (Sin).
When in the course of our daily lives we go about our business and perhaps whether inadvertently or on purpose involve ourselves outside our "normal sphere" of activity we may become closer to those we judge to be "different." Whether it be those outside societal norms, such as the homeless, or even the rich, or just those who are not daily in the sphere we normally travel in we easily judge. And in doing so we may find our hearts callous. We just might overlook common dignity, respect, love and measure incorrectly.
And so As Christians, we must know not to submit to that and rise above the tendency and not condemn ourselves and fall into that trap as well. We always will fall short. And because we now have Christ's righteousness as our own, and not our own, we can walk with heads a little higher, a little less bent over and carry empathy instead.
There are all sorts of way to measure things, especially in our society. In a given day, how many times do you make a judgment...of anything? I can tell you, hundreds of times. Now I am especially concerned with the judgments we make of one another and of strangers. The words above, from Paul's letter in the New Testament concern the Law of Sin and Death. Doing the things we do not want to do but do anyway, and doing the things we want but do not. I think this can be stretched to our judgment of others as well. For God does not look at man as a man does to man on the surface, but looks intently and deeply into the heart. It is for this reason we are forgiven, all of us, there is no impartiality. (Apprehending this forgiveness is a whole other story.) In other words if we have been, as I have been, on the receiving end of some one's unjust judgment and categorically "pigeonholed" say, as someone undeserving of love, of respect, of anything kind at all, then we (and I) miss the mark and (Sin).
When in the course of our daily lives we go about our business and perhaps whether inadvertently or on purpose involve ourselves outside our "normal sphere" of activity we may become closer to those we judge to be "different." Whether it be those outside societal norms, such as the homeless, or even the rich, or just those who are not daily in the sphere we normally travel in we easily judge. And in doing so we may find our hearts callous. We just might overlook common dignity, respect, love and measure incorrectly.
And so As Christians, we must know not to submit to that and rise above the tendency and not condemn ourselves and fall into that trap as well. We always will fall short. And because we now have Christ's righteousness as our own, and not our own, we can walk with heads a little higher, a little less bent over and carry empathy instead.
Monday, January 22, 2018
i've gone nuclear!
Oh, it hurts! Yes I admit it. When things happen that I don't especially like, such as being used, abused, taken advantage of etc, etc, etc. Then when I don't have a grip on my emotions, POW! Nuclear fission takes place right inside my mind and then my emotions kick in and then mass explosions occur. And I hate it. Now I don't always go this route, but I'm human and so, it happened this weekend. one after another and I could not shake the events or put the cork back in the bottle or the bad genie back in the bottle. Out it came and all the gunk with it. But, thanks be to God, as some say... I can be washed in the blood of Christ that heals that sort of thing. Yes it is not a mind game but a peace that eventually wins out over such things as this. Think Peter and you get what i'm saying. He was a man of intensity and a man of simplicity and a man that needed forgiveness he did not give himself. But Jesus did. Do you love me he asked? That is the million dollar question. I do and I know why I do....do you? Because often enough I cannot forgive myself the things that come out of my heart or mouth. @#%^^%% yeah like that! PEACE.
Monday, January 1, 2018
Skin for Skin
"Skin for skin" said the Devil in the presence of the Lord God. This he said about Job as he was about to tempt him with the very loss of his health.
The Devil roams about. Seeking to destroy by any means possible. And how should we respond? By resisting. Not retaliating as we would so like to do. By letting our prayers go up to the throne room of our Father and telling him please help us.
Again I was kicked in the teeth today. Happy new year.....I will lose a home in the next several weeks and be forced into a very small apartment that I came from 6 months ago. Just goes to show the self centeredness and a heart that waxes and wanes according to mood. I guess we were warned that these days would come, and to be aware of people who would despite fully use us, as Jesus warned.
Not only did I give everything I could to help a person but I put forward my Christianity daily on the altar of giving as I should and was repaid by this act. As yesterday's blog, noted, I will continue to do what I have to to sow the good things in the midst of a world so corrupted by blindness and evil. Peace
I pray that God can use even this for good. somehow......
The Devil roams about. Seeking to destroy by any means possible. And how should we respond? By resisting. Not retaliating as we would so like to do. By letting our prayers go up to the throne room of our Father and telling him please help us.
Again I was kicked in the teeth today. Happy new year.....I will lose a home in the next several weeks and be forced into a very small apartment that I came from 6 months ago. Just goes to show the self centeredness and a heart that waxes and wanes according to mood. I guess we were warned that these days would come, and to be aware of people who would despite fully use us, as Jesus warned.
Not only did I give everything I could to help a person but I put forward my Christianity daily on the altar of giving as I should and was repaid by this act. As yesterday's blog, noted, I will continue to do what I have to to sow the good things in the midst of a world so corrupted by blindness and evil. Peace
I pray that God can use even this for good. somehow......
Saturday, December 30, 2017
Brothers and Sisters....Listen!
I Cor. 15:58,
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Aways give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. For your labor is not in vain.
This particular scripture follows Paul's discourse just before this on the resurrected body and what it shall be. Curious.....The entirety of his discourse to the Corinthians was to dispute the ongoing error on the resurrected Christ and also ours, as Christ's followers. In other words speaking of the future to come? NO not so. AS we are par takers of Christ's new creation now in this present time, then we have a work to do to be par takers in the work here and now. After the resurrected Christ came and showed himself to his followers realize that something momentous just happened not to Christ only, but to all those who would believe. Redemption of ourselves of course but also of the new Jerusalem and the Earth. (N. T. Wright) Surprised by Hope). What Paul is trying to convey is life is now worth living, in the here and now. We being the vessels by which God will usher in the so needed changes in this present evil and corrupt world. We are changed so our mission has changed. No longer do we just work for money, safety, our families, and the like. The great commission stands. Why? Because if we held to the former beliefs that all is passing away and heaven awaits us elsewhere, why bother? With that mindset corruption continues, evil persists, bad people continue to be bad people. There is no resistance. I do not mean we should fight, but we should be able to influence what is around us, if in fact Jesus is the first fruits of something entirely different. Death has been conquered. If when casting out demons he refuted the Pharisees saying If by the finger of God ( get this..finger is small but greater than us.) he casts them out then the Kingdom of God has come down to Earth. So then as " Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, then we have a witness to uphold in whatever we do. Since now his kingdom is come to earth and Jesus is alive and well and reigning. Now...
So when I look around me and and get very dismayed, my nose out of joint because some do not carry their own weight and despise good work ethics, that cause wasted time, money, and labor that ultimately leads to ruin the very company they work for, I have to remember .......What I do will last and transcend to the resurrection and the new. In other words...what I sow I will reap, Likewise so will they.....and then I rest, compose myself and Let Nothing Move Me! Peace!
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Aways give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. For your labor is not in vain.
This particular scripture follows Paul's discourse just before this on the resurrected body and what it shall be. Curious.....The entirety of his discourse to the Corinthians was to dispute the ongoing error on the resurrected Christ and also ours, as Christ's followers. In other words speaking of the future to come? NO not so. AS we are par takers of Christ's new creation now in this present time, then we have a work to do to be par takers in the work here and now. After the resurrected Christ came and showed himself to his followers realize that something momentous just happened not to Christ only, but to all those who would believe. Redemption of ourselves of course but also of the new Jerusalem and the Earth. (N. T. Wright) Surprised by Hope). What Paul is trying to convey is life is now worth living, in the here and now. We being the vessels by which God will usher in the so needed changes in this present evil and corrupt world. We are changed so our mission has changed. No longer do we just work for money, safety, our families, and the like. The great commission stands. Why? Because if we held to the former beliefs that all is passing away and heaven awaits us elsewhere, why bother? With that mindset corruption continues, evil persists, bad people continue to be bad people. There is no resistance. I do not mean we should fight, but we should be able to influence what is around us, if in fact Jesus is the first fruits of something entirely different. Death has been conquered. If when casting out demons he refuted the Pharisees saying If by the finger of God ( get this..finger is small but greater than us.) he casts them out then the Kingdom of God has come down to Earth. So then as " Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, then we have a witness to uphold in whatever we do. Since now his kingdom is come to earth and Jesus is alive and well and reigning. Now...
So when I look around me and and get very dismayed, my nose out of joint because some do not carry their own weight and despise good work ethics, that cause wasted time, money, and labor that ultimately leads to ruin the very company they work for, I have to remember .......What I do will last and transcend to the resurrection and the new. In other words...what I sow I will reap, Likewise so will they.....and then I rest, compose myself and Let Nothing Move Me! Peace!
Wednesday, December 27, 2017
There is Still; This rising Up" This new creation........
Even now in my 62nd and a half years, there is this rising up......from within, this new creation that Christ has given me so many years ago now when I was only 25. This rising, is surely not of me, of my own making. Can't be. I know myself. What's the saying, " To thine own self be true?" Well then there it is. Christ in me, That's the difference. And that's what people would argue, "That's just you, you know, your changing. Evolving......Not so! Death and decay is the natural order. Look around you. But, resurrection begins here and now ushering in the new creation in Christ. The New Testament is pregnant, full of life for the believer. Otherwise death is not defeated Christ is not raised and like Paul said. " We would be the most miserable of men." Resurrection then is not then a disembodiment of soul and Spirit heading towards heaven after we die.(1). N. T. Wright) . No it is like Christ's....a new body, glorified, transformed, yet recognizable and not..., able to apparently walk through closed doors, and disappear and so forth. Pentecost....the giving of the Spirit and the transformation through Baptism of the Holy Spirit, that is the beginning. A process in which a new mind is given over time. Thoughts are transformed, repositioned to think through things from a Godly perspective. Like minded to Christ.
These springs of living water are now part of me. The women at the well asked for water. Jesus told her of you knew who I was, you would ask me for the living water, and then you would thirst no more. Don't get me wrong we do not walk in twinkle dust. No we persevere, and go forward and look ahead all the while knowing what the grand plan is. Christ subduing all things to be under his authority, death being the final enemy, vanquished once and for all. So then this rising up from within is still there with me, a constant companion (comforter) and reminder what is to come upon the bodily death first and then ........renewal!
The corruptible to incorruptible.
1. N. T. Wright, "Surprised By Hope, Harper Collins/ Publishers 2008
These springs of living water are now part of me. The women at the well asked for water. Jesus told her of you knew who I was, you would ask me for the living water, and then you would thirst no more. Don't get me wrong we do not walk in twinkle dust. No we persevere, and go forward and look ahead all the while knowing what the grand plan is. Christ subduing all things to be under his authority, death being the final enemy, vanquished once and for all. So then this rising up from within is still there with me, a constant companion (comforter) and reminder what is to come upon the bodily death first and then ........renewal!
The corruptible to incorruptible.
1. N. T. Wright, "Surprised By Hope, Harper Collins/ Publishers 2008
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