The Church's Designated Role ...

"What then is the conclusion, brothers?  Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, another language, or an interpretation.   All things must be done for edification."  (1 Cor. 14:26, HCSB).  
"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayers" (Acts 2:42, HCSB). 

Everyone is welcome to come as they are; however, not expecting to stay that way--no perfect people need to apply!  

The church, as one of three divine institutions (along with family and government), has what's called sphere sovereignty or authority in its rightful domain which shouldn't be usurped by other institutions (role reversal or switching).   Operating in its place, the church has the authority to salvage the soul through the preaching of the gospel; however, Christians have not sanitized the self or society but aim to save and salvage them respectively.  The church must not concede everything away and let secularism win by default or neglect.  "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph," according to Edmund Burke, "is for good men to do nothing!"  We have an inherent, intrinsic duty as the children of God to render unto Caesar our civic duty in whatever capacity we can (cf. Mark 12:17).  That's why Jesus called us salt and light in the lost world (cf. Matt. 5:13-14) that lies under the dominion and authority of Satan (cf. 1 John 5:19).

But if the salt loses it's preserving element or saltiness, the society will suffer consequently.  That's why we must beware lest heresy and false teachers creep in (cf. Jude v. 4) and manipulate the church in the wrong direction, and even by their charisma (which can lead to a personality cult). We must acknowledge the church being the stabilizer and anchor, or moral fiber and conscience of society and a positive influence for good in the face and presence of evil.  We all have a part and this is our mission to the world, sometimes referred to as the so-called "social commission," which has not been rescinded.  Anything less is defined as a dysfunctional church.

The church has multiple ministries (prophetic, sacramental, disciplinary, and pastoral) to be completed in Christ by the application of the power of the Spirit at work in the believers.  All the various gifts are exercised only in the living church and to the benefit of the body, chosen severally as the Spirit wills (cf. 1 Cor. 12:18), to His divine purpose. In short, "mission" is to the lost, ministry to the saved.  We must edify or build each other up and be faithful to complete the ministry given us.  Jesus didn't definitively say how many members would comprise a church but did declare that, wherever two or three are gathered in His name, that He is present.  The church basically is present when the gifts of the Spirit function as a unit or whole, giving members the opportunity to grow in their faith, being equipped to spread the Word and edify others.  We all have a roll and are part of the "family" and should be committed and dedicated in that sense. We have a place to belong, grow, and become what we are meant to be.

This is what a church service should be.  It is imperative we attend church (cf. Heb. 10:25) to achieve spiritual checkups and take spiritual inventory, lest we drift away by becoming rogue believers, lone wolves, or Lone Ranger Christians.  Some would call the singing portion the worship, but it's all worship to God because it's dedicated to serving God in various capacities.  Giving is worship, heeding the sermon or message is too; however, we don't just go to church to listen to preaching.  It must be sound in doctrine and in spirit (cf. John 4:24).  The main focus should be to equip the saints for the great completion of the Great Commission, which is not a suggestion, but a mandate. There is no "one-size-fits-all" for worship and we all have different tastes, traditions, customs, maturities, and backgrounds that determine our choices. It's vital that all believers realize their gift (cf. 1 Cor. 12:1) and place in the kingdom of God manifest in the church.  The ultimate purpose is for the flock to attain maturity (Eph. 4:13) in Christ and have a foundation to "rightly divide the Word of God" (cf. 2 Tim. 2:15, KJV) and not to be tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine (cf. Eph. 4: 14).  Christians are learners or disciples and must realize that this is a perpetual state and we never "arrive" (cf. Phil. 3:12) when we know it all and can rest on our laurels (cf. Phil. 3:14).

And so the function of the local church is five-fold summarized in the two greatest commandments, and the Great Commission:  We love God with all our heart (worship); we love our neighbor (social and gospel mission to the lost and needy--not just "turning stones into bread," or do-goodery); we make disciples (evangelism to lost, even in church); baptize (fellowship, sharing, friendship, service, and family orientation), and teach (preaching of the Word, ministry of gifts, "discipling," mentoring, or edifying).  That's why some say that the "great Christian is one who has a great commitment to the Great Commandment and the Great Commission," according to Rick Warren.

We all are given the opportunity to serve God and our fellow man and are put on earth and in the church to make a contribution!  The church has a designated purpose and a place and opportunity for everyone to serve.  There ought to be a place for everyone to grow!  We can now see that the purpose of the church is to be conduits of grace by demonstrating faith through love in action, not just preaching it.  Caveat:  The church is to be semper reformanda, or always reforming, and never is without error or corners the market on truth.    Soli Deo Gloria! 





 

What Spirit Do You Have?

"We know that we are the children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one" (1 John 5:19, NIV).  
"... And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ" (Rom. 8:9, NIV).  
"So the preaching about God flourished, the number of disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith" (Acts 6:7, HCSB).

The world is possessed with the spirit that works in the sons of disobedience (cf. Eph. 2:2) and the spirit of error.  They don't know the truth to set them free (cf. John 8:32), which God perchance may grant them (cf. 2 Tim. 2:25).  There is the spirit of the world that we possessed before salvation and followed according to the course of Satan and his minions and authorities. We are set free from his power and he cannot touch us (1 John 5:18), for we are more than conquerors.  Satan is a liar and the father of liars (cf. John 8:44), and all men are born liars (cf Psa. 116:11) and follow suit.  There is only one true God who cannot lie (cf. Titus 1:2).

Christians possess two natures:  the old man and the new man after Christ's image.  The one we feed the most assumes the most authority over our lives; there are no carnal believers by nature, but believers can become temporarily carnal and struggle in the flesh. The two spirits are not like the yin/yang of Eastern philosophy, but evil is only a perversion and deprivation of the good.  There is no such thing as pure evil because it is a parasite on the good and the deception is that it may contain an element of truth, just enough to inoculate one from the real thing and make him immune to the truth. We must always be vigilant to exercise the authority, being watchful in the same, that we have in Christ's name to tread on the enemy and claim our victory in Christ.  We need not live in defeat or even become defeatists.  "The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God..." (Rom. 8:7, NIV).

It is paramount that we periodically test the spirit within us to see whether Christ is present or not, especially during the Lord's Supper. "Everyone should examine themselves..." (cf. 1 Cor. 11:28, NIV).  We must always be on the watch for false teachers, a false gospel, a false Christ, and a false spirit (cf. 2 Cor. 11:4) because Satan seeks whom he may devour (cf. 1 Pet. 5:7) and we must test the spirits and contend for the faith (cf. Jude v. 3), lest heresy creeps in and corrupt the fellowship. The caveat we ought to heed is that Satan uses our vocabulary, but his own dictionary!  He preaches another Jesus, another gospel, another spirit. But those who know their God shall be strong and resist him (cf. Dan. 11:32).

Even Christians can become taken in by or buy into the wrong worldview and the philosophies of the devil:  winner take all; God helps those who help themselves; look out for number one; each man for himself; survival of the fittest; the law of the jungle; tit for tat; do unto them as they do unto you; being good without God, and even being moral and religious without religion or God as the moral center of the universe.  There are many crutches the world resorts to atheism as an excuse for sin; cynicism such as getting even, not mad; escapism, such as tripping out on drugs, escaping reality, and getting high; supernaturalism, such as dabbling in the occult; and humanism, or believing in self-help, that man can solve his own problems, and pop psychology; or believing in man-made rules and theories that contradict God and dethrone Him while exalting man, and making a name for himself.

We must always put these pseudo-philosophies into perspective and realize that the Bible is the only crutch that is truly reliable and will not fail us. NB: The point should be made that everyone has a crutch, whether they admit it or not just like everyone worships something or someone because that is what we are hard-wired for (worship) and it's only natural.

True spirituality is the only answer to our problems and we must know the Answerer via the Scriptures and spiritual sanctification. We must start with God to solve our problems, not start with man and try to escape God or deny Him.  The Bible is the only true and final authority that we can rely on and believe in without contradicting God's nature and being true to human nature.  And the way to become cognizant of the forces of evil is to "gird up the loins of [our] mind", know the Word (Ignorance isn't bliss!), have a foundation in sound doctrine ("Knowledge is power!" according to Sir Francis Bacon cf. Prov. 25:4), and beware lest we fall into temptation, for Satan "seeks whom he may devour" (cf. 1 Pet. 5:7) like a roaring lion--no one is immune!

We can overcome the forces of darkness and transform the culture, turning the world upside down like the first believers did to Rome with the right Spirit indwelling us; however, we must become renewed in the spirit of our minds not conforming to the course of this world. For thinking right and doing right can be distinguished, but not separated--they must go hand in hand! Some people just need to get their thinking straightened out.  We must long to do the right thing, not the expedient thing or pragmatic alternative.  We are happy serving others!

Finally, there's a way to confirm our calling and election and that we possess Jesus ("He who has the Son has life," 1 John 5:12):  by the Word of God coupled with the testimony of the Spirit ("The Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are the sons of God," cf. Rom. 8:16).        Soli Deo Gloria!

God Our Provision

"But he gives us more grace..." (James 4:6, NIV).
"... Freely you have received, freely give" (Matt. 10:8, NIV).
"But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:19, NKJV).    
"His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life..." (2 Pet. 1:3, NIV).
"Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart" (Psa. 37:4, NKJV). 
"But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you" (Matt. 6:33, HCSB). 
"One's wealth consists not in the abundance of his possessions, but in the fewness of his wants." --source unknown, quoted by Billy Graham  

One of the so-called Jehovah texts is in Gen. 22:8, which calls God "Jehovah-Jireh" or "the LORD will provide [your need]" literally from the Hebrew and could be interpreted as "the Lord will see to it."  We all have been blessed with the provision of God to be thankful for and this is an example of true gratefulness--expectation of God's blessing and confidence that He will provide all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus (cf. Phil. 4:19).  We are to believe God for the impossible and not underestimate His blessings on our behalf.  There is no most-favored status (cf. Rom. 2:11; Acts 10:34) we can reach but God levels the playing field and we all can come to Him expecting God's best.  Only when we realize God's blessing and become grateful are we able to spread the spirit and the word, being a blessing to others (cf. Zech. 8: 13) like the song goes:  "Once you've experienced it, you'll want to pass it on!"  Being thankful, giving praise, and bowed down to His glory is the way to enter His presence (cf. Psa. 100:4) --it's not how big our faith is, but how big our God is that matters!

The father of modern missions, William Carey, delivered the famous sermon, "Expect Great Things from God; Attempt Great Things for God," is pertinent and we must venture out in faith, leaving our comfort zone, to be tested in our faith, which is more precious than silver or gold that are tested by fire!  The crucible of the cross is what we bear for Christ.  We are to be assured that if we are doing God's will, God will ensure adequacy to do it (may He "equip you with everything good for doing his will," per Heb. 13:21, NIV ).  It's vital to be in the safest place we can be--God's will!

St. Theresa set out to build a monastery and only had twelve pence to her name!  They believed she was a woman of God but no one had the faith to believe she could do that with only these limited resources.  She claimed quite the contrary that she and God could do it!   With God, we all share an abundance of resources and should live as if there is no limit to what we can accomplish for God, as long as it's God's will.  He will call us to do the impossible and it's our duty to believe in the impossible from the God of miracles.  "Is anything too hard for the LORD?" (Cf. Gen. 18:24, NIV) or "Nothing is too hard for you" (cf. Jer. 32:17, ESV).  It is only a matter of Christian faith to believe "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," (cf. Phil. 4:13).

We may see obstacles but God sees the big picture and from the vantage point of eternity, not one day at a time as we do.  When the chips are down we are to trust all the more and realize that it's a test of faith to see if we are willing to walk with Christ through thick and thin and let the chips fall where they may! We all must be tested, provision-wise, to see where our faith is:  Even Habakkuk (cf. 3:18) came to the realization after his crops failed that all he really needed was God and everything else is a bonus.  He was able to thank God for knowing that God was still his Provider even in the lean times (cf. Isa. 45:7).  If we cannot trust God in the small matters, what about the great ones?  He who is faithful in little will be faithful in much, for of whom much is given, much is required (cf. Luke 12:48).  Sometimes we all must come to the end of ourselves or suffer loss to realize that with God we will survive any trial--"If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Cf. Rom. 8:31).  Knowing the meaning and purpose gives us the motive and the attitude to praise God and not to be discouraged or downcast.

We can have faith and should keep the faith that God will see to it that we are taken care of and that we can do His will. But God is good to all in some ways, that's His nature; however, He is good to some in all ways too.  We are to believe God for miracles and "feed the poor" but not to be known as do-gooders who just "turn stones into bread." Even Jesus didn't want to be known just as a miracle worker or do-gooder, but only performed miracles to illustrate His Deity and to teach a lesson or to show compassion to those in need.  We are to keep the main thing the main thing:  The Great Commission.  We can move mountains by our faith if it's in the right object--God: with God-confidence and God-esteem.

God has indeed promised to meet all our needs to glorify His name but not necessarily our felt needs or things we think we need.  God knows what we need better than we do ourselves and in the end result: we will someday realize that God had the best in mind for us and that His Plan A is for our own good.  And so we must get over the notion that lacking no good thing is the same as having everything or thinking that God is holding back--this leads to the false doctrine of prosperity theology! NB:  The Lord's prayer makes it plain that we are not to get ahead of ourselves and worry about the needs of the future, but live one day at a time in light of eternity, and ask for the daily provision or "our daily bread" (cf. Matt. 6:11).

We must confess that everything we possess is the blessing of God, even our work (cf. Eccl. 3:13); for what do we have that we didn't receive? (Cf. 1 Cor. 4:7). However, on occasion, we have not because we ask not (cf. James 4:2) and we must keep in mind the promise of Jesus that if we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, all these things will be added unto us (cf. Matt. 6:33)--that means God as our first priority in His will for our lives. In God's economy, emptying comes before filling, poverty comes before riches and God cannot pour out His blessings into hands already full!  Most of all, He desires us to learn to be content with what we have--the poorest are those who think they are rich and need nothing, not realizing their need of God.

Finally, to wrap things up and see God in the equation, one of the last words of Jesus on the cross was to John that he behold his mother and to Mary to behold her son:  This means Jesus was concerned about the welfare of his mother to the very end and provided for her indirectly through John.  This is also the message of Jesus to us, viz.,  His name has no definitive predicate:  When He says I AM .... we can fill in the blank for whatever we need God to be, He is:  I AM that I AM that I AM that I AM that ... ad infinitum, i.e., He is the eternal IS-ing or being, not an eternal IS-ness or state of being.  In view of God's unlimited resources, we ought to put our requests into proper perspective.    Soli Deo Gloria!