“They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching...”
The apostles have a special and particular place within the church. Contemporary churches attempt to feed themselves. We've largely become consumers and preachers have largely become marketers, and all the more so if they, themselves, create the items to consume (books, videos, etc.). The deciding factor that determines what is preached and taught, who is hired or promoted, tends to answer the question "what do the people want?"
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers..."
There is no supervision of the growth of the average church member. We are, for all intents and purposes, unpastored. Today, the pastor is typically someone who attends to the administration of the facility and this is increasingly problematic.
The church members did not gather to vote on what should be taught or what should be studied. Their direction did not come from a popularity configuration, or a democratic configuration, or the latest book written by the head pastor. There were men in their midst who were specifically gifted with knowing what the Lord was saying to the church and were empowered to speak it to the believers. Those words and its relevance came through the apostolic and it still comes through to us, today, in the same way. Which means that there are apostles today. Many churches have dispensed with the apostolic in their decision and their desire to avoid hierarchies and to act more 'democratically'. Today, churches have made themselves to be places where people can come under any pretext and get as much or as little as they want to and are encouraged to give some money to keep that function going. (By the way, this is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans referenced in Revelation 2; whereby the people decide, by majority rule, what is best for the church. Their deeds included the eating of food given to idols but their mindset was that they were no different than the people; they were not sanctified by God.)
All of this activity bears no relevance to truth. It's the psychology of competition and the "group think" that is the foundation of most of what calls itself church today. The early church experienced a genuine transformation in the thinking of the people because there was a genuine transformation in the culture of those people when they made contact with the kingdom. And the first cultural change centered around apostles, “The people continued steadfastly...” not 'casually', not 'occasionally', not by happenstance, not when they wanted to, not when it was convenient, “They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine.”
They had been transferred from one kingdom into another, from darkness into the love of His Son, and sent ones from the new kingdom were required to represent and install the new culture among the people. They had to unlearn how to have dominion over themselves for their own benefit and to come under the rule of the King and His sent ones so that they, too, can mature enough to take up the business of their Father, the Living God. This happened through relationship and connection BECAUSE THE SON SENT THEM OUT IN THE SAME MANNER IN WHICH THE FATHER SENT THEM!
"As the Father has sent Me, I also send you."
So how were they given to the church? In the same manner in which Jesus was given to the disciples: as their teacher, friend, elder, and in the same Spirit as the Father. To the church, they were the representatives of the One who sent them. And that's how they knew how to instruct the church: they were cared for by Jesus in the same way they were to care for the saints. And for those they cared for, how would they be sent? In the same manner in which Jesus sent them which was in the same manner in which the Father sent Jesus. In this way the House of God would be built, just like a family lineage is built: from one generation to another... the bond of which is stronger than that of flesh or DNA: in the bond of the Spirit.
Do you want to know why the church is in its condition today? It is because we have abandoned the need for the sent ones, those who become the grace that God send to the people. And just so we're clear: this is not an office. This is not the Roman Catholic idea of succession from Peter. That is wrong. This is built through relationships, careful attention, and in the fear of the Lord, as those who must give an account. Those who are sent do not inhabit an office (necessarily) they are those filled with the grace to be sent because they know the one who sends them: namely Christ. And it is this part of the body I want to focus on. When you receive this, you'll see it all throughout scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. I'll return later.
This is part one.
Grace and Peace to You,
Aaron56
The apostles have a special and particular place within the church. Contemporary churches attempt to feed themselves. We've largely become consumers and preachers have largely become marketers, and all the more so if they, themselves, create the items to consume (books, videos, etc.). The deciding factor that determines what is preached and taught, who is hired or promoted, tends to answer the question "what do the people want?"
"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers..."
There is no supervision of the growth of the average church member. We are, for all intents and purposes, unpastored. Today, the pastor is typically someone who attends to the administration of the facility and this is increasingly problematic.
The church members did not gather to vote on what should be taught or what should be studied. Their direction did not come from a popularity configuration, or a democratic configuration, or the latest book written by the head pastor. There were men in their midst who were specifically gifted with knowing what the Lord was saying to the church and were empowered to speak it to the believers. Those words and its relevance came through the apostolic and it still comes through to us, today, in the same way. Which means that there are apostles today. Many churches have dispensed with the apostolic in their decision and their desire to avoid hierarchies and to act more 'democratically'. Today, churches have made themselves to be places where people can come under any pretext and get as much or as little as they want to and are encouraged to give some money to keep that function going. (By the way, this is the doctrine of the Nicolaitans referenced in Revelation 2; whereby the people decide, by majority rule, what is best for the church. Their deeds included the eating of food given to idols but their mindset was that they were no different than the people; they were not sanctified by God.)
All of this activity bears no relevance to truth. It's the psychology of competition and the "group think" that is the foundation of most of what calls itself church today. The early church experienced a genuine transformation in the thinking of the people because there was a genuine transformation in the culture of those people when they made contact with the kingdom. And the first cultural change centered around apostles, “The people continued steadfastly...” not 'casually', not 'occasionally', not by happenstance, not when they wanted to, not when it was convenient, “They continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine.”
They had been transferred from one kingdom into another, from darkness into the love of His Son, and sent ones from the new kingdom were required to represent and install the new culture among the people. They had to unlearn how to have dominion over themselves for their own benefit and to come under the rule of the King and His sent ones so that they, too, can mature enough to take up the business of their Father, the Living God. This happened through relationship and connection BECAUSE THE SON SENT THEM OUT IN THE SAME MANNER IN WHICH THE FATHER SENT THEM!
"As the Father has sent Me, I also send you."
So how were they given to the church? In the same manner in which Jesus was given to the disciples: as their teacher, friend, elder, and in the same Spirit as the Father. To the church, they were the representatives of the One who sent them. And that's how they knew how to instruct the church: they were cared for by Jesus in the same way they were to care for the saints. And for those they cared for, how would they be sent? In the same manner in which Jesus sent them which was in the same manner in which the Father sent Jesus. In this way the House of God would be built, just like a family lineage is built: from one generation to another... the bond of which is stronger than that of flesh or DNA: in the bond of the Spirit.
Do you want to know why the church is in its condition today? It is because we have abandoned the need for the sent ones, those who become the grace that God send to the people. And just so we're clear: this is not an office. This is not the Roman Catholic idea of succession from Peter. That is wrong. This is built through relationships, careful attention, and in the fear of the Lord, as those who must give an account. Those who are sent do not inhabit an office (necessarily) they are those filled with the grace to be sent because they know the one who sends them: namely Christ. And it is this part of the body I want to focus on. When you receive this, you'll see it all throughout scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. I'll return later.
This is part one.
Grace and Peace to You,
Aaron56
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