WHAT IS A DISCIPLE? II

In our last teaching “WHAT IS A DISCIPLE?

SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE III”

 we asked the question, “Why do we have a tendency to ignore these important teachings?” Referring to the teachings of Jesus. 

For years the evangelical church has taught or at least strongly implied that Christianity is all about what you believe and not about what you do. This tendency has caused Christians in many circles to live however they please and assume that they were good Christians. This tendency probably goes all the way back to before the reformation when they believed you only had to make confession and everything was taken care of. Many evangelicals today believe that salvation is based only on what you believe and has nothing to do with what you do. Even Luther said that if your actions didn't change after you were saved then maybe nothing happened. I agree that initial conversion is by faith and not works but I also believe if we do not experience change in the way we live after we are converted then we need to reconsider whether or not anything really happened when we accepted Christ. 

Imprecations in the Psalms, by Dr. Sam Storms

I don't know if you have been aware of the controversy surrounding certain passages in the Psalms and other passages in both testaments. Personally I have struggled with this concept and finally ran onto this article by one of my favorite Bible scholars. i want to encourage you to prayerfully consider this article and let me know what you think the Lord is showing you. 

I Want My People Well: New Book

Hi Friends-

My new book on divine healing, I WANT MY PEOPLE WELL is presently being offered to you on a “Pray & Obey” basis. You can download the book without cost, and the Holy Spirit sets the price. Please pray and ask the Lord what he might ask of you to help with so that people in Latin America, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos and others might benefit from it.  Please pass it on to friends, especially those who need healing.  I am presently working on the Spanish translation.  If you wish to make a donation click on the Pay Pal link and follow the instructions. 

I welcome comments, corrections and critique. If you read it and don’t like it or disagree with  the theology expressed in the book  I am open to dialogue concerning that with anyone who wishes, in a spirit of love and good will using sound principles of Bible interpretation and exegesis.

May the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him touch us all and open the eyes of our heart to the light of the glorious gospel!

Paul

WHAT IS A DISCIPLE?

This is the third segment on ignored portions of the New Testament

The restoration of the church will surely come from a sort of new monasticism which has in common with the old only the uncompromising attitude of a life lived according to the Sermon on the Mount in the following of Christ. I believe it is now time to call people to this.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945)

I want to continue the discussion of the previous segment with the question, “What is a disciple?” The concept of discipleship is almost totally misunderstood today.

For the most part people think that being a disciple is learning a series of Bible verses and doctrines and being able to regurgitate those to another learner in the future. This concept of learning reflects the Greek orientation in our thinking. Greek thinking, in the time that the New Testament documents were being written was based on theory, reason, concepts and oratory, little attention was paid to practical skills. This concept of discipleship crept into the church during the third century and unfortunately has stayed with it ever sense, except in rare instances.

SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE part 2

“…for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till us all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14  that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive, 15  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ - 16  from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”                                                                             (Ephesians 4:12-16)

The writer of Hebrews said, “..exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”  (3:13)

Again the obvious question arises. How can we do this in the  present situation and under the present system? The answer is that we can’t without radical change in both church structure and our lifestyle.

DEVELOPING OUR SECRET LIFE I

As a church we have thought a lot lately about developing community. Henri Nouwen said that we will never have true community until we have first settled the issue of solitude and developed our secret life with the Lord.
This morning I was meditating in the Song of Songs 3:1-5; the last few lines of the second poem which begins at 2:8.

“By night on my bed I sought the one I love; I sought him, but I did not find him. 2 “I will rise now,” I said, “And go about the city; in the streets and in the squares I will seek the one I love.” I sought him, but I did not find him. 3 The watchmen who go about the city found me, to whom I said, “Have you seen the one I love?” 4 Scarcely had I passed by them, when I found the one I love. I held him and would not let him go, until I had brought him to the house of my mother, and into the chamber of her who conceived me. 5 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the gazelles or by the does of the field, do not stir up nor awaken love until it pleases.”

Four things happen here, (1) the girl seeks her lover but does not find him, then, (2) she goes outside in the night to look for him. Then, (3) the watchmen find her and she asks them where her lover is. Finally, (4) she finds him and takes him to her mother’s house.

SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE

EPH 4:11  And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12  for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13  till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14  that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness by which they lie in wait to deceive, 15  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ - 16  from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

The passage clearly tells us that the full five-fold purpose is to equip the saints so that they can do the work of ministry which is the edification or building up of the body of Christ.