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In the face of Gnosticism, which so spiritualized God into an abstract Deity detached from the world, John strongly presented the Christian doctrine of the God who created and is very much present in the world He created. John seems to go to great lengths to emphasize the pre-existence of and the real humanity of Jesus Christ.

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write this to make our joy complete. 1 John 1:1-4.

James Holden notes in The Johnannine Epistles that John makes a series “of references to the Last Days, the Day of Judgement, and the coming resurrection of the believer, which are all anti-Gnostic in tendency and are at the center of his mind and a prime reason for the urgency of his attack on the heretics. The emergence of false teaching was such a desperate threat that it ignited a furious Christian conviction.”

The Johannine Epistles seem to be part of an intentional campaign to halt those who would depreciate the Johannine tradition of Christian teaching through Gnosticism. The defense of the reality of the human Jesus as the way to God and the nature of the moral struggle were two causes which were absolutely critical to defend. It was also crucial to insist, as John did, that the two could in no way be separated.

The negative assertion of the Epistles clearly shows that the heretics claim to belong to the Christian congregation were unjustified. John rigidly opposes the Gnostics who were within the Christian community and claimed to represent the “genuine” Christian faith.

The Johnannine Epistles strikes at the core of the Gnostic system that denied God as world creator and rejected, as Bultmann so adequately put it, “the Christian idea of revelation namely, the paradox that a historical event (or historical form) in the eschatological event (or form) is grounded in the historical fact that Jesus Christ has come. The Gnosticizing false teachers deny precisely that Jesus has come in the flesh.”

No one can read John’s Epistles and not “feel” his hard blows against the Gnostic idea that certain conditions have to be met in order for man to be able to come to the knowledge of God and subsequently, procure a “direct vision.” John does not bite his tongue in succinctly pointing out that knowledge of God is not a theoretical or speculative knowledge, but is rather a relationship with God, in which the one knowing is validated in his existence (and conduct) by God.

In summary, the Johannine Epistles boldly attacks the heretical teachings that were agitating the young Christian communities. Such doctrines not only undercut the foundations of the church’s inherited witness from the apostles, but it also dissolved the traditional ties with Jewish faith in a Creator God. John wanted to arrest the Gnostic persuasion by strengthening the authority of Christianity and safeguard the church against the insidious dangers of heresy.

NOTE: The intent of this article, Gnosticism and the Johannine Literature - Part 1 & 2, is to give a brief overview of the Johnannine Epistles response to Gnosticism. It is limited in scope and severely deficient in addressing the vast content found in John’s Epistle’s relating to Gnosticism.

REFERENCES:
Walter Nigg, The Heretics.
Werner Foerster, Gnosis.
Elaine Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels.
James Holden, The Johannine Epistles.
Rudolf Bultmann, The Johannine Epistles.

RECOMMENDED READING: The New Gnosticism

http://www.vow.org/archives/feminism/new_gnosticism/troubling_the_church.html

Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, veteran social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach which can be reviewed on her site. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, though delayed in publication, is expected to be available early 2006.

You have an open invitation to visit us at AMEN Ministries: Your Soul’s Service Station for reviewing spiritual services being offered, obtain spiritual refreshing and soul edification, get your daily dose of humor, browse our newly expanded Stop & Shop Store and to visit our prayer sanctum for quiet time with God.

Blessings to all!

Who are these new Urban Christians? What’s up with the afros, long hair, grunge or gangster attire? Have you been to a Christian rock concert? You can hardly tell the difference between it and a Rolling Stones Concert – there are crowds of long-haired teens and young adults, swaying to the music, holding up lighters. Have you been to a Gospel concert? It’s just like going to see any popular R&B artist – everybody’s in their nicest clothes (which includes low riders and midriff tees), fur coats are front and center and people drive up in Hummers, Navigators and Escalades, bling-blinging away. Are these really ‘Christians’ or has this generation of believers simply lost its way?

Before we get too carried away, we must remember that each new generation of Christians brings a new flavor, a new style, and a new way to worship God. Pastor Rick Warren, author of the popular ‘Purpose Driven Life’, pastors his church in khakis and polo shirts (and, for him, that’s dressing up!). Go to any large congregation, and you’ll be treated to part-sermon, part skit, part video presentation and lots of contemporary music. Is this a bad thing? I have to believe the answer is no. Ask any teenager or young adult worshipping in these services if they know who God is, and they will say yes. As a matter of fact, ask any American if they are believers, and they will say yes as well (even if they haven’t seen the inside of a church since grade school).

The question we really have to ask ourselves is whether or not the Christian message is getting out there. Does the average person feel like they have a relationship with God and do they feel like knowing God makes a difference in their lives? The answer is invariably yes. Are people less ‘tuned in’ to traditional religious beliefs than in previous times? That answer is yes as well. But, this is only natural in this booming information age we live in. There is so much information about different spiritual beliefs, it is only natural that someone seeking enlightenment will sample Buddhist, Zen or mystical practices. Is this a good thing? Maybe.

One line of thinking is that the exploration of spirituality (of any sort) will enhance a person’s interest in seeking a Higher Power, which will lead them to knowing God. Another line of thinking is that exploration of other religions and spiritual practices will confuse people and lead them to take on a hodge-podge of beliefs and value systems. What do I think? I am happy that people are seeking God, even if it sometimes takes them on a different path than the one that I have chosen. My hope is that, when this thing we call Time comes to an end, it will all be made clear. And we will discover the One who is the center of all these spiritual and religious beliefs.

So, who are these Urban Christians? They are a lot like you and me. And they are a lot like our parents and grandparents. They are people seeking to know God in their own way, with their own music and in their own fashion. So accept them. Sing along when you go to church or attend online. After all, we were all created in the same image and that should serve as our bond with one another.

Sonya C. Triggs is the Founder of Urban Christianz Ministries, which can be found at http://www.urbanchristianz.com

Visit her website to find articles and advice about spirituality, Christianity, self-help, dating and other contemporary Christian issues.

This is perhaps the most often asked question heard in
connection with the second coming, at least for Americans. It a
reasonable question for any North American to ask, but it is far
from easy to answer. I would be remiss if I were to say that the
Bible expressly names America in any passage from Genesis to
Revelation. That some passages may refer to America is very
possible but not provable and that is the very kind of
conjecture I will not entertain.

Naturally all the events surrounding the second coming of Christ
are global or universal in nature so they necessarily include
the United States. That the antichrist rules America for the
same short period he rules the rest of the world is covered in
Revelation 13:7. How he gets this powerful and fiercely
independent nation to cow to his will is probably the more
interesting question to try to answer.

Some people believe that America will be forced to comply with
antichrist after an invasion of our shores by a great Eurasian
pact of nations. Mostly, the invasion idea stems from the vision
of George Washington. In that vision it is said that Washington
told this story to his aide who in turn told it to someone else
just before he died at about the time of the civil war.
Washington was told that three great calamities would befall the
nation. Starting with the revolutionary war, following that the
civil war and finally some future war where America would be
invaded. My learned opinion of this vision is, “who knows?”

That America would require force to he pushed into the rule of
the antichrist is easy to believe but the force in question
could be of a different nature. The remaining two views of how
the United States is forced into the final pact of nations are
probably more tenable.

The antichrist does not act alone but he is aided by one the
scripture refers to as the false prophet. Rev. 16:13. 19:20.
20:10 We know little about who this person is today, hut what is
known about him is that he doesn’t come from the same region,
country and perhaps even the same hemisphere as the antichrist.
The antichrist rises up from out of the sea according to Rev.
13:1.

The false prophet rises up out of the land. Rev. 13:1 1-16. The
antichrist rules from the revived Roman Empire or The European
Union. Where the false prophet is stationed exactly is not known
but some think it will be America. This of course is
speculative, even though it is very possible. The false prophet
will probably not be connected to any religion, but it is most
likely he will be a political figure or a minister of science.
What he is may he uncertain, but the influence he wields over
the world is not. He is able to produce signs in the heavens and
draw fire down from heaven at will. Whether he does this
supernaturally through the aide of the devil or engages some
star wars type pyrotechnical display is also not known.

What is known is that his antics are very successful in
persuading the people on earth to give antichrist both credence
and rule. Some biblical scholars have thought that he could come
from America and while this is not known for sure, it gives rise
to the idea that America will he assuaged to join with
antichrist by his direct influence. But again, while it is very
possible, it is still only conjectural at this time. A third and
perhaps a far more likely scenario is that America will undergo
a collapse of all of its markets and financial institutions.
Following a collapse, a desperate nation may seek to join with
antichrist’s emerging economic systems that will be so
successful throughout much of the rest of the world at that
time. Not long ago I asked some people the question, what do you
think would be the most disastrous thing that could happen to
America and what would change its nature significantly, an all
out invasion of our shores or a complete and pervasive financial
collapse? The majority answered that it obviously would be the
collapse of our economy.

America is in the long stretch of the good times. We have many
years between us and the dust bowl days and the stock market
crash of twenty nine. World War Two is also far behind and the
post war boom has become a post war glut. Any people that might
decide to invade the shores of this powerful and fiercely proud
nation would be in great peril. But take away what Americans
really love, their affluence, money and material blessings and
you could make them dance to just about any tune. This is the
theorem that when applied to the question of how America joins
the great evil new world order is the most believable, if not
the most likely.

If the compunction to have more, drives a few to fraud, robbery
and murder, then what will the lack of almost all consumer goods
do to this nation? If history teaches us anything, the answer to
this question is not a pretty one.

Rev Bresciani is the author of two popular Christian books, one
on the second coming of Christ. He has hundreds of articles
published both online and in print. Visit the website at
www.americanprophet.com

Clue Number 2: You Have Spiritual Gifts

In part 1 you learned that talent is natural
endowments; or ability and is a result of
recurring patterns (connections in the brain)
of thought, feelings or behavior that is
applied in a positive way.

If enduring talents are results of connections
in the brain, what is a gift?

Webster’s Dictionary defines a gift as “something
voluntarily transferred by one person to another
without compensation; a special ability or unusual
capacity for doing or achieving something.”

Just as talents are formed by the connections
made in the brain 60 days BEFORE birth and
exponentially multiplied by age 3, gifts are
formed by connections made by your spirit
BEFORE you were conceived!

Talents are produced from natural origins
(connections in the brain). Gifts are voluntarily
given to each of us by the Creator before we
were born. These gifts give each of us a special
ability to do something purposeful in the earth,
for the good of others and ourselves. They are
called spiritual gifts.

Here are three (3) types of spiritual gifts:

1.Motivational Gifts- These are given before
birth by the Creator through the Spirit.
Just as there are talents you’ll always carry
within you (based on synapses), there are
spiritual gifts waiting to be released in
you as well (see Romans Chap 12 in
the bible).

2.Manifested Gifts- These spiritual gifts “show up” on an “as needed” bases when you make yourself available to be used. It may be something you’ve never done before, but
with the help of the Spirit, you are able to do it
if you want to be used.

For example, a fairly new person on your ministry
team comes to you and wants to know how to do
a special project he was given. You have
never taught anyone before, but you’ve
made yourself available to be used by the Spirit.
Your simple explanation gives your ministry
team member the confidence to complete his first
service opportunity successfully because you
made yourself available to fill the need as a
teacher (see 1 Corinthians Chap 12 in the bible).
Through the Holy Spirit, the spiritual gift
of teaching “showed up”-manifested through you.

Manifestation gifts are temporary and fill an
immediate need. Motivational gifts are yours for
a lifetime. You must choose to get access to
them.

3.Ministry/Service Gifts- These spiritual gifts are
given to leaders to perfect the saints so they can
do ministry. Not everyone operates through these
gifts, also known as “offices.” Please note, however,
that each motivational gift falls under one of these
5 offices or areas of spiritual gifts (see Ephesians
4:11-14 in the bible).

Take Action:

1.Take note of times you make yourself available
to be used by the power of the Holy Spirit in you.

How did your actions affect others and you? Write
your results.

2. Review Chapter 12 in Romans and 1 Corinthians and
Chapter 4:11-14 in Ephesians in the bible.
Write “possible” spiritual gifts you may have below
(note: Some gifts may be talents too).

Excerpt from ‘5 Clues To Know Where You Fit In Ministry’

Robin Kegler is the C.A.P. Adjustment Coach, a Facilitator, Author, Speaker. She helps people identify where they fit, will prosper and get the most fulfillment in their life and work everyday. Robin is Creator of the Wearing The Right C.A.P. 90 Day Dare, Crack The Purpose Code and Thriving Teacher Boot Camp. For more information about her coaching programs, how to articles, tips and resources, visit http://www.wearingtherightcap.com.

Dear Friends:

Let me begin by apologizing in advance for what follows. It is not my intention to lecture anyone about anything. I am no tzaddik, to be sure, and I have no right to preach about righteousness to anyone, let alone members of a community who, in many cases, have a moral compass much truer than mine and whose commitment to Torah puts mine to shame. Having said that, I am unable to keep silent about the subject that follows, so here goes:

Over the past few weeks, much discourse (both public and private) has taken place within the Jewish community (among many other communities, I am sure) on the subject of Darfur. Much of what has been said and written has been quite eloquent concerning the unspeakable horrors facing the victims there, and many have exhorted the members of our community to participate in an April 30 rally in Washington, to urge prompt action upon the Bush Administration. To my great surprise, and, I am sorry to say, embarrassment, I have heard words from people to the effect of: “what do I care about these people?’’ or “they’re mostly Muslim and hate Jews…why should we help them?”

In the world in which I grew up (and, I daresay, this applies to many, if not all of us), it was a virtual article of faith to say that: “while the Jews burned, the world kept silent.” I, like most of my peers, accepted that statement as (you should excuse the expression) Gospel. In my opinion, if we do not stand up for Darfur, we lose the right to continue complaining about world apathy, past and present, for Jewish woes. In short, we forfeit the moral ‘high ground’ and, I believe, no longer can lecture an uncaring world.

This is such a basic article of the Jewish creed, that I am astonished that it needs to be pointed out by anyone, least of all, an am ha’aretz like myself. One of the three principles enunciated and ALWAYS quoted and attributed to Hillel is: “If I am only for myself, what am I?”

Now I know that it is only natural that people worry first about their family, next about their friends and community and only afterward about strangers and the world at large. But somewhere in the mix, we need to consider not only WHO the victims are, but the severity and scale of the suffering. And while I would certainly be the last person to suggest that helping finance a yeshiva is unimportant (I beg that you not interpret my words to, G-d forbid, say such a thing), the people of Darfur are, in my opinion, the victims of a holocaust.

Yes, I know it makes Jews very angry to see that loaded term used in ANY context other than THE HOLOCAUST—hence, I use a lower-case ‘h’. But in reality, we might ask ourselves, “Why is this NOT a holocaust?” It is, after all, precipitated by nothing other than racial/ethnic hatred, involves the wholesale murder of, potentially, millions of people, and in a brutal, gruesome manner that would do the Nazis proud.

Thus, I am hard-pressed to understand why people who are always responsive to charitable requests, and who usually, if not always, turn out for Jewish or Israeli causes, find Darfur unworthy of their efforts. I don’t know a single one of the victims or potential victims of these atrocities. I probably never will. I don’t have any personal emotional investment in their well-being, or even that of their innocent children. But I know, as surely as one can know anything, that our standing up for them is a kiddush hashem, and an obligation that we all share.

Those who do not think this horror deserving of their attention must, I think, consider carefully any future complaints against a world indifferent to Jewish suffering. And if our community, which (rightly) supports Jewish soup kitchens, UJA, Israel Bonds, and literally dozens of other wonderful and important causes and acts of chesed, does not turn out in DROVES for this event on April 30, then SHAME ON US!

Once again, please accept these words as an expression of strong personal feeling and not of criticism of anybody or of our community. The skilled and articulate leaders in our midst who are advocating participation in this event hardly need my help in promoting it. In reality, in any event, the justice of the cause should speak for itself. Please consider the foregoing in that light.

Sincerely,

Warren R. Graham

copyright 2006

Warren R. Graham is an attorney with the New York Law Firm of Cohen Tauber Spievack & Wagner LLP. The opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not necessarily reflect those of his firm or its members.

Website E-mail: wgraham@ctswlaw.com

There is no doubt in my mind that the quality of love is the #1 quality that God would like to get worked into our souls and personalities. Even nonbelievers, atheists and agnostics can see the power of love and how it has the ability to change people and change lives when it is properly walked out and handled.

Hollywood has made tons of movies just on the power of love - especially the special love that occurs between a man and woman in a romantic relationship. Even hard, tough grown men can be brought to tears when watching a real well made movie made about the power of love.

The quality of love is truly universal - as it literally transcends peoples, nations and religions. Love is truly the universal language of this world and people from all different walks of life recognize it for what it truly is and understand the power that is in it.

Then when you read and study the Bible - you see the major emphasis God the Father is placing on it when He tells all of us that He wants us to love Him, to love ourselves and to love one another.

So if the quality of love is recognized by all peoples and all nations - then why is it that throughout the course of our human history there has been so many wars, so much hatred, so much crime and so much inhumanity done to our fellow man? If everyone knows what love is - then how could so many people throughout the course of human history commit the evil and atrocious acts they have committed?

Even in our day and age people still have not learned from the past - as there is just as much hatred and evil operating in this world as there has ever been. The Bible even tells us that the love of many will grow cold in the latter days - which means things are going to actually go from bad to worse in the coming years.

If man really knows what love is - then why can’t more people act, operate and walk in love so they we can all live in peace and harmony with one another? Why do people have to rob, rape, kill, plunder and steal from one another? No matter what one’s religious beliefs and ideologies may be - there is simply no excuse for some of the horrible barbaric acts of murder, assaults, abductions, robberies and rapes that we see on an everyday basis.

As Christians, we all know that part of the answer as to why men can’t love one another in the way and to the degree that God would like from us in this lifetime is due to our fallen natures - our sin natures that we have all been born with as a result of the curse of Adam and Eve. That is why Jesus had to come to die for all of us - because we have all sinned and have fallen way short of the glory of our God.

However, even saved and born again believers have problems in being able to walk in the quality of love to the degree that God would like in our everyday lives. We all know that God is expecting us to be able to walk in His love - but we still have problems in loving our God, our families, our friends and even ourselves to the degree and to the intensity that He would like from us.

We read in the Bible about all of the verses that God wants us to walk very strongly in this quality - but we still seem to fall short of being able to actually do it in our real lives. If we all have the Holy Spirit living and operating in us - then why is it that we cannot seem to draw more of His love up into our personalities so that we can all walk with more of this quality operating in our lives?

I believe that the answer lies in the last article I did under this section titled The 9 Fruits of the Holy Spirit. Too many Christians are trying to walk in the quality of love operating out of their own strength, out of their own emotions and out of their own flesh. Granted - God the Father wants us to do the best we can to put this quality on into the core of our personalities. But our best is not going to be good enough in this area to get the job done with the way God would like.

The reason for that is that we have all been born with these fallen, imperfect and sinful natures. This means that we are not capable of walking in perfect love - no matter how hard we try in our own natural strength. So what is the answer if we are not capable of walking in perfect love like God is?

To those believers who are really wanting to learn how to truly walk in the real love of God in their lives - there is only one way to be able to do this - and that is learning how to draw that love from the Holy Spirit. And the only way that you can get the Holy Spirit to release His love to you as one of His 9 fruits is that you have to be willing to enter into a true sanctification process with the Lord where God can start the process of making you to become more holy like He and His Son Jesus are.

There is no other way! There are no other shortcuts that you can take to get this accomplished. It is only when the love of God Himself starts to flow into your personality can you even begin to love God, love yourself and love other people to the degree and to the intensity that He would really like from you.

Once the Holy Spirit begins this sanctification process in your life - your job will be to learn how to walk, live and operate in the qualities and attributes He will start to transmit into your personality. Once the Holy Spirit starts to transmit His quality of love up into you - your job will then be to learn how to walk in that love in your words and actions with others.

Actually, once the Holy Spirit starts to transmit His love into you - it will become much easier for you to really love others in the way God wants you to be able to love them. Once you start to feel God’s love for His people - you won’t be able to help yourself in feeling that same love for them since God’s love will start to mesh with your own love. Once God’s love starts to flow and mesh into what limited love you already have - then you will be able to start to really love other people in the way that God had initially intended for all of us to be able to.

The missing ingredient in all of this is obviously the love of the Holy Spirit. It is only when the Holy Spirit starts to release His love into your personality as one of His 9 fruits can you truly begin to love your God, love yourself and love other people in the way God intended. Trying to love others with what limited, imperfect love you may already have operating in you will never get the job done - either to your own satisfaction or to the satisfaction of God Himself. That is why Jesus has told us that without Him we can do nothing - especially in the area of being able to get properly sanctified in Him.

I will give you some of the best verses from Scripture on the quality of love, and why God the Father is placing such a strong emphasis that we learn how to walk in it in our relation to Him, ourselves and to other people. God the Father is really raising the bar on this one specific quality as you will be able to see with the way that He has some of these verses worded out. He is making some extreme and radical statements with what He is expecting from us with just this one quality.

When you first read what these verses are telling us to do in reference to this particular quality - you will really be able to feel and sense your own shortcomings in this area. But again - realize that this is where the Holy Spirit will be coming in big time. Just realize that God knows that you cannot reach the level that He is looking for from you in this area - and that it will only be possible for you to reach this level only if the love of the Holy Spirit Himself is operating through you.

When you really study and meditate on the verses I will list below - you can sum all of them up in one simple statement. God is looking for you to be able to love in 6 different areas - all with the love of the Holy Spirit being available to you to help you out in each of these areas. God wants you to be able to fully love in all 6 of these realms. You are to learn to:

Love God Love yourself Love your family Love your friends Love your neighbors Love your enemies

You will notice that there are 6 specific areas that God will want you to be able to love in. Bottom line - God will want you to love right across the board - from loving Him down to being able to love the worst of your enemies. The first 4 areas are much more easier to learn how to do than the last two - especially the last one in being able to love your enemies and love those who will try and hurt you in this life.

Loving your family and friends is easy and comes very natural for many of us because of the strong bonds that we have already established with them. But learning to love some of your other neighbors who you have no real special bond with or complete total strangers will be much harder for you to do - especially with the way that our world has become with so many more people keeping to themselves and being afraid to trust anyone anymore.

However - this can be done with the help of the Holy Spirit. Once you start to feel the love of God Himself for some of these people - it will become much easier for you to befriend some of these people and help them when the need may arise. Again - Jesus is the perfect example of someone who was always helping out total strangers. When you study what He did as He was walking on our earth, He was always stopping and talking to people, along with helping, teaching, saving, healing and delivering some of these people when the need would arise. He was always there to meet their needs - especially their spiritual needs.

Just as Jesus was able to walk in perfect love in His words and actions with other people - so to can we learn how to walk in that same Godly love if we allow the Holy Spirit to enter us into this sanctification process where God the Father can then begin to work all 9 fruits of His Holy Spirit up into the very cores of our personalities.

Though we can never become as perfect as Jesus is in His walk with all of us - we can all still try to do and be the best we can be in God in our dealings and relationships with others.

About the Author

Article written by Michael Bradley of Bible Knowledge Ministries. Their website is a resource of Bible knowledge . They currently have over 100 in depth Bible articles. All free of charge.

Yet out of ashes & rubble of repentance
A New World Order will arise
Spoken of by the Prophets who
Assure us of Europe’s demise
Ten little naked emperors with
Towers will quake and fall
And the crawling Child will suddenly
Stand and walk six feet tall
The Gods will dwell among men
With Earth restored to Eden again
The King of Righteousness reigns
And nothing will ever be the same
The old world has passed away
The Dawn has given birth to a new day
Let Elijah herald Babylon is fallen, fallen
For in Judah and Jerusalem God is exulted!
Jerusalem is remembered and redeemed
Israel a Kingdom of Light to be seen
The Darkness couldn’t bend Heaven’s Will
Ancient of Days in His people fulfilled!

About the Author

David Ben-Ariel, an American author who has travelled widely and who has lived throughout Israel, shares a special focus on the Middle East and great interest in Jerusalem, reflected in hard-hitting articles that help others improve their understanding of that troubled region. Check out www.benariel.com

Restoration of the Fallen Believer

Ray Stark

—————————————————————–
—————

What does the New Testament teach concerning the restoration of
believers who have been involved in some sort of moral failure?
That is the subject of this paper. It will not be a long
dissertation because the answer is simple – forgiveness.

Our primary text on this subject is found in the writings of Paul

Gal 6:1 ¶ Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which
are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness;
considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

The Greek terminology Paul uses to describe the manner in which
the sinning believer is faced with his wrong doing is extremely
pointed.

Overtaken: 4301 prolambano prol-am-ban’-o 1) to take before 2)
to anticipate, to forestall 3) to take one by forestalling (him
i.e. before he can flee or conceal his crime) 3a) surprise,
detect

A couple of modern translations bring out Paul’s meaning even
more clearly than the King James.

Williams: Brothers, if anybody is caught in the very act of
doing wrong, you who are spiritual, in the spirit of gentleness,
must set him right; each of you continuing to think of yourself,
for you may be tempted too

Phillips Even if a man should be detected in some sin, my
brothers, the spiritual ones among you should quietly set him
back on the right path, not with any feeling of superiority, but
being yourselves on guard against temptation.

This is reminiscent of the words of Jesus when the Pharisees
brought before Him the woman caught IN THE ACT of adultery.

John 8: 1 ¶ Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2 And early in
the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people
came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3 And the
scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in
adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say
unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very
act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be
stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him,
that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and
with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them
not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself,
and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him
first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and
wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted
by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the
eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the
woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up
himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman,
where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I
condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Jesus, the only person present who was without sin chose to
extend forgiveness and restoration to the woman rather than
judgment and condemnation. There is no better example in all the
universe of a “spiritual” person than the Lord Jesus Christ
Himself. We need to follow His example when dealing with moral
failure in the church and follow the apostle Paul’s injunction
to watch our own hearts lest we fall into temptation.

Paul gets into more detail concerning a specific case in 2
Corinthians when he encourages them to reaffirm their love to
the brother he had proclaimed judgment on for blatant sexual sin
in 1 Corinthians 5.

2 Cor 2: 1 ¶ But I determined this with myself, that I would not
come again to you in heaviness. 2 For if I make you sorry, who
is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry
by me? 3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I
should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having
confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. 4 For
out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you
with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye
might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. 5 ¶
But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in
part: that I may not overcharge you all. 6 Sufficient to such a
man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. 7 So that
contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him,
lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch
sorrow. 8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your
love toward him. 9 For to this end also did I write, that I
might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all
things. 10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if
I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes
forgave I it in the person of Christ; 11 Lest Satan should get
an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

In this portion of scripture we see the apostle urging in the
strongest possible terms that the church would restore the
erring brother and he warns them against a judgmental,
unforgiving attitude just as he does in Galatians 6. He even
goes so far as to assert that an unspiritual, unforgiving
attitude can open the door for Satan to wreak havoc against the
whole church. According to Paul unforgiveness is in itself one
of Satan’s devices.

Sin in the church needs to be dealt with. The way it needs to be
dealt with is in the spirit of meekness, the goal being
restoration of the person(s) involved, and with a conscious
knowledge that none of us is above temptation or the possibility
of transgression.

—————————————————————–
————— http://www.celebratingjesus.org

copyright 2003 Ray and Sharon Stark

Here is the passage in question from Luke 16. 1-14:

And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward [i.e. “You’re Fired!]. Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; [and] to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.

So he called every one of his lord’s debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, 100 measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write 50. Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, 100 measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write 80. And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.

And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.

This passage has puzzled many an Evangelical. I have been to what seems countless Bible studies where the question has arisen, “How could Jesus commend a man who was admittedly unjust, [seemingly] for doing what is unjust, using money obtained unlawfully for the purpose of buying off other people?

Commenatators often stumble at this saying, not knowing what to do with it either. And the pharisees have not been the only people to deride Jesus for this saying. You can almost hear them saying, “This man has commended what is evil!” And, of course, Jesus did nothing of the kind. So, what to do with this passage? We’ll start by unpacking the context.

First, we will start with the end and work backwards, so that it becomes clear exactly what Jesus was commending, and what he was not commending. Here is the punchline again: “And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely.” What had he done that was wise? He had FORGIVEN debts, effectively reducing what those beholden to the ‘lord’ [who clearly represents Christ] owed. By doing this, the unjust steward had used “unrighteous mammon” to acquire friends, because everyone needs friends, especially in times of personal trouble.

This shows a clear CHANGE IN PRIORITIES on the part of the steward. The lord fired this steward because he was unjust already; he had been ‘wasting his master’s goods,” most likely for his own personal pleasures. He cared nothing for others. And although the unjust steward had not yet stopped stealing, he had clearly changed THE GOAL of his theft from “acquiring things” to “acquiring friends.” The unjust steward, therefore, was commended by Jesus for this: UNLIKE THE PHARISEES who derided Jesus (for they were covetous), the wise steward had learned this simple lesson: One ought to use money to gain people (’friends’), and OUGHT NOT use people to gain money. Men are made in God’s image, money merely bears the image of Caesar, not God. Therefore, people are FAR MORE VALUABLE THAN MONEY. In exchanging money for people, this steward was “trading UP,” in effect acquiring great treasure for mere pennies. He thus showed himself a shrewd business man.

The commended steward in the parable the Jewish person in the crowd who had been sinning, but repented, adopting a new set of priorities. His heart was changed. He was no longer bound by money as his highest priority. The pharisees were trying to serve two masters, and in the end, they only ended up serving mammon. The wise steward, however, had exchanged money (albeit ill-gotten money) in order to win friends by forgiving debts. He, in effect, gave up on mammon, trading it for friends AND (unbeknownst to him) for the Lord’s praise.

How do we know that the “wise steward” had quit being a thief? Simple — he did not offer to split half the “forgiven debt’ with the one whose debt he has reduced. He could have “bribed them for money,” but did not. By getting fired, he had learned that “unjust money” will get you nowhere. So he made one last go of theft, but only in order to aquire friends, not to acquire friends AND KEEP SOME UNJUST MONEY TOO.

He said to Mammon, “You got me fired, so I quit!” Jesus, the Messiah, was on the scene of redemptive history. He was about to do away with the entire Temple complex and everything with it that was mere “type and shadow.” The Jewish leaders were on the way out; they were about to be replaced by something far better. In opposing the Messiah, the Jewish leadership was fired. But many among the Jewish people turned from them to Christ. The repentant people like Zacchaeus, who gave up on unrighteous mammon to serve the Lord by doing what the law commands — in the case of the stealing of sheep, the law required the thief to pay back four-fold — and this is just what Zacchaeus did.

And the Lord commended Zacchaeus, the ex-thief, calling him a “true son of Abraham” whose house was a house of “salvation.” Luke 19, only 3 chapters ahead (vv. 5-9 reads):

And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, “That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.” And Jesus said unto him, “This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.”

Zacchaeus was free from the love of mammon. He gave half of his goods to the poor. This fulfills the saying, “You shall love your neighbor AS YOURSELF.” The split was 50-50. The poor obtained from Zacchaeus only what Zacchaeus kept — an exact economic match. But first, he did what the law commands. Apparently, Zack had been doing some sheep-stealing, since the law required that a man -pay back four-fold in the case of stolen sheep. Sheep [like Oxen] were animals used in sacrifices to God, so they were holy, and required double the repayment for common goods — a mere 200%.

IN the presence of Christ, All Zacchaeus really cared about was receiving praise from the Lord, and having fellowship with Christ in his house. Zacchaeus may well have been in the crowd when Luke 16 was preached. If so, he was not among those asking, “WHY did Jesus commend an unjust steward, I don’t get it!” He said only in his heart, “Praise the Lord, there is hope even for a thief like me!” Zacchaeus got the point. Zacchaeus WAS the [formerly] unjust steward who had behaved wisely. And there were many other Zacchaeuses. By A.D. 45, the Zacchaeuses were called “Christians.” Christians have only ONE Master.

Carson Day has written some 1.3 gazillion articles and essays that aim to help others live wisely and well. You can visit his websites at http://ophirgold.blogspot.com (The Omniblog) and http://extremeprofit.blogspot.com (Carson’s Day Trading Outpost)

Christian Motivation- Are You Tapped into The Ultimate Success
Voltage?

By Doug Firebaugh

“But the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with
groanings which cannot be uttered”…

Romans 8:26

Christian Success and Motivation.

Many times, we try to succeed ourselves, as the Holy Spirit
shakes His Head. We just don’t get it so many times.

For instance…did you know that you had a “Holy Success Spirit?”

That’s right…the Holy Spirit is a Master of Success and High
Achievement and has never failed.

Not one time.

Ever.

In the Bible, His Holy Success Record is perfect, unblemished,
untouched, and undefeated.

His Success Ratio is beyond perfect, along with His Holy
Achievement track record that has only Success as it’s Holy
Numbers.

He has never known anything but Success, as The Fathers’ Word
does not return to Him void.

The thought of failure has never entered the Holy Spirit’s Holy,
Perfect, Pristeen, Majestic Mind. Failure does not exist with
Him, as that is a process of the world, not the Word. Success is
what the Holy Spirit brings in all He does, and all He
accomplishes.

The Holy Success Spirit helps us in our Success journey and most
of the time we are not even aware of it. We many times are too
busy living life and getting lost in all the details, to
understand what the Holy Spirit is doing in our life.

He intercedes for us, in ways we cannot know, and will help you
in your success path with the Father. His prayers for your
Success go on daily, and with groans we could never understand.

The Holy Spirit is One, Incredible, Powerful, Motivational,
Success Focused God.

The Holy Spirit is also a loving, gentle, caring Spirit of the
Lord. He loves us so much, and wants only the best for us, and
we many times get in His way when He is working in our lives.

But He is also powerful, strong, and willing to “go to bat” for
us in heaven, with Him interceding on our behalf, and also
helping us pray with His Holy Success Motivation Power. It is a
Power and Success Voltage that we could never comprehend, and
ever imagine.

Are you CONNECTED to that Holy Success Voltage of His? His
Unlimited and Infinite Motivation Wattage is the same Wattage
that created the universe!

How would you like THAT as part of your Supernatural Success
Arsenal?

Have you tapped into that Power that Christ spoke of before He
ascended to heaven?

Do you realize the mind boggling Holy Help you have in your
prayers for Success in your life?

The Power you COULD be using that Jesus Himself spoke of?

Or are you letting your own spirit do all the work on your own
low voltage almost burned out power?

That would be like praying with 9 battery volts of prayer
power…verses 100 trillion volts times infinity with the Holy
Spirit.

Are you plugged in? Is your Success Connected to that Power and
Success Wattage?

ALL you have to do is ASK God for It — and His Touch will help
EXPLODE your Success!

Do you believe that Power is waiting on you to plug in and start
Succeeding so massivley that it would leave you speechless?

Go ahead! Connect to that Power of the Lord and be left totally
speechless…

As He silently goes to work and speaking life into you dreams of
Christian Success Motivation!

blessings…doug firebaugh

(c) 2006/ all rights reserved- HEM

http://www.successchurch.com

http://www.passionfire.com

http://www.theoriginalnetworker.com