| Author |
Message |
Graceambassador
| | Posted on Saturday, August 19, 2000 - 10:12 am: |     |
Bill:
I am honored to be able to side with you in the many issues you address in the post above!
Thank you for your wisdom and obedience to God!
In a world that is upside-down, what is right-side-up is considered upsided-down. Thus, you and I are often called "the non-orthodox" ones or "no-comformist ones", but as I study the Bible, I see that actually you, and fortunately MOST in this list, are trying to find what is "conforming to the good, acceptable and perfect will of God".
One of the words that you have repeatedly included in your posts is related to honesty. You often say "honest" "honestly" or synonimous words. I pray to God that those who call us "heretics", "no-comformists" would have the honesty of, at least, identifying themselves before labeling us! But that is not the way of cults!
Because of the Spiritual and faithful way that the owners of the list, the Tinkers, have comported themselves, (I will not tire in commending them) in trying to be a ministry, rather than a teen-ager type purposeless list, I believe that God will ultimately fulfill its blessed purpose here by teaching and rescuing people from the dreadful claws of cults, and by allowing those who misrepresent themselves to be exposed one way or the other. If such people are sons and daughters of God, this exposÈ will be done in private and within the protection of the household and family of God in a HEALING evironment, (Parable of the Prodigal son). But if they are strangers, then, God will cover us with the Gift of Discernment of Spirits and we will point out those spirits that are not of God and bring them to the body and ultimately, as Paul recommends, "marking them".
This is the only reason as to why I left my Grace Ambassador style for a moment recently. That is why I posted in this thread some of the admonition above, and in another thread that we should search the archives of this list and find the posts of those who call us "heretics" and calculate a percentage on their posts and draw a % relationship between: "posts posted X scriptures given". We do not need to get "theological" about those who are in error. Mathematics alone will prove them deceptive.
I do not consider myself to be the "guardian, or the knight of Grace". But without having a common foundational point, our words will be pearls to the swine and will trampled underfoot! My sole responsibility is to be a steward of what God has delegated for me to do as a preacher of Grace.
As you, I am continuing reading the threads and posts and enjoyng them and studying for my own posts that I feel God wants me to post in the near future. AFTER ALL THIS IS A CHRISTIAN DISCUSSION FORUM, AND NOT A PURPOSELESS CHAT ROOM. Everybody will be and is allowed to disagree with me, thus, the accusation recently leveled against by the cult followers that I mistreat those who disagree with me has been and is proven another "breaking of the law" since is bearing false witness.
In a personal note:
As to your statement:
Some of you may regret that and others will no doubt celebrate! I hope to begin posting again before too long
I can only say that I will always be looking forward to your posts.
You mentioned "my wisdom" (your words). I wish I really had such quality. I, however, cherish the fact that whatever wisdom I may have, is for having read and learned from people such as yourself.
Grace Ambassador |
Colleentinker
| | Posted on Saturday, August 19, 2000 - 5:49 pm: | |
Bill and Grace Ambassador,
Thank you, both of you, for wonderful posts. You both bring grace and Christ-centeredness to this forum, and we are so grateful to both of you.
This forum is dedicated to Jesus, and we pray continually for the Holy Spirit to be present here. Our prayer is that people who need to find us will come here, and also we pray that God will protect us on this forum from deception and divisiveness.
So many people, former Adventists and others, need to find grace and forgiveness and the renewing that the Holy Spirit brings us.
I'm so grateful for the people on this forum who are dedicated to honesty and truth.
May God continue to guide us.
Colleen |
Billtwisse
| | Posted on Sunday, August 27, 2000 - 11:05 am: | |
Bill Twisse speaks in honesty.
TO: My fellow associates interested in gospel truth.
Dear brethren:
After reviewing and contemplating what has already been posted on many issues, I want to pause and 'bear my soul' on a number of things. In my entire life, I have never played my cards 'close to my chest.' I don't intend to start now, since I'm persuaded that God would have us defend the gospel in public and forthright. I want others to know where I stand on the major issues related to the good news of the New Testament. Hopefully, this will motivate those who love the gospel to respond in love.
The points that I will express are related to the primary objections that other contributors have posted to what I have said.
Demonic teaching vs. self deception
The spirit of this age is to deny the influence of devils with regard to erroneous doctrine that is taught. It is far more acceptable to people in this age to label false teaching as the product of self-deception, rather than as the invention of satans. Before God, I cannot subscribe to this mentality. It is certainly true that those who believe false doctrine are self-deceived. But that is not all there is to it. Beliefs opposed to the gospel are also the invention of spirits opposed to God and Christ. I have to admit that I am guilty of promoting such things at various times in my life. Are others willing to confess that they have been guilty of the same? We can either justify false teaching and use gospel language to try & defend it--or honestly admit that we have been guilty of perverting the gospel with demonic teaching at various stages in our spiritual journey.
Paul used far stronger language to oppose heretics than any of us would dare to utilize. He labeled the teaching that one may not eat all creatures as a doctine of devils! That is infinitely less of an offense than some of the false views being discussed here. I hardly view the food and drink issues as even worthy of conversation!
<<continued>> |
Colleentinker
| | Posted on Sunday, August 27, 2000 - 11:57 pm: | |
I see the value in discussing food and drink issuesóit's quite catharting to be able to compare stories/experiences with each other after experiencing the same sorts of false moral restrictions about these things!
I do agree, however, with Bill Twisse's assesment of the doctrines of demons. I totally agree that we tend to underplay the seriousness of false doctrines. Today in church Gary Inrig talked about the serpent's deception in the Garden of Eden. He stated that deception always undermines the sovereignty of God and blocks our trust in God. I thought of Adventism's doctrines when he said that. Further, he said, deception is not so much lying as it is selective telling of truths. When we tell part of the truth put together in a way to keep the whole truth from being known, that is deception, and that is evil.
Deception can only come from one source: Satan. We can't blow it off by saying, "This really isn't far from the truth; it's got problems, but it also has a lot of good in it."
We all are subject to deception. I believe we must pray for protection against being deceived. And I also beleive we must ask God to speak through us and to give us his words and thoughts.
Bill is absolutely right; we do have to honestly admit "we have been guilty of perverting the gospel with demonic teaching at various stages in our spiritual journey." Even if we were not aware of promulgating "doctrines of demons", we are still guilty of it. We all have to come before God and confess, letting him wipe the guilt and shame from us and renewing us with his forgiveness.
As Gary also pointed out today, even though Adam and Eve sinned and hid in the bushes because they were naked and ashamed, God did not make them clothe themselves. He came, called them out of hiding and exposed their shame to him, and he then clothed them. There is no future in the bushes, Gary said. We must come before God and accept his clothing of righteousness.
Praise God that we can admit our sin, even our sins of deception, and he is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us!
In His righteousenss,
Colleen |
Graceambassador
| | Posted on Monday, August 28, 2000 - 5:24 pm: | |
Hi Bill and Colleen: ABOUT HONESTY
Do you remember the story of Zaccheus. How he confessed to the Lord that he had defrauded some people in the tax collection and that now that he "has seen the light" he is making restitutions fourfold?
Can you picture Zaccheus, a man of short physical stature going through the narrows streets of the city, knocking on everyone's door and saying:
Hi folks, I am Zaccheus the tax collector, yes... here... DOWN here.... Hey, you know, you had this much taxes to pay and I simply decided to collect more than I should. What a lousy fellow I am...But now, you see, I met this man Jesus, he found me on a sycamore tree, and He invited Himself to eat at my home and really changed my life... Now, because this man changed my life, I am back in your home to tell you that I defrauded you in your taxes... Yes, but don't worry! DON'T BEAT ME PLEASE! I'm so small! Now that I am saved, I am here to pay four times the amount I have defrauded from you...
Well, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, after many years of defending free will and scaring people to death by telling them that they were going to lose their salvation, I came to see the light of God's word and changed my position completely. What did I do?
Here is where honesty was not so very easy!
I went to as many churches as I could go and as many individuals that I could have gone and told them PERSONALLY that I had taught them wrongly as their minister!
Just so this does not appear a self-back-padding of approval, I still feel that I owe some people. That's one of the main reasons why I started a Web site. My geographical area is much larger than Zaccheus'. Every now and then I discover the e-mail address or the snail-mail address of some of my old constituents. I send them my web address or some type of Bible study and try to make up.
Recently, I did it with my father. A strong Baptist! He was appalled! I had not spoken with him (his choice) for 17 years and just now, when I start writing to him by finding his address almost by chance, I admit to him that I taught wrong doctrines, and that he did the same!
Thank God he wrote me back saying "you're right son" we were wrong alike!
Yes, "losing Salvation" is a doctrine of the Devil because is the stepping stone of legalism!
Free will is the same thing! So, I admit, I taught doctrines of devils. May the Lord be merciful unto me that give me strength that I can make RESTITUTIONS to people whom I have defrauded from the truth of the Gospel! I want to restitute fourfold. Not because there are 4 gospels. But I want to give people as many chances they need to recognize the truth after that I taught them so many errors in the past.
It is all in God's hands and it is covered by Jesus' Blood!
If they accept my message or not is up to God! Perhaps, like Zaccheus, I deserve a beating! I will, however, the Lord willing, make restitutions to as many people as I can!
Grace Ambassador |
Billtwisse
| | Posted on Monday, August 28, 2000 - 6:11 pm: | |
Bill Twisse speaks in honesty (continued)
Sorry, brethren, I had a 24-hour interruption!
A Critical Spirit
I do realize that one of my weaknesses is being excessively critical at times. I can only seek the forgiveness and prayers of others on this issue. I hope to be fully discerning of important matters but not condemnatory.
Truth vs. Morals
In the religion of today, morality is elevated above truth. Christianity has been infected with the same mentality. How often do we hear that 'living right' is more important than what we believe and profess. God does not subscribe to this notion. In examining biblical history, it quickly becomes apparent that sins against truth are judged much more severely than moral sins. Compare the lives of Saul and David. It is true that David was judged severely for his moral sin. However, Saul was judged far greater for his sin against the truth of God. When the Lord has convicted us of something in his Word, we are expected to agree with it and follow it. No amount of moral living will substitute for a humble submission to the implications of God's revelation.
The apostles had a 'doctrine' (Acts 2:42) and it is imperative that we understand what that teaching is.
Independent Thought
There is no virtue in being rebellious for the sake of rebellion. When I part company with a traditional Christian viewpoint, I do it with fear and trembling. But I cannot accept the notion that God must be leading one denominational movement in contrast to all others. Almost all sects have discovered some aspect of truth that others have ignored. But to propose that one must submit to some sect in its entirety, since God must be leading someone 100%, is to remain ignorant of history. Without creative theology (some call it 'smorgasbord') there has never been a reformation. Neither will another one ever happen without it--regardless of how small the numbers are. We are not free to be innovative on our own. However, nothing in history was ever accomplished without the boldness to stand against the majority on clear conviction. Neither was much significant ever accomplished without invoking the hatred of reprobate mankind and the spirit of bloodshed.
Love
I believe that I have the love of the brethren that John talks about. It is one of the identifying marks of a Christian. If we love Christ's people on the basis of his atoning blood (not their inherent worthiness), we demonstrate ourselves to be true believers.
--Twisse
Additional comments:
Colleen, praise God for your observations about the nature of deception and how God forgives our misconceptions! Not many realize how much we have to be on-guard against deceptive ideas that confront us on a daily basis.
Michigander by Choice:
I hope you will experience one small snicker at the title I'm using to address you! It is an irony (you were talking about certain 'free will' concepts as an example of deception and I agree).
I'm very glad to hear that your relationship with your father is in process of healing. Hardly any difference in ideas is worth estrangement from a loved one for 17 years!
How's the blueberry harvest in SW Michigan this year? I remember all those endless berry farms, stretching across the landscape up there. I'm swarming in my own harvest of peaches, grapes, plums, and apples right now. However, the birds ate all of my blueberries!
Is that restaurant chain called the 'Chicken Coop' still going in Michigan? When I attended seminary in Berrien Springs, my favorite 'deviance' from the SDA peanut butter culture was the fried chicken and fish at that establishment. I've never had better. I remember the slogan on the box, "One short life, 'twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last." Oh well, so much for small talk. |
Graceambassador
| | Posted on Monday, August 28, 2000 - 6:49 pm: | |
Hi Bill!
Your questions made me pay attention on things we take for granted around here!
No small talk at all!
The berries are going great. Specially if you do not mind ilegal aliens! Remember ilegal is NOT A BIG SICK BIRD! That would be "ill-eagle"! We have more ilegals in this area per square inch than Califorinia and Texas put together. They come to my agency for employment and by law I have to check Social Security numbers. All of them use the same number!!!! But can they pick a berry??!!
I speak Spanish so I minister to them! I tell them about a country that the only thing they need to enter is the blood of Jesus. That's their visa. They do have to cross a river though. It is not the Rio Grande where they get "mojado". But it is the River of Life!!!
This place is growing so fast that many farms, berry and others are disappearing. I never saw the "chicken-coop" restaurants though (other than some credit reports...)
Morality
The points you made above are correct! Recently I was speaking about politics with someone and I was telling him that biblical principles are not UP FOR ELECTION (ballot) every four years. Also, that a moral man may not necessarily be a Christian man, although a Christian has to be a moral person!
One of the greatest deceptions of the devil of these days is to take away our eyes from our spiritual needs and make everything a moral issue. We have primarily a Spiritual issue to deal with!
Love
I believe that Jesus changed the pattern for love in the NT:
In the OT you were supposed to love others and you love yourself.
Jesus knew that our love for ourself is selfish and inadequate. Thus, He changed to "love each other as I LOVE YOU. Instead of my love for myself being the pattern, Jesus love for me is the new standard. That's the love we should love each other with. Love that gives, sacrifices for the other, endures and forgives.
As long as we keep basing our love upon our own love for ourselves, we will fall short of real love. Love is also a matter of faith!
Independence
It cannot, it must not, be confused with lack of commitment! I can be independent but I have to be committed to the Body of Christ and His work. Independence apart from firm commitment, is as you pointed out REBELLION. I am indenpendent from Bill Twisse or Colleen Tinker to decide on matters of faith. However, corporately I must be committed to them as brother and sister. I have to listen to their advice, weigh it in the presence of God, and then decide. Independents that are much like lone rangers are usually lawless, lack spiritual discipline and end up having to be scourged every time God has to fulfill His plan through them!
Well...That's me folks...
Grace Ambassador |
Colleentinker
| | Posted on Monday, August 28, 2000 - 8:57 pm: | |
Good point, Bill, about people elevating morals above truth. I've been uncomfortable with the emphasis on morals I've heard preached at times. When we focus on morality we take our eyes off Jesus' sacrifice and the Holy Spirit's continuous accounting. We become moral people when we literally put Jesus before our eyes and hearts and ask his will as we live and breathe our daily work.
Thank you, Grace Ambassador, for pointing out that Jesus changed the NT command for love to "love one another as I have loved you." I've often thought about that. The difference between Jesus' command and the OT command to love the Lord your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself is profound. Jesus' command is possible only when we have the Holy Spirit indwelling us. Before Jesus came, the NT command would have been obscure.
In His love,
Colleen |
Billtwisse
| | Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2000 - 1:40 am: | |
'Amen' to both of you on the severe contrast between Old and New Covenant love. This issue gets to the heart of knowing the implications of the gospel in our Christian relationships!
I have the remaining Covenant studies to finish and the Lord is testing my priorities at this point! I have never been one to share personal crises with others--because I tend to view that practice as neurotic. I'm not defending my perspective on this thing as opposed to that of someone else. It's the way I was raised! As a small justification, Paul does say that everyone needs to bear his/her own load.
I just solicit your prayers for time and opportunity to finish the remaining studies. I believe that some important things need to be put on the table for dialog. I will not be able to finish all of the studies before posting any, as I had hoped to do. I will post each as it is finished.
In the gospel, Twisse |
Sherry2
| | Posted on Thursday, August 31, 2000 - 6:01 am: | |
Study that "load" out and you'll find that it is talking about average normal burdens and responsibilites, and then in another text it says that we should bear one another's burdens (Gal. 6:2)...which in the original language is likened to over burden...so it depends which kind of burden you're carrying, Twisse. Glad you asked for prayer. Will do. |
Colleentinker
| | Posted on Saturday, September 02, 2000 - 10:54 pm: | |
I'm praying for you, Bill Twisse.
In His grace,
Colleen |
Billtwisse
| | Posted on Sunday, September 03, 2000 - 1:12 am: | |
Many thanks in the Lord to both of you.
In his grace and love,
--Twisse |
Billtwisse
| | Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2000 - 1:45 pm: | |
Covenant, study IX (part 1)
9. The New Covenant has no works to gain blessing.
And Moses went up unto God, and the LORD called unto him out of the mountain, saying, "Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: `Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you unto Myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey My voice indeed and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And ye shall be unto Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel." And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the LORD commanded him. And all the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD hath spoken we will do." And Moses returned the words of the people unto the LORD. (Exodus 19:3-8)
And the law is not of faith, but "The man who doeth them shall live in them." (Galatians 3:12)
The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide, neither will He keep His anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us according to our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them that fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us. As a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear Him. For He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are dust. (Psalms 103:8-14)
"Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The beast of the field shall honor Me, the dragons and the owls, because I give waters in the wilderness and rivers in the desert, to give drink to My people, My chosen. This people have I formed for Myself; they shall show forth My praise. But thou hast not called upon Me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of Me, O Israel. Thou hast not brought Me the lambs or kids of thy burnt offerings, neither hast thou honored Me with thy sacrifices. I have not caused thee to serve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incense. Thou hast bought Me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled Me with the fat of thy sacrifices. But thou hast made Me to serve with thy sins; thou hast wearied Me with thine iniquities. I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins." (Isaiah 43:18-25)
"Behold, the days come," saith the LORD, "that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband unto them," saith the LORD. "But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days," saith the LORD, "I will put My law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor and every man his brother, saying, `Know the LORD.' For they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them," saith the LORD, "for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." (Jeremiah 31:31-34)
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He hath visited and redeemed His people, and hath raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David. As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our father Abraham: that He would grant unto us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve Him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest; for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation unto His people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the Dayspring from on High hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." (Luke 1:68-79)
Now to him that worketh, his reward is reckoned not according to grace, but according to debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth in Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, "Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." (Romans 4:4-8)
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ (by grace ye are saved), and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not by works, lest any man should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath beforehand ordained, that we should walk in them. Therefore, remember that ye, being in times past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by those who are called the Circumcision in the flesh so made by hands. Remember that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and being without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus, ye who once were far off have been brought nigh by the blood of Christ. For He is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, that He might make in Himself one new man out of the two, so making peace, and that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby. He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were nigh; for through Him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (Ephesians 2:4-18)
Let us review the 8 negatives about the New Covenant that we have contemplated so far:
1. The New Covenant is not Sabbatarian.
2. The New Covenant ends the covenant of circumcision.
3. The New Covenant has no earthly tabernacle.
4. The New Covenant has no earthly priesthood.
5. The New Covenant has no tithe.
6. The New Covenant has no continuing sacrifice.
7. The New Covenant has no sacraments.
8. The New Covenant has no sacred times.
I don't know where many of those reading this study attend 'church' (where did that word come from, anyway?!). Without a doubt, the denomination where I retain membership teaches that the New Covenant entails all of the above! We are supposedly obligated to:
1. Keep the Sunday Sabbath as the 4th commandment. Sunday breaking is as serious as worshipping other gods, idolatry, swearing, contempt of parents, murder, adultery, theft, false witness, and coveting.
2. Receive water baptism as the primary seal of the covenant of grace and insure that this seal is imprinted upon our children. God's wrath is upon is if we don't!
3. Support the 'Lord's house' with our generous offerings--in addition to the 'tithe.' How can we do less than the Jews in building a house for God? Pay no attention to those opportunists who want a new building to advance their worldly promotional methods. We must show the local community how much God has blessed us! (Does this remind you of the Wizard of Oz--'Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain'?!)
4. Respect the elders of the church as having the keys of salvation or damnation (see the Westminster Confession). Never challenge the pastor or elders on anything--period! Keep any spiritual wisdom that the Lord has given you to yourself--on matters that threaten the earthly 'kingdom' established by the session.
5. Pay 10% of your gross income (whatever that is for independent businessmen) to the local church. Otherwise--you are robbing God, insulting him, and endangering your salvation.
6. Engage in the 'politically correct' spiritual disciplines in order to be holy. God forbid that you should 'believe in Jesus and do as you please.' Know all of the steps to holiness. Fall in line with Bill Gothard, the 'new wine' movement, the shepherding movement, Billy Graham, the men's movement, women's movement, third wave gifts, reconstructionism, ECT (Evangelicals and Catholics Together), or whatever popular 'evangelical' program is currently dominating the scene. Never challenge the 'elders' who promote these movements. Otherwise you are resisting the spirit of God and working contrary to the great 'revival' at the present time!
7. Receive and believe in the communication of grace available in the sacraments. Otherwise, your spiritual growth or even salvation itself is in jeapordy!
8. Acknowledge that the most sacred time in history since the apostles was the birth of Presbyterianism. It was the climax of the reformation, beyond which no additional truth on the major doctrines of scripture can possibly be discovered!
Well, after those 8 attacks (which are completely legitimate), I will finally stop criticizing my denomination. The remaining studies are about Grace.
Why would someone introduce a study about Grace with the title: 'The New Covenant Has No Works to Gain Blessing?' It is because truth must be contrasted with error. The gospel will continue to be light only if the darkness is extinguished. Some in this age would have us proclaim the truth and refrain from condemning error. None of the prophets and apostles chosed by God in the past followed that strange and fatal prescription. The test of whether someone really believes the gospel is whether that person unreservedly condemns all doctrine opposed to the gospel. Paul did it (Gal. 1:8,9).
Most of those who are Christians have heard the gospel of Grace preached many times. I cannot 'outperform' those who have preached the gospel in the past.
<<continued>> |
Billtwisse
| | Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2000 - 1:50 pm: | |
Most of those who are Christians have heard the gospel of Grace preached many times. I cannot 'outperform' those who have preached the gospel in the past. However, the same gospel will be magnified beyond measure if it is contrasted to everything that opposes it. That is my calling. I hope and pray earnestly that others will begin to accept it as their calling too.
The Old Covenant definitely consisted of works to gain blessing! Read Exodus 19 and Galatians 3:12 above. It is critical to realize that the former covenant was not one of eternal salvation. None of the blessings associated with it would indicate that such an interpretation is legitimate. It was a covenant of continued blessing on earth in this life! While the judgments executed on those who disobeyed were a type of the judgment to come (1 Cor. 10:11), the consequences experienced were related to the curses of the law-covenant. They were not absolutely related to eternal judment. Most who were cut off in judgment were reprobate--but not necessarily all without exception.
It is entirely possible that some who died under the law-covenant (Uzzah--who touched the ark in respect for it and died, for example) will be saved under the grace-covenant. In contrast, not everyone who deserved to die under the former covenant was killed! God made an example of certain offenses, at certain times, to bring glory and honor to his Word. But temporal mercy was often exercised--benefiting the recipients in this life only. The temporal patience of God with Israel is a type of the unlimited patience of God exercised in the grace of the New Covenant.
The good news in passages such as Psalm 103 and Isaiah 43 anticipate the grace of the New Covenant prophesied in Jeremiah 31. God promises to remove the guilt of sin eternally and remember it no more. This blessing cannot possibly be of works, since all persons on this earth have sinned and continue to sin. The law does not rest on faith or grace.
The song of Zechariah in Luke 1 is one of the most covenant-oriented passages of scripture. It highlights the fulfillment of the 3 major grace covenants: the Davidic (vs. 68-71), the Abrahamic (vs. 72-75), and the New Covenant (vs. 76-79). I want to focus on that little phrase: "serve him without fear in holiness."
It is impossible to serve God without fear unless we have a firm realization of his grace. This can happen only with the regenerating presence of the Holy Spirit. As stated in Ephesians 2, the Spirit only comes to us in opposition to the principle of boasting in works. Works to gain temporal blessing and works to gain eternal blessing are identical delusions..God has no covenant in effect today that depends on works to gain blessing--period.
Many acknowledge (especially Protestants) that works of law cannot save eternally. However, they insist that our obedience to God's commands will determine the receipt of temporal blessings in this life. Does that notion harmonize with the scriptures that we have been contemplating? Absolutely not! How can we serve God without fear--if we are constantly worried that our sins are depriving us of temporal blessing?
God accounts righteousness by faith apart from works of law (Romans 4, cited above)..The faith that he gives us is not of ourselves, it is his gift (Eph. 2:8). The works that follow are predestined--in the same sense that our faith was predestined from the beginning (Eph. 2:10, Acts 13:48). According to Acts 13:48, it is only those who are appointed to eternal life that believe. The revelation of this truth destroys forever the notion that receiving the New Covenant is 'conditional' upon faith. Faith (belief and confidence in the person and work of Christ for salvation--as revealed in scripture) is the only requirement of God for justification unto life. However, this commandment of God is 'written on the heart' by the Holy Spirit. It will infallibly come to fruition in those that are appointed unto eternal life.
The New Covenant is wholly promissory. It has no conditions imposed upon humans that threaten its fulfillment. Those who are chosen by God from eternity in Christ (Eph. 1:4) will inevitably experience all of the promises outlined in Jeremiah 31.
A final issue to be addressed is whether we can serve God without fear if we think that our works determine blessing after salvation. The history of Protestantism is laden with the notion that although we cannot merit eternal life by personal obedience, we will experience temporal blessing or judgment on the basis of obedience to the known will of God. Wow, the devil has seemingly gained a victory here! Not a real victory, of course, for Christ has been given the authority over history and the keys of life and death. Our sins after conversion do not determine judgment or blessing. How can we possibly share the gospel if we believe that? A settled belief in the notion of good performance = blessing and bad performance = judgment will only serve to impair our witness for Christ. Can we passionately share the gospel right after we have 'blown it?' We should be able to--think about it. If we know the gospel of the New Testament, our temporal sin does not cancel either temporal or eternal blessing from God.
God disciplines all sons that he loves. However, this discipline is not a pound-for-pound judgment on temporal sin. What a horrible concept that is! If Grace does not enable us to get past our temporal screw-ups, how can it benefit us in this life?
Do we really believe that God has eternally removed our sins from us--past, present, and future? Has he elected to forget our sins forever--past, present, and future? The answers to these questions will determine our comfort in the gospel and the boldness of our witness for Christ.
Still to come:
10. The New Covenant has no deserters.
Conclusion: The New Wine of the Gospel.
--Twisse |
Graceambassador
| | Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2000 - 2:45 pm: | |
Hi Bill TW.
Let me point out something that you wrote and then, allow me to comment briefly on it:
"God has no covenant in effect today that depends on works to gain blessing--period."
This statement alone is worth a semester (I mean 6 months) of a theological course on the N.T.
As to OBEDIENCE, BLESSINGS:
Obedience is another issue wherein I am avoided by my former minister friends. That's because I preach that the first act of obedience and probably the only one God actually requires is the very recognition that we CANNOT OBEY and then TRUST IN CHRIST'S OBEYDIENCE ON OUR BEHALF. Ministers of all walks tell me that this is preaching easy believism, but actually is what the Bible teaches us in Grace.
I often ask ministers:
Can we fully obey God in ALL HIS commands without exception. The answer is an obvious "NO". Then I ask a second question:
Will God accept anything less than full obedience?. The answer again resounds clear: "NO".
Then I say that we are preaching an impossible Gospel since we are preaching that God demands something, then, He does not accecpt what we give in fulfillment... God, as such, becomes an insasiable being who expects us to do the impossible than blame us for not being capable of doing it.
This is in TOTAL CONTRAST WITH GRACE, which says that HE WHO KNEW NO SINS WAS MADE TO BE SINS FOR US SO THAT WE WOULD BECOME THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST. Grace says that because of what Jesus Christ did, I am righteous before God, period! Anything short of that will be different than Pauline Grace, the Grace of God.
GOD IS, HAS BEEN, WILL ALWAYS BE SATISFIED WITH JESUS' SACRIFICE! THAT'S PLENTY TO GOD! NOT MY ATTEMPTS TO OBEY, BUT JESUS FULL OBEDIENCE TO DEATH AND DEATH OF CROSS. I ACCEPT HIS SACRIFICE AS VICARIOUS (substitution), I BELIEVE THAT HE OBEYED ON MY BEHALF AND PRASIE GOD FOR IT!!!
BLESSINGS
We have been blessed (already and once for all) with ALL KINDS of spiritual blessings! Eph. 1:3. That is a statement of fact with no condition. Everything that we needed has been provided for in Jesus. To say "I cannot be blessed" is equivalent to say "I cannot have Jesus".
If anyone "feels" not blessed is because his Christianity is based upon "feelings".
Also, our constant attempt to obey what we cannot obey, although may be commendable, is totally UNECESSARY and actually becomes the wall that separate US from our blessings. In the parable of the prodigal son, there is no one more commendable than the older son in terms of ethical behavior and loyalty to the farm. He attempted to do the things that he was supposed to do. That made him bitter and insensitive because he, in attempting to to the things expected of him, failed to:
RELATE WITH THE FATHER
THUS, BEING IGNORANT THAT EVERYTHING THAT THE FATHER HAD WAS HIS BY RIGHT!
I praise God that in Jesus I know that I am an "heir and co-heir in him". Jesus inheritance is mine inheritance! Praise His name!
I'd rather believe and trust Jesus Christ's willingness to climb two mountais:
SINAI - and fulfilled ALL the law for me
and
MOUNT CALVARY - where He paid the price for my sins!
When the psalmist cries out: I lift mine eyes unto to hills and then asks, "from whence cometh my help" - He can't find help in SINAI, HOREB, or in any other mountain. His help comes from the Lord at MOUNTAIN CALVARY! He is the guarantor of my help and my SECURITY, AND IN HIM I HAVE ALL SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS!
Grace Ambassador |
Billtwisse
| | Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2000 - 10:13 pm: | |
Covenant, study X
10. The New Covenant has no deserters.
John 6:35-40; 43-58
John 10: 7-18; 25-39
Romans 8:28-39
Romans 9:14-28
Phil. 1:6
(NOTE: For the sake of brevity, the scriptures cited will not be quoted in full. I encourage all who read this study to examine them carefully. Otherwise, the issues raised here will make absolutely no sense.)
Is it possible for a regenerate Christian to lose salvation? This question has haunted believers ever since Justin Martyr began publishing (on papyrus) his innovative views regarding free-will Christianity. What shall we think about the monstrous 'revolving door?' If a Christian loses grace, is it possible to regain it later? Is it possible for those who 'choose' to reject grace in this life to obtain it in the 'great beyond' (Origen)?
All of these Justinian interrogations of nuisance are absolutely irrelevant in light of the New Covenant. They were started by individuals who wanted to mingle pagan philosophy (regarding the 'liberty' of man and his supposed free-will) with the gospel. It was one of the greatest attempts at 'gospel prostitution' in history! The devilish doctrine of 'repetitious justifications' was founded early in the great apostasy prophesied in 1 and 2 Timothy. It has continued ever since.
In previous studies, we have already examined the truth that faith comes as a gift of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:8, Acts 13:48). It is not conditional upon the exercise of the human will! If this conclusion be true, it is also true that God will certainly preserve faith in his elect until the day of salvation. He cannot do otherwise. If he has unconditionally removed the guilt of our sin and remembers it no more, he will also unconditionally preserve our faith until we enter glory!
The essence of the New Covenant (Eph. 1:4-14) is a saved people in Christ. Before the foundation of the world, God elected to save a people to eternal life in his Son. It was determined that these people would be born 'without hope and without God' and saved by the atonement of Christ. The Holy Spirit would write the 'law of faith' (Rom. 3:27, Heb. 8:10) on their hearts in God's appointed time. This is the essence of the covenant. God will accomplish his purposes. His pleasure will certainly be done; his Word will not return to him void of fruition.
The NT truth of the Preservation of the Saints (that dreaded 'P' in TULIP) is absolutely essential to a continued assurance of salvation. If we believe that loss of our salvation is even remotely possible, it will effect our faith AND our Christian love. We cannot possibly love others unconditionally in the Congress of Christ if we believe that our own salvation might be lost at some point in the future.
God is not an 'Indian Giver.' He doesn't tease us with the best news in history and then threaten us with a revolving-door. If we believe this Justinian and Wesleyan nonsense, it will severely affect our relationship with other believers. It is inevitable that if we view God's justification in Christ as 'conditional' and 'removable,' we will perceive our acceptance of other believers and imputation of God's grace to them as 'conditional' and 'removable.'
Having said all of this, it is important to realize that the 'once-saved-always-saved' dogma of Dwight Moody and later 'evangelicals' is very dangerous. It would have us believe that people choose to come to Christ of their own free-will. Afterward, no matter what their free-will chooses to do, God is supposedly obiligated to save them. This is not the scriptural doctrine of an elect people foreordained unto good works (Eph. 2:10). The elect of God will have his laws written on the heart. It is promised in the New Covenant! This includes both faith (which is our only assurance of justification) and resulting obedience to the whole counsel of God. Those who lack a growing evidence of a passion to follow ALL of God's truth have never experienced salvation.
In the scriptures, the law of God and word of God are interchangeable concepts. His word is truth (John 17:17)! Obedience to Christ is not simply a matter of following moral commands. It is an issue of believing the light of gospel truth as opposed to darkness. The gospel must determine our view of everything. The manner in which we respond to issues of truth is a definite measure of whether we respect and obey the gospel.
Still to come:
Conclusion: The New Wine of the Gospel.
--Twisse |
Billtwisse
| | Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2000 - 10:29 pm: | |
Dear Milton (Grace Ambassador):
I can't begin to express my excitement with your insights on the gospel! The things that you had to say about easy believism, Mount Calvary vs. Mount Sinai, and the prodigal son moved me in a way that cannot be described.
If I am accused of easy-believism, I am proud to endure the ridicule! I'm sure that you are too. Both of us know that the accusation is devilish and unfounded.
I am about to post the study that I wrote in 1995 on ecclesiology. It is the best I have ever written. I once had an SDA professor (John Baldwin) who illustrated God's confrontation of men with salvation as being like a composer of music playing his best composition. If the composer plays his best and the audience still considers it rudimentary, common, and not worthy of special note; the composer has fulfilled his God-ordained purpose and must move on to other opportunities.
Here comes the best that I have to offer!
--Twisse |
Billtwisse
| | Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2000 - 10:51 pm: | |
Conclusion: The New Wine of the Gospel. Part 1
The Bible contains what we might call a 'theology of wine.' After sacrificing to God and receiving his promise, the first thing Noah did after exiting the ark was to plant a vineyard and drink of its wine. Although this event ended in sin, it signified the promise of God in relation to future history. David also affirmed that wine gladdens the heart of man. Isa. 25:6-9 pictures the great eschatological banquet--when God will abolish death forever, remove the shroud of darkness, and provide the best wine and marbled steak for his people. The promise to remove the shroud of darkness is parallel to the New Covenant promise in Jeremiah 31:34. No person in the redeemed community of God needs to teach his neighbor to know the Lord. All have come to know him, whether new in the faith or mature.
Although the consummation of these promises is yet future, we begin to experience their fulfillment in the current age. The first miracle of Christ performed at Cana was no accident. It was the beginning of the fulfillment of Isaiah 25 and identifies Christ as the Messiah who provides salvation. The institution of the cup as the only material sign of the New Covenant culminates the promise of Isaiah. The pleasure of the saints in glory is obtained at the cost of the shed blood of Christ.
The agape festival of the early Christian community was viewed as a foretaste of the glory to come. Believers looked forward to the weekly celebration of Christ's resurrection as the highest point in their earthly lives. In no way did the early communion resemble the 'snippet and sip' ritual of what is currently practiced. The NT believers did not have a privatistic communion of solemn meditiation and fear of partaking. They experienced a joy of fellowship in the gospel that is rarely known today.
The following study was originally written by the present author in 1995. It has to do with the doctrine of the people of God. A few minor details have been revised but the basic thought is unchanged from the original. One fact should be noted before reading. When referring to the people of God or quoting scripture references to the same, the author uses the word 'congress' and not 'church.' The word 'church' (the Lord's house) is a mistranslation of ekklesia. When other authors are quoted, their words are unchanged.
A New Ecclesiology (Mt. 18:20)
Christ is the head of the Congress, his body, of which he is the Savior . . . Christ loved the Congress and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant Congress, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:23b, 25b-27.
Christian history is filled with controversy. Doctrinal strife with respect to the Trinity, Deity of Christ, justification by faith, ethics, predestination, and the end-times has occupied the center of debate for generations. Many of these issues have been settled historically. When the truth about a matter has been confirmed by the Holy Spirit in history, it is foolish to engage in the same arguments over-and-over. Those who will not remember the past are condemned to repeat it. In dealing with a person who wishes to continually resurrect old controversies, it is wise to follow Titus 3:10,11: "Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned." However, in examining hundreds of years of argument on the same doctrines, it becomes obvious that certain issues of eternal significance have not been definitively settled by Christian apologetics. One of the most apparent shortcomings is the lack of a decisive conclusion on the nature and destiny of the people of God.
Certainly, much has been written on ecclesiology from all sects of Christian profession. This is not a matter where unity is prominent, however. The sectarian nature of the debate is the very reason for the want of a decisive historical victory. No respected teacher in an established sect is willing to challenge the institutional basis of his own authority. Therefore, as with many issues, we cannot expect 'new light' on this critical doctrine from the established denominations. When the creedalist is determined to find evidence in the scriptures that what he is sworn to believe is truth, that 'evidence' will always be found. The issue, however, is whether the Holy Spirit has confirmed the 'evidence' in history by uniting his body through the 'evidence.' That is what happened in the early controversies regarding Christ's person and work. It happened in the Reformation with the doctrine of salvation.
The Augustinian view of the people of God has dominated Christian thinking from at least the third century until the present. Calvinist Benjamin B. Warfield admitted the following of Augustine's position on ecclesiology:
"His doctrine of the Church he had received whole from his predecessors, and he gave it merely the precision and vitality which insured its persistence . . . The problem which Augustine bequeathed to the Church for solution, the Church required a thousand years to solve. But even so, it is Augustine who gave us the Reformation. For the Reformation, inwardly considered, was just the ultimate triumph of Augustine's doctrine of grace over Augustine's doctrine of the church." Benjamin Warfield, Studies in Tertullian and Augustine (Baker, Grand Rapids, MI, 1991 reprint, p. 130).
Is Warfield correct? The issue is whether Augustine's doctrine of the people of God really ended with the Reformation. It is an irony that Luther named one of his writings on ecclesiology 'The Babylonian Captivity of the Church' (1520). In spite of the triumphalism of Lutherans and Calvinists--in saying that the ecclesiastical bondage of many centuries ended with their arrival, we might well ask, 'Where is the triumph?' Have the many denominations of Protestantism (or even Nonconformity) succeeded in reversing the tyranny and bondage of an arrogant, institutional churchianity?
The Reformers were certainly used of God to recover the apostolic doctrine of salvation. However, the truth about individual salvation is not all there is to the 'whole will of God' (Acts 20:27). If the grace of Christ is to finally present an elect people 'without stain or wrinkle,' it seems that there is much more to happen in God's purposes in human history. The following passage gives further insight:
"It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ." Eph. 4:11-15.
Although sinless perfection of individual saints will come only at the resurrection (Phil. 3:10-12), the assembly of Christ as a living organism is to arrive at the glorious state of completeness and maturity described here in Ephesians. And it is to happen before the final coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. At that time it will be said of his people, 'His bride has made herself ready.' (Rev. 19:7b) In contemplating the gap between what the people of God presently are and what they will one day become, it might be easy to fall into discouragement. But we must realize that God builds his Congress, not man. It happens not by human authority, might, genius, or programs; but by the Spirit of God. If the Lord should purpose to finish the glorious destiny of his people in a single generation, he most certainly would be able. However, if God's past workings are an indication of how he will work in the future, the pre-advent Congress of Christ will probably go on for many generations to come. But dogmatism on the timing of the climax of history is impossible. "The Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." (Mt. 24:44b)
The Congress of the Present
Let us evaluate the thesis of such men as Dr. Warfield and Dr. Luther. They state that the medieval bondage of the people of God ceased with the Reformation. In spite of the many claims to glory and destiny by Protestant theologians and pastors, all Reformed movements have continued the Augustinian notion that the Congress is a human institution. This is almost unwitting. Strangely, many definitions of the visible Congress that have been written are quite on target:
"The individual church may be defined as that smaller company of regenerate persons, who, in any given community, unite themselves voluntarily together, in accordance with Christ's laws, for the purpose of securing the complete establishment of his kingdom in themselves and in the world." Augustus H. Strong, Systematic Theology (Revell, Old Tappan, NJ, 1907, p. 890).
"The question is, whether when to the men thus designated and described, Christ promised to be with them to the end of the world, to give them his Spirit, to guide them unto the knowledge of the truth, to keep them through the power of the Spirit, so that the gates of hell should not prevail against them -- he means his sincere or his nominal disciples, -- believers or unbelievers? These questions admit of but one answer. The attributes ascribed to the Church in Scripture belong to true believers alone. The promises made to the Church are fulfilled only to believers. The relation in which the Church stands to God and Christ is sustained alone by true believers. They only are the children and heirs of God; they only are the body of Christ in which He dwells by his Spirit, they only are the temple of God, the bride of Christ, the partakers of His glory." Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI, 1982 reprint, vol. 1, pp. 137-138).
[continued] |
Billtwisse
| | Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2000 - 11:03 pm: | |
The New Wine of the Gospel, part 2
"While the church in its strict and proper signification is the company or body of those united to Christ in the spiritual bonds of effectual calling and saving faith and is therefore known only to God who alone infallibly discerns as well as determines who His people are, yet it must not be thought that the church, as Scripture knows it, is ever an invisible entity. The church may not be defined as an entity wholly invisible to human perception and observation. The church is the company or society or assembly or congregation or communion of the faithful." John Murray, Christian Baptism (Presbyterian and Reformed, Phillipsburg, NJ, 1980, p. 33).
In agreeing with Murray's conclusion, the thesis of this paper will be that the Congress is nothing more or less than the communion of saints. At the simplest and most basic level, this communion is defined by the words of Christ: "Where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them." (Mt. 18:20) The broadest and most comprehensive level of the Congress is the universal communion of all saints. This is the bride or body of Christ identified in the Pauline epistles (notably Ephesians) and Revelation. The one holy and catholic Congress is a well-established doctrine of Christian history. Landmarkism, or the denial of the universal bride and body of Christ, is a strained and heterodox teaching. This paper will not engage in a debate over its authenticity. The warning of Paul already mentioned in Titus 3:10,11 is certainly applicable in dealing with such nuisances.
Christian expositors have also recognized other biblical teachings about the Congress. It has been admitted that the Congress is a fellowship (koinonia), that the Congress needs God-appointed leaders, and that Christ is the head of the Congress. Most Christian teachers have correctly espoused the view that the Congress is the remnant prophesied in the Old Testament, fulfilling the New Covenant promise of Jeremiah 31. Christ in the people of God is the mystery of the ages, finally revealed (Col. 1:24-27). The Age of Pentecost is the final and most glorious of human history: it comprises the 'last days' prior to the ultimate regeneration at Christ's final coming (Heb. 1:2). Any dispensationalist teaching of the last 150 years which denies these realities is a menace of late arrival in Christian history. Again, Titus 3:9-11 applies to anyone attempting to promote such ideas.
Since theologians have been successful in defining what the Congress consists of, it may reasonably be asked why anyone would propose that the nature and destiny of the Congress is poorly understood. Why say that the 'blameless' people of God mentioned in scripture is an enigma? It is because the correct understanding of the Congress has remained only a theory. The practice of all Christian denominations has been contrary to the notion that the communion of saints IS the Congress. The inevitable outcome of Christian history so far is that every reform movement ends up defining its own institution as the Congress. So, in practice, the Congress is not the communion of saints but an institution or assembly of professed saints. Any Christian communion outside of the assembly (or some other 'authorized' assembly) is possibly seen as commendable, but cannot be defined as 'church.' Strangely, Hodge in his Systematic Theology later conflicts with the definition of Congress as the communion of saints and retreats back into Augustinianism:
"The principles which regulate our obedience to the Church, are very much the same as those which concern our relation to the State, -- 1. The visible Church is a divine institution. In one sense indeed it is a voluntary society, in so far as that no man can be coerced to join it. If he joins it at all, it must be of his own free will. Nevertheless, it is the will of God that the visible Church as an organized body should exist; and every man who hears the Gospel, is bound to enroll himself among its members and to submit to its authority. -- 2. All Church power is of God, and all legitimate Church officers are his ministers. They act in his name and by his authority. Resistance to them, therefore, is resistance to the ordinance of God." Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, MI, 1982 reprint, vol. 3, p. 360).
Hodge also proposes that this 'visible' church is a mixture of believers and unbelievers. It is mere professors. For him, the pure Congress remains 'invisible' and an enigma. This is clearly contrary to scripture. The New Testament Congress is never proposed to be a mixture of wheat and tares. Jesus clearly says that 'the field is the world' (Mt. 13:38). It is not the people of God.
Where We Have Gone Wrong
1. The most fundamental error in the history of Christian ecclesiology is limiting the fellowship of saints (koinonia--Acts 2:42) to an organized institution. The Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox 'divines' have proudly stated that there is no salvation outside of their respective communions. This position has never changed in essence. In spite of acknowledging the existence of salvation without actual 'church' membership in this life, the redemption of 'outside' persons is nonetheless stated to be accomplished within the authority, teaching, and operation of the worldwide institution. It is also assumed that these persons will someday recognize the true 'faith'--whether now or hereafter. Until such a time, no 'koinonia' in the one true apostolic Congress is believed to be possible. Interestingly, these saved persons outside of the institution may be Protestants, Jews, Muslims, or Buddhists. No distinction is made between Christian and non-Christian professors. Therefore, we should not be surprised when the Pope states that Christians, Jews, and Muslims all worship the same God. The Protestant who confesses Jesus and the Buddhist who condemns hatred are equally seen as moving toward the 'light' of salvation, administered through the sacraments of Romanism.
All of the Reformation movements, of course, denied the Papal or Eastern doctrine of the Congress. The reality of personal salvation outside of any organized institution was freely acknowledged. In addition, this salvation was confessed to be in and through Jesus Christ only. Judaism, Islam, and the kharma religions were absolutely excluded. But what about the communion or fellowship of saints? It is clear that this was limited to the sphere of 'orthodoxy.' For Lutherans, this was belief in the doctrines of Augsburg and Concord. Those who failed to confess these were not only excluded from the 'church' but also from the states controlled by the 'church.' This was an exclusion from the communion of saints at the very least. The Calvinists, who simply continued Augustinianism, were just as arrogant and heartless. For instance, Baptist Roger Williams was exiled from the colony of Massachusetts and left to die in the middle of winter! Was this not exclusion from the 'church' or fellowship of saints? But we need not look at instances where Reformed movements had the power of the state. All of the mainline Protestant denominations have defined the 'visible church' as an institution with appointed 'officers'--at the local and higher organizational levels. Failure to submit to the authority and doctrine of the institution excludes one from the communion of saints.
The Anabaptist, Congregational, Baptistic, and Brethren movements have desperately tried to shun the devilish spirit of dominion and control in the mainline and state 'churches.' However, little progress has been made toward recovering a New Testament ecclesiology. Congregations truly exercising the love of Christ and sincerely open to more scriptural truth have rarely existed. Beliefs and practices of one or a few local leaders become 'canonized' within a short time. After that, it is the same spirit of dominion and control as in the large organizations. Groups proudly claiming the title of 'independent' are no different in essence than the most arrogant and mighty of the hierarchies. According to congregational polity, the visible 'church' consists strictly of organized local assemblies with stated policy, doctrine, and ordained leaders. Two examples of study guides promoting the typical concept are 'The Anatomy of a Church' by John MacArthur (Moody Press, Chicago, 1984) and 'Christ Loved the Church' by William Macdonald (Walterick Publishers, Kansas City, 1956). The first is Baptistic and the second is Brethren. What should we conclude regarding the independent assembly movements? We must recognize that local organized tyranny is often more dangerous and destructive than a large authority structure--since there are no checks on the controlling will of one or a few individuals. It matters not whether the actual structure is bishop/elders/deacons, elders/deacons with one salaried pastor, pastor/deacons, or multiple pastors/deacons. Many Baptist and Pentecostal assemblies consist of one pastor enforcing his own misguided dogma. To avoid this extreme, multiple leadership has often been espoused by other movements (notably the Brethren). But an assembly where two or more leaders agree and enforce their misguided dogma is the same thing. In the end, it all is one form of autocratic dominion or another. The Jehovah's Witnesses are locally organized along the Brethren model, to avoid giving too much power to one individual. Yet this certainly has not moved them closer to the Spirit of Christ!
In summary, all denominational and independent movements have defined the Congress as an organized institution or assembly. There is no unquestioned communion of saints outside of the institution/assembly. This is evident from the largest hierarchy to the smallest independent congregation.
2. We have restricted leadership to operate only within the narrow, institutional definition of the communion of saints. No other authority or 'message' from God is recognized. A person who refuses to submit to misguided authority is 'cut off.' Acceptance of stupid dogma and practice is considered a test of submission to God-ordained authority. Rejecting stupid dogma which has nothing to do with the gospel is made an equal offense to denying the Trinity and Deity of Christ. Both result in disfellowship from the communion of saints.
[continued] |
Billtwisse
| | Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2000 - 11:11 pm: | |
The New Wine of the Gospel, part 3
Current movements are very aware of this weakness in traditional ecclesiology and seek to take full advantage. The shepherding movement, which arose from a movement insisting upon signs and wonders as normative to Christianity, proposes a whole hierarchy of God-appointed leadership. Each individual has a mentor or shepherd that must be found and submitted to. In the end, someone (one or several) is at the TOP as shepherd of the whole evangelical 'church.' It takes no prophet to discern the current movement taking the fullest advantage of this obssession. Strangely, the few leaders of evangelical denominations disturbed by the men's movement (a minority) have little argument except ecclesiastical authority, or submission to the traditional creeds, to combat this growing disturbance. Yet unrestrained authority is the principle it is founded on to begin with! The historical creeds may be useful in confessing important fundamentals of our faith. But insistence upon the accuracy of detailed confessions, with hundreds of fine points, can only serve one purpose. That purpose is the advancement of ecclesiastical authority. The leaders of the men's movement say that the populace is weary of that type of authority and want the 'new wine' of shepherding authority instead! They are no doubt correct. Unfortunately, few men today are obsessed with the true gospel and the kingdom authority (keys) attached solely to the proclamation of Jesus Christ.
The authoritarian view of leadership rejects the 'greatest a servant' teaching of our Lord (Luke 22:25-27). It also rejects all other God-appointed authority. All truth and correction is from God. If the Lord reveals truth to a Lutheran and it contradicts a Calvinist doctrinal statement, the Calvinist leader committed to the Westminster standards will inevitably reject God's authority exercised through the Lutheran teacher. Likewise, if the Lord reveals truth to a Calvinist and it contradicts a Lutheran doctrinal statement, the Lutheran leader committed to the Augsburg/Concord standards will inevitably reject God's authority exercised through the Calvinist teacher. Both will be severely judged for their sin! But we need not limit our scope of leadership to scholars. If God reveals truth to a local 'prophet' with absolutely no ecclesiastical authority, the same principle applies! Of course, all things must be tested by the Word and Holy Spirit. But if a prophet is speaking according to the Word and Holy Spirit, God will most severely judge those who reject that testimony! We know it.
3. We have denied the sign of the New Covenant (the Lord's supper--Mt. 26:26-29) as belonging to all believers within the communion of saints. Administration of the supper is restricted to duly appointed officers. Only those submitting to the ecclesiastical authority of the assembly or institution are included. In essence, we have said that others are cut off from Christ. This is a serious offense to God. If one is tempted to doubt this fact, look at the sanctions in scripture against abusing the signs of former covenants (circumcision, the Sabbath). Can we ever again doubt why the organized 'church' lacks true spiritual blessing? If the supper represents the gospel itself (1 Cor. 11:23-32), any foolish corruption of it will bring God's retribution--not only the type of abuse practiced by the Corinthians.
It is often debated whether the 'breaking of bread' in Acts 2:42,46 was a common meal or 'communion.' The whole debate exists due to an institutional mindset. The first believers had no such distinction. When those who confessed the Lord Jesus Christ came together in table fellowship, their sharing of bread was always communion in his body and discernment of his death.
The Solution
How can a true believer in Jesus Christ repent of the incomprehensible sin of failing to discern the Lord's body? How can Christians everywhere start practicing a new ecclesiology approved by God himself? The answer is so simple that it is hardly believable, yet so difficult that it demands a most painful change. Many professors of Christ will, like the rich young ruler, sorrowfully reject the promptings of the Holy Spirit. To start with, we must fully recognize the truth of Mt. 18:20. The Congress of Christ is present wherever two or more believers are gathered in his name. Two believers gathered for fellowship in Christ are as much the Congress as any larger number gathered for ceremonial worship. The communion of saints is not dependent on any minimum number of those gathered. Hardly a scripture has been more abused than 'in the multitude of counselors there is safety.' What about Zechariah 4:6: 'Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit'? In addition, we must recognize that two or more believers gathered for fellowship in Christ may break bread and drink the cup in his name. The Holy Spirit will be present to give much power, which was often lacking in the larger gatherings of the Corinthian assembly (implied in 1 Cor. 2:4,5; 4:19,20; 5:4). It certainly has been lacking in a multitude of 'evangelical' assemblies.
Many who have discerned various errors of the established Christian institutions have tried to start a new 'movement.' Naturally, these zealots believed that what was needed was an institution practicing the 'truth' rather than error. But all organized movements have ended up believing the same notion about an external, autocratic organism controlling the truth and ordinances of God. The sins of the fathers are visited upon the children. Ultimately, the sons of darkness end up being exactly like those whom they despised. A good example illustrating this is the situation with the 'mainline' and 'evangelical' Protestant denominations. Hundreds of years elapsed before the mainline sects rejected the gospel. Yet the irrational 'theology of paradox,' which led to the apostasy of the mainliners early this century, is alive in their offshoots within a single generation! The 'evangelical' assemblies will suffer the same fate in the 21st century that their mothers suffered in the 20th. Both love institutional power more than the truth.
If we truly believe the testimony of the Bible and the Holy Spirit, we will stop trying to start a 'church,' grow the 'church,' find a 'church,' or start a movement. The Lord, not man, started and added to the original church. Why should it be different today? The Congress of God is advanced solely through the work of the Holy Spirit. Most present-day proponents of 'church growth' are really interested in the advancement of their own importance--through the creation of more followers of themselves. It is no different in the arena of philosphy, psychology, or politics. Most professed Christians have sold out to the thinking of this present age.
Though the Lord is often pleased to add numbers to his Congress, false professors are inevitable with 'institutional' numeric growth. These pretenders are not a part of Christ's body. The ever-human tendency to equate a professedly Christian assembly or institution with the Congress of Christ is a doctrine of devils. The Holy Spirit teaches that the communion of saints alone is the body of Christ. If an organized assembly of 50 is worshipping and 20 false professors are in attendance, the visible Congress of Christ in that situation consists of 30 persons. For this very reason, the NT ekklesia should never be equated completely with an external 'assembly,' even after the inventing of the most spiritual man's wisdom and vision. Only those born from above are in the true body of Christ. Only within the fellowship of true saints can Christ's assembly be operative. And it is operative wherever and whenever the 'fellowship' (Acts 2:42) and the apostles' teaching (the gospel) is present.
The Christian Congress was founded by Jesus Christ and the gates of hell will never prevail against it (Mt. 16:18,19). It has been alive and growing ever since. Since it is the communion of saints, the most horrible and offensive of humanly-contrived institutions will never destroy it. The sweetness of Christian fellowship transcends all of the pathetic failures of man to control and diminish the body of Christ, even in the most formidable of godless societies.
The Congress founded by Jesus Christ is also the fulfillment of the new wine of Old Testament prophecy (Isa. 25:6, Mt. 9:16,17; Mk. 2:21,22: Luke 5:36-38). It is the one and only eschatological movement of God. Attempting to start a further movement is a denial of what the Holy Spirit accomplished at Pentecost. Have we realized the significance of why Christ's first miraculous sign at Cana was the changing of ordinary water into the best wine (John 2:10,11)? Have we discerned why the cup is the one and only physical sign of the New Covenant, specifically instituted by Christ (Mt. 26:28, Mk. 14:24, Luke 22:20)? These realities are immensely transcendent. God intends to hide their meaning to all but those possessing the discernment of His Spirit. The mystery to be discerned is that nothing can be added to the climatic truth of what was accomplished in Christ's person and work. The history of 'ecclesiology' is saturated with men adding foolish regulations, personal preferences, and vain philosopy to the gospel. The pure Congress of Christ without spot or wrinkle will be free of these Satanic intrusions.
Truth
It would be most inadequate to conclude this evaluation of the changes needed in Christ's Congress without a brief discussion of the nature of truth. As we have seen from Ephesians, the pure Congress of Christ will have unity in the faith and speak the truth in love. The popular notion that truth is in essence paradoxical is very fitting of 20th century irrationality and arrogance. We have seen clergy and scholars change doctrine again and again, every time a more attractive offer of employment presents itself. The excuse for doing this is very easy to plead in the current age of relativism. There is an insane condemnation of God-given reasoning. Truth is proposed to be paradoxical. It is supposedly foolish to try and hamonize concepts which God intended to be in tension. With this type of reasoning, any stupid nonsense can be promoted as truth. In recognizing these doctrines of demons that are advancing every day, we must increasingly rely on the promise of Christ that his elect will not be deceived!
[continued] |
Billtwisse
| | Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2000 - 11:17 pm: | |
The New Wine of the Gospel, part 4
The whole history of Christian existence has been embroiled in conflict over the question, 'What is truth?' Certainly, we must admit that there would be no Christian faith and eternal salvation without the truth of the gospel. All gospel truth is important. Further, God has settled much truth historically. We should not be continually debating questions about the doctrine of God, the person and work of Christ, and the nature of salvation. These have been confirmed in the Congress historically by the Holy Spirit. However, there is much more to be discovered about the truth of the gospel. For instance, we have not learned how to live out the truth of the the gospel in Christian community. If we had learned to do this well, this paper would not need to be written.
There will always be new challenges to historical thinking in Christian doctrine. How should these be handled? Firstly, we need to recognize what God has settled in history. To accomplish this, it takes more than affirming the conclusions of one sect about a particular teaching. The Lord settled Christological questions in the early centuries and soteriological questions in the Reformation. But that does not mean that most of the conclusions of Catholicism, Lutheranism, or Calvinism were sanctioned by the Holy Spirit. Disputable matters are still very important. If there has been a reasonable controversy about any issue affecting the gospel, we should not assume that God has put it aside. God may yet confirm truth on any matter by His Spirit. But we cannot move ahead of his purposes and timing. We can only teach with humility what He reveals to us in scripture.
Some points of truth will continue to divide Christians for a long time. Those who believe in God's sovereignty in salvation will never agree with those who promote free-will, for these conflicting doctrines involve the nature of salvation itself. It is futile to say that they are merely two angles on the same truth, for they are contradictory. We can only pray that God will take care of these divisions at some future point. But many issues dividing Christians are frivolous at best. Water baptism is a good example of one. If the primary New Testament baptism is that of the Holy Spirit, why engage in an eternal controversy over the administration of water? If God wanted his Congress to unite in one practice, he certainly would have made it happen before now. This does not mean that conviction on this issue is unimportant. God may yet unite his Congress on this or any other matter. It simply means that the communion of saints must not be presently disturbed or threatened by it. In conclusion, some may ask why we should disturb the communion of saints with the doctrines of sovereign grace? There is a very good reason. These issues relate to the substance and essence of the gospel, whereas the administration of water in baptism does not. Men have seen gospel truth illustrated in all of the differing practices. Unlike the eschatological wine of Isaiah 25, water baptism is never explicitly called a covenant in the New Testament. It is wise to remember that God always makes his covenantal signs perfectly plain.
The Congress of the Future
In order to understand the Congress of the future, we should meditate on the communion of saints originally established by Christ and the apostles. After all, the Congress of all generations is built on the foundation of the twelve apostles and the Lamb (Rev. 21:14).
"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42)
The nature of the communion (fellowship) of saints is eloquently, yet simply outlined for us in this ancient description of the body of Christ. The apostles' teaching, or the gospel of Christ, is preserved by men led of the Holy Spirit. It is not preserved by the might of human ecclesiastical institutions. God will never let the gospel of salvation by which men and women are saved be universally distorted. Detailed confessions and creeds are not needed to preserve it, though portions of them are often an eloquent statement of its essence. Throughout the ages, God has led mankind to confess the gospel in amazing ways. However, the teaching of the apostles has been eternally preserved for us in the New Testament. With the unction of the Holy Spirit, the leaders of Christ's Congress will know when and how to stand up for this teaching.
Prayer is certainly an essential activity for God's people in all ages. The prayer of one righteous man is pleasing to God (Prov. 15:8) and will be answered in full. Therefore, the prayers of Christ's true Congress in fellowship will avail with equal certainty. Believers in communion should always enter God's presence through prayer. This involves seeking God's kingdom, wisdom, and purposes. Careless prayer and endless petitions will never bring honor to Christ or advance his kingdom. These focus only on personal happiness and fulfullment. How about focusing on the holiness of God and our need to be conformed to Christ's image? THAT is the Lord's holy purpose in sending the afflictions we often pray to be removed. Should we be praying for our growth in holiness to be stunted?
The breaking of bread in the Lord's Supper is another essential part of the saints' communion. As we have already seen, this practice in conjunction with the Cup are the only material signs of the New Covenant. The Lord's body is to practice this often, in memory of the death of Jesus, until the final return of Christ. No controlling authority of puny men can steal the eucharist from any two believers gathered for fellowship in Jesus Christ. Like the manna of old and the loaves broken by Christ for the multitude, it is the bread that comes wholly from God.
It is interesting to note that elders and deacons are not mentioned as part of the life of the original Congress. As the Lord added numbers to his Congress, however, these ordained leaders were added. There was a rising need for men to preserve the apostles' teaching against heresy. However, the abuse of ecclesiastical authority started very early in the history of Christianity. Therefore, we should be on guard to avoid the errors of past generations in this regard. As the ordination of elders and deacons become necessary, men led of the Spirit will know who are qualified and when to ordain them.
The New Testament is full of prophecy. If we recognize the importance of elders and deacons, we should recognize the importance of prophecy even more. Even in the Old Covenant, God did not ordain merely one class of men to be teachers. The Levites were the official, salaried teachers of God's Word. However, the prophets were the unoffical teachers ordained by God. Their teaching was even authoritative over the priests. Even so, Paul is adamant that prophecy--though ceasing after Christ's final coming, will be the most important gift in the Congress until then (1 Cor. 14:1-6, 19, 22 ,24). Three things certain to remain until the consummation are prophecy, language, and knowledge (1 Cor. 13:8-12). This does not mean that direct revelation is still the expectation today. It does mean, however, that God is illuminating certain men and women with his truth--to rebuke sin and ignorance in his Congress. These sins may be those of Christians in general or even those of humanly ordained leaders (elders & deacons). If there is a great sin in the history of organized Christianity, it is the denial and rejection of prophecy that God has given. The Congress of Christ will never reach its appointed destiny while this situation continues. Rejecting a teaching from God through his human ministers is rejecting the Lord himself.
The 21st century is seen as a watershed by many. All interpreters of events with discernment know that something--very different from the past--is about to happen. It will bring about the destruction of many traditional Christian institutions. This can only serve to refine Christ's Congress and establish it on its original foundation. Based on the conclusions of this paper, some may ask if all organized denominations should vote themselves out of existence. It is important to recognize that the denominations, however sinful, are superior to crass independence. Christ's Congress is not a myriad of self-reliant assemblies, each independent from the other. The true congregations of Christ believe the same gospel and need to work together. But if the current organized institutions ('evangelical' included) fail to repent of their long-established sins, God will use the rising tide of left-wing fascism, or any other necessary means, to bring them down. Some may ask whether the real Congress will survive. But we have the promise of Christ that it will.
The Congress of Christ at the purest level will consist of small gatherings of saints in the fellowship of the gospel, until God builds it back up on the right foundation. We pray and long for the day that he takes decisive action. But we cannot rush God's work with trying to start a new 'institution.' He is seldom in a hurry to accomplish his purposes. Furthermore, those who discern these things must be willing to suffer as did the prophets of old. It may be that our primary purpose in this life is to suffer rejection and ridicule by the arrogant 'evangelical' establishment. But their proud spirit rises to God as a stink in his nostrils. He laughs at their confidence, as surely as he laughed at the nuclear 'power' of the former Soviet Union. All of the deluded security of men is nothing in his sight. He will bring it to nothing with one little word.
[continued] |
Billtwisse
| | Posted on Saturday, September 09, 2000 - 11:22 pm: | |
The New Wine of the Gospel, part 5 (conclusion)
What practical actions should be taken by those who love Christ and obey the one true gospel? Here are some suggestions:
1) Openly seek the fellowship of other believers committed to these things and meet often for encouragement of one another (Heb. 10:25). It does not matter whether these believers are inside or outside of ecclesiastical institutions.
2) Reject all offers of employment and ordained leadership that involve submission to any teaching not as sure and certain as the gospel. Pledge allegiance only to teachings as important as the Deity of Jesus Christ and the apostolic gospel.
3) In all things show the love of Christ. Live out the gospel before men. In rejecting the dominion of ambitious, controlling men, we can still practice love.
4) Do not consider 'membership' in an organized assembly to be a Christian duty. God does not care about it. If nothing required to be a member of an organized assembly disobeys the gospel, it is optional whether or not to be involved in it--due to Christian liberty. To the Lord, neither external membership nor the lack of it is anything--only faith working through love.
5) Never get involved in the ambitious schemes of sinful men--such as unwise building programs, worldly promotions, humanistic seminars, or worship practices dishonoring to Christ.
6) Practice the Lord's Supper in the family and whenever gathered with kindred spirits. Pay no attention to the threats or condemning words of sinful men.
7) Speak the truth in love whenever the Lord paves the way. He will give the right words to say, at the right time. If men reject the testimony of truth and cast us out of their humanly-contrived assemblies, we have a great reward in heaven.
In the end, God will build and purify his Congress. The Congress without spot or wrinkle will finally come into being. It may take the coming of antichrist to make it happen. But God will have a people who believe and practice the eternal gospel of Christ. The changes coming in the future are too great and wonderful to be comprehended today. Our own generation may pass away without seeing the earthly fulfillment of these things. But to depart and to be with Christ is better by far (Phil. 1:23)!
(NOTE: This concludes my studies on the New Covenant.)
--Twisse |
Dale
| | Posted on Sunday, September 10, 2000 - 7:51 am: | |
Bill Twisse,
Although I have not been posting recently, I have continued to follow your studies on the New Covenant and want you to know how much I have appreciated them. I have taken the liberty of "cutting and pasting" each part to a Word document so that I can print your studies on this most important topic and study them completely.
May God continue to bless your ministry!
In His Love,
Dale |
Max
| | Posted on Friday, September 15, 2000 - 10:02 am: | |
Bill,
I second what Dale has just said. You are a
natural resource. And I think it's time to collect
your studies, print them out, and publish them
in book form. What do you say?
Max |
Billtwisse
| | Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2000 - 8:18 am: | |
Dear Max,
Long time no hear!
I am honored to be presented such a request. Let me state some personal observations.
These studies have been presented as 'ideas' for dialog. They were not originally intended for publication. Not all of them are properly grammar-checked, as many have been written on a 7-year old PC away from home--with an archaic word processor. English was never my best subject. Because of these human weaknesses, people who write books have their manuscripts reviewed and edited by others.
Additionally, a lot of these studies are 'incomplete.' Due to time contraints, I often presented thoughts without a complete justification from other sources.
Nonetheless, if you want to discuss this matter further, e-mail me personally: noconform@aol.com .
We had some differences earlier on paradox theology and sovereign grace. In reviewing the above study (late 1995), I noticed my unmitigated criticism of the 'theology of paradox.' I want to make it clear that I don't condemn outright the belief that paradoxes exist (although, depending upon our definition of terms, I may not agree with that). The theology of paradox I was referring to is the full-blown notion that all almost ideas are equally true but simply different perspectives.
I'm hoping to come to one of the FAF meetings this fall with my wife. I will be in LA quite a bit. However, many weekends (this one included) I am working most of the time.
In Christ's grace and love,
--Twisse |
Billtwisse
| | Posted on Saturday, September 16, 2000 - 9:51 pm: | |
Dear Dale:
I appreciate your encouragement very much!
May the Lord bless your devotion to the study of his Word. I'm praying that my studies can assist with that. I'm interested in your thoughts on various points, positive or negative.
In Christ's grace and love,
--Twisse |
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