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Philippians – Caring for the Saints
holding fast a word of life, unto my boasting unto a day of Christ, that I have not run unto emptiness, nor toiled unto emptiness. But if, assuming it is true, also I am poured out upon the sacrifice even religious service of your faith, I rejoice and I rejoice with all of you. Because of the same also you rejoice and you rejoice with me.
Moreover, I hope by the Lord Jesus to quickly send Timothy to you, in order that I also may be good souled knowing the things concerning you. For I have no one of the same soul who will genuinely care concerning the things concerning you. For they all seek the things pertaining to themselves, not the things concerning Christ Jesus. Indeed you experientially know the proof concerning him that as a son to a father, with me he has served unto the Gospel. Therefore this one I hope to send, as I fix my eyes upon the things immediately concerning me. Moreover, I am persuaded by the Lord, that also I myself will shortly come. And I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus my brother and coworker and my fellow soldier, and your apostle, and minister of my needs, since he was longing for all of you and distressed because you heard he was sick. For also he was sick, near to death, but God had mercy on him and not him only, but also me, in order that I should not have sorrow upon sorrow. Therefore I diligently sent him in order that seeing him you should again rejoice and I should be less anxious. Therefore receive him in the Lord generally associated with joy and hold […]
The Inarticulate Babbler Carnal
And I, brethren, was not able to speak to you as spiritual, but as carnal, as inarticulate babblers in Christ, 1 Corinthians 3:1
Carnal means to be emanating the things of the flesh. Those who are carnal are not able to understand Spiritual things, for when the mind is focused on fulfilling soulish (emotional) desires, the desires from the Spirit are not discernable, 1 Corinthians 2:14. One of the predominate signs of a Christian being carnal is one who causes divisions within the local assembly, usually through manifesting the religious works of the flesh. From the flesh comes idolatry and religious superstitious awe, both of which are presented as following God, when in reality they are seeking self-gratification and prefer feelings over the truth. If a person is considered wise and learned, let that one show proper works in objectivity of mind concerning wisdom, not in bitter envy and selfish ambition, for these are carnal, not Spiritual in nature, James 3:13-14. Where there is envy and selfish ambition there is disorder and all accomplished works are fallow because this type of wisdom is not from above, but is demonic in kind, James 3:15-16.
When a Christian is carnal, their mind is framed on the things of the flesh, not on Spiritual things, and therefore their actions will always produce unrighteousness and even sin. However, not all the desires from the flesh have a bad appearance to them. Religious superstitious awe involves religious things often involving the appearance or atmosphere of a building, or the way the clergy are presented to the assembly and separated out as those that are more “religious” than others. Religious superstitious awe heavily relies upon feelings, focusing on so called “worship services” and […]
The Only Acceptable Message for Salvation
Why is the Gospel for Salvation the only acceptable Message for Salvation?
What makes the Gospel Message so important? Is it not sufficient to simply say that if you accept Jesus you are saved? or Jesus died for you? Does it really matter what you believe or just that you believe? To understand why it is so important to accurately present the gospel for salvation today, which is Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures, we are going to look at what God has said throughout the Scripture and the affects on men who either modify God’s word, completely ignore it, or followed exactly what He said.
After renovating the earth [1] due to the fall and judgment of Lucifer who once reigned over the entire created universe as God’s anointed Cherub[2], God planted a garden in Eden[3] and created Adam to tend to the garden[4]. Prior to God building the woman from Adam, He gave instruction to him on how he was expected to govern his life and the consequences of failing to obey His word. Adam was free to eat from all the trees of the garden, except the tree of the knowledge of what is beneficial and what brings calamity in the midst of the garden[5]. God stated, “But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil do not eat from it because in the day you eat from it dying you will die.”[6] Once Eve was made from Adam’s side, as the steward of his dispensation he passed on the words from God to her; […]
Idle (ἀργός)
Idle (ἀργός) describes someone who has nothing to do or is unwilling to work and, therefore, lazy.
Words are important. Men will give account for every idle utterance that comes out of the mouth, Matthew 12:36. This is because the mouth speaks out from the abundance of the heart, Matthew 12:34. A good man will store up good treasure in his heart, where a malignantly evil one will bring forth malignantly evil things from the treasury of his heart.
Socialism is not a standard for the Church. As with secular socialism, when people are taken care of and allowed to be idle rather than work, they become lazy. However, within the assembly, the sharing of possessions can and should be done out of love. We are a community that cares for each other. Sharing is not to encourage laziness, for one who does not work is not to be permitted to eat, 2 Thessalonians 3:10. When a woman within the assembly becomes a widow, who is truly destitute having no living relatives, the local assembly is to care for her needs. This type of caring demonstrates our unity and love for the saints. However, if she is young or has other family members who can care for her, she is not to be financially provided for by the Church because of the danger of her becoming idle; instead, she is to marry, bear children, and manage the household, 1 Timothy 5:13.
The standards for a Pastor are essential for the assembly to know and to hold him accountable to. Paul left Titus in Crete to put things in order and appoint elders (pastors) in each of the cities, abiding by the guidance that Paul gave him, […]