The Body of Christ

[SeaPriestess]

[SeaPriestess]

[Replying to post 18 by polonius.advice]

I will look into this more. Thank you

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness]

I quoted 1Corinthians 12 because the concept is worth a discussion about the "body" of believers and what they can contribute and do. .

I just don't get myself caught up in the details of scripture. .

Your reply seemed quite detailed.... you're alright with discussing the details of Corinthians are you? Do you consider any of the details you present just blah blah blah?

Everything else to me is just blah blah blah blah......I don't mean that disrespectfully either. It's just, the above commandment is the only thing I truly understand. .

[By Grace]

[Replying to post 10 by SeaPriestess]

You are correct to question the things said by some posters. Because this forum refuses to permit questioning of one group as being "Christian" I will not do that.

Of course in saying that you must realize that not every other poster here is as "Evangelical" as you may be, and therein lies the problem of asking advice in the open forum.

Also, there are also some who are openly hostile to the Gospel, and will attempt to derail with non-essential questions. I am sure that you have seen that; I simply ignore the trolls because they have nothing of value to say about the topic you introduced.

To your question on the Great Commission:

The command by Jesus is in the form of a participle in the Greek, and it means, "As you are going, make disciples". Therefore, it is not to be a once and done thing; rather it is a practice of lifestyle.

Look at the departing words of Jesus in
Acts 1:7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority.
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

The key is in verse 8. (Ours is an Acts 1:8 church). In such places, the congregation is taught that there are only divine appointments, but that does not mean that we do not prepare ourselves when Holy Spirit tells us "Go talk to this person."

In his book, Share Jesus without Fear Bill Fay tells us to memorize these 5 questions so we can ask them when we meet people:

• 1) Do you have any kind of Spiritual beliefs? (Just listen, do not say anything)
  2) To you, who is Jesus? (Listen again)
  3) Do you believe that there is a heaven or hell? (Listen again)
  4) If you died right now, to where would you go, heaven or hell? If heaven, Why?" (Listen again)
  5) If what you believe were not true, would you want to know it?

You may want to study the Romans Road

There is much more to this, and I would be happy to share it with you.

But my point is that if you want to be a disciple maker, you have to begin by making preparations, and being ready to accept rejections as you ask those questions because it is God who rewards those who are prepared.

See you later!

[By Grace]

[SeaPriestess]

[Replying to post 22 by JehovahsWitness]

The only reason I quoted all of 1Corin is because I thought some background leading up to the main point might be useful. The main point is. Love trumps all. Period. But I personally love this: bears, believes, hopes and endures ALL THINGS.

Gives me goose bumps!

[brianbbs67]

[Replying to post 25 by SeaPriestess]

Were not the original followers of Christ, calling themselves "followers of the Way"?

What was the way of Christ? He followed, as did the disciplines, the Law of God. That was the Decalogue. The law for our benefit. It was in the Ark of the Covenant. The Law against us was written by Moses and Aaron and added to so many times it became a trap.

Yeshau was railling against the legalisms going on by his time. As "teaching as Doctrine(law of God) the laws of man.

He taught that "not one jot or title shall pass" "heaven and earth will pass first" Since heaven and earth have not passed , we are left with God's law.

The verses you quoted about " loving the Lord, your God, with all your heart, all mind , and all your soul. And loving your neighbor as yourself", should have included the phrase " these encompass all of the Law". IE, doing these things you will never violate the law. It was a famous expression of his time from Hillel, the head of the pharisees. As were a few others. Hillel was regarded as a very good man, there considered to be 7 types of Pharisees and only one was a true Pharisee. Hillel was the one great type. Servant of God by full choice.

IMG_0999 by brianbbs67, on Flickr

IMG_1001 by brianbbs67, on Flickr

[SeaPriestess]

[Replying to JehovahsWitness]

I just read this a bit ago and I felt strongly God wanted me to share it with you. Of course it ministers to me as well. But you came to mind as I read it:

Eph 3:17-19

"And I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of His love, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

I would like to emphasize the phrase "rooted and grounded in LOVE" and also "to know the love of Christ that surpasses KNOWLEDGE"

[SeaPriestess]

[Replying to post 26 by brianbbs67]


Yes, the way!


And I like these 2 areas that support that as well:

Romans 2:14-15 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them.

Psalm 40: 8 I delight to do Your will, O my God,
And Your law is within my heart.

[JehovahsWitness]

Eph 3:17-19

"And I pray that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to comprehend the length and width and height and depth of His love, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

Thanks, I enjoy that scripture.


So, do you consider the scripture just so much blah blah blah ? I think you have yet to have identified for me what the "blah blah blah" you spoke of earlier is but I cut out all your additional comments in case its the "blah blah blah blah" you were speaking of.


JW

[tam]

Peace to you brian and seapriestess and to you all

[Replying to post 26 by brianbbs67]

Were not the original followers of Christ, calling themselves "followers of the Way"?
What was the way of Christ?

Just a quick comment on this if I may?

These followers of Christ were calling themselves followers of the Way precisely because they were followers of Christ.

"I am the Way, the Truth and the Life."

"Come, follow me..."


Saying I am a follower of the Way is the same as saying I am a follower of Christ. He, Himself, is the Way they were following.




**

As to the law that you and seapriestess are discussing... yes, the law that is written upon the HEART, that law is LOVE. Love is the law of God, from the beginning. Abraham did not need a written law because the law (of love) was written upon his heart.

Love does not steal; love does not bear false witness; love does not murder; love does not commit adultery...

Mercy comes from love. Forgiveness comes from love. Truth comes from love.

Christ said that the two most important commandments are to love God with our whole heart, mind, body... and to love our neighbor as ourselves. He taught that we are to also love our enemies; and that we are to love one another as He has loved us.


Christ also said that the one who keeps His commandments is the one who loves him.

Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them. John 14:21



So the law is (or will be) written upon our hearts. But the One we are to follow is Christ (who is Himself the Way).



Peace again to you and to your households,
your servant and a slave of Christ,
tammy