(04/05/2013) My Brother’s Keeper

      The early church as a socialist commune is the topic today, along with more on the church of Jesus Christ as an assembly of spirits. The “Yahoo! Answers” writer using the ID “Sunshine” (Level 6 with 12,044 points, a member since July 6, 2006) posted the following:

In the bible and the Christian religion, does Acts 4: 34,35 mean that we should live as socialists?

I do not think so, but my Bible study is having this discussion. Thank you

THE BATTLE AXE: A Spirit Church? (04/04/2013)—(5.) Those who opposed the ministry of Jesus, and demanded that he be crucified, also insisted that the Temple at Jerusalem, its law and priesthood were the highest expression of GOD for the earth. A church from GOD could only be understood as a cultural, historical, material, political and social phenomena to exalt the Jewish people above the Gentiles and heathens. (6.) Divine substance must come into view as the content of all who participate in the Church of Jesus Christ. Called the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Prophecy, and the Spirit of Truth, an imparted spirit from GOD must indwell every believer. (7.) Aspects of divinity that otherwise exist only in GOD are deposited into believers. Included are faith, holiness, humility, longsuffering, love, righteousness, wisdom, and wrath against sin. (8.) Through the Spirit from GOD, believers experience operations and processes that change their inner nature, and furthers their ability to function in agreement with Jesus. Included are baptism, meekness, rebirth, regeneration, repentance, and sanctification. (9.) In addition to comprehensiveness, the church of Jesus is described by balance, dynamism, sobriety, stability, vigilance and zeal. (10.) Denominations appear to provide institutional overlays upon the Spirit Church that promote peculiar doctrines, policies and practices intended to facilitate administration and management of congregations. For the most part, the experience of eternal life, and the spiritual “quality of life” for those in Christ remain unchanged. While attempting to portray what is acceptable to GOD, denominations tend to center upon what is more or less acceptable among men. (11.) Although denominations, cults, factions and sects introduce disciplines that serve as ceremonial law and ritual, these may not counterfeit or replace the true sacraments of the Spirit Church; and such features offer no obstacle to divine goals for diversity, dominion of faith, global presence, inclusion, religious liberty, and spiritual unity. See John 4: 22-24, Ephesians 2: 11-22, 1st Peter 2: 5-8, 1st Corinthians 1: 24 and Ephesians 4: 4-7, King James Version.

THE GOLDEN ARROW: And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. (Luke 12: 13-15, KJV)

THE DOUBLE DAGGER: Separated and Sealed? (03/29/2013); Acknowledging Divinity? (03/30/2013); Attending Church? (11/12/2012); A Holy Kiss? (11/13/2012); The Meek Will Inherit (10/16/2012); Prosperity Destroys Fools (09/25/2012); Girdle 46: That Ye Be Likeminded (01/02/2012); Girdle 42: A Pattern To Them Hereafter (12/29/2011); Rich Yet Saved (11/11/2010); Hard to Love? (11/12/2010)

    
     Sunshine, here are a few points to prayerfully consider:

(1.) The early church gravitated to the historical models provided by Moses and those who left Egypt. The twelve tribes were challenged to become a single people in covenant with GOD, and a unified nation before all the kingdoms of the world. The law was the primary tool for fitting their self-will to divine will, and for transforming their independence and self-awareness into interdependence and acknowledgment of collective will.

(2.) For those alive in Christ, goals of spiritual perfection are attained most readily through dependence upon divine grace, the operations of the Holy Spirit, and interdependence within a body of believers, the church. Through the church, as through ones family, believers are continually available to one another; encourage, respect and benefit from one another’s praise, prayer, study and worship; share common spiritual principles, purposes, understandings and values; and thoughtfully avoid contradictions, lapses and reversals of personal discipline.

(3.) GOD established an economy for Israel whereby a lawful and righteous distribution and ownership of property was at the core of communal living. In addition to a spiritual inheritance of covenant and worship, every legitimate child received a sure expectation of a place in decision making, defense of the larger community, and security within a commonwealth.

(4.) In agreement with changes for their spirit, Christian believers acquire a greater sense of personal accountability along with collective awareness. Believers apply their skills, fulfill their duty, exercise authority and privilege, and continually acknowledge that their own practices now carry consequences and influences for created beings, living creatures, unseen generations, and others throughout the universe of GOD.

      There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended. (For example, (5.) The church in the earth is challenged to answer all the needs of its members. As a result, issues of the flesh (appetite such as hunger, thirst, craving for sex; sensation such as seeing, hearing, tasting, touching; mental functions such as desire, fantasy, imagination, memory), and the world are continually brought against the processes of Spirit. As with most other frameworks derived from politics, socialism is not a tool of the church. In the same way there must be clear and useful mechanisms in place to administer the spiritual gifts that are commonly held property of the body, there must be devices and disciplines to ensure that all things be done “decently and in order” with regard to carnal things. See 1st Corinthians 14, KJV.) Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful. Be it unto you according to your faith.


THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC

(03/08/2013) My Sheep Hear My Voice

     Complaining against clergy and leadership within the church, hypocrisy, truth, and more on the language and process of the Scriptures are shared, today.  A BATTLE CRY acknowledges the new status of Pope Benedict XVI as emeritus and the music ministries of singer Joe Ligon and composer/arranger Dr. James Cleveland.  The “Yahoo! Answers” writer using ID “Badwolf” (Level 2 with 434 points, a member since June 7, 2012) posted the following:

Does the fact that you are spiritually guided by hypocrites like Cardinal O’Brien and such not scare you?

if the cant be true to themselves ,how the hell do you know if the can even tell you the truth of religion

Additional Details

haha ..like all the non catholics in here ..its not like the Evangelists and pastors up and down the land act any better

say what ..you have hit the nail on the head ..this could have easily been a question about political leaders

THE BATTLE AXE:  Non-existent Debt? (03/06/2013)—Created beings and living creatures owe no debt to Almighty GOD for the endowments of divine substance, eternal life, repentance and wisdom that are bestowed upon them through Jesus Christ, nor must they make payment for the sacred operations to nourish, console and maintain existence such as creation, judgment, redemption, resurrection and sanctification.   Even so, because humans presently rely almost entirely upon language and tools for communication that emerge from a “common ground” of carnal, material and social experience, appeals and explanations regarding need for change in the makeup of existence must go forth.  Awareness, behavior, belief, expectation and myriad processes of self-will are built up, corrected and restored through the holy writings; and this is to prepare mankind to become permanently incorruptible and immortal.  The systems and traditions that were introduced to crystallize acknowledgment of the Invisible included animal sacrifices, free-will offerings, a tabernacle/temple tax and tithing to support the earthly priesthood.  However, these are all completed through the atonement by Jesus Christ; and the Scripture proclaims that following judgment of the wicked, mankind will no longer be mortal.  GOD will dwell with men, and there never again will be a temple or worship to counteract and remove the effects of sin.

THE GOLDEN ARROW:  Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.  Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.  But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.  This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.  For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.  But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.  And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.  (James 3:  12-18, KJV)

THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  Attending Church? (11/12/2012); A Holy Kiss? (11/13/2012); Double Standard? (10/12/2012); Family and Romance (10/13/2012); A Sanctuary? (08/21/2012); Shaken Once More (08/22/2012); Why Confess Before Priest (02/27/2012); GOD Was Sorry? (02/28/2012); Binder 28:  Purity (10/25/2011); Binder 27:  Confession (10/24/2011); Binder 26:  The Priest’s Lips (10/23/2011); Dispatch 43:  Mercy (09/22/2011); Dispatch 41:  Victory (09/20/2011); Lip Service? (03/01/2011); To Give a Life? (03/02/2011); Church a Duty? (01/11/2011); A Good Name? (01/12/2011); Two Wisdoms? (10/12/2010); Why Sacrifice? (10/13/2010)

THE BATTLE CRY:  Readers are encouraged to hear “I’ve Been in the Storm Too Long” rendered by Joe Ligon, a music minister for many years with the vocal group, The Mighty Clouds Of Joy.  When it was announced that Pope Benedict XVI would be leaving office as leader of the Catholic Church to become the first emeritus since the year 1415, this gospel lament that demonstrates fervent prayer and importunity immediately came to mind.  While the lyrics, music and vocal styling draw upon the rich treasury of “sorrow songs” found in African American culture, this piece composed by the Reverend James Cleveland, is held to be a matchless classic of modern, Southern gospel music, and one of the most memorable and thought-provoking captures of Black gospel tradition.  Cleveland has been called the “King of Gospel,” and is credited with having been the driving force behind the creation of the modern gospel sound that brings the daring of hard gospel, jazz and pop music influences to arrangements for mass choirs.  In 1967, along with Albertina Walker, called the “Queen of Gospel,” Cleveland founded the Gospel Music Workshop of America (GMWA).  MP3 files are available from the 1979 Mighty Clouds album “Changing Times” as well as the 2003 Aretha Franklin album, “One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.”

     Rightly understood, the church does not focus upon communities, families, isolated individuals, nations, and the animal aspects of our human condition.  The church established upon the earth by Jesus Christ is a divine tool to (1) make known and visible the action, person and presence of GOD in the earth; (2) complete various ongoing sacred processes including creation, judgment, repentance,  revelation, salvation and sanctification; (3) impart divinity and sacred truth that emanate from the Divine Person.  Through the church, human nature and mankind are to be altered, changed and transformed.  Thus, many mature Christian believers agree that ones assurance and security as a member of a local congregation derives from their personal experience of continuous spiritual discovery and growth, rather than upon the beliefs, opinions, service and works from clergy, and other individuals. 

     The church as a social institution is a mechanism to ensure that specific practices and sacraments are maintained.  Included are baptism, confession, contemplation, prayer, preaching of the Gospel, public worship, and sharing the Lord’s Supper.  While donations to comfort the poor may be distributed by those who regularly assemble, the church is not to be a primary provider of burial, clothing, food, health care, housing, or protection and psychiatric services that address sexual violence. 

     Those who acquire identity as new creatures in Christ acknowledge that the church must respond to realities of the earth, yet can never be simply another product of the flesh (i.e., appetite such as hunger, thirst, sexual craving; sensation such as hearing seeing, touching; and mind such as desire, fantasy and imagination).  Only when grounded in the Holy Spirit may believers achieve the self-discipline that allows embracing others of the church without conflict, criticism, gossip and slander, because their continuing activity, consciousness and focus are then by, through, and upon spirit substance (such as faith, forgiveness, hope, humility, joy, longsuffering, love, sanctification, wisdom). 

     There is far more to be said, correctly applied, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, since you mention “truth”…Pontius Pilate asked Jesus the question, What is truth?  Those who wanted assurance that the doctrine and teaching from Jesus was truly sent by GOD were told their own conformity, obedience and performance of divine will would establish the certainty of their origin.  Similarly, Jesus alerted the church that there would be wolves in sheep’s clothing—those seeking to have influence within the body who would use deceit and disguise their destructive motives.  See John 18:  33-38, John 7:  14-18, Matthew 7:  1-5 and Matthew 7:  15-20, King James Version.)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC