Law based, performance living is appealing because it provides us with a list that is clearly defined. Step one, step two, step three, step four, step five
In life in the Spirit we receive the Holy Spirit and experience His work by faith, we walk in His counsel by faith, we experience His power at work in us by faith. It is all according to faith. It is a journey.
Hindrances to life in the Spirit are not behavior related, they are faith related. Just ask the Galatians and they’ll tell you.
Insistence on Law based works interferes with our ability to recognize the ongoing work and leading of the Spirit. We become too sophisticated and complicated. It never produces greater anointing. In Christ we are already anointed we just refuse to believe it.
The truth is you and I have the power of the Holy Spirit working in and through us as we stand in faith on the promises. He is at work bringing us into our inheritance in Christ. We just need to believe it.
Are you by faith embracing the Holy Spirit guiding your life?
Are you seeking stimulation for validation, or transformation?
The blessing of the promised Spirit is realized only as we believe the report of the Lord. He desires to transform our lives so that they demonstrate Christ! Our quest to be more like Jesus is realized when we walk in the Spirit by faith.
If you are lacking this work in your life it isn’t difficult to realize it for yourself. You just need to believe the report of the Lord!
The Father desires to give to His children good things so how much more will He give the Holy Spirit to those who ask?
So receive it by faith.
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Stimulation or Transformation Part Three
If righteousness is your goal you will never attain it any other way but by faith. Galatians 3:11 says plainly that, “the righteous shall live by faith.”
It also states, “no one is justified before God by the law.” VS 12 reveals that, “the law is not of faith.”
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Faith pleases God but those trying to live by the law are under a curse and cannot please God no matter how hard they try because the Law is not of faith.
Think about that. the Scripture plainly states that the law is not of faith and that it is only by faith that we please God. This is all the proof we need to know we will never please Him with the Law.
But the New Covenant Gospel declares:
Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
It is faith in this truth that releases to us the blessing of the promised Spirit.
People struggle when it comes to the Holy Spirit. Understanding this New Covenant Gospel and believing it in simple faith is all that is needed in matters of the Spirit.
The issue is not what I have done to deserve or not deserve the power of the Spirit. It is what Christ did to make it possible.
It also states, “no one is justified before God by the law.” VS 12 reveals that, “the law is not of faith.”
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Faith pleases God but those trying to live by the law are under a curse and cannot please God no matter how hard they try because the Law is not of faith.
Think about that. the Scripture plainly states that the law is not of faith and that it is only by faith that we please God. This is all the proof we need to know we will never please Him with the Law.
But the New Covenant Gospel declares:
Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
It is faith in this truth that releases to us the blessing of the promised Spirit.
People struggle when it comes to the Holy Spirit. Understanding this New Covenant Gospel and believing it in simple faith is all that is needed in matters of the Spirit.
The issue is not what I have done to deserve or not deserve the power of the Spirit. It is what Christ did to make it possible.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Stimulation or Transformation Part Two
Performance based thinking applied to the work of the Spirit is debilitating, limiting, and draining. It relies on Old Covenant methods for power and life.
In the New Testament there was a group of believers who discovered this. They were beginning to think the wrong way about the ministry of the Spirit. They were being taught that if they behaved a certain way and observed the Law that they would experience an increase in the Spirit.
This ideology was labeled as witchcraft by Paul the Apostle.
Galatians 3:5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—6 ¶ just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? 7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
In getting the gospel right we must approach it in the context it is given and that is one of a New Covenant. The greatest hindrance to the church today is not laziness or the need to do more. It is the decline of faith in the simple truth of the gospel.
The New Covenant gospel declares that through Christ we have been made the righteousness of God and are now able to receive the Spirit of Promise through faith.
We can actually live by the Spirit because of what Christ has done. This is accomplished not by our good intentions or efforts, but by faith. I find it interesting how quickly Paul moves from talking of miracles to the righteousness of Abraham.
The gospel of the New Covenant removes us from the position of being under the curse of the Law to being those who are standing in the blessing of Abraham. Abraham took God at His word and God took Abraham places and unfolded events in his life that were birthed by the Holy Spirit and were legacy promises and blessings. More importantly God counted Abraham righteous on the basis of faith alone.
Being under the Law brings you under a curse. It is impossible to embrace the Law and be mindful of the Spirit at the same time. The Law brings our attention to ourselves. The Spirit brings our attention to Christ.
In the New Testament there was a group of believers who discovered this. They were beginning to think the wrong way about the ministry of the Spirit. They were being taught that if they behaved a certain way and observed the Law that they would experience an increase in the Spirit.
This ideology was labeled as witchcraft by Paul the Apostle.
Galatians 3:5 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith—6 ¶ just as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”? 7 Know then that it is those of faith who are the sons of Abraham. 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.” 9 So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”—14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
In getting the gospel right we must approach it in the context it is given and that is one of a New Covenant. The greatest hindrance to the church today is not laziness or the need to do more. It is the decline of faith in the simple truth of the gospel.
The New Covenant gospel declares that through Christ we have been made the righteousness of God and are now able to receive the Spirit of Promise through faith.
We can actually live by the Spirit because of what Christ has done. This is accomplished not by our good intentions or efforts, but by faith. I find it interesting how quickly Paul moves from talking of miracles to the righteousness of Abraham.
The gospel of the New Covenant removes us from the position of being under the curse of the Law to being those who are standing in the blessing of Abraham. Abraham took God at His word and God took Abraham places and unfolded events in his life that were birthed by the Holy Spirit and were legacy promises and blessings. More importantly God counted Abraham righteous on the basis of faith alone.
Being under the Law brings you under a curse. It is impossible to embrace the Law and be mindful of the Spirit at the same time. The Law brings our attention to ourselves. The Spirit brings our attention to Christ.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Stimulation or Transformation Part One
For too long the body of Christ has been held back from walking in what is theirs due to performance based thinking with regard to the work of the Spirit. There has been a spirit of limitation on Christians due to a lack of New Covenant Gospel.
There is a mentality that you must be prayed up as though prayer is how His influence is released. It is like the Holy Ghost is caged up until we pick the lock and release Him through prayer.
This is a man centered approach to understanding the ministry of the Spirit in the life of the believer. It puts us in control of what the Holy Ghost does, when He does it, and how much He can do.
It breeds the idea that His hands are tied unless we empower Him with our prayers and good behavior. It is an Old Covenant understanding and approach., but we need a New Covenant understanding.
The Biblical teaching on the work of the Spirit understood from a New Covenant perspective empowers believers. It reinforces our dependence on the Holy Ghost. He is not dependent on us, the Holy Spirit is in charge as opposed to the idea that we through behavior or prayer can manipulate the Holy Ghost to do whatever we tell Him to.
Ideas do not originate with us, they originate with Him and He leads us into opportunities for ministry and impact that we might never imagine to be possible on our own. Too often Spirit filled believers think too short term and neglect considering that the Holy Spirit wishes to do things of a lasting nature with us, in us and through us.
Under Old Covenant glasses we tend to put more emphasis on stimulation rather than transformation.
We are living in a stimulation culture. There is a market for things that cater to the need of the moment. It is not foreign to the body of Christ either. Christians will demand in the moment fixes, they want in the moment proofs, and they expect to be stimulated whenever they come together. A stimulation mindset wanting immediate things cannot look beyond right now. All you need to do is look at what our government has done with the stimulus package to know short term fixes are not long term solutions.
The Law was a stimulus package. It was never meant to be a long term solution because it could not produce transformation.
Transformation transcends stimulation. It is a work in which a person is being changed from the inside out. Make no mistake the work of transformation requires true Holy Ghost power at work in us. A work not possible on the inside of us until Christ opened the way for it. Transformation is the real work of the Spirit. His goal involves conforming us to the image of Christ.
We can be so eager for being validated in the moment that we find ourselves doing whatever we think will work if it will produce a quick result. We want to feel that we’ve done something or proven we are authentic. This thinking produces jump starts but cannot finish.
This is usually a byproduct of performance based thinking.
There is a mentality that you must be prayed up as though prayer is how His influence is released. It is like the Holy Ghost is caged up until we pick the lock and release Him through prayer.
This is a man centered approach to understanding the ministry of the Spirit in the life of the believer. It puts us in control of what the Holy Ghost does, when He does it, and how much He can do.
It breeds the idea that His hands are tied unless we empower Him with our prayers and good behavior. It is an Old Covenant understanding and approach., but we need a New Covenant understanding.
The Biblical teaching on the work of the Spirit understood from a New Covenant perspective empowers believers. It reinforces our dependence on the Holy Ghost. He is not dependent on us, the Holy Spirit is in charge as opposed to the idea that we through behavior or prayer can manipulate the Holy Ghost to do whatever we tell Him to.
Ideas do not originate with us, they originate with Him and He leads us into opportunities for ministry and impact that we might never imagine to be possible on our own. Too often Spirit filled believers think too short term and neglect considering that the Holy Spirit wishes to do things of a lasting nature with us, in us and through us.
Under Old Covenant glasses we tend to put more emphasis on stimulation rather than transformation.
We are living in a stimulation culture. There is a market for things that cater to the need of the moment. It is not foreign to the body of Christ either. Christians will demand in the moment fixes, they want in the moment proofs, and they expect to be stimulated whenever they come together. A stimulation mindset wanting immediate things cannot look beyond right now. All you need to do is look at what our government has done with the stimulus package to know short term fixes are not long term solutions.
The Law was a stimulus package. It was never meant to be a long term solution because it could not produce transformation.
Transformation transcends stimulation. It is a work in which a person is being changed from the inside out. Make no mistake the work of transformation requires true Holy Ghost power at work in us. A work not possible on the inside of us until Christ opened the way for it. Transformation is the real work of the Spirit. His goal involves conforming us to the image of Christ.
We can be so eager for being validated in the moment that we find ourselves doing whatever we think will work if it will produce a quick result. We want to feel that we’ve done something or proven we are authentic. This thinking produces jump starts but cannot finish.
This is usually a byproduct of performance based thinking.
Friday, April 16, 2010
The Significance of the Gospel Part Four
Gospel centered preaching, believing and living has as it’s central theme Jesus Christ. His obedience to the Father, His validity as Messiah to pay for sin, His death on the cross taking on Himself the wrath of God so it might be justly satisfied, His rising from the dead victorious over death, hell and the grave so He might rule and reign forever as King, His ascension to the throne and His releasing the Holy Spirit to fill those who believe and His soon return to claim His bride.
The true gospel concludes all mankind guilty before God unless they have come to Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit and have been born again, cleansed from sin having God’s righteousness imputed to them through Christ. It removes any hope that the Old Covenant can do anything to help us and puts us in a place of realizing the wonder of the New Covenant made possible through the shedding of Hos own blood.
The true gospel declares man is unable to save himself in any way and not only that but he is also unable to keep himself after having started his race. The true gospel declares all is the work of Christ securing for us that which is required for salvation and security, sanctification, justification, and eventually glorification.
The true gospel declares it is to God’s glory to save those He chooses and guarantee their salvation through the work of Christ alone. Nothing can be added to it but through the transformation of new life obedience becomes our hearts desire even though our flesh is weak. For this reason we reckon the flesh dead and we enter into certain spiritual disciplines as we follow Jesus and learn His ways, but we do not embrace a performance based Christianity that says unless we do this or that we cannot be blessed. The true gospel makes anointing and blessing a matter of sonship not performance.
The true gospel declares us to be the children of God only after we have come to know Jesus Christ by grace through faith a gift we were given by God in His mercy. Therefore the true gospel rids us of any claim regarding what we did to get saved and causes us to realize that it was fully the mercy of God and the work of Christ that we were able to enter into eternal life.
The true gospel is powerful enough and rich enough to sustain us on our journey with Christ, it is what instructs us and points us to Him continually.
The true gospel is the power of God unto salvation and it is to be defended throughout all ages.
The true gospel strips men of all their boasting and all their attempts at earning things from God through their behavior and it magnifies the work of Christ in pleasing God fully through His obedience on our behalf.
The true gospel produces grateful men and women full of grace and truth who love their Savior and desire to live for Him learning to become like Him in every way.
The true gospel produces Holy Spirit dependent people who delight in the will of God and devote their lives to the growth of His kingdom in the earth wherever they live.
The true gospel produces true disciples who have been taught to obey all Christ commanded and His commands are not grievous to true disciples.
The true gospel produces true fruit that is God honoring, Christ centered, kingdom minded, Holy Spirit empowered, and culture changing.
Those who have truly come to believe the gospel and have reaped the benefits of it are not ashamed of it for they have tasted it’s power to change, renew, resurrect, heal, deliver, and establish.
The gospel is the truth that we all need to be established in, desiring, defending and delivering to others.
It is time to return to the gospel of Jesus Christ, to the truth of His Covenant, to the power of His kingdom and to the praise of His glorious grace!
Do you really know the gospel and do you truly believe it?
The true gospel concludes all mankind guilty before God unless they have come to Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit and have been born again, cleansed from sin having God’s righteousness imputed to them through Christ. It removes any hope that the Old Covenant can do anything to help us and puts us in a place of realizing the wonder of the New Covenant made possible through the shedding of Hos own blood.
The true gospel declares man is unable to save himself in any way and not only that but he is also unable to keep himself after having started his race. The true gospel declares all is the work of Christ securing for us that which is required for salvation and security, sanctification, justification, and eventually glorification.
The true gospel declares it is to God’s glory to save those He chooses and guarantee their salvation through the work of Christ alone. Nothing can be added to it but through the transformation of new life obedience becomes our hearts desire even though our flesh is weak. For this reason we reckon the flesh dead and we enter into certain spiritual disciplines as we follow Jesus and learn His ways, but we do not embrace a performance based Christianity that says unless we do this or that we cannot be blessed. The true gospel makes anointing and blessing a matter of sonship not performance.
The true gospel declares us to be the children of God only after we have come to know Jesus Christ by grace through faith a gift we were given by God in His mercy. Therefore the true gospel rids us of any claim regarding what we did to get saved and causes us to realize that it was fully the mercy of God and the work of Christ that we were able to enter into eternal life.
The true gospel is powerful enough and rich enough to sustain us on our journey with Christ, it is what instructs us and points us to Him continually.
The true gospel is the power of God unto salvation and it is to be defended throughout all ages.
The true gospel strips men of all their boasting and all their attempts at earning things from God through their behavior and it magnifies the work of Christ in pleasing God fully through His obedience on our behalf.
The true gospel produces grateful men and women full of grace and truth who love their Savior and desire to live for Him learning to become like Him in every way.
The true gospel produces Holy Spirit dependent people who delight in the will of God and devote their lives to the growth of His kingdom in the earth wherever they live.
The true gospel produces true disciples who have been taught to obey all Christ commanded and His commands are not grievous to true disciples.
The true gospel produces true fruit that is God honoring, Christ centered, kingdom minded, Holy Spirit empowered, and culture changing.
Those who have truly come to believe the gospel and have reaped the benefits of it are not ashamed of it for they have tasted it’s power to change, renew, resurrect, heal, deliver, and establish.
The gospel is the truth that we all need to be established in, desiring, defending and delivering to others.
It is time to return to the gospel of Jesus Christ, to the truth of His Covenant, to the power of His kingdom and to the praise of His glorious grace!
Do you really know the gospel and do you truly believe it?
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Significance of the Gospel Part Three
Paul had a burden for the church. His burden involved sound instruction in the gospel and it should be the focus of leaders today for the church.
Why do I say Paul’s burden involved the gospel for the churches?
Because not only did Romans say Paul was a bondservant, it said he was called to be an apostle and separated unto the gospel!
In another place Paul said woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel.
If you are Bible student at all and understand the New Testament then you have come to discover that Paul in his letters is constantly calling the churches back to the gospel!
I am convinced that the greatest hindrance to the church making disciples and fulfilling the great commission today is not laziness in the saints, but rather it is ignorance of the gospel.
Today if we were to ask the average person to tell us what the gospel is they would give the most obvious common answer, “believe on Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.” Some might go a step further and add, “repent and believe.”
There is so much more to what the gospel is and where it points.
For instance there are gospels that seem to place all the focus on man. Christ is largely ignored except for what He can do for me personally. The story of God’s glory being realized through His Son’s obedience is largely lost in all the information about me.
The idea that salvation would be about God and His satisfaction is largely foreign to many but in reality the work of salvation is really about God’s desires being fulfilled by His Sons obedience and we get to be included in that process.
A gospel that fails to place Christ as the center piece and focal point not just to get started but to continue on is not the gospel of the New Covenant and it is not what the Apostles preached.
Gospel centered preaching, believing and living has as it’s central theme Jesus Christ. His obedience to the Father, His validity as Messiah to pay for sin, His death on the cross taking on Himself the wrath of God so it might be justly satisfied, His rising from the dead victorious over death, hell and the grave so He might rule and reign forever as King, His ascension to the throne and His releasing the Holy Spirit to fill those who believe and His soon return to claim His bride.
A New Covenant gospel not laced with Old Covenant ideas as though all Christ could do is add what was missing. We need the gospel that preaches the better things, better atonement, better priest, better blood, better way, and better promises.
Paul was an establishing apostle after this manner.
Why do I say Paul’s burden involved the gospel for the churches?
Because not only did Romans say Paul was a bondservant, it said he was called to be an apostle and separated unto the gospel!
In another place Paul said woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel.
If you are Bible student at all and understand the New Testament then you have come to discover that Paul in his letters is constantly calling the churches back to the gospel!
I am convinced that the greatest hindrance to the church making disciples and fulfilling the great commission today is not laziness in the saints, but rather it is ignorance of the gospel.
Today if we were to ask the average person to tell us what the gospel is they would give the most obvious common answer, “believe on Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.” Some might go a step further and add, “repent and believe.”
There is so much more to what the gospel is and where it points.
For instance there are gospels that seem to place all the focus on man. Christ is largely ignored except for what He can do for me personally. The story of God’s glory being realized through His Son’s obedience is largely lost in all the information about me.
The idea that salvation would be about God and His satisfaction is largely foreign to many but in reality the work of salvation is really about God’s desires being fulfilled by His Sons obedience and we get to be included in that process.
A gospel that fails to place Christ as the center piece and focal point not just to get started but to continue on is not the gospel of the New Covenant and it is not what the Apostles preached.
Gospel centered preaching, believing and living has as it’s central theme Jesus Christ. His obedience to the Father, His validity as Messiah to pay for sin, His death on the cross taking on Himself the wrath of God so it might be justly satisfied, His rising from the dead victorious over death, hell and the grave so He might rule and reign forever as King, His ascension to the throne and His releasing the Holy Spirit to fill those who believe and His soon return to claim His bride.
A New Covenant gospel not laced with Old Covenant ideas as though all Christ could do is add what was missing. We need the gospel that preaches the better things, better atonement, better priest, better blood, better way, and better promises.
Paul was an establishing apostle after this manner.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
The Significance of the Gospel Part Two
In part one we noticed how Paul’s identity is that he is a bondservant, but his calling is to be an apostle.
But just what is an apostle? There were twelve apostles of the Lamb whom Jesus chose and these men had the responsibility to set the foundation of the gospel for the church for all ages.
Judas was not meant to do this as he was chosen for the purpose of betraying Christ and God knew a replacement would be made to fill his spot. Understanding this ties into understanding what Paul speaks in Romans 9 when says Pharoah's purpose was to be a vessel of destruction so that God might demonstrate His power and glory. Judas was not a mistake Christ made, Jesus said it himself when addressing the twelve, "have I not chosen you and yet one of you has a devil?" Judas was part of the plan and it was meant that his replacement would come at a later time.
In the upper room before Pentecost the other apostles cast lots to choose Matthias as the one to fill the vacant spot created by Judas but that was man’s answer. That method fell under Old Covenant solutions and it was all they knew at the time, the Holy Spirit had not yet come to them. Mathias served but there is no further mention of him.
We later discover that a man named Saul a pharisee determined to destroy the church is knocked of his horse by Jesus and without being asked his permission Jesus makes him a bondservant and an apostle. Jesus renamed Saul as Paul and Paul received the same kind of apostolic call as did the other eleven and so I conclude that Paul filled the vacant spot left by Judas. Only Jesus can choose an apostle of the Lamb in such a manner. He’s the one who calls men into these ministries to the church. A man cannot appoint himself or be appointed by other men. Christ calls a man and he is then recognized by other men as his calling becomes evident to all. There will always only be twelve apostles of the Lamb but even in the New Testament we discover many other apostles working and serving the church.
By the way not all the churches recognized Paul as an apostle. The various churches related to apostles for various reasons primarily on the basis of relationship. If the relationship was in error it was usually based on emotion or pragmatic notions such as the amount of power a man seemed to demonstrate. If he had power they didn't care much about his doctrine. Paul called these men in a duragatory sense "super apostles."
But to those in Rome Paul has no quibble with stating his apostleship. I firmly believe Paul is an apostle of the Lamb responsible for establishing the foundational doctrines of the church for all ages. Personally I believe any and all apostles should have a fathers heart towards the church and care about doctrine seeing they are menat to raise leaders in the church who care about doctrine.
I say all that to point out something I think is of great importance here. Imagine having the burden of establishing the churches on you. Imagine that you are responsible for establishing them in the truth that they need to embrace for all time. I believe this was Paul's burden.
2Corinthians 11:28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
Churches didn't exist to serve Paul, Paul existed to serve the churches. He genuinely cared for the churches. His devotion and attention were not based on offerings or appreciation. It was based in the same love that motivated Christ. This was a love rooted in being a bondservant, being called to be an apostle and being seperated unto the gospel.
But just what is an apostle? There were twelve apostles of the Lamb whom Jesus chose and these men had the responsibility to set the foundation of the gospel for the church for all ages.
Judas was not meant to do this as he was chosen for the purpose of betraying Christ and God knew a replacement would be made to fill his spot. Understanding this ties into understanding what Paul speaks in Romans 9 when says Pharoah's purpose was to be a vessel of destruction so that God might demonstrate His power and glory. Judas was not a mistake Christ made, Jesus said it himself when addressing the twelve, "have I not chosen you and yet one of you has a devil?" Judas was part of the plan and it was meant that his replacement would come at a later time.
In the upper room before Pentecost the other apostles cast lots to choose Matthias as the one to fill the vacant spot created by Judas but that was man’s answer. That method fell under Old Covenant solutions and it was all they knew at the time, the Holy Spirit had not yet come to them. Mathias served but there is no further mention of him.
We later discover that a man named Saul a pharisee determined to destroy the church is knocked of his horse by Jesus and without being asked his permission Jesus makes him a bondservant and an apostle. Jesus renamed Saul as Paul and Paul received the same kind of apostolic call as did the other eleven and so I conclude that Paul filled the vacant spot left by Judas. Only Jesus can choose an apostle of the Lamb in such a manner. He’s the one who calls men into these ministries to the church. A man cannot appoint himself or be appointed by other men. Christ calls a man and he is then recognized by other men as his calling becomes evident to all. There will always only be twelve apostles of the Lamb but even in the New Testament we discover many other apostles working and serving the church.
By the way not all the churches recognized Paul as an apostle. The various churches related to apostles for various reasons primarily on the basis of relationship. If the relationship was in error it was usually based on emotion or pragmatic notions such as the amount of power a man seemed to demonstrate. If he had power they didn't care much about his doctrine. Paul called these men in a duragatory sense "super apostles."
But to those in Rome Paul has no quibble with stating his apostleship. I firmly believe Paul is an apostle of the Lamb responsible for establishing the foundational doctrines of the church for all ages. Personally I believe any and all apostles should have a fathers heart towards the church and care about doctrine seeing they are menat to raise leaders in the church who care about doctrine.
I say all that to point out something I think is of great importance here. Imagine having the burden of establishing the churches on you. Imagine that you are responsible for establishing them in the truth that they need to embrace for all time. I believe this was Paul's burden.
2Corinthians 11:28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
Churches didn't exist to serve Paul, Paul existed to serve the churches. He genuinely cared for the churches. His devotion and attention were not based on offerings or appreciation. It was based in the same love that motivated Christ. This was a love rooted in being a bondservant, being called to be an apostle and being seperated unto the gospel.
Monday, April 12, 2010
The Significance of the Gospel Part One
Romans 1:1 ¶ Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. 5 Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I love Paul’s understanding of his identity, calling, and purpose.
Paul acknowledges here that his identity is that of a bondservant to Christ and that he was called to be an apostle. Paul did not decide he was going to become one. Jesus called him to be one. Paul didn't put in a request to be saved or to be an apostle or to be seperated. All of these began with God and were in accordance with the will of God. Paul was merely a recipient of the working of God in his life through Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul received grace when Jesus knocked him off his horse and revealed Himself to Paul. Paul had no intentions of serving Jesus he was out to kill those who did. But Jesus had other plans. He planned to make an enemy a bondservant.
The working of grace in a persons heart unites them to Christ, and it is always at work drawing them to Him, it never pushes them away. If someone were to say to me they have received Christ and are walking in the fulness of His grace while they are moving further and further from intimacy with Jesus then they are obviously deceived. The work of grace produces fire and longing for Christ and a yearning for His purposes to be fulfilled in us, if this is missing then grace is not effectually working in them. Grace turned Paul into a love slave to Christ. An identity that someone who truly comes to know Jesus properly should experience.
Anyone who claims to have been born again should experience the strong urge to please the Lord out of love for Him. When faith enters our hearts and grace goes to work in us raising us from the dead spiritually and making us alive in Christ we should desire to be like Him, to want to learn of Him more and more. This is always first and foremost because when we come to Jesus we are children of God before we are anything else. I do not think it an accident that this identity gets first mention in Paul’s statement.
I love Paul’s understanding of his identity, calling, and purpose.
Paul acknowledges here that his identity is that of a bondservant to Christ and that he was called to be an apostle. Paul did not decide he was going to become one. Jesus called him to be one. Paul didn't put in a request to be saved or to be an apostle or to be seperated. All of these began with God and were in accordance with the will of God. Paul was merely a recipient of the working of God in his life through Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Paul received grace when Jesus knocked him off his horse and revealed Himself to Paul. Paul had no intentions of serving Jesus he was out to kill those who did. But Jesus had other plans. He planned to make an enemy a bondservant.
The working of grace in a persons heart unites them to Christ, and it is always at work drawing them to Him, it never pushes them away. If someone were to say to me they have received Christ and are walking in the fulness of His grace while they are moving further and further from intimacy with Jesus then they are obviously deceived. The work of grace produces fire and longing for Christ and a yearning for His purposes to be fulfilled in us, if this is missing then grace is not effectually working in them. Grace turned Paul into a love slave to Christ. An identity that someone who truly comes to know Jesus properly should experience.
Anyone who claims to have been born again should experience the strong urge to please the Lord out of love for Him. When faith enters our hearts and grace goes to work in us raising us from the dead spiritually and making us alive in Christ we should desire to be like Him, to want to learn of Him more and more. This is always first and foremost because when we come to Jesus we are children of God before we are anything else. I do not think it an accident that this identity gets first mention in Paul’s statement.
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