UPDATED
SOME QUESTIONS:
SOME QUESTIONS:
Hello Sister Pearl.
I hope this email finds you well. Before I get to my request, I just want to thank you so much for your continued posting on your web site. I refer to and look forward to your postings each day.
I suspect my tribulation within my congregation is heating up as I speak to more people and try to be mild and tactful as occasion or conversation requires me to respond to statements or question that I find not supported by scripture.
One such and ongoing issue which I was pulled into a meeting with 2 elders last night, is about a "publisher" application for someone I am conducting Bible studies with. He is currently employed by an charitable agency as a driver. He has a very strong desire to conduct door to door ministry. However, because they consider his employer an "interfaith" organization, he was informed a few months back that his choice of employment was an issue, and would essentially prevent him from being endorsed/authorized as worthy of preaching. He became disheartened and I have spent this time since to build back his spirit.
As a result of last night's discussion, I sense the focus has now shifted to me and ensuring I get "on the same page" which I myself question, given a number of scriptural examples that come to mind.
I can imagine how busy you must be and all the requests you likely receive so I would really appreciate a scriptural response, as to whether or not their objection is justified.
They in no way question his zeal or motivation so to me seem to be "shutting up the Kindom" by their decision/commands of men. I would simply like to have a firmer scriptural footing one way or the other when I am next called on in this regard.
MY REPLY:
I see two needs in your first letter. The first is the need of your Bible student, who is new in association to scripture, and can easily be stumbled by the appearance of power and authority presented by the Organization. I will try to help you to deal with this.
Second,
is the need of yourself. You are now entering a period of great test, and I want to be sure to be available to you if you feel the need. I will also try to help you to deal with your own tribulation.
With the help, mercy, and spirit of our God; both these needs will be addressed. I will take care of this second need, the next time I write to you.
It is my hope that you will use this reply to have a few Bible studies with this student, until the material (especially the scriptures) is covered.
To aid myself (My brain is mush), I will copy your original concern about your Bible study, just to help me to address it thoroughly. If you find anything confusing, or perhaps I made a typing error with a scripture, please let me know and ask.
I will color code the phrases and my responses below....
"One such and ongoing issue which I was pulled into a meeting with 2 elders last night about a "publisher" application for someone I am conducting Bible studies with. He is currently employed as a driver for a charitable agency. He has a very strong desire to conduct a door to door ministry. However, because they consider his employer an "interfaith" organization, he was informed a few months back that his choice of employment was an issue, and would essentially prevent him from being endorsed/authorized as worthy of preaching. He became disheartened and I have spent this time since to build back his spirit. I would really appreciate your scripturally based feedback as to whether or not their objection is justified."
2 elders last night about a "publisher" application for someone
2Cor.1:24 reads,
"Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, because it is by faith you stand firm."
Those who shepherd the flock, are told to do so by example (1Pet.5:3) so that if a lamb observes the beneficial spiritual results of such an example, they can choose themselves to imitate it (Heb.13:7). Note too at Heb.13:7, that these good examples who lead the flock, always guide by the Word of God, always teaching sheep that their faith must stand on the gospel of Christ (2Cor.4:5; 1Cor.15:1; 2Tim.1:13; John14:6; 6:63; Phil.2:16; 2Tim.3:16,17). The standing of our Faith and grace with God, is through obedience to Christ (Rom.5:1,2; Matt.7:24). This can not be replaced with obedience to any man (Rom.6:16; 1Cor.7:23; Gal.1:10; Col.3:24). A genuine under-shepherd of Christ will respect and teach this truth.
He is currently employed by a charitable agency as a driver
Since we have already established that we must be guided by scripture and the teachings of Christ when determining if this employment is acceptable to God, this is how we will proceed.
Of course we know that there is no scripture forbidding this, so we must look at the scriptures being presented by the elders that they are using to establish the principle they believe as applying to this situation. I assume that since they declare it "interfaith", they are pointing to 1Cor.10:21.
Verse 19 and 20 must also be considered, because the context clarifies that this is speaking of direct involvement with, and partaking of, spiritual provisions.
Much depends upon the conscience of the student. If he feels the work is spiritually defiled, then he should obey his weak conscience. By the same illustration of food at 1Cor.10:21, please consider Rom.14:14,20,22,23; and Titus1:15. The student must decide if his employment of supporting those who work for the poor (Luke11:41), is actually partaking in sacrifices to demons.
Jesus made a good point, at John17:16...that a Christian should be no part of the world.
Does this command apply to your student's employment?
John17:15 reads;
"I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one."
Paul elaborated on what Jesus meant here, regarding our association with "the world" and how to deal with it, at 1Cor.5:9-12;
"9 I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. 10 Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. 12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges."
"not even to eat with such a person" which brings us full circle back to 1Cor.10:21.
Evidently "partaking of the table of demons" occurs among those who are "inside" the Congregation, who have known and tasted the salvation of God, but have betrayed that undeserved kindness (2Pet.2:20,21,22, Heb.6:4,6) by leaving the gospel of truth.
Clearly, we are not expected to cut all ties with the people of the world, despite their religious affiliation. As long as we are not participating with them in their worship, we hope that contact with us will draw them to God, just as Jesus preferred contact with sinners, even eating with them (Mark2:15,16,17). EVERY SINGLE PRODUCT AND SERVICE we receive in this world, involves "contact" with others who likely do not practice the one true faith. Clearly, according to John17:15 and 1Cor.5:10,12 we are not expected to remove ourselves from this association.
Is being a driver of a vehicle which delivers building materials or workers to a job site to help others have shelter a sharing in idolatry and a sacrifice to demons?
Consider Matt.22:36,37,38,39,40; Luke6:31; Rom.2:13,14,15.
Consider Matt.22:36,37,38,39,40; Luke6:31; Rom.2:13,14,15.
In order to dedicate our life to God and be baptized as a symbol of repentance, we must desist from our own sin by means of obeying a good conscience
....not by means of desisting contact with sinners of the world.
In speaking of sins within the anointed congregation, Paul said,
"9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." (1Cor.6:9-11)
In order to be "washed clean", we ourselves must desist from the sins listed here. These were their sins because these are the things they practiced. There is no mention here of having these sins, and being defiled by them, because someone else practiced them. (Eze.18:20; Jer.31:30; Rom.14:12; 2Cor.5:10). If we ourselves desist from sin, we are clean.
He has a very strong desire to conduct door to door ministry.
Although the Organization interprets Acts20:20 as meaning a public door-to-door witnessing to strangers, the context of Acts20:20 (as well as Rom.16:3,5; 1Cor.1:11; 16:19; Col.4:15; Phm1:2), proves otherwise. Those whom Paul is speaking to (about teaching them "house to house"), are the same ones he is speaking to in Acts20:18,19,20,28,34,36,37,38 and are those whom Paul knew well.
The "houses" where Paul went to teach, were Christian meeting places...Congregations...not the doorsteps of the public. They did not have church buildings or "Kingdom Halls" in the first Century. These Congregational groups met in the private homes of their fellow local members.
For those who were not yet associated with one of these groups, they could choose to listen when Paul and others taught "publicly" in market places, synagogues, etc.
OR
others would be directed to the "Living Stones" of the Holy Priesthood/God's Temple (Eph2:20,21,22; 1Pet.2:5,9) directly by Holy Spirit (Acts10:47,48) or the anointed would be sent by spirit to those of complete heart (2Chron.16:9; Acts8:26,29; Acts9:6,10,11).
This is not to say that a desire to preach and teach the truth is not required of anointed Christians and those who support them (Eze.33:6).
But that teaching must be truth, or else we stand condemned by God (James3:1; 1Tim.1:7; Matt.12:36,37). What is truth? Pontius Pilate asked Christ the same question (John18:38). Within that context, Jesus answered at John18:37...
"37 Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?”
Jesus answered, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
Your student must carefully ask himself...
Is his desire is to preach the voice of Christ?
Or,
the doctrines of the Organization?
To preach Christ does not require the approval of men, nor may men forbid it (Acts4:20; 5:28,29; 1Tim.4:16).
It is a command of Christ (Matt.28:19,20; 1Cor.9:16).
Is his desire is to preach the voice of Christ?
Or,
the doctrines of the Organization?
To preach Christ does not require the approval of men, nor may men forbid it (Acts4:20; 5:28,29; 1Tim.4:16).
It is a command of Christ (Matt.28:19,20; 1Cor.9:16).
they consider his employer an "interfaith" organization
The entire world is interfaith. The suit the elder is wearing (and that he paid them money for), the car he drives, the house he lives in, the food he eats, the doctor and hospital that care for him, the taxes he pays to support war...
it all involves interaction with those of other faiths, and even those who reject the very idea of God. (1Cor.5:9,10,12)
To create laws and impose them on others, even when those laws are not in God's Word, violates 1Cor.4:6 and is in imitation of the Pharisees, whom God rejected (Matt.5:20; Luke11:46; 1John5:3; Matt.23:2,4,23,24,33,38).
To create laws and impose them on others, even when those laws are not in God's Word, violates 1Cor.4:6 and is in imitation of the Pharisees, whom God rejected (Matt.5:20; Luke11:46; 1John5:3; Matt.23:2,4,23,24,33,38).
It does not matter what "they consider". What matters is what God says, and seeking His approval. (Rom.2:29; John5:41,43,44; 12:43)
Being "endorsed" or "authorized" by men, means nothing (2Cor.3:1,5)
He was essentially disheartened
Here it seems you have a man who desires to preach what he believes to be the truth he is learning. He likely knows the morality of the Bible and does not wish to be a hypocrite by practicing what he knows is wrong. And yet he has subjected himself to those who wish to enslave him to rules which are not in the Bible, and allow this proud but unfounded authority, to prevent him from obeying Christ (2Cor.11:20,3; Rom.1:25; Matt.23:13; Gal.1:10).
Why should he allow such wickedness to stumble and dishearten him, when his heart is being called by God due to his love of truth? God's blessing is within his reach. That is reason to rejoice!
In the book of Revelation, we see a scenario described.
At Rev.13:11, there is a false prophet, who endorses a collective "Beast" to control all provisions (spiritual) (Rev.13:15,16,17). No one may give (sell) or take (buy) anything (Rev.3:18; Isa.55:2; 2Cor.2:17; Matt.25:9), unless it is sanctioned by that Beast. That sanction is branded on the foreheads and hands of all those who are deceived into allowing their minds and actions to be controlled by the Beast. These are no longer slaves of God's laws (Deut.6:8; 11:18) but rather the Beast's doctrines (Rev.13:16; Matt.15:9; Rev.16:13,14,15). Christ tells us, that all these worshipers of the Beast (Rev.13:8), have become captives (Rev.13:10; Col.2:8), and are not written in his scroll of life (Rev.13:8).
We all must decide who we are going to be enslaved by.
Do we obey God as His slave? (Rom.6:16; Rev.7:3; 14:1),
Or, do we go along with the deceived (Rev.13:16,10), and obey empowered men?
Do not confuse the two.
Do not confuse the two.
All those doing so, are going to perish (2Thess.2:3,4,8,9,10,11,12; Matt.24:15,16).
To follow are three more links which I realize may not hit the bullseye exactly, but the info. is related to your question and the situation the Bible student is in.
I also want to invite you to join us at the 4woman forum. It is for those who are awakening to the true identity of the Wild Beast today, and who are determined to be loyal to the God of our Salvation, even at the loss of the lives we knew. If you decide to join us, you will find a membership request at the site. The forum we are using is "Category One", "Public Forum".
If there is anything else I can do to help, please contact me.
Love,
Pearl
PS. I do realize that I only took care of your student this time.
I will respond to your own predicament when I write again...IF you (after reading this) still want me to. Please let me know...write to me, and tell me if you are interested in my continuing.
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