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With so many varying points of veiw throughout the body of Christ, how can we collectively ever come to having 'one mind and one accord'? I want to say something here rather sheepishly, that is, the founding our 'great nation'. It is said that most of the founding fathers were freemasons. Like Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, George Washington and many other key players. That America was planned even long before the making of the Consitution. I wish I had a web-site that brought this out. How certain monuments and the whole lay out of our capitol was set out in a hexagram. About 10 days before J.F.K. was assasinated, he said he was going to give warning to the plight of America, as controlled by powers even greater than our government. I know this all falls into the conspirital scheme we have grown to make light of. But as I reflect upon the type of cultural ethics Jesus and his followers have instituted such as 'having all things in common' and how much more communal the early church was in 'house to house fellowship and breaking of bread, and how sharply it contrasts with our libertarian society of independence and freedom...well, it makes me wonder..hmmm. It seems that the language of the constitution has provided for the exact dilemma we have today. While sounding so close to God and the use of his name, has now come out that the use of the name of Jesus is offensive in many and varied instances. As Jesus said in Matt. 24:24 ..'if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect'. And, "Many shall say to me in that day, did we not prophesy in your name? did we not cast out devils? and he shall say, depart from me you workers of iniquity, I never KNEW you". As if to say, yeah, you may have done many things in my name, but you never came to have an inimate personal engagement with me. In John 3:8 he sums up those born of the spirit by saying, "The wind blows where it lists, and you 'hearest' the sound thereof...so is everyone born of the spirit". First we have, 'the wind (or spirit) blows where it lists. What is meant here? ' You hearest, (which to my translation means, when you are in the process of hearing or listening, as oppose to just hear) you hearest the sound thereof. I would suggest that when one is in a posture of listening inward, of which to properly do, brings stillness to ones own will. Then you can pick up on the impressions of the spirit. These impressions are the listing or promptings of the Holy Spirit within. Listening entails the exemption of self in favor of another source. Gal. 6:3 says, "He that thinks himself to be something, while he is nothing, he deceives himself". Hearing the sound thereof is to me..while in this posture of 'otherness' listening, the spirit is then granted permission to impress and form, that is, bring a soundness. Making one more receptive and perceptive to the formulations of 'another comforter'. Hence, more apt to know his voice and will. So, I feel it is only in the light of this understanding, that collectively, as the body assembles and yeilds to this process of inward listening; can one mind (the mind of Christ) and one accord be made possible in our land of independence and independent thinkers.
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Soulman, This world system is always at odds and usually diametrically opposed to the ways of God! You have mentioned the world's desire for independence, but scripture clearly teaches that we are utterly dependent upon God and upon one another. (All the gifts and ministries of various members of a body are necessary to the well-being of the whole. I Cor.12) Our commercial world system is based on "at arms length" contractual buying and selling. But God's economy is clearly based on brotherly love which covenants to meet the needs of others through the means of receiving and giving! The latter, not the former is the principle upon which the members of any living body operate!Matt.10:8; Acts 4:32-37; II Cor.8 and 9 But alas, most "churches" and "ministries" today operate on the former and not the latter! I doubt that we can practically enjoy being of one accord and one mind in our relationships with other believers until we allow the mind of Christ to transform our minds and to practice the N.T. kind of receiving and giving that was characteristic of the early church!
But I guess the real question is: How am I seeking to relate to the Lord and other believers TODAY, in the matters of receiving and giving??? Am I functioning as a channel of blessing, a conduit? Or am I functioning as a stagnant reservoir? Your brother in Christ, Bruce
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Yes Bruce, very good perception! I would pose that when it comes to giving, it must follow the principle of the Great Giver. John 4:10 "Herein is love, not that we love God, but that he loved us' and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins". As Guyon put it, "An act is only worthy of as much praise as its source". And also the scripture that says, "Freely you have recieved, so freely give". So the principle seems to first be gaged on our believing and recieving the love God has for us, so that from the motive of 'him' who lives within me, you and all members of the family, he makes himself known through us.
So yeah, we are so dependent upon his divine pleasure both to will and do through us, and we keep ourselves yeilded as instruments (or conduits as you put it) whereby his love can flow through.
There is a scripture in 2 Corinth. I believe, where it says, "Our light affliction which is for the moment, works for us, a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory". I mention this in the light of our love walk, for to walk in love, well, its got to be him, that internal source, because there is a mass of spirits opposed, not to mention our own undeveloped characteristics as a family of one body. So if we could realize that if we keep ourselves ever mindful of his presence within, in the midst of a trial especally, knowing that 'a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory' is being accomplished on our behalf, it may make the biting of the bullet a little easier to take. Finally, the words that end what we call 'the Lord's prayer'. Which says, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil'..and the following words tells us why.."FOR thine is the kingdom and power and glory forever". In essence it is our overcoming trials through inner abiding in him, that avails unto us more of his kingdom and power and glory!!! halleulujah! Amen. I have to admonish one other word I was thinking upon earlier today. Eph. 3:16&17 in particular. "That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, verse 18, May be able to comprehend with all saints...etc. Paul always wrote corporate letters. It really is a word that knocks me backwards and staggers me in amazement. There is a great need for churches to implement such words of instruction, perhaps first teach what is implied therein, but sometimes I wonder why I seem to read scripture differently than most. But what I see is a true working of his spirit in every believer and less a thing of words, once the meaning is understood. For an analogy I'll liken the Word to Disneyland. Churches gather everywhere to talk about Disneyland, all the various theme parks, rides, and beautiful stuff...but they do not know how to truly go there and experience The Word Jesus Christ himself! The early church did not have the new teatament in the form of a letter that kills (2 Corinth 3:6) but they had the living Word in there hearts and rightly cherished him there! It's late, and I rattled on long enough. I just feel very passionate about such, because there is darker days ahead (for the world and perhaps the church as well) and still it's like we don't get it. Okay, maybe it's just me, but man!!! ha God so wants to love us and show us his glory as we learn to live by the faith of the son of God within. His love in me is you-ward. Soulman
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