For we do not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves among themselves by themselves and comparing themselves are not wise. We, however, will not boast beyond measure but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us- a sphere which especially includes you. We are not overextending ourselves as though our authority did not extend to you for it was to you that we came with the gospel of Christ, not boasting of things beyond measure, that is in other mens labors, but having hope that as your faith is increased,we shall be greatly enlarged in our sphere by you, to preach the gospel in the regions beyond you and not to boast in another mans sphere of accomplishment. But he who glories let him glory in the Lord. For not he who commends himself is approved but whom the Lord commends. COMMENTARY: It is the nature of a man to measure himself by other men. And organizations of men being comprised of men whose nature is common to them and that nature is to be significant and secure that men begin to reason in how to maintain their security and significance and not the will of God. This is the landscape which has become the modern day church. It is not new for the ways of men have not been made new through the revelation of the perfect knowledge of the spirit that they may be made new in the image of Christ and therefore are unable to fulfill the words of Jesus who informed men, All that I have done you will do and even greater things. The apostles were disciples of Jesus, which is to say students that they too may be formed into apostles of God as Jesus was an apostle of God, according to the scripture. An apostle is one who initiates a great moral reform or who advocates an important belief or system. No man can come to be an apostle unless he is led by God through the circumstance of his life to come to brokenness of heart and contriteness of mind. And so it is written, He who would seek to know the mysteries of God must endure many things to come to full obedience to God. Now obedience is a harsh sounding word. But to the perception of the mind of a man who has looked at himself in the mirror and seen what kind of man he is, obedience becomes a simple matter of following instructions in the way to go to make new the man whom he has grown to abhor. This is humility. The leaders of the temple in the time of Jesus were men who thought far more of themselves than they should for they did not follow the instruction of the prophets and apostles of God and in fact killed them. These leaders served by lineage. And as the church became a business with a commodity to sell many bought their way into what we think of now as being ordained. For after all to be ordained is to complete a course of study at a bible school or seminary. And to take an oath before God in the presence of men and make an oath to serve the will of God. It does not require that a man has fulfilled the oath himself according to the scripture and displays signs which cause men to wonder. And so you have it now that men sell being disciples of Jesus for staggering amounts of money. They are instructed to preach the gospel all over the world yet not knowing nor having fulfilled the requirement as the Holy men of old to give up all things according to Mark 10. And what you are left with are pastors, evangelists and administrators of organizations of men who develop policies designed not ot profit men the things of God but to promote the authority of the ministry which has not the signs of the power of God being with them. They have an appearance of godliness. They speak in great flowing words. They make many claims and ordain many men and women. But, they are clouds without rain and clanging gongs who have not entered the knowledge of the kingdom of heaven and prevent others from doing so. And they measure themselves by themselves having knowledge of nothing else for what they learned they learned from men not the perfect knowledge of God. For they have turned away from the way to righteousness saying, it is too hard. If Paul the apostle upon whom the New Testament rests ministered from a rented two bedroom house and Jesus had no place to rest his head and endured nakedness, cold, hunger, shame and the loss of their families and friends, how then have we come to these churches made by the hands of men which the scripture clearly states, the perfect knowledge of God does not live in buildings made by the hands of men but in the minds and then the hearts of men. Jesus did not preach or die that you should pin your salvation to believing in Him but that you would follow Him and His words to the truth the Holy Spirit reveals. This perfect knowledge is given that average men may have extraordinary minds to discern the unseen things of which all things seen are made that they may preach the same gospel Jesus and Paul preached. The rest is clearly nonsense. Nonsense is not my word but the word of Ezekiel.
Posted on: Fri, 04 Apr 2014 12:54:58 +0000
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