I find it funny that one of the critiques of the emerging conversation (emerging church) is that we are doing nothing “new”… which in fact we do not claim! We do claim to a return of authenticity and a return to core values we see in Christianity…
Interestingly here we have common ground and the accusers of the brethren turn it into contention… they claim we have bad fruit, even as we more than often return to the core values and find what is real and of value is Christ Himself… and out of that begin to build on that foundation. Yes, we question many traditions… yet that is nothing new, many of the detractors question the traditions of the Roman and Orthodox Churches… so in a way the critics are hypocrites… Even Martin Luther was called a heretic and is held up highly as the Great Reformer... yet Luther questioned whether the book of James, and I believe Jude, should have been included in the canon... I have never heard anyone in the EC question the accepted books... though some have questioned if those whould be the only books considering other traditions hold to differing Canons of scripture.
So watch their fruit, it is full of lies and deceptive talk to stroke their own egos. We have found the scripture or these men very true… they are bad fruit… they are quick to judge someone on what they think they said... and lack biblical grace to pursue the matter properly.
“Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matthew 7:17-19)
You my brothers and sisters, continue to return to Christ and bear good fruit!
We see in these men their fruit…
Gal 5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (NIV)
I do see the emerging conversation and church bearing good fruit… as I have said I have never been around a group of people more uplifting, non conceited and bearing the fruit of the Spirit… that is truly refreshing!
If these men actually preach Christ they would not have time to focus on us, they would be too busy fulfilling their call. And that too is why we must not engage them as they keep us from the higher things of God and pull us down and fight using their worldly philosophies and logic and their carnal weapons they hope to entrap us with.
Interestingly here we have common ground and the accusers of the brethren turn it into contention… they claim we have bad fruit, even as we more than often return to the core values and find what is real and of value is Christ Himself… and out of that begin to build on that foundation. Yes, we question many traditions… yet that is nothing new, many of the detractors question the traditions of the Roman and Orthodox Churches… so in a way the critics are hypocrites… Even Martin Luther was called a heretic and is held up highly as the Great Reformer... yet Luther questioned whether the book of James, and I believe Jude, should have been included in the canon... I have never heard anyone in the EC question the accepted books... though some have questioned if those whould be the only books considering other traditions hold to differing Canons of scripture.
So watch their fruit, it is full of lies and deceptive talk to stroke their own egos. We have found the scripture or these men very true… they are bad fruit… they are quick to judge someone on what they think they said... and lack biblical grace to pursue the matter properly.
“Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Matthew 7:17-19)
You my brothers and sisters, continue to return to Christ and bear good fruit!
We see in these men their fruit…
Gal 5:19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (NIV)
I do see the emerging conversation and church bearing good fruit… as I have said I have never been around a group of people more uplifting, non conceited and bearing the fruit of the Spirit… that is truly refreshing!
If these men actually preach Christ they would not have time to focus on us, they would be too busy fulfilling their call. And that too is why we must not engage them as they keep us from the higher things of God and pull us down and fight using their worldly philosophies and logic and their carnal weapons they hope to entrap us with.
2 Cor 10: 3 - 5. For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
They try to take us captive in their vain human reasoning instead of taking their own thoughts captive and becoming obedient to Christ.
I recently heard a teaching on the armor of God in Ephesians 6, the teacher taught that the sword of the Spirit was the Bible, I thought about that as that was what I have been taught ever since I was a child… yet for some reason I was compelled to look at that phrase.
Since our battle is not against flesh and blood… unlike our accusers battle against us, I do not see that the Sword of the Spirit is the bible as that is a physical thing… yes is contains spiritual knowledge, yet in the end all knowledge will pass as we are face to face with knowledge himself, Jesus Christ. The sword of the Spirit is said to be the “word of God” As I looked up the word “word” in the Greek I noticed it not to be a word that is considered written, but rather uttered… it is more a narrative than a book, though books can be narrative, it still seems to be more of God’s rebuke to those who are against Him.
I pondered a bit on that, and realized that the sword itself is our only weapon and in that it is not of “our” logic nor knowledge or philosophies, rather it is God speaking by the Spirit to defend us. We must be careful in how we wield this sword as it is not to be used against flesh and blood, as God is reconciling all creation to Himself. Flesh and blood will not inherit the Kingdom, but Spirit and Flesh will. Jesus was born of Spirit, the one born of water and blood, and it is by His blood we live. That is true now and in the Kingdom. We worship is spirit and truth, not by going to a physical location.
Flesh and bone will inherit the Kingdom and be alive by the Light of God who is Christ Jesus. The sword of God is to be used against the powers and principalities of this world…it is to bring all man equal with each other, and overturn this worlds power structure. It is in meekness we inherit the world!
I beseech those who attack the emerging church to consider the words of Paul,
Ephesians 4: 1-3 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (NIV)
Instead of critiquing, “make every effort to keep unity” and if you feel the need to critique, do it as the bible you claim to believe teaches… not as worldly man, but as one who has been given a great vocation, and in humbleness and gentleness and patience bear with those you think are off the path… if not we will only assume you are not talking to us as we are listening for the Father’s voice and may not hear you. For the sheep know the Sheppard’s voice… and we will not be deceived by this world’s hissings.
You, who are being divisive and not promoting unity in Christ, please return to Christ… in that until you bear good fruit, I will not listen anymore.
(Titus 3:9 -11 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. )
Blessings,
iggy
They try to take us captive in their vain human reasoning instead of taking their own thoughts captive and becoming obedient to Christ.
I recently heard a teaching on the armor of God in Ephesians 6, the teacher taught that the sword of the Spirit was the Bible, I thought about that as that was what I have been taught ever since I was a child… yet for some reason I was compelled to look at that phrase.
Since our battle is not against flesh and blood… unlike our accusers battle against us, I do not see that the Sword of the Spirit is the bible as that is a physical thing… yes is contains spiritual knowledge, yet in the end all knowledge will pass as we are face to face with knowledge himself, Jesus Christ. The sword of the Spirit is said to be the “word of God” As I looked up the word “word” in the Greek I noticed it not to be a word that is considered written, but rather uttered… it is more a narrative than a book, though books can be narrative, it still seems to be more of God’s rebuke to those who are against Him.
I pondered a bit on that, and realized that the sword itself is our only weapon and in that it is not of “our” logic nor knowledge or philosophies, rather it is God speaking by the Spirit to defend us. We must be careful in how we wield this sword as it is not to be used against flesh and blood, as God is reconciling all creation to Himself. Flesh and blood will not inherit the Kingdom, but Spirit and Flesh will. Jesus was born of Spirit, the one born of water and blood, and it is by His blood we live. That is true now and in the Kingdom. We worship is spirit and truth, not by going to a physical location.
Flesh and bone will inherit the Kingdom and be alive by the Light of God who is Christ Jesus. The sword of God is to be used against the powers and principalities of this world…it is to bring all man equal with each other, and overturn this worlds power structure. It is in meekness we inherit the world!
I beseech those who attack the emerging church to consider the words of Paul,
Ephesians 4: 1-3 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (NIV)
Instead of critiquing, “make every effort to keep unity” and if you feel the need to critique, do it as the bible you claim to believe teaches… not as worldly man, but as one who has been given a great vocation, and in humbleness and gentleness and patience bear with those you think are off the path… if not we will only assume you are not talking to us as we are listening for the Father’s voice and may not hear you. For the sheep know the Sheppard’s voice… and we will not be deceived by this world’s hissings.
You, who are being divisive and not promoting unity in Christ, please return to Christ… in that until you bear good fruit, I will not listen anymore.
(Titus 3:9 -11 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. )
Blessings,
iggy
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