God's Masterly Plan to Get Along with Other Christians

 

God's Masterly Plan to Get Along with Other Christians

God has given us a  masterly plan to get along from all walks of life.

1. The local church

While even within the local church, there are some spiritual disagreements, the whole point of the local church is that it is made of people who fit together.

Sometimes we fit people in too quickly. They are not fit to be a member in this particular body. All of us need to be fitted, that can take some time. But some people just don’t fit. Their personal doctrinal persuasions, are not compatible, they may be false professors. 

Given that none of us are perfect and so neither is any local church, still the local church aides us in getting along.

2. The teaching of forgiveness

In Luke 17:3-4 Jesus placed the responsibility upon those who have been trespassed against NOT to become offended. He deals with the offender too, but God gave us this marvelous tool to get along with each other - called forgiveness. One of the best reasons to be quick to forgive is because, well, we need others to quickly forgive our own trespasses against them.

3. The promise of future reparations

It would be completely unChrist-like for Christians to hold a grudge against our offenders and look forward to the day that God will get vengeance upon them. Really we ought to pray for them and ask God to bring them to repentance, knowing that, if it were not for Jesus’ grace, we too would be awaiting God’s wrath. That said, the very truth that there is a day of judgment coming frees us from having to hold a grudge. God will in His time and way, make all things right. We can trust Him in that.

Our God has given us every reason to get along. And every tool to do so.

In the fields

Marvin McKenzie

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I Am A Pastor

I Am A Pastor

I am not a leader

I am not even a spiritual leader. 

The work of the pastor looks like a leadership role. But if I allow myself to see myself as a leader I am likely to forget who is the Head. No one needs my wisdom, my skill, my insight, my heart, or my direction. They need Jesus. 

I am not a shepherd

The work of the pastor looks like a shepherding position. But if I allow myself to see myself as a shepherd I am likely to forget where Jesus’ flock gets fed. No one needs my thoughts, my study, my education or my pasture. They need to feed at Jesus’ feet. 

I am a sheep of His fold

At the very best, I am that sheep who is most attentive to hear His voice and follow Him. At the very best I am that sheep who has my eyes on Him so that I am quick to move when He moves. If I lead it is only that I am among the first of His flock to see Him, hear Him, and follow Him.

I am a steward 

My work as a pastor is merely to faithfully manage what the Saviour has placed in my care. 

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields

Man is a Trichotomy. This is Why it Matters

 

Dichotomy or Trichotomy

Bible College graduation - “if you are a dichotomist and believe you have to express that, do so now rather than at the ceremony.”

Are we a tri-part being or di- part being?

The issue of dichotomy vs trichotomy would be less an issue except for those who like to “go to the originals” to discover truth. Students of the King James Version should have little trouble distinguishing the difference between the soul and the spirit.

We hare made in the image of God

He is a trinity.

In in His image man is three parts

Body - the part of us the relates to the world around us - our senses touch, taste, smell, see, hear

Soul - the part of us that relates to other earthly beings - mind, will and emotions

Spirit - the part of us that relates to the unseen world - heaven and hell, angelic realm, fellowship with God

The image is corrupted through sin

The flesh is corrupted

The spirit has died

the soul in blinded

Scripture clearly distinguishes the three parts of humanity

“I pray your whole spirit and soul and body”

Trichotomy impacts the doctrine of salvation

If in fact we are only two parts: what part of us is dead in trespasses and sins before salvation?

It cannot be the spirit - because the dichotomist says it is the soul

It cannot be the body because, clearly we are

If, prior to salvation, the soul is dead in Trespasses and sins, then this is the doctrine of Calvinism that claims that God has to quicken it (and not the spirit) before we can call upon Him.

Calvinism (Reformation theology) says that man is so depraved, so wretched, so dead that we would never, could never call out to God for salvation unless God willed it, resurrected us and made us to do it.

Bible truth is that, at the moment of salvation

Our spirit is quickened, made alive

We are now able to commune with God

Our soul is redeemed, purchased and saved

We can see the world as God see it

Our body is awaiting redemption

After the rapture and resurrection

Conclusion

Many Reformers believe we are a dichotomy, claiming that the terms soul and spirit can be used interchangeably.

Reformation theology seems to have launched an all out assault on Baptist Churches. 

Reformation theology likes to appear to be more biblical because they are more scholarly (this is a throw back to a time when priests were the only educated people in town and most highly respected because of it. In fact it was a means to control people.)

Marvin McKenzie

In the fields

The Washingtonian Call

 

The Washingtonian Call

Act 16:9  

And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us

 

To this period, the ministry of the Apostle Paul, frankly of the gospel work at all, had been I one culture, and to a people of a particular mindset. Paul’s inclination was to continue with his present course, but the Bible says that the Spirit of God stopped him in his tracks. After a long period of prayer and searching he once again had the mind of God. He saw in a vision a man from Macedonia; not eastward, but westward, not oriental, but European. He saw in a vision what we often call the “Macedonian call” and the world was forever changed.

 

I heard an advertisement on the radio a day or two ago. It was, I believe, John Carlson[1][2] promoting a group tour for Washingtonians to visit Texas to see if a move there would be right for them. Carlson is doing what people in his Industry do. He is conservative but he uses his political persuasion as a means to make money: 

·      For himself

·      For his employer and 

·      For the companies that advertise on his show

There is nothing inherently wrong with that. The political climate of Washington has led many of our state’s conservative people to look into moving to more conservative areas of our country. Carlson, his radio program, and certain advertisers see the potential to make money off this climate. I am praying that the Spirit of God will stop them in their tracks. 

 

Though I am not a prophet and cannot categorically speak for the Holy Ghost, I wish to issue a different plea. I wish to make “a Washingtonian Call.” What we need in Washington and state like ours, is not an exodus of conservatives but an incoming flow. We need a mass migration of conservative minded people to: 

·      Move to Washington

·      Make this their home and 

·      Vote in such a way that a balance of power between liberals and conservatives is at the least restored 

 

I know it will be challenging: 

·      The business opportunities are bleak

·      The political atmosphere is dark

·      The number of liberals, especially on the coast, is overwhelming

But I don’t want to leave. I don’t want to abandon my ship. 

 

I am simply asking for conservatives: 

·      From Texas

·      From Idaho

·      From Oklahoma 

·      From Montana 

Conservatives from around the country, “Come over into [Washington] and help us.”

 

I’m not asking for more pastors to come and plant churches, although that needs to happen too. 

·      I’m asking for people to come fill our churches. 

·      I’m asking for conservative businessmen to come create opportunities in a place where large employers are leaving and creating a dearth of work. 

·      I’m asking politically minded young people to move here, make this your home, and pursue the hard work of getting elected in districts where conservatives have given up even running for office.

“Come over into [Washington] and help us.”

 

Marvin McKenzie

In the field

 

 

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[1] It is possible I am mistaken. I was listening to KVI talk radio, and I do not listen to the radio much at all.

[2] https://kvi.com/weekday/john-carlson

Water Baptism Versus Baptism with the Holy Ghost and with Fire

Water Baptism Versus Baptism with the Holy Ghost and with Fire 

Matthew 3:11 (KJV)

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:

 

In the Bible

·      There is something practical and there is something spiritual

·      There is something temporal and there is something eternal

·      There is something seen and there is something unseen

 

There are terms in the Bible that have both temporal/seen applications and eternal/unseen applications

 

The word “saved” often refers in the Bible to someone being rescued from a present danger, David being rescued from King Saul, for instance. We know it can also have an eternal application, such as Romans 10:13  “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” 

 

The unseen thing does not make invalid the thing that is seen. We all know that being eternally saved is of more value that being saved from an enemy. But we would still like to be saved from the enemy.

 

The term “baptize” is used to speak of an unseen doctrine of the indwelling of the Holy Ghost at the moment of salvation. This is a wonderful and comforting Bible truth. But it is in no way a substitute for water baptism. The one is an unseen reality. The other is an expression of Christian faith and obedience.

 

Water baptism is: 

•      Instituted in the Gospels

•      Practiced in the book of Acts and

•      Instructed upon in the New Testament Epistles

 

Every born again believer ought to follow Jesus and be baptized:

•      After salvation

•      In Christian obedience

•      Fully immersed in water

•      Under the Scriptural authority of a New Testament Baptist Church

 

 https://youtu.be/E54GlpZG3Ts

https://www.slideshare.net/MarvinMcKenzie/water-baptism-versus-baptism-with-the-holy-ghost