Editor’s Note: Guest article from David Popovici of FIRE School of Ministry: Chicago
“The Radical Center” or “Middle” is a statement used by many leaders in the body of Christ to denote the pursuit of both the Word and Spirit. Over the last several years God has, by His grace, steered me more towards that center in regards to understanding Him, His Word, Life and ministry.
There is a clear tension in Scripture that cannot be overlooked; on the one hand, you have the revelation of the God-who works out all things according to the counsel of His will. On the other you have the urgent command to the believer and unbeliever alike to act on what He has revealed. The concept of “mystery” is a very common theme in the New Testament, especially in the writings of Paul. Something protected in ages past and now revealed to the apostles and prophets and recorded in the ancient writings for our instruction.
We are called to “work out our salvation” as it is “He who is working in us.” We are called to be “diligent” to enter into “rest.” These are the two sides of the same coin of faith: fighting and resting. Paul desires to know both the “power of His resurrection” and the “fellowship of His sufferings.” Paul states that “he has worked” harder than any of his contemporaries, yet not him but “the grace of God.” We are both seated above with Him, yet still in the body. We are still imperfect yet called “saints.” We are “not of this world” yet called to be “in this world” and the Kingdom is “here now” yet coming one day.
This remains a wineskin that must be grasped by the Church, so that it will be able to carry the new wine in these last days. In essence it is a “renewed mind,” Paul tells believers to put on the “New Man” by being renewed in the “spirit of their minds.” The “renewed mind” is a state of mind anchored in the Truth of the Word and immersed in the fullness of the Spirit. To reject one over the other is foolish. Jesus was both the Living Word yet needed the Spirit to accomplish His mission and Father’s will. Depending on which side of the Christian tracks you grew up on, you probably already have a predisposed paradigm in regards to these things. However, let’s not forget that God will often offend the mind to reveal the heart. Our more textual brothers are wary of becoming a flake whose biblical understanding is “did you feel that?” and our more Spirit-oriented brothers of becoming powerless philosophers who are in lot with Thomas when he said “I won’t believe unless I see”.
Scripture, however, paints another picture. In Acts 13 in Antioch we find both prophets and teachers, representative of both Spirit and Word. When working in unity while in a disposition of worship, prayer, and fasting, the Lord supernaturally gave birth to one of the most powerful apostolic missions movements the world has ever seen. We need both the power to move the ship and the compass to navigate and steer. The historical event of the cross was validated by supernatural resurrection.
The five-fold ministry is radically important in regards to the Church’s ability to grow into Christ and fulfill its purpose, especially the role of apostle and prophet. We need to understand the implications of the “new creation,” the fact that Jesus inaugurated a new race – A people of whom He is the Head: the tabernacle of God on earth.
Brothers, God is real! His Word reveals His nature, character and will. It leaves us with no confusion over who He is and what He desires of His Church. The pursuit is a simple one because it is all contingent on knowing and following after Jesus! We must follow hard after Him. I for one, refuse to choose one over the other. You can’t know the Gospels without studying them, but we must be living epistles.
Let us not forget that dead people were brought back to life by touching the anointed man Elisha’s dead bones, sick bodies were healed by touching Jesus garments and articles of cloth that merely touched Paul’s – body were driving out devils that one thousand theological training books could never budge! That is, unless Paul touched those too. Paul himself was a great expression of Word and Spirit, scholar and mystic. The radical center is the “narrow road” of the Church in regards to both knowing and understanding God and His will and walking in the power necessary to accomplish it. If, in fact, that is something that we are still interested in.
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Thank you for publishing this viewpoint which refutes the either/or fallacy.
I’ve been in pentecost long enough that very few things from *God* offend my mind, although I’ve seen plenty of things attributed to God that perhaps in retrospect were the flesh, and some of those things offended my mind and spirit. I’m curious about the etemology of the oft-repeated phrase “God will often offend the mind to reveal the heart.” I believe it came out of Toronto. Certainly it is quoted enough that many biblically-challenged probably think it is scripture. :)
David, may God bless you in your pursuit of the radical center. It is truely a radical place.
Bill,
Thank you for you comment. First off, I honor your history in God and love for Him and His Word. I am not certain myself where the phrase came from, whether from Toronto or elsewhere. I surely do not mean it as scripture, however do not feel it is contrary to it either. What I mean by it for example, would be; Jesus choosing fishermen over the scribes and pharisees to be His disciples, or healing on the sabbath, clearly offending their traditions, many of which they attributed to God. Or even often throughout Scripture when God spoke to a prophet like Ezekiel or Jeremiah would have them often do seemingly foolish things. Or perhaps many a revival from past Church History, Evan Roberts or William Seymour and who they were in their own day and age. Heroes of the faith now, yet often the center of criticism and slander then, mostly because of either their lack of earthly credentials, social class standing, doctrinal beliefs, strife caused by envy, etc. Often, I believe, God works in such a way (never contrary to His Word), to see what we are in it for. Our own security, or seats of influence among the people, or our own pride of having figured “it” out concerning life or doctrine, etc. For the record, I am a man desperately in need for more of God’s Spirit in my life to both lead me to the Father and make me like the Son, that I might glorify Him rightly and bear much fruit for His name. Thank you again for the clarification, blessings to you as well sir.
Bill,
I just read post I just sent. I apologize, I failed to preface a sentence. What I meant to put towards the end is…..”For the record I myself, never want to come to the place where I feel so acquainted with God and His Word, that I might feel like I have it all figured out.” I am a man……the rest follows. Thanks again.
I love this statement…
“Let us not forget that dead people were brought back to life by touching the anointed man Elisha’s dead bones, sick bodies were healed by touching Jesus garments and articles of cloth that merely touched Paul’s – body were driving out devils that one thousand theological training books could never budge! “
But here’s where one thousand theological training books would really help – they might prevent Confucianisms such as: “Your shadow will always release whatever overshadows you.” :)
What a beautiful article. Radical indeed. Our systematically Reformed brothers need the power of the Spirit that the Pentecostals are hungry for, just like our Pentecostal brothers need the groundedness in the Scriptures that the Reformers are hungry for. Neither need be to the exclusion of the other. Although the term “middle” dials up thoughts of compromising each to accommodate both. I loved this piece. Keep it up
“The Word and/or the Spirit” middle ground theme here seems to uphold an equality of pursuit for meaning which the scriptures may not uphold, neither as a dichotomy, nor as to presenting a middle ground. One has to begin with the New Testament revelation of what these references mean, so not to hem these in through a personal agenda for human religious experience in His Name, or by an insistence for a full-throttle preference of related occurrences or responses instead. We are wise not to take on anyone’s assumptions for preferring a past avowed spiritual knowledge past proclaimed in the VOR as the only completely viable knowledge of God (e.g. “The Secret of the Spiritual Life”, “The Presence is Everything”, etc.). Such insistence especially raises caution when primarily reputed by a compilation of verses presented as out of context and out of balance with other qualifying descriptors of a relationship with God in Christ (as clarified by other surrounding words of the New Testament).
One’s preferences for either/or, a middle ground, or an all or nothing mentality as a basis of relationship with God in Christ are not necessarily streaming in concert with the qualifiers of purposes of God’s will written of the Word or Spirit of Christ (in the past or present NT contexts which faith permits). A broader look at political and religious history on the planet tells us that mere persuasion, compiled out of context citations, and dedicated emphasis declarations for such do not necessarily equal sound principles. These article titled foci should especially not be regarded as being an antithesis of one another, as such, and not so in declaring whatever attributes of the Spirit of God one prefers as seen as rising, or as viewed as the painted masterpiece to be displayed over all others. We need the full council of God as represents His own priority for a complete pursuit of God. We are complex creatures living in a complicated world, who embrace our religion based on the mutual contact of our heartfelt confession of faith, the word containing the mind of Christ, fellowship, prayer, the Holy Spirit among and within, our own personal filters of preference, etc. He, not we, is the definer of truth and grace with our own personal filters coming in late on Jesus’ list of common indicators of Christian validity.
This is especially so where emphases we may make differ in priority from God’s own protocols given in the NT, for conducting His service in various contexts and as found in NT passages. Declaring what we admire of our own preoccupations for pursuit says as much about those preferring as what is preferred. As disciples of Jesus we submit to uphold the value of discovery indeed of what this article title’s terms are defined to be in their first century foundation NT revelation of God in Christ. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. How may such apply to the Good News Commission work assigned by Him as His precedence for the commissioned eleven disciples on forward? By the Commission His sent closest disciples were to become His water baptizing witnesses, for the testimony and teaching purposes of what He past shared, as He sent these out before going away, and as to relating His present day ministry to His people. Disciples of Christ do uphold Jesus as alive and healthier than anyone, sent to live a transcendent human life as the anointed One, who imparted his instruction, and His Spirit, and now is seated in heaven (Jn 15:26-16:1; Mt 28: 18-20).
The written Word of God in Christ orders its own recorded NT Holy Spirit phenomena; as recorded phenomena carried to the VOR as to writer advocacies, it seems often of a readjusted regard tipping a writer’s scale toward some personal agendas accompanying their stated understanding of “the Spirit”. Such understanding occurs only with fidelity related to the religious trappings associated of any believer’s behavior by connecting and bearing reports of Jesus’ NT Good News through written NT language, guidance, and its recorded conveyance. This holds as to what the twelve (11) Apostles shared, as is written, as they were so charged to do “to the end of the Age” (all in reference to sharing the Good News of Jesus wherever they went).
The Word being shared about a living Jesus, once crucified and dead, came to be a capitalized unique reference when given early on in John’s Gospel’s transcendent reports of Jesus. It was made so too by other eyewitnesses of the purposed Life He lived, the care He gave, the instruction He made, and the Promises He proposed as true. These promises are recorded as tested in part as proven by those sent out from Him with faith in Him, when going about His business. This is shown in the Gospels, in the book of Acts, and in NT letters’ accounts. In 2 Cor. 1:20 Paul sees all the promises of God fulfilled and guaranteed first in Jesus, not first in us–Jesus being “the faithful, [just], and true witness”. As adjusted as we may be to His past, we fall short of His faithfulness and truth by being human while in present pursuit of a life of truth and grace. How to be faithful to Him in looking to the Word and the Spirit is in question, until He qualifies how for each and every adopted child of God.
Those who do not live by the promises of God in Christ are not children of God but are slaves to other realities of assumption and regard (Gal. 4:28-31; II Peter 1:4; Rom 15:7-9; II Cor 1:20). Unlike the scribes or pharisees, Jesus does not establish His authority for his own followers by citing word of religious elders or tradition. Unlike Moses, He does not report the word of Yahweh but speaks authoritatively in his own Name. He claims allegiance for His own sake (Matt. 10:39 asks a believer’s loyalty), and by His own nature invites people to follow Him (Matt. 19:16-20). As the risen Messiah He claims that all authority in heaven and earth has been given to Him (Matt. 28:18). NT Word of Him then becomes the foundation for discipleship or for ministry in Him. Such ministry is recorded of the New Testament accounts. Something unique was placed in motion by the Apostles’ appointed witnessing of Him, as a witness of Him to be carried to the End of the Age.
An assumption and expectation often made by present Pentecostal theology, as formed stemming from highlighting and interpreting associated supernatural experience of the first century for today’s phenomena, is that it should be now as it was when the Gospel was first carried to those assembling in the Upper Room, and in the other instances of Spirit affirmation recorded in Acts (where the witness of Him was bolstered by such occurrences as are associated with our superior supernatural God).
Paul wrote that after the ascension and sitting at the right hand of God, Jesus Spirit “filled the heavens.” That being the case, the testimony of the Spirit indicates no middle road priority regarding its (Paul’s) conveyance of the state of or importance of the testimony of the Word of the Lord rendered as being Jesus as He was on earth. Three times he calls this message, “My Gospel”.
Bearing the Word of Christ Himself as recorded in the NT to others is the highest priority of working assignment given His people to the end of the Age. The Martyrs of the Revelation become so because of maintaining their testimony of Jesus as He was and is. For washing their garments in the blood of the Lamb of God they are promised a resurrection for their future inclusion in Jesus Thousand Year Kingdom reign ahead (when Jesus rules earth from Jerusalem). The Holy Spirit they hold to in reference to living their lives bears an open and transparent testimony of Him, with no regard of themselves or of angels from above as being equal with Jesus in serving and declaring a faithful witness of Him (Rev 19:10; II Cor 4:5; I Jn 1:7-9 & 34; 5:9; Rev 6:9; 17:6; 19:10).
A consciousness of self being ever argus-eyed in a so-called Holy Spirit anointed powerful ministry, or with supernatural manifestations as being in and of a self aware ministerial status mode, or of so-called declarations of new movements in ministry, or anointing: is not the priority Message, or primary witness of testimony recorded in the New Testament. What is stated and sustained there? It is that ministry, power, or Spiritual anointing recorded in the Word is subjugate to the declaration with understanding of the testimony of Jesus Christ. This is recorded with the means described of the commission given the eleven. God’s declared purpose is too that, in the process of carrying the Message of Him to this world, His witnesses be others “servants…for His sake” (II Cor 4:5). Like Him they will serve others in their areas of gifts and talents. Adopted sons and apostles then are servants of the will of God primarily, not hot shot focal points of new religious experience. There are few recorded stages of proclamation in the NT accounts, yet that is the American way. He is the Lord Christ, the past and coming Savior written of in the Tenach (OT) and the NT. The Spirit of Christ then, in action, knows no middle ground as to establishment of the purpose of bringing the testimony of Him with understanding being the Word of life given to this world. The Spirit of Christ thereafter promised believers in Him does not create a new elite, or special class, or esoteric experience emphasis apart from establishing faith in Jesus Christ; he creates servant-sons adopted for Jesus’ declared will through a related testimony of Jesus having once come to earth. The Spirit operates through believers in their area of gifts and talents, in passing on gifts given, and without the restriction of human vessel proclamation to visit with others directly. Gifts do not equal titled ministries, they are recorded in many contexts in the NT, primarily of those of direct experience with Jesus so sent, and of direct visitation by the Holy Spirit.
David P. holds to the ‘middle ground’ view here that the prophets and teachers works cited of Acts 13 are transformed in priority–in effect–by a future parsing out of Paul’s or Luke’s historical summary of how the testimony of Jesus came to that church. A look forward from the fullness of time just after Jesus visited as incarnated is a past D.P. emphasis in upholding a priority preference for present day miraculous or enraptured manifestations experience. This summary protocol is reported in the article as being supposed recorded exclusively in Ephesians 4:11’s ministry taxonomy statement as to justifying present ministry assignments, by assumption of title, and by concentrating on Holy Spirit actions gifts given first century ministry men of the Acts records and NT letters for their justification. [I must alike give an educated guess that these articles titled ones also have been sent out from their school or home church with such an uttered declaration as well].
The caveat given in scripture differs by its written guidance on how to be witnesses of Jesus Christ. All of what David P. declares about related article mentioned ministries in Ephesians 4 should be viewed with all of Paul’s Ephesians letter context references and qualifications made in the letter, where using such related notions for justification of present ministry development, actions, or meeting based behaviors are as supposed as stemming from Ephesians by Paul. To see what Paul is stating in full about ministry, as such, a discerning disciple adds Eph 1:1; 1:3; 1:5-6; 1:7-12; 1: 13-14 [by the Holy Spirit, given as a “pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of HIS GLORY”]; 1: 15-17 [emphasizing a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of HIM]; 1:18-21; 1:22,23; 2: 3-7 [God…made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)…in order that in the ages to come HE might show the surpassing riches of HIS grace in kindness toward us IN Christ Jesus.]; 2: 8, 9 [For by grace you have been saved through faith (in Him); and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; NOT as a result of (your) works, that no one should boast]; 2: 13-16 [(where He “reconciled “us, not we ourselves by title or works)]; 2:17-18 [HE CAME AND PREACHED PEACE TO YOU WHO WERE FAR AWAY, AND PEACE TO THOSE WHO WERE NEAR (Paul’s emphasis); for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father].
2: 17, 18 [you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (this particular mention would be up to that time, not in this context in extended time forward, and so further qualifies the Eph 3:5 & 3: 10-13 statements, the latter as often quoted as to justifying Pentecostalism’s self awareness four fold ministries references on ministries–as to the importance of their claimed titles to Paul’s context of affirming the Ephesians. {Sidebar, I do not hold that such do not exist in present day ministry in a NT context, I question the present day preoccupation with a self consciousness about such. It seems where such self consciousness of ministry is proclaimed jealousy for the ministry is often established over a Holy Jealousy for the Lord Himself, or a word of Him, His Gospel of redemption not being of we ourselves, as such. “Returning the Lord to His place as Head or teacher of the Church” [Dallas Willard] does aid the placement of the candlestick of His regard in the churches}). As with those martyred in the Revelation, it is not by a self consciousness or lifting up of ministry, it comes of prayer and of lifting up Him.
Is minstry then as Paul sees it in Ephesians about achieving its self consciousness of these listed ministries own unique election, choice, and anointing, as forming a self priority for ongoing ministerial preoccupations? Or is ministry of the redemptive intentions of the Word of Jesus being carried with understanding associated with using words of reconciliation application carried into our world through the confessing church? Isn’t the church having been alike charged, as the eleven, to bear Jesus’ own emphasis on He Himself to be carried on to the end of the Age of His commission charges as given of His assigned, faithful, and related actions? It can become vanity to be preoccupied with ministerial anointing, which leads to petty loyalties and petty jealousy. We must stay on the track of the Commission to the End of the Age to be of the Commission to the End of the Age.
From past articles D.P. is credited with here, he purportedly holds that ongoing ministry pursuit of Spirit miracle manifestations is of equal importance to the will of God stated of the Great Commission. Are such manifestations a present prioritization of a New Testament Word being shared about Jesus life, death, and resurrection witness based on the examples given of the NT is a question His People must ask themselves? Also, for a discerning inquiry is the preponderance of: are such emphases the first and equal priority of the NT recorded witnesses? Has it not been stated as being so here in the VOR, where much more has been written of a power related witness as a primary emphasis here than of telling the Jesus story (as undergirded by prayers) to date by D.P. and E.G.? The Gospel story is divinely appointed and efficaciously assigned His People for delivery to the Nations until the end of the Age. D.P. and E.G. are labeled as evangelists, yet have consistently posted a different priority as such to date than that Jesus first assigned the eleven to be carried to the end of the Age. This has me often engaging rather than agreeing. I first participated with the assertion of, then monitored the regress of the Jesus and Charismatic movements from their initial early 1970s fervor: to come to warn of their sad excesses and eventual apostasies after the early 1970s. Yet the Gospel of Jesus Christ has continued its CALL to his people, for their conveyance to the Nations.
I will state this once, for it must be stated, Purity of Heart was abandoned for all kinds of idols of lesser loyalties than to the faithfulness to the Head of the Commission. It is a weak and adulterous generation that seeks after signs; I appeal to you to be warned as we gear up our prayers for the coming 2012 awakening. I prophetically affirm here the newly reoriented VOR LOF priority to prayer. This leads to purity of heart, to see God. I will continue to resist other priorities, and so in Him, as this middle ground and other responses make clear. Why? Who am I? A single watchman, one hearing and responding in courage given of Him. The Call to repent is seated in a humble position, not a proclaimed title or proclaimed anointing. The will of the Father is redemptive, and it is succintly given in the priorities of the Commission. Idols of the Charismatic movement were 1) preaching themselves, not Him, 2) making disciples unto themselves, not Him, 3) building a codependent fear of men, not a healthy fear of Him. Be warned to not promote the same path to error (how arrogant of me? No, how watchman on the walls by my person in Him).
We find in Acts 13 those the Spirit cited as identified workers as set apart “for the work to which I have called them” (v. 2). D.P. refers to this passage only with partial understanding of its outcomes. They set out as it is recorded to declare ‘the word of God [of the Good News of Christ in the adjoining passages]’ in the Jewish synagogues, in Gentile towns, and to government officials—as being the NT Word through its references of language conveyance being sown by these first witnesses in these places to which they traveled with their motivation for so serving other people above achieving supernatural events and declarations. Though through their actions attention was drawn to themselves, what happened?
The details of their sharing are declared in 13: 16-39, 43-49, on into 14, etc. There is found the record too of a supernatural gift of healing recorded and its misunderstood consequence of its placement bringing to pass an immediate false application challenge to a true witness of Jesus. How so? By the meaning construed by weak, perverse, and superstitious hearts beholding the healing. They attributed the healing to Greek myth deities. Recall that Jesus warned in advance in carrying His Message of those found seeking such signs for themselves as weak and as found distorting truth in their own hearts and minds.
In 14:8-10 Paul had a word of knowledge about a crippled man “who had faith” so he was healed of Paul’s Holy Spirit interaction, as were carried into the man’s surroundings with the first priority response to the Gentiles of conveying the testimony of Jesus: with understanding. The crowd reacted to the miracle by desiring to lift up Paul, Barnabas, and John to the idol status of their local deities, thus in effect confusing the purity of heart connection of this miraculous healing.
This happened as these men were suddenly believed to be their esteemed false mythological Gods incarnate coming on that scene. This erroneous connection and attempted idol exaltation of the messengers of Jesus themselves is rebuffed by the declarations given to that crowd by these Kingdom workers as to, 1) who they indeed were, human beings, Jesus Gospel servants, and, 2), what they actually were then and there about, witnessing about Jesus. When the witness was not confused by petty loyalties churches and disciples were born from above. Who they declared themselves to be there and then is vital to cautions past raised as to this present article’s preoccupied desire to equate the testimony of the Word with Holy Spirit miracles and manifestations. There is no third wave, there is faithfulness to the commission, or there is idolatry, and self preoccupation, simply put.
Past related VOR labeled evangelists declarations have thus been to equally compare the Word and Spirit (present manifestation and ministry exaltation) as being an equal Kingdom priority, and so can add confusion to the stated priorities of the will of God in Christ as to what constitutes an evangelistic work (as is supposedly so made as an assumed priority by the chosen Apostles of the first century. This was never their priority, as II Corinthians 3 on declares). Do Gospel accompanying miracles usurp the worker’s declarations of the Good News of Jesus Christ, or initially confuse the matter in the Acts 13 account? It took extra effort to clarify that the healing was not about them, but happened because of connection to Him. People look to singers, lady gaga, sex symbols, movie stars, etc. out of their own incomplete hearts, minds, and emotions. They do so like Eve seeing and feeling what she saw and felt prior to sinning in the garden. Whom did she heed as she gave Adam the fruit of good and evil to eat? The father of lies. Declaring such a miracle awareness as a priority was not the work they were engaged in in Acts 13, but the sowing of the Word about Jesus, with they being servants of others they contacted: through the word of Him being proclaimed on the scene. The results after the challenge were of Ecclesia, not of good vibes and esoteric experience. God’s Priority is then established in the assignment of the will of the Commission, as recorded in Acts and the letter’s reports, where so engaged. The miraculous confirmed the Word sown, where so. It is good it happened, it is problematic where it is misunderstood in Acts 13. Let our prayers for the 2012 awakening be to be in His will through it all. To watch our own hearts and minds and emotions, our own allegiance formations. We cannot afford for this awakening to go the route of the Charismatic movement. We must bury its idolatrous legacy and move ahead with the will of the Commission. Will signs follow? Will folks be healed? Of course, and to whom will we give the praise???
The Priority Message given for the Commission of the eleven Apostles has not changed, and in what the workers were up to in the passage the article refers to, as is recorded in its Commission fulfillments of the witnessed and written word being proclaimed as the Word of Jesus as declared and taught “till the end of the Age”. We must not get this priority wrong, or we will waste years of our lives, years of youth and vigor, as can be found through repentant regard of a Pure Heart through individual callings actions. The Word and the Spirit are not given as an emphasis about this worker, or this Apostle’s actions or that one’s as recorded of the Spirit’s manifestations; the work was and is about Jesus the Christ being understood as the resurrected savior, teacher, and Lord who will come again for newly adopted people of faith in Him. When He returns, He asked, will He find faith in the earth?
Such supernatural actions did not equate in the commission charges of equal co-application with the ‘word of God in Christ’, as recorded as shared among the Nations in obediance to the the Commission in the Acts and letters records. The work, after workers being sent out by “the Spirit” by the laying on of hands in Acts 13, 14, etc., was about establishing new faith in Jesus Christ. It is about the harvest. It is not as remarked there of they themselves being Holy Spirit miracle workers for such a self-aware and ecstatic priority emphasis. Results of others coming to faith and starting new churches were not recorded in history to prioritize manifestations of the Spirit himself, even where so demonstrated. Any miracle recorded was coincidental to workers priority assignment of sharing a new identity made possible of the Good News Message of Jesus Christ Himself. Miracles were not the Message, they confirmed Him being alive, as the Message Giver and teacher, and were gifts of His grace given people. The Holy Spirit’s work was not primarily in effect about miracles; it was about confirming Jesus Christ as Lord and savior in hearts and minds. Let it be so.
No mass meetings were held to declare an awareness of ministry pursuit for ongoing healing miracle meetings, stemming from this anointed one or that one, as such. Where healings occurred the juxtaposition to the first priority of God’s will founded of the Commission is apparent. Glory was given Jesus, as reporting of Him as the Word shared with the intention of adopting a people of identification and adoption of Him among the Nations. The acceptance of Him as Lord of Jesus the Messiah’s Kingdom, sent for forming arising fellowship in relationship to Him, and for sharing His word, was the work of the Kingdom and Way of his workers (read the Commission). Here now is a dividing line declared for those who would see his awakening in 2012, first pray, join the Call, and do not lift up yourselves as ministers or the anointed ones; He is the Anointed One we declare with understanding.
“Blessed is he who takes no offense in Me.” There is no middle ground between the Word and the Spirit, for His witnesses faithful occupation, for the purpose of the Spirit is given plainly enough as is declared to be in His people in reference to bearing testimony of the Word of Jesus Christ. The work resulted first in born again understanding in hearts and minds that Jesus came and would return for many purposes—all related to identification with Him; Spirit action is not the word His adopted sons carried of they themselves as Kingdom ministers, or in priority pursuit of miracles and manifestations in and of themselves believed as equating with ministry roles labeled (as it had been so labeled with the modern Charismatic movement as interchangeable in function and gifting descriptions). Clarifying descriptors of the Spirit are written for our discernment in John 13 -16, in Romans 7 & 8 [where the stumbling block of acute human self consciousness is replaced by conduct in and of the Spirit], and as to all other NT words written of the fruit and the gifts of the Spirit: as being IN PRIORITY associated under the sown gathering of souls into the harvest by the Commission word of Jesus Christ. He himself is the “everything” of the works which the New Testament records hold as being the assigned will of God for the eleven, with He being what they testified about. Doing miracles in His Name then is not His priority of will and should not be equated as such. Keep yourselves from idols. Do what the Spirit leads to do when sowing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
His word is priority over the Spirit affirming His Word’s application of Jesus’ New Covenant (of His blood shed for us): given as priority over the centuries as being the foundation work of his workers again and again. The Message is provided by Him, about Him, and of Him–where the Spirit takes a quite second fiddle role in proclaiming an associated identity with the Good News of Jesus Christ for a confessing believer. We are instructed by the Spirit to “hear Him”.
Following for our understanding by written NT language are John’s summary descriptors of Jesus own declarations about the Word and the Spirit. Our awareness of, or a pursuit of awareness of any attribute or sense of God being with us by the Holy Spirit does not replace what is written about the centrality and priority of the Word and the Spirit’s declared testimony of Jesus Christ. The Gospel is as is recorded in Luke’s account, as is shared about Jesus, and not in priroity about we ourselves. He is primary, we are secondary in pursuit of our awareness and dedication to the work achieved of faith, in His Word. Recognize that our culture is obsessed with ongoing commentary and analysis. This too is idolatrous. Our target is to bring His Word to the lost, to regroup to do do, and to await His affirmation which will come in 2012 as we pray, fast, restore relationships, and repent.
Jesus in John on the Word
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus replied, “You may go. Your son will live.”
The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51 While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.
I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. 25 I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out–those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent. 39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
I know you are Abraham’s descendants. Yet you are ready to kill me, because you have no room for my word. 38 I am telling you what I have seen in the Father’s presence, and you do what you have heard from your father.
I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”
Though you do not know him [the Father], I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word.
If he called them `gods,’ to whom the word of God came–and the Scripture cannot be broken– 36 what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, `I am God’s Son’? 37 Do not believe me unless I do what my Father does. 38 But if I do it, even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father. [This answers, why miracles happened, and what they were in relationship to]
Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. 18 Many people, because they had heard that he had given this miraculous sign, went out to meet him.
Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him. 38 This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet:
“Lord, who has believed our message
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. 49 For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.
You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them
I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
On Jesus in John on the Spirit
I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, `The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.
Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, `You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit
For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. 35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. 36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him
Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
Jesus wept.
Then the Jews said, “See how he loved him
After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me
If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever– 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him
the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid
When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father: he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning [their Message about Him was His priority]
when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you
Now I am going to him who sent me, yet none of you asks me, `Where are you going?’ 6 Because I have said these things, you are filled with grief. 7 But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. 8 When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 in regard to sin, because men do not believe in me; 10 in regard to righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and in regard to judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:
“Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.
I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name–the name you gave me–so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.
I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven
Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name
Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
What was Jesus driving at about the Spirit?
1) The Spirit is a promised Gift to believers sent from Jesus and the Father to those having faith in Him.
2) He then bears testimony of Jesus in priority of action (“tells of me”), i.e. of John’s declared Word having come among us purposes a purpose of sowing His word of redemption and promise through the Life of Jesus Christ
3) The Spirit of Jesus shall be in us, and is heeded by choice, without whom we can do nothing
4) He goes side by side with believers and helps bear them up, and comfort them on the way of sowing the Word about Jesus
5) We bear fruit when abiding in Him
6) He reveals Jesus as offering His truth and grace to human hearts; when we receive the instruction of Jesus
7) He brings glory to Him, of the only true God
The posting is to critically affirm that we need the full council of God as represents His own priority for a complete pursuit of God.
Jabez,
I pray you will take to heart your own words:
“Recognize that our culture is obsessed with ongoing commentary and analysis. This too is idolatrous.”
You seem to be intent on endless analysis of a brother’s work in the Lord when He did not forbid those to work who were gathering with Him as opposed to scattering abroad. You seem to want to cut this brother down who is bearing good fruit in Jesus Name.
I pray you will consider the mote in your own eye and consider your own words concerning what has become an idolatrous obsession with you.
Sheila,
Clearly the response built is about a theme or topic as has been pursued in the name of “the Spirit”, not about a person. In fact, as a minor point, it names the titles of two who write for the VOR whose pattern here is to emphasize direct claimed experience–including raising the dead–rather than scripturally indicated will of Christ priority of sharing His Word with the world through His own words and directives first and foremost. It really comes to this: what is His Gospel the Apostles’ shared and obeyed? The priority of the Great Commission, as is cited in my response, is Jesus own agenda, which He clearly lists for anyone reading it. It can be outlined for content and raises is concerns about the errors of the past movement mentioned for nonreplication in moving to prayer for a significant visitation of the Spirit and Word of Jesus Christ by petition. Many books have been written, a couple recently about the lack of faithfulness of the Charismatic movement, and where not to go when seeking to establish a “new work” in His Name–and so not carrying into a present preoccupation with other agenda than that Jesus prioritized.
There is little evidence for forming an opinion of obsession if a reader of what I have written takes time to outline the actual content of what I have written. Your “you” statement is really unfounded.. As a precedent, consider the number of responses Michael Brown has written to supposed confessing believers on his current theme of resisting homosexual practice acceptance in the church. My resistance is of adding to the confusion which became the legacy of the Charismatic movement by what is clearly pegged in my response. It slanders no one, but deals with the issues and foci His People must prioritize to be in Him (according to His instruction anyway).
If you have personal issues with me, and it seems you may, Jesus instructed that Mt. 18:15-21 is the route to assume toward His kind of reconciliation. This is not really achieved by accusation, but by pragmatism and care. My heart certainly cares for 1) who will evangelize and what that means in NT definition, and 2) anyone claiming to be His ministers. Generally, authors here seem equipped to reply for themselves to challenges raised. In jurisprudence, silence equates with affirmation of argumentation raised. Opportunity exists to refute my concerns step by step here, yet the silence continues, apparently over pattern priorities promoted. The Word is given for testimony of Jesus Christ, He himself, come to be shared in the Nations, and now to His People gathered in the Land as the sign and probability of His Return in these end times. He made up His Plan of Redemption, not me. I think your argument may be displaced on my person, if you read His final words contained in my reply. Our agendas in His Name, to be most effective, have a responsibility to be faithful to His own.