The Bible provides various principles and guidelines regarding the ecclesiastical structure and church organization, with a focus on leadership, membership, and the relationship with other churches.
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Christ as the Head of the Church: According to Ephesians 1:22, Jesus Christ is described as the ultimate leader of the church, being its head and referred to as the great shepherd in Hebrews 13:20.
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Human Leaders - Elders and Deacons: The New Testament notes two primary groups of human leaders within the church: elders and deacons. The qualifications for these roles are detailed in 1 Timothy 3:1-12 and Titus 1:5-9. Elders, in particular, are to serve as shepherds of God's people and set an example for the congregation as seen in 1 Peter 5:1-4.
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Church Members: Every person in a local church who professes faith in Jesus Christ is considered a member. Members are expected to regularly gather, grow in their faith, serve others, and share their faith. The importance of each member being involved in service for a functional congregation is highlighted in 1 Corinthians 12.
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Relationship with Other Churches: Churches are encouraged to live in harmony with other Bible-believing churches. The early churches shared core beliefs and often supported each other through finances and encouragement. This principle is supported by Matthew 5:14-16, which emphasizes being a light to the world and glorifying God through good works.
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Autonomy of Local Churches: Each local church in the New Testament era was responsible for its own decisions, operating with much autonomy and free from a broader hierarchy.
The Bible doesn't advocate for a specific global or regional church hierarchy but emphasizes local church autonomy with Christ as the supreme authority. The early church had apostles who played a unique role in establishing churches and appointing elders, but this was specific to that era. The closest the New Testament comes to hinting at a hierarchy is the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15, where apostles and elders provided guidance on an important matter, but it was more of a collaborative decision rather than a hierarchical directive.
In modern times, four main models of church structure have developed based on these biblical guidelines: the episcopal model (where church leaders are appointed by the denomination), the Presbyterian or elder-led model (where elders represent the church as decision-makers), the congregational model (where the church body votes on leadership and key decisions), and the non-governmental model (including house churches with no formal structure).
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Article Title: "The Mission of the 72: Jesus' Teachings on Evangelism and Service"
In the Gospel according to Luke, we encounter an intriguing episode where Jesus appoints seventy-two others and sends them out in pairs to every town and place where he himself was about to go (Luke 10:1-24). This event is significant as it encapsulates Jesus' teachings on evangelism, service, and the preparation for His own ministry.
The Appointment and Instructions (Luke 10:1-4): Jesus appoints seventy-two followers, distinct from the twelve apostles, to go ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he planned to visit. This action underlines the importance Jesus places on preparing the ground for His message. He instructs them to pray for more laborers (Luke 10:2), highlighting the vastness of the mission field and the need for more workers.
He also prepares them for the challenges ahead, describing them as lambs among wolves, urging them not to carry money, a bag, or even sandals, and to greet no one on the road (Luke 10:3-4). This instruction emphasizes reliance on God and the urgency of their mission.
The Message of Peace and the Kingdom of God (Luke 10:5-9): Upon entering a house, the disciples are to first say, ‘Peace to this house’. If a person of peace is there, the peace will rest on them; if not, it will return to the disciples (Luke 10:6). This concept of a 'person of peace' suggests seeking those receptive to the Gospel.
The disciples are also instructed to stay in one house, eating and drinking what is offered, indicating the acceptance of hospitality and forming genuine relationships (Luke 10:7). Furthermore, they are to heal the sick and proclaim, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you’ (Luke 10:9), which is the central message of their mission.
The Consequences of Rejection (Luke 10:10-12): Jesus warns of the dire consequences for those who reject the message. The fate of such towns will be more bearable on the day of Sodom than for that town (Luke 10:12), indicating the seriousness with which the rejection of God's message is viewed.
The Return and Jesus’ Joy (Luke 10:17-20): The seventy-two return with joy, reporting even the demons submitted to them in Jesus' name. Jesus, in turn, rejoices and acknowledges their success, yet he reminds them to rejoice not in the power they exercised but rather that their names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20).
Theological and Historical Context: The sending of the 72 has profound theological and missional implications. It represents the expansion of Jesus' ministry beyond the Jewish community, symbolizing the universal mission of the church. The number 72 may be symbolic, possibly referring to the nations of the world listed in Genesis 10.
Traditions and Interpretations: The passage has been interpreted in various ways throughout Christian history. It is often seen as a model for missionary work and evangelism, emphasizing reliance on God, the importance of peace, hospitality, and the urgency of proclaiming the Kingdom of God.
In conclusion, the story of the 72 is a rich and multifaceted account that offers deep insights into Jesus' teachings on evangelism and service. It underscores the importance of preparation, reliance on God, the cultivation of peace, and the joy found in being part of God's mission. This passage continues to inspire and challenge believers in their journey of faith and service.
The Book of Ecclesiastes, found in the Old Testament of the Bible, is a philosophical reflection on the meaning of life, attributed traditionally to King Solomon. Its theme revolves around the emptiness and fleeting nature of earthly pursuits and the importance of fearing God and keeping His commandments. Here's a brief interpretation of each chapter:
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The Vanity of Life: The writer, known as the Teacher, declares all is vanity. He reflects on the endless cycles of nature and the futility of human labor. He concludes that wisdom and knowledge often bring grief and sorrow.
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The Emptiness of Material Success: The Teacher discusses his personal experiments with pleasure, work, and wealth, only to find that these too are meaningless and unfulfilling.
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A Time for Everything: A famous passage that notes there is a season for every activity under heaven. It reflects on life's various times and seasons, emphasizing God's sovereignty over them.
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Oppression, Toil, and Friendlessness: Observations on oppression, the futility of toil, and the value of companionship. It concludes that a peaceful and quiet life is better than one filled with toil and chasing after the wind.
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The Folly of Riches and the Joy in Contentment: Warnings against the love of money and the vanity of wealth and honors. The Teacher advises enjoying life's simple pleasures as God's gift.
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The Vanity of Desire: Reflections on the inability of wealth and success to satisfy the soul. Even a long life may not be satisfying if one does not enjoy God's good gifts.
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Wisdom and Folly: A collection of proverbs about wisdom, folly, and the unpredictability of life. It counsels moderation and patience.
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Obey the King and Enjoy Life: Advises obedience to the king (or authority) and recognizes that no one can comprehend what happens under the sun. It encourages enjoying life in spite of its uncertainties.
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Death Comes to All: The Teacher reflects on the inevitability of death for all, the importance of enjoying life, and the unpredictability of success.
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Contrasts of Wisdom and Folly: Various observations and proverbs about wisdom and folly, and how wisdom is better even though it is often disregarded.
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Advice for a Meaningful Life: Encourages boldness in the face of life's uncertainties and enjoying youth while remembering that God will bring every deed into judgment.
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Remember Your Creator in Your Youth: Urges remembering God in youth before the difficult days come. The chapter concludes with the Teacher summarizing that everything is meaningless except for fearing God and keeping his commandments.
Each chapter of Ecclesiastes offers profound insights into life's meaning, the pursuit of happiness, and the importance of a God-centered life. The book's message is timeless, providing wisdom and perspective for navigating the complexities and challenges of human existence. For a more detailed study, you can refer to biblical commentaries or study guides on Ecclesiastes.
I want to get into why Jesus had to Die, what Happened. The Sun, You can see the Sun, Everyone can see the Sun, if we said "The Sun is God" it would make more sense to most People than Other Things because it is Supreme Over all in Our World. It makes the Day. We could say the Moon is a God, the Sun and the Moon are Gods, and these might as well be Gods because Everyone uses them to go Throughout their Day, Sleep, Wake Up, the Clock uses these, etc. The Sun might as well be God. We could say this is kind of the way Jesus is in the Bible also, that the Son might as well be the Father, Jesus might as well be God, the Sun might as well be God. Because behind the Sun are a Million Invisible Forces from Other Star Systems, from all kinds of Gravity and Light like Forces, the Milky Way Galaxy will Collide with the Andromeda Galaxy and they say Earth will go unharmed. But, to most People, the Sun might as well be God.
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Now, Jesus was at the Head of an Oracle, You could say an Oracle is like a Ouija Board and that maybe doesn't give it the Severity is Deserves, and so an Oracle is like a Warboard that a General would have with Troop Placements and Everything and You could Compare that to a Chess Board, etc. Jesus was Claimed to be a descendant of King David and I think we can see that some People did Believe that he was to be King, or Could be King, that he had some kind of Right to be King, and it wasn't just because of his Teachings. They had Plenty of Supporters from the Fish Community and Perfume Community and were Selling Things to give Poor People Things. They had Plenty of Money, and they were Selling Things to Fund Fixing Poverty. Jesus was something like a Spymaster, Rome called all of the Females Prostitutes. See Mathew 26:7. But so Jesus was the Head of an Oracle, and it is more than the Ouija Board but that Helps You Understand the Connection to God and the Dead and the Spirit World, the Pharisees told Jesus "You are not even 50 Years Old, what do You know about Abraham?". Then the Warboard Helps You understand what an Oracle is. And then so Jesus was doing like Alexander the Great, but then also like Buddha and the Bab, etc. But this Oracle Jesus was Part of, it was very Important.
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Humans have Free Will.
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Would Everyone Agree that Humans have Free Will, and God still has his Plan Emerge in all of it?
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Moses Wrote the Law a long Time before Jesus. Jesus came about Later, and was in Direct interaction with Rome, Israel, Samaritans, the Sun, and various Places like Egypt that he had Traveled before his last few Years around 30-32 Years Old when he Dies. And Throughout his Life there was Free Will, Things were done, and Jesus maybe did not have to Die except that eventually it came to a Point where the Words being said, and the Writings being Done, and the Learning and Teaching, the Romans, the Israelis, all of it coming together came to a Point where if there was not Bloodshed there would not be the Message, it was like Magic. When Jesus Died, the Message was Spread Further, to Gentiles and Everyone as well also, like Everyone knows, that Part Everyone knows. But Jesus Dying was like an Exchange of Energy, where the Color Red could otherwise have been Displayed in Chiten, maybe in Boiled Conch Shells, the Red could have come out Other Ways, but it was Forced to come out in this way. It is so Prevalent on Earth that if we all mess up and can no longer communicate with Each Other, we will do the same Color and Energy Magic with Organs that we Eat, etc, this is how Native American Religion kind of Worked, and this is how like a Cheetah Decides if it has Enough Energy for a given Hunt. And the Sun, the Moon, and God, all together, Everything decided that this way was how it would be done.
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And Jesus left Peter and James as the Head of the Egregore or the Oracle, to Hold onto it while he Died, until he got back. That was the full intent and Act that occurred, for example Jesus did not have to ask for Glory before he Died, but if he didn't it wouldn't be Recorded, when Dying Jesus said that he would be be with God soon; and so put Peter and James as the Pope/Stone and the Steward of the Church. This is why King James from the King James Bible, was named James. And it all Works this way, sometimes without the intent. It still Works with no intent. God is Real.
