greetings
if I may
and I add find the following in God's Word...True Christians the Church, the body
we read in Phil 2:3-5 Doing nothing through envy or through pride, but with low thoughts of self-let everyone take others to be better than himself; Not looking everyone to his private good, but keeping in mind the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was in Christ Jesus,
Phil 1:15-17 Though some are preaching Christ out of envy and competition, others do it out of a good heart: These do it from love, conscious that I am responsible for the cause of the good news: But those are preaching Christ in a spirit of competition, not from their hearts, but with the purpose of giving me pain in my prison.
2 Cor 1:12 For our glory is in this, in the knowledge which we have that our way of life in the world, and most of all in relation to you, has been holy and true in the eyes of God; not in the wisdom of the flesh, but in the grace of God.
Titus 1:9-10 Keeping to the true word of the teaching, so that he may be able to give comfort by right teaching and overcome the arguments of the doubters. For there are men who are not ruled by law; foolish talkers, false teachers, especially those of the circumcision,
Phil 1:16-17 These do it from love, conscious that I am responsible for the cause of the good news: But those are preaching Christ in a spirit of competition, not from their hearts, but with the purpose of giving me pain in my prison.
2 Cor 12:20 For I have a fear that, when I come, you may not be answering to my desire, and that I may not be answering to yours; that there may be fighting, hate, angry feeling, divisions, evil talk about others, secrets, thoughts of pride, outbursts against authority.
Prov 30:11-14 There is a generation who put a curse on their father and do not give a blessing to their mother. There is a generation who seem to themselves to be free from sin but are not washed from their unclean ways. There is a generation, O how full of pride are their eyes! O how their brows are lifted up! There is a generation whose teeth are like swords, their strong teeth like knives, for the destruction of the poor from the earth, and of those who are in need from among men.
Prov 11:24-26 A man may give freely, and still, his wealth will be increased; another may keep back more than is right, but only comes to be in need. He who gives blessing will be made fat, but the curser will himself be cursed. He who keeps back grain will be cursed by the people, but a blessing will be on the head of him who lets them have it for a price.
1 Cor 11:27-34 If then, anyone takes the bread or the cup of the Lord in the wrong spirit, he will be responsible for the body and blood of the Lord. But let no man take of the bread and the cup without testing himself. For a man puts himself in danger, if he takes part in the holy meal without being conscious that it is the Lord's body.
For this cause, a number of you are feeble and ill, and a number are dead. But if we were true judges of ourselves, punishment would not come to us. But if punishment does come, it is sent by the Lord, so that we may be safe when the world is judged. So then, my brothers, when you come together to the holy meal of the Lord, let there be waiting for one another. If any man is in need of food, let him take his meal in his house; so that you may not come together to your damage. And the rest I will put in order when I come.
Malachi 3: 16 - 18 Then those in whom was the fear of the Lord had talked together: and the Lord gave ear, and it was recorded in a book to be kept in mind before him, for those who had the fear of the Lord and gave thought to his name. And they will be mine, says the Lord, in the day when I make them my special property; and I will have mercy on them as a man has mercy on his son who is his servant. Then you will again see how the upright man is different from the sinner, and the servant of God from him who is not.
1 Tim 3:1-7 This is a true saying, A man desiring the position of a Bishop has a desire for a good work. The Bishop, then, is to be a man of good name, the husband of one wife, self-controlled, serious-minded, having respect for order, opening his house freely to guests, a ready teacher; Not quickly moved to wrath or blows, but gentle; no fighter, no lover of money; Ruling his house well, having his children under control with all serious behavior; (For if a man has not the art of ruling his house, how will he take care of the church of God?) Not one newly taken into the church, for fear that, through his high opinion of himself, he may come into the same sin as the Evil One.
And he is to have a good name among those outside the church, so that nothing may be said against him, and he may not be taken by the designs of the Evil One.
Who has Authority over God’s Church?
The Book of Acts begins in Jerusalem with the disciples huddled were illuminated, in a room on the Day of Pentecost.
But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with suffering:
Heb 10:32 (NKJV)
Then the Holy Spirit came upon them and authorized them to be His witnesses.
The rest of the Acts describe the ripple effect of that great event. Jesus’ followers first witnessed the world.
Acts 4:19-20 But Peter and John in answer said to them, It is for you to say if it is right in the eyes of God to give attention to you more than to God: 20 For it is not possible for us to keep from saying what we have seen and have knowledge of. 21 And when they had said sharper words to them, they let them go, not seeing what punishment they might give them, because of the people; for all men were giving praise to God for what had taken place.
When human authority rejects God’s authority, it becomes twisted and loses its right to demand compliance
(Acts 4: 5:29). From the beginning, God’s people have resisted any command that was against God’s will.
Matt 28:18-20 All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go then, and make disciples of all the nations, giving them baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to keep all the rules which I have given you: and see, I am ever with you, even to the end of the world.
Phil 2:9-11 For this reason God has put him in the highest place and has given to him the name which is greater than every name; 1So that at the name of Jesus every knee may be bent, of those in heaven and those on earth and those in the underworld, And that every tongue may give witness that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Heb 2:4-9 (KJV) God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?
For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:
Zech 3:6-7 And the angel of the Lord made a statement to Joshua, and said, 7 These are the words of the Lord of armies: If you will go in my ways and keep what I have put in your care, then you will be judge over my Temple and have the care of my house, and I will give you the right to come in among those who are there.
Joshua was decommissioned as the nation’s high priest. For his faithfulness, he was promised the privilege of exercising authority over God’s temple-My house-and its courts.
a little meat but not milk Hebrews 5: 12
thank you
Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;
