Individual Faith

The Bible is given to each and every Christian. That means that our faith is in a way between us and God. No other person should dictate to us what we should do and the decisions we should make, though of course our shepherds and fellow disciples will counsel us. But it is not for them to tell us what the Bible says or dictate to us things beyond the Bible that have to do with the decisions of our life.

The church consists of individual disciples and individual families who are given the Bible. The Bible can speak to every one of them, and they must come to know it for themselves and not depend on teaching from the pulpit.

Our faith hinges upon a personal relationship with Jesus, not on denominational dogmas. Through this relationship we come into fellowship with the Body, the assembly, universal. We can call our brother or sister anyone who is a disciple and calls on Jesus, and shares our faith in Him, not just in our own "church group" or "membership".

It is imperative that every Christian knows the Bible and understands the commands of Christ and His teachings for himself. It is not for another to teach him, tell him what he must do, how he must live the Bible.

The Bible alone is sufficient, Protestants say, "Sola Scriptura is our creed".If that is so, then every Christian must have a Bible, read it, and understand it too. He must test and question the Word that is preached, and never fail to be discerning.

That is not to say every Christian "believes what is right in his own eyes", inventing doctrines to suit himself, believing only what he finds convenient. No, it is the word of Jesus that must come and rest in his heart.

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
(1Jn 4:1-2)

These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
(1Jn 2:26-27)

And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
(Deu 6:6)

Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. (1Co 14:20)

 
This verse is essential. We cannot simplify the truth. We cannot treat fellow disciples like novice believers, but we have to, each of us, know the word for ourselves and be mature in understanding.  We cannot be "simple-minded" simpletons. We cannot be expected to always behave as children and ignorant babes - we have to mature, we have to grow up!

Yes, we seek simplicity. Yes, we value the simple truths above the towering philosophies of men and the world. But we also distrust simplicity - simplicity that means foolishness, ignorance, and an extended state of childhood.

And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
(Jer 31:34)



Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
(1Co 14:29)

I believe that the Bible gives us reason to  believe  that every believer is given the Holy Spirit to teach them, and that the spirit of discernment and truth, so as to judge the words that are taught, prophesied and spoken in the church.




Never at any point are we to be passive when it comes to our faith, in the assembly of believers. We are ask questions, for questions show where we are. The purpose in teaching and discussion in the body of believers is not to achieve a perfect teaching session, but so that every one understands and receives the Word. We are to be constantly sober (not carried away by euphoria, but in a sensible and clear state of mind).

When it comes to our faith, never does the Bible say, "Just accept what the leader says. Just obey. Just follow." Authority is never given to a man, to a leader, to a shepherd or bishop.

Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.
(1Pe 5:2-3)

All power in heaven and on earth is given to Jesus. The Holy Spirit is given to each one of us. There is no Anointed One but our Christ, our Messiah Jesus. We are all filled with the Spirit to minister to each other and go out to preach the gospel.

When we say this or that leader or speaker, or this or that man is anointed, what we really mean sometimes is that he has become so compelling, so attractive, so awe-inspiring, so charismatic, so charming, so appealing that we are in awe of him instead of Jesus.



Truth is so great, so vast, that the words we speak can never fully represent it - our words, our teachings need to be constantly refined, defined and clarified lest it veer in the slightest off-course, and deviate an iota from what is the truth.


No one is the leader, the "fuhrer", the unassaillable, perfect, flawless disciple who is above all the rest. There is no hierachy, no pushing to be the "top" or "first" in the Kingdom of God. God values meekness, and promotes the humble, elevating the lowly.


The body of Christ consists of honest disciples. It is a body of believers who confess their sins to one another, renders their own judgments amongst themselves (1 Cor 5), and

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
(Mat 18:15-17)

The apostles plead with us again and again their epistles to be SOBER - vigilant, watchful, discreet. This is beyond underlining emphasis. We cannot be "carried away" or tossed too and fro in euphoria or excitement, but we must be still, quiet, serious, so that we may truly hear the Holy Spirit speak.

We think that it is the "Holy Spirit" who speaks when we are excited. When we are elated. When our emotions are running faster than a flooding creek in a thunderstorm. Whatever happened to the still, small voice? Whatever happened to the power of the Word, the Word that is the same yesterday, today and forever, that doesn't strike us one way and then blast us in the different direction from one high spiritual plane to another.

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
(Jas 1:6)

I feel that we must be careful what emotions we operate under. Are we sober? Have we come to discern carefully and with much trepidation what the truth is, the truth that does not change, but is a constant. God's eternal principles are God's eternal principles and they are the same throughout all time, for all people.

That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
(Eph 4:14-15)

Ha! So we aren't supposed to believe everything we hear, but to test where it is truly from God. Furthermore, we must be vigilant against any attack, for men constantly either actively seek to or unwittingly are used to, deceive us and draw us away from the truth.

Accuracy when it comes to be Bible is not about being rigid, but about being honest, having integrity, and being truly faithful. It all boils down to our faithfulness to God and our steadfast faith in Him. 

Intergrated into the World?

We're not meant to be like the world, to become a part of it in mind, thought and action, to accept everything of the world without questioning it. No, we are to be fundamentally different from it in all ways.

One (very un-)Christian approach is to isolate ourselves from the world and keep hammering on about the world's deception, another approach is to simply blend in with society and just keep up with the mainstream. If society starts to go in one direction, just follow along. That's just to be taken in with deception.

We don't need to keep preaching how wrong the world is, but neither do we need to swallow everything hook, line and sinker. Neither are right - we are to preach and live the truth, even if everything is society is in opposition to it.

Hello? Isn't God eternal? The world and its wisdom may be wishy-washy, but we're to hold fast to what is eternal and unchanging, not to fads.

We sometimes take the world's system for granted, and just believe and live the way others do rather than take a discerning, cautious and enlightened approach to life - everything from lifestyle, to education, to work, to health, to finances, etc.

I mean, it's a normal thing to take loans in the world, but do we Christians realize that the Bible warns us that is unwise? It's a normal thing to get divorced, get abortions, and engage in sexual immorality in the world, and those activities are just as much a part of the mainstream church as they are a part of the world. 

We are to be lights in darkness. We will stand out. We will be different. We don't need to be ostentatious about, or go around slapping people in the face with the Bible, but we aren't supposed to just become darkness because we are surrounded by it.

We don't need to go around being the opposite of the world. Simply by being who we are as followers of Jesus - pure, meek, humble, lowly peacemakers, we will be the light. Simply by showing love, being kind, being who we essentially are as the saints of God, we will be the light. We don't need to be false, superficial or legalistic. Nor are we supposed to blend in with the world - if so, what would the point be of being a disciple of Jesus?
 

Isolated from the world?

Jesus never lived in isolation. He was right in the "thick" of society, and He mixed with "low-lifes", criminals, "criminal syndicates", prostitute and the like. He never shied away from evil, because the evil could not touch Him. He was holy and separate, yes, but He was God amongst men. He didn't need to create artificial barriers, and determine by rules and laws who could or couldn't be included into His utopian Kingdom. It wasn't like that.

Jesus never calls us to be isolated. If we Christians become isolated, and shut ourselves off from the world, from sin and from temptation, it only shows how we have been overcome by it. If a single bilboard or a magazine cover can cause us to lust, then we have not overcome sin, but are merely seeking to run away from it, to hide from sin, rather than living amongst sinners, yet not being tempted or moved by sin.

The world laughs at us Christians sometimes, because we are so afraid, so cowardly, so lacking in spiritual authority and boldness to not only overcome sin but to save sinners, plucking them out of the fires of hell. If we are shielding ourselves from being sucked into the world, the problem is not with the world but with us? How can we be testimonies of the truth if we refuse to confront lies?


Light is only light when it is in the midst of darkness. I speak of a type of "conditioning" we should experience, not to be shocked by the world and the immorality around. Not to be shocked when people fall, not to be scandalized by immorality.

Yes, we live by the standards of the Word, radically different from the world, but we do not need to fear sin and temptation. We can walk amongst corruption, the abuse of drugs, sexual immorality, and idolatry, and yet not be moved by it. Rather, we transform our surroundings. We bring light into darkness.

Jesus never came to establish a religion of forms, of outward conformity. He never established a parallel culture, an isolationist cult. He sent His disciples out into the world, not to create a culture, not to transform culture, but to bring the kingdom of God, not a culture, not a society, not a religion, but a transformation of hearts.

The Kingdom of God in the midst of the Kingdom of the World is a great threat to the world. Yes, the world will hate it and oppose it. Yes, the world will find us fundamentally different, and will disagree with us. Why should we fear opposition or disagreement? This is part of Christianity. This was a part of the early church. If we want to live in a society that we dictate, that we rule, that we determine and that conforms to our rules, then we should just be a part of the mainstream.

I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
(1Co 5:9-13)



 If holiness means to hide, then Jesus would never have come to earth to tabernacle amongst us. He would have never bothered to die for a world of sinners. What concerns me is that Christianity sometimes says, "We need to get away from this world of sin".  I say no. We must go out into this world to save sinners. We need to be out there, helping the sick, reaching out to the lost, the needy, the destitute, the unrepentant, the hardened sinners. We need to get on our knees and wash feet, serve tables, meet needs. We need to be God's arm of compassion.

If we shut ourselves away from sin and suffering, we will never get to preach and live the gospel. We would never see needs nor know the heart of God. We would be content that "I, me and myself" are saved. We would be trampling on the promises and desires of God.

Do you want to find Jesus? Do you want to seclude yourself to seek God's face? Jesus tells us where to find Him and meet with Him - out there. He's there, with the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the imprisoned. 

The pinnacle of spirituality is not isolation. The pinnacle of godliness, of holiness, of spirituality is the cross where the son of God came down and laid down His life, not for Himself but for others. True spirituality, true religion is to visit orphans and widows and keep oneself unspotted from the world. (Be right in the midst of the world, yet untouched by it, but impacting it in humble, meek and lowly ways).

True spirituality is other-centeredness, a compassion and love for humanity. (Not a sentimental humanism, but the heart of God.) It is true charity, charity that consists in sacrifice for others and surrender to God. Edify others, glorify God.

God doesn't need our sacrifices. You know who does? Our hungry, thirsty, naked, imprisoned neighbors.

• Do we fast to enhance our own spirituality or because it is part of a sacrificial life that considers the needs of those suffering from famine above our own?
• Do we pray and operate in the Spirit so that we can be spiritually enhanced and empowered or so that we are anointed to go and preach the gospel, heal the sick, and set the captives free. 
• Do we offer sacrifices to God so that He can enjoy the smoke, or so that the poor can eat? 
• Do we pray so that we are sufficiently spiritual or so that the lost are saved and the Kingdom of God will come to men?

Of course, we are reminded of the incident of Mary's sacrifice. Judas believed that it was a waste, because the money from the expensive, wasted, perfume could have been used to feed the poor, a.k.a. pad Judas's pocket. Of course Judas's motivation was not out of charity, and Jesus did not rebuke the idea of charity and said that the poor would always be with us. Mary's sacrifice was the sacrifice of the heart, poured out in love towards Jesus. I believe that Mary's position and the circumstances of her sacrifice were unique.

Today, Jesus is not physically here for us express our affection and gratefulness too, but the poor - they are with us. Jesus is not here for us to physically feed, clothe or visit, to lavish with our love, but yet, the poor are with us, and whatever we do to the least of men, we do to Jesus.