Christ's Instructions

[Odë:hgöd]

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Hello;

There's been times during our +/- 27 years of internet forum activity when we
encountered people wanting to know what they're supposed to do now that they
decided to become a Christian.

A mega Baptist church that we attended back in the decade of the 1970's had a
discipleship program that incorporated an outreach booklet called "The Four
Spiritual Laws" authored in 1952 by Campus Crusade for Christ founder Dr. Bill
Bright.

Those guidelines are helpful as far as they go, but they're pretty elementary and in
our opinion inadequate for taking Christ's believing followers to infinity and beyond,
so to speak.

Some years ago, just for the curiosity of it, we set out compiling a home-spun
catalogue of Christ's instructions from the new Testament that apply to all his
followers regardless of denominational affiliation. In time we realized that his
instructions, accompanied by a little commentary, would make a pretty good
how-to handbook; so here we are.

** We chose to start in the book of Acts because that's pretty much where Christ's
apostles began telling his believing followers what to do in accord with the Lord's
instructions per Matt 28:19-20.

Buen Camino
(Pleasant Journey)
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[Odë:hgöd]

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001) Acts 15:20a . . Abstain from food tainted by idols,

In the old Roman world, nourishing things offered to pagan gods were not always
destroyed but instead were afterwards sold as groceries. Most of us here in the USA
will likely never encounter that kind of food in Costco, Safeway and/or Whole Foods
whereas markets in places like India might carry stuff like that.

002) Acts 15:20b . . Abstain from promiscuity

Promiscuity typically refers to things like adultery, incest, shacking up, one night
stands, sleeping around, etc.

● 1Thess 4:3-5 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid
sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way
that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know
God.

003) Acts 15:20c . . Abstain from the meat of strangled animals.

Strangulation is a slow, inhumane way to die. If you know that the meat you're
being served came from an animal that was choked to death, consider it food fit
only for barbarians.

004) Acts 15:20d . . Abstain from blood

In other words: Christ's followers are forbidden to imbibe blood as a beverage.

There are cultures that poke holes in cows' necks in order to drink blood straight
out of the living animal utilizing its own blood pressure like a tap to fill their cups; a
rather ghastly repast that might be okay for Edward Cullen's family but certainly
not for Christians.
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[Odë:hgöd]

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005) Rom 6:11 . . Count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

"dead to sin" in this case doesn't mean Christ's believing followers can't, won't,
and/or don't sin (cf. 1John 1:8-10). It means that sin can no longer give God cause
to slam them with the sum of all fears.

Romans 5:12-21 explains, in so many words; that folks unified with Christ are
accounted as having gone to the cross with him similar to accounting Adam's
posterity as having tasted the forbidden fruit with him. This principle is at the very
core of Christianity's plan of salvation so it's important to "get it" early on as it will
free one's mind of the terrors relative to retribution under the most disagreeable
circumstances; and thus allow them to anticipate pleasure in Christianity instead of
anxiety.

In a nutshell: When Jesus went to the cross; he died for the sins of the world from
first to last. That being the case, then when his believing followers went to the
cross with him, they also died for their sins from first to last. As a result: when the
books are opened there will be nothing on record with which to charge them. (cf.
Rom 8:31-34 & 2Cor 5:19)

NOTE: "in Christ Jesus" is a position similar to Noah's position in the ark. Getting
into the ark was a simple physical action, whereas getting into Christ Jesus requires
the assistance of a complex supernatural action. More on that later; meanwhile
suffice it to say that as his position in the ark provided Noah safety from the Flood,
so their position in Christ Jesus provides his believing followers safety from the
great white throne event depicted by Rev 20:11-15 whereby the lost will be
terminated by a mode of death akin to a foundry worker falling into a kettle of
molten iron.
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[Odë:hgöd]

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006) Rom 6:12-13 . . Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its
evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of
wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought
from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to Him as instruments of
righteousness.

That's essentially the same instructions that God passed on to Cain; to wit:

"If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right,
sin is crouching at your door;" (Gen 4:7a)

That's the very first instance in the Bible of the word "sin". The Hebrew word
basically means an offense; as in repeat offender. In other words; not just an
occasional slip-up, but a life style, i.e. habits.

Also:

"It desires to have you, but you must master it." (Gen 4:7b)

That's the first mention of self control in the Bible. In other words: God created
humanity with the capability to choose bad ways for itself; but that's only half the
story. God also created humanity with the capability to choose good ways for itself;
so He wasn't requiring something impossible from Cain like touching his right elbow
with the thumb of his right hand. So if self control was within the capabilities of a
brutish man like Cain, then I should think self control would be within the
capabilities of Christians too.
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[Odë:hgöd]

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007) Rom 12:1 . . Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service.

The Greek word for "sacrifice" technically refers to a victim; but it's not always
applied that way. For example speaking well of God, doing good, and sharing are
legitimate sacrifices. (Heb 13:15-16)

The sacrifice required herein is a living sacrifice rather than deceased so Christ's
followers don't have to martyr themselves in order to fulfill it; but their bodies do
have to be holy in order to be accepted; which means avoiding things that defile
their bodies like indecency, promiscuity, adultery, and LGBT stuff.

The Bible calls those requirements "reasonable". In other words: It isn't asking too
much of Christ's followers to keep themselves pure.

NOTE: One of the tools employed by communism, in its quest to influence the
governance of a foreign country, is moral corruption; which is very effective when it
gets into places like education, entertainment, literature, family values, and/or
religious institutions. That strategy is to be expected from an atheistic foreign
power. (cf. 2Cor 2:11)
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[Odë:hgöd]

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008) Rom 12:2 . . Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and
perfect, will of God.

Bible reading is a good place to begin with Rom 12:2; however, the ways of God
aren't meant to be self-taught; they're meant to be instructed by teachers
empowered by God for that specific purpose. (Rom 12:4-8, 1Cor 12:1-30)

Sermons and Sunday school classes are Christianity's traditional sources of
teaching. But these days with radio, television, and the internet; competent God
given spiritual leaders are wide-spread and readily available. In centuries gone
past, it was necessary to journey to hear them speak. Nowadays, they speak to the
whole world by means of electronic gadgets.

* Beware using 1John 2:27 as an excuse to circumvent instruction. When Christians
do that, they risk stunting their spiritual growth and causing division.

● Eph 4:11-13 . . And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for
the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in
the unity of the faith

The Greek word translated "edifying" means to build up as opposed to tearing
down.
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[Odë:hgöd]

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009) Rom 12:3 . . By the grace given me; I say to every one of you: Do not think
of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober
judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

"sober judgment" is from a Greek word that basically means to be of sound mind,
i.e. sane, sensible, and rational, viz: not under the influence of fatigue, drugs,
alcohol, and/or counter-culture, e.g. woke; defined by Webster's as politically liberal
or progressive (as in matters of racial and social justice) especially in a way that is
considered unreasonable or extreme.

A popular saying going around is this: "You can be anything". No, we can't be
anything, and it's unreasonable to think otherwise. Know your limits and stay within
them; don't be setting impossible goals for yourself; especially in matters of faith
and practice.

● Rom 12:4-8 . . Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these
members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form
one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts,
according to the grace given us.

. . . If someone's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is
serving, let them serve; if it is teaching, let them teach; if it is encouraging, let them
encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let them give generously; if it
is leadership, let them govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let them do it
cheerfully.

Some church managers have a really bad habit of recruiting people to teach Sunday
school who don't have a gift for it in accordance with Rom 12:3-8, 1Cor 12:1-30,
and Eph 4:7-12. Well; if teaching is not your spiritual specialty; then the sensible
thing to do is decline. Function within your range like Rom 12:3 says, and don't let
those managers pressure you into submission by making you feel guilty for refusing.
Nobody gains points with Christ by going off-reservation.
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[Odë:hgöd]

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010) Rom 12:6 . . If God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you
have faith that God is speaking through you.

The Greek word for "prophesy" in that verse encompasses predictions, which were
common in the early church; for example Agabus at Acts 11:27-28 and Acts 21:10-11.

Hunches don't count because it's required that prophets sincerely believe
themselves infallible and speaking for God ex cathedra, i.e. by means of inspiration.
(2Pet 1:20-21)
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[Manonfire63]

In the Book of Acts, Christians were separating themselves.

The Modern or Post Modern World, it was built on Christian Tolerance. Christian Tolerance was built on a shared sense of values.

Do we have a shared sense of values anymore? In the Book of Acts, Christians separated themselves and lived in their own communities. Someone's church, it should be close enough that their kids could ride their bikes there. That was more important.

A lot has changed, in the US, since there was prayer in schools. There has been John Dewey, Progressive Education. That was failing in the 1990's. Something like George W Bush, and No Child Left Behind, it didn't fix the problem, but people stopped talking about it. Now we have men in girls bathrooms and CRT, and the FBI looking to punish parents for speaking out against it at a School Board meetings. That no prayer in schools ended up a slippery slope. As Focus on the Family, and other such groups, faded into the 2000's, what took their place as steering the reigns of morality?

 

[Manonfire63]

I am not attacking anyone.

If you will stick with me, I have been using very particular words and names with very particular meaning. I became aware of these things working for God.

John Dewey, like the Dewey Decimal System. He didn't like God and was for a "Secular" Public Education.

A lot of Education, previously, it was a more Classical Education.

Link: Why A Classical Education Is Almost Impossible Today

I didn't know this till I was working for God.

In Protestantism........part of what you should be learning about God should be in school. Going to public education, and church, these should not be two separate things.

 

[Manonfire63]

Interesting note:

Why do Librarians, with the Dewey Decimal System, tend to be liberal?

Video:

 

[Odë:hgöd]

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011) Rom 12:7a . . If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well.

"serving well" implies serving conscientiously and whole-heartedly rather than half
baked, grudging, and/or hit and miss.

One of my brothers has been a construction foreman for decades and one of his
perpetual complaints is that he never knows from one day to the next whether
some of the men he hires on jobs will show up. In other words: they aren't reliable,
he can't count on them.

What I'm saying is: if you're thinking about becoming helpful in some way, don't do
it unless you're willing to commit to the long haul because people need to know
that they can depend on you to stay the course.
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[Odë:hgöd]

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012) Rom 12:7b . . If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching.

I had a Sunday school teacher once who worked as a maintenance man in a public
swimming facility. One Saturday he had to work very late repairing some
equipment at the pool and had no time to prepare his lesson plan for Sunday
morning so he just threw something together. It stunk; and my wife and I got
nothing out of it.

In contrast, I once knew a pastor who took all week long to prepare his Sunday
morning sermons rather than put it off till Saturday night. Now there was a guy
who knew what it means to do a good job of teaching; viz: a conscientious job.

● 1Cor 10:31 . . So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the
glory of God.

One of the meanings of the Greek word for glory is "honor" which in this case can
be defined as doing something out of respect for someone admired and/or held in
high esteem.
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[Manonfire63]

This is to inform you that I don't have the patience to be distracted by your
remarks so I've placed you on my ignore list. Others will still be able to view your
posts; just not me. Sorry. From Ode.hgod.

I got this message today. My remarks were directed at:

There's been times during our +/- 27 years of internet forum activity when we
encountered people wanting to know what they're supposed to do now that they
decided to become a Christian.

A lot has changed since the 1970's. There has been a culture war going on. Religion is a big part of culture. Who are your neighbors should be other Christians. Does a man have to fight the school board? Given he is living in a Christian community, there may be a shared since of values. He shouldn't have to fight the school board.

I don't mind being on someone's ignore list.

 

[Odë:hgöd]

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013) Rom 12:8a . . If your gift is to encourage others, then do so.

Developing children benefit from encouragement in a big way. Thoughtless grown
ups can destroy a young child's fragile spirit by criticizing them all the time and
never once giving them an "attaboy" or a single vote of confidence.

A very charming example of this was acted out in an old movie wherein Spencer
Tracey played Thomas Edison. In a scene, he tasked a young boy with carrying his
freshly completed prototype of an electric light bulb upstairs to the lab for testing.
The boy stumbled on the stairs, and the bulb was ruined.

So Tracey made another and tasked the same boy with taking it upstairs again.
Tracy's assistants protested that the boy dropped one bulb already; but Tracey
handed him the precious prototype and said: He won't drop this one. And the boy
didn't because Tracey believed in that kid.

A fitting word spoken at just the right moment can really beef up somebody's
resolve to meet life head on. If you're good at that sort of thing, then watch for
opportunities to do so. It has to be honest though because leaving people with a
false impression of themselves is all the same as treachery, and sets them up for
disappointment.

● Prov 29:5 . .Whoever flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his feet.
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[Odë:hgöd]

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014) Rom 12:8b . . If you have money, share it generously.

"generously" is translated from a Greek word basically meaning simplicity, which
can be construed as innocence and/or naivete. In other words; sharing one's wealth
without expecting reciprocity and/or gaining an advantage. To the pragmatic mind,
that kind of generosity is a poor investment, i.e. it's like throwing money out the
window.

For example: contributions to a political candidate's campaign fund typically aren't
motivated by generosity, whereas contributions to a charitable agency like
Samaritan's Purse and/or a local rescue mission are because folks benefiting from
those contributions are so powerless, and so disadvantaged, that there's nothing
worthwhile to be gained by offering them assistance.

Submitted for moderator approval 02/03/2024 @ 12:54 am Pacific Time
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[Odë:hgöd]

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015) Rom 12:8c . . If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility
seriously.

A natural aptitude for church management doesn't count. It has to be God-given;
that is: a legitimate Spirit-endowed ability. (cf. Rom 12:3-8, 1Cor 12:4-11, 1Cor
12:27-30)

There are far too many people sitting on church boards merely because they're a
success in business. Well; if your church is a commercial enterprise; then maybe
you should think about finding another one.

God-given leadership ability is spoken of as a "responsibility". In other words; it
should never be taken as an achievement. I just hate it when City, State, and
Federal government officials celebrate their positions as something they won as if
taking the gold in a spelling bee and/or a gymnastic event.

"The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: He that ruleth over men
must be just, ruling in the fear of God." (2Sam 23:3)

Too many of the men and women in power do not rule in the fear of God; and
rather than morally upright with their fellow man's best interests at heart, they are
often Machiavellian instead.

Submitted for moderator approval 02/04/2024 @ 01:24 am Pacific Time
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[Odë:hgöd]

016) Rom 12:8d . . If you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

The ability to show kindness is referred to as a gift. I think most folks, given the
option, would prefer the gift of tongues over the gift of kindness because the one is
merely a skill whereas the other makes us sensitive to need; which at times can be
both uncomfortable and inconvenient.
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[Odë:hgöd]

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017) Rom 12:9a . . Don't just pretend that you love others.

The Greek word translated "love" in this instance basically pertains to benevolence
rather than affection and/or fondness.

Benevolence is defined as acts of kindness and/or generosity.

Pretense is defined as fiction, make-believe, and/or simulation.

Anyway, talk is cheap and, like it's said: Put your money where your mouth is, i.e.
if we sincerely believe that benevolence is a Christian virtue, then we ought to
be practicing it for real.

Submitted for moderator approval 02/06/2024 @ 00:54 am Pacific Time
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[Odë:hgöd]

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018) Rom 12:9b . . Hate what is evil.

Hating evil is second nature to God-fearing people; or at least it should be.

● Ps 97:10 . .You who love The Lord: hate evil.

● Job 1:1 . . In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man
was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.

● Prov 8:13 . .The fear of The Lord is to hate evil. Pride and arrogance and the evil
way, and the perverted mouth, I hate.

I think it's fair to say that when somebody hates the same things that God hates,
and loves the same things that God loves; the two of them have the makings of a
meaningful rapport: defined by Webster's as a friendly, harmonious relationship--
especially a relationship characterized by agreement, mutual understanding, or
empathy that makes communication possible and/or easy.

● Gen 17:1 . .When Abram was ninety-nine years old, The Lord appeared to him
and said: I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.

● 1John 1:6 . . If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we
lie and do not live by the truth.

NOTE: Lukewarm is a state between love and hate; for example Rev 3:14-16 where
The Lord expresses his disgust with certain folks' lack of interest relative to his
preferences, viz: they're neither compliant nor non compliant: they just don't care.
He'd much rather those folks take a stand one way or the other rather than be so
cotton-pickin' indifferent.

Submitted for moderator approval 02/07/2024 @ 01:49 am Pacific Time
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