NOTE: This was first posted www.onlinefellowship.us March 29, 2919 . It will unfold there. But randomly, we plan to post several excerpts from it.
Q. HOW did Jesus Christ act, react with each and every one of His regional ministry, personal, Mother, family abiding RELATIONSHIPS? Then all we want to have to do is to maturely resemble JESUS CHRIST in each one of ours!
http://www.relationshiptheology.org
PART 1 CHIEF APOSTLE PAUL BOOK OF EPHESIANS STUDY
Note: this is our apostolic Intro, to set the Stage for the In Depth Study
(C)2019 Taveau D’Arcy All copyrights reserved under international copyright laws
NOTE: As we begin this surely multipart ongoing Church of Ephesus, Book of Ephesians, teaching, BIBLE STUDY, we must first point out that this is a Submitted Selah, done after much time spent field researching the current, mostly Grass Roots doctrinal found , assessed fruit, mostly all affecting the TEN BIBLE RELATIONSHIPS (which we hold dear to our ever loving heart): https://onlinefellowship.us/?page_id=214
And, we deeply understand the lay of the Land, and all of this is addressed to Bible Believing, Ye Must Be Born Again ministers ..yet all kinds of men, women others are fully ongoing RESPECTED and allowed and invited…YET all do please know..that all comments are directed to the Christian believer.
TIME PERIOD REFLECTS CHURCH OF EPHESIANS UNDERSTANDING
We need to take note, that when Apostle Paul wrote this letter …the times were PRE Christian: no written form of the New Testament to read, to draw teaching or information, revelation from. All that was then available was the TORAH which included the first five Books of Moses,the Levitical Law, commonly known as the Pentateuch.
Yet this time period, in light of what was then coming (The First Church not back UNDER the Law)… was to remove the former legalistic imprisonment of the formal, religious, rules based ,exceeding works based Law, and to replace a Holy Spirit directed, free willed open community (Body) which was governed via each one practicing mature self control, balanced by the nonlegalistic wise teaching…And this along with granted grace to pray, to believe and to practice fully, the new chief apostolic growing revelation of “liberty in Christ.”
The Jews made up quite a large part of the First Church area community. And Jesus Himself, descended (on Mary, His mother’s side) from the Tribe of Judah. (which roughly means agricultural servant leadership..as in to PLOUGH, and in New Testament sense to PRAISE!)
Yet vast numbers of others (any who were not linked to Jewish ancestry by blood) were all put under the term GENTILES. And they could range from Roman citizens, the mega hosts of Temple Diana worshippers, the different kinds of persons with innumerable different faiths which traveled through this Asia Minor Trade Route,and the Samaritans,etc. Plus also this Gentile melting pot subgroup, surely included normal, natural, every day well meaning persons who just didn’t care about what they believed.
Many of the Jews who believed in Christ as their Lord and Savior, still had a lot of trouble understanding how much Old Testament Levitical Law to keep or not to keep. (That is a whole huge hot topic so we cannot delve deeply in that for right now). Let this writer basically sum it up by stating:
Surely there were many who continually struggled, just like they do right now. ..Certain careful, Truth Hard Seeking, wary individuals among the Many, who had been raised in the Hebrew community, back under the Levitical Law may have felt concern and apprehension about this New Idea of being guided from within, practicing fellowship and teaching, edifying encouragement, even discipline, as they watched it UNFOLD in front of their eyes..**
**(via the first church apostles mega times of prayer and fasting,pre and post Holy Ghost move in Book of Acts…. plus ongoing God dropped Holy Spirit illuminated bits and glimpses of revelations, Holy Spirit anointing and balance to the wonderful Old Testament, still needed and continually viable ongoing precepts*. (*not to be taken as finger pointing Legalism, but a needed confirmation, illumination, affirmation of the New Testament preaching, teaching and revealed Church practices.)
NOTE: How we regard BOOK OF EPHESIANS, CHURCH OF EPHESUS must be based on historical depictions and a realistic view of the ministry turf, area society into which Holy Spirit tried to plant this First Church Ephesians Lampstand new work.**
**(multicultural,mostly uneducated, tradesmen, highly pluralistic religions, Temple Diana saturated, idolatrous multiple faiths, Roman soldiers, Pharisees, Sadducees, Greeks, Asians, Africans and countless diverse respecting and completely disrespecting others. Also roving demonized persons as well as natural soft spoken true seeking sincere kind real persons.
NOTE:THIS WAS EASTERN, ASIA MINOR, TRADE ROUTE AND NOT many, if any at all, with Light, Fair Skin.
Whereas we in the West, have had multiplied media and Hollywood portrayals of Jesus Christ. Yet He was not fair skinned, light of eyes nor did He champion any one political or religious denomination View (meaning the Hebrew, then Christ accepting, divided by accusative law, back then area community. Christ, the apostolic Messiah, had olive skin, brown hair and was of Middle Eastern /Hebrew deep ancestry (on His Mother Mary’s side..seeing how Creator Father was His Unique Creator Father)
NOTE APOSTLE PAUL AND THE FIRST CHURCH HAD NO WRITTEN FORM OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, NO PRIOR GENERATION OF CHRISTIAN TEACHING…PLUS NO TV, YOU TUBE, “BROTHER OR SISTER SO AND SO TEACHINGS” OR “PASTOR HANDBOOKS” FROM WHICH TO DRAW
Book of Ephesians, the letter from Paul to the fledgling shoot which was the meager start to the Church at Ephesus, was penned in an apostolic leader time when there was NO New Testament Bible to refer back to.
Repeat: There there were no prior ministry leader generations to look at for possible Hero Role Modeling, apostolic mentoring or to ask about the ministry doctrine tricky fine points. That is the complete opposite of what we all have today.
CHIEF APOSTLE PAUL.WOULD HE HAVE BEEN WIDELY REGARDED AS A BIG AREA CELEBRITY?
Apostle Paul, while he definitely had renown, never ever used a Capital A when he described himself as an First Church apostle. (Unless it started a sentence!) …Nor did He use a Capital B for bishop, or P for prophet, E for evangelist, P for pastor and/or T for teacher. Rather, per regarding each of his deep mature Pauline epistles, plus referring to the passages where Paul directly names the 5 fold leader church ministry offices (Ephesians 4:11), we still notice no “Capital Letters” at the beginning of each office word. Perchance the WHY? It is due to the fact that Paul treasured the humility of servant eldership, apostolic government and overseer office
In an abiding JAMES 3:17 ALL RELATIONSHIP RESPECTING manner: We may regard the following scripture quotes where apostle Paul encourages humility in all 5 fold real offices and within the, at least intended, “Ephesians 4: multicultural diverse, area wide, national and truly global leader Body of Christ.
Ephesians 1:6 “….wherein He hath made us accepted in the beloved.”
Ephesians 2:14 “For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;”
Ephesians 4: 1-3 (Addressing All Relationship Humble Unity )”I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:4-6(Addressing All Relationship Commonly Agreed upon non legalistic doctrine)4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Ephesians 5:21 “Submitting yourselves to one another in the fear of the Lord.”
ABOVE.. We take note that each Pauline Book of Ephesians Bible Verse which affirms the Old Testament humble precepts in Psalm 133 (God commands His life giving blessing on Unity) as well as the Holy Spirit letter to the Church of Philadelphia “the Love Walk true remnant church, who is the Bride of Christ”
CHURCH OF EPHESUS…THE ERA OF THE FIRST CHURCH WAS TO PROMOTE ACCEPTANCE, UNITY, CALMNESS, RESPECT ,COMMUNITY AT PEACE
Noteably…. Ephesians 4: 11-16 Body of Christ Transformation, which then effects secular society
LINK To Ephesians 4:11-16KJV: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians+4%3A11-16&version=KJV
CHURCH OF EPHESIANS IN REVELATION, COMPARED TO CHURCH AT PHILADELPHIA (mini)
LINK TO Ephesians Letter Revelation
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2%3A1-11&version=KJV
YES…this is an aside and we understand that this is the Bible study about BOOK OF EPHESIANS) but they eventually both come into play!
Now a key comparison to the commended Brotherly Love Walk CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA REVELATION 3:7-12
NOTE: It is left up to the scholarly reader to rightly divide the full time period, meaning of this mysterious letter. However, I point out directly (by BOLD LETTERS) that The Church of Philadelphia is the only letter among the 7 First Churches that contains no rebuke. It also appears that this loving respectful Authentic Church qualifies to be among the ONLY form , type of Church,”who’s doors are guaranteed never to close.” (v. 7, v.8)
Sidetrack: personally I always pray that my leader, personal, private, public life deeply reflect that of of the Brotherly Love Walk True Real Life Church.
NOTE: The Church which gets praised keeps RELATIONSHIPS as revelation top priority
http://www.relationshiptheology.org
CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA REVELATION 3: 7-11 KJV (note the BOLD)
7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.
QUICK NOTE: The above was CHURCH OF PHILADELPHIA, while this apostolic Bible study is ongoing about BOOK OF EPHESIANS.
Yet one can hardly read each one of the Letters in Revelation 2 -3 without noting that the Holy Spirit letter to the overseer senior pastor of the CHURCH OF EPHESUS is very first.
And while there is no room or time to delve into this one particular meaty letter to CHURCH OF EPHESUS, which does contain an enormous open leader rebuke, I will for now, simply post the LINK to that for you to fully read…and then simply comment.
THE LINK TO CHURCH OF EPHESUS LETTER REVELATION 2:1-7
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2&version=KJV
COMMENTARY: While in the Church of Ephesus (BOOK OF EPHESIANS) we find only the lay of the uncertain surely fearsome Pre Christian area, with NO comments or hint of the less than fragrant spiritual fruit mentioned in REVELATION 2:1-7.
ASKING THE “WHY” and “WHAT apparently repeatedly occurred, randomly or perpetually did happen which would make God’s Holy Spirit comment on them in such a mature, assessment of apostolic MISSING THE AREA MARK?
More later ..
Indeed, this concludes PART 1…and surely contains more than enough food for assessment and ministry contemplation.
Please deeply understand that I personally fully believe that we live no in the POST Christian age and may benefit from acquiring knowledge via fearless, “no weak kneed “Queen Jezebel, accuser witch preoccupation” “tale bearing” and/or accuser Old Testament legalistic doctrines …
….but instead Apostle Paul paints an exceedingly valuable picture of the 5 fold offices, and the multicultural landscape which could be transformed by simple Cross Body True Unity and every single pastor, teacher, him or her apostle, true prophet and witnessing evangelist, lay /family, team (not cliquish club) member on Christ’s Board…His local fellowship, cross denominational Team.
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