Through the church

You Are Not the One to Build, Part 6B: Spiritual Gifts: God Works through us for His Purpose

Ian Johnson September 4, 2023 1 Comment

The modern emphasis on first identifying my “gift” so that I may then “help” God develop it gets the matter exactly backwards. The important thing isn’t identifying my gift, it is offering my body as a living sacrifice so that the Spirit may exercise any gift He chooses through me. Then any gift I am observed to be actually exercising can be identified as my gift, and its exercise will be genuine and have God’s power.

A God who Speaks, Desire to have our own way, Disrespecting poor believers, Divisions in the Church, God Speaks to Us, God's purpose for us, Historical Background, In the Church, Meaning of Unity, Other Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Personal Background, Personality cults, Prophecy, Through others, Through teachers, Through the church, To be his ambassadors, To bear fruit, To live in unity

fruit, Fruit of the Spirit, gifts, gifts of the Holy Spirit, Gifts to the Church, Holy Spirit, Love, love one another, Spiritual Gifts

You Are Not the One to Build, Part 6A: Persons given to the Church and formal “offices.”

Ian Johnson August 27, 2023 3 Comments

Addresses the subject of the roles of the people said in Ephesians 4 to be “given” to the Church by Christ and the qualifications and roles of church officers mentioned in the New Testament–overseers, officially recognized elders, and church servants (deacons). Also discusses the role of elders–older people in the church–even when not formally recognized as leaders, with application to me, the author of this presentation.

A God who Speaks, Confession of Sin, God's purpose for us, In the Church, Meaning of Unity, Prophecy, Through others, Through teachers, Through the church, To be his ambassadors, To live in unity

Apostles, bishops, Church officers, deacons, elders, evangeists, Fruit of the Spirit, God's gifts to the Church, Jesus' gifts to the Church, live worthy, living worthy, overseers, Pastor, pastors, People given to the Church, presbyters, Prophets, servant, servants, shepherd, teachers

You are not the one to build…

Ian Johnson May 14, 2023 1 Comment

A summary of my calling and life direction. I am becoming comfortable with the idea that most of the positive effect of my life will occur after it is over and that, among humans, I will receive no credit for it.

A God who Speaks, God Speaks to Us, God's purpose for us, God's Voice, In prayer, Prophecy, Repentance, The Bible, Through others, Through teachers, Through the church, To be his ambassadors, To bear fruit, To live in unity

direction, fruit, fruitfulness, God's will, life direction, ministry, not now, purpose

The Mind of Christ, and Rejecting It

Ian Johnson February 17, 2023 1 Comment

God speaks to us individually, and also collectively as his Body. We must hear him and walk with him individually and also depend on each other for his voice. Believers all have the mind of Christ, but none of us alone has all of the mind of Christ.

A God who Speaks, Desire to have our own way, God Acts by Speaking, God Speaks to Us, Holy Spirit, Pride in accomplishments as our own, Refusing to hear, Through others, Through the church, Trinity

dependence, God speaks, God's Voice, Head of the Church, Holy Spirit, interdependence, Jesus, Jesus Christ, knowing God, listening, Mind of Christ, Spirit, the Church, Unity

God Speaks to Us through His Spirit

Ian Johnson February 9, 2023 3 Comments

God speaks to us through his Holy Spirit, who must teach us–by building within us–everything we truly know of God. God also speaks to the world through us, by his Spirit who is building his image within us.

A God who Speaks, God Acts by Speaking, God Speaks to Us, God's purpose for us, God's Voice, His Children, Holy Spirit, Promises, Refusing to hear, Rejecting God, The Bible, Through Jesus, Through teachers, Through the church, To be in his image, To bear fruit, Trinity, What is sin?

children of God, God, God speaks, God's Voice, Holy Spirit, imago Dei, Jesus, Son of God, Spirit of Christ, Spirit of God, Spirit teaches, Spirit teaches us all things, the image of God

A Few Comments on the Overall Process

Ian Johnson August 21, 2022 0 Comments

Most of the currents of modern Western history can ultimately be traced to the well-meaning decisions of Christian leaders in the early centuries to seek political sponsorship. This led to the inversion of the Gospel message, forced exile of “heretics,” the rise of Islam through the influence of exiled “heretics,” and most of the subsequent upheavals in the Western world.

A God who Speaks, Authority Contests, Changed treatment of each other, Compulsory Christianity, Desire to have our own way, Disrespecting poor believers, Divisions in the Church, Ethnic Division, God Never Stopped Speaking, God Speaks to Us, Heresy, Islam and Christianity, Islam as a Consequence, Peril of Seeking Power, Peril of Seeking Respectability, Religious violence and persecution, Repentance, Salvation, Social control and statecraft, Through the church, Truth and Falsehood, Wars as consequences, What is sin?

Christendom, Christian politics, Christianity, Christianity and Islam, Christianity and politics, Divisions in the Church, heresy, heretical movements, History of Christianity

Godly sorrow and repentance which leads to salvation, 2 Corinthians 7:8-10

Ian Johnson March 27, 2022 2 Comments

In Corinth, Godly sorrow over a letter Paul regretted writing led the members of the church to a zeal to put away their sins which is the definition of repentance. After that repentance, they were told to accept back among themselves even those who had lapsed into the “worst” sins, but had repented.

A God who Speaks, Changed treatment of each other, Consequences, forgiveness and mercy, God is Love, God Speaks to Us, God's Existence and Nature, judgment, Repentance, Repentance in community, Repentance versus Remorse, Restoration of God's Image, Sin, Through the church, Victory

acceptance, Corinthians, deliverance, godly sorrow, Grief, immorality, Paul, reconciliation, regret, remorse, repent, repentance, salvation, sin, sinner

Repentance, Confession and the Textual Variant in James 5:16

Ian Johnson August 9, 2021 3 Comments

James 5:16 occurs in a context dealing with sick Christians and healing. In that context, it teaches that we are to agree with each other about the character flaws in our lives that lead to discrete sins, and pray for each other that these flaws–and the whole person–will be healed. This sensible reading is supported by the Byzantine New Testament text tradition, which is to be preferred for this verse.

A God who Speaks, Confession and Repentance, Confession of Sin, Forgiveness and Unforgiveness, God Speaks to Us, God's purpose for us, Is forgiveness of sins the focus of salvation?, Reconciliation, Repentance, Repentance in community, Restoration of God's Image, Restoration of our Relationships, Through others, Through the church, To live in unity

Agree with Each Other, agreement, character flaws, Confess, confession, fault, faults, healing, James 5:16, prayer

Some Other Issues Affected by the Question of Whether and How God Speaks

Ian Johnson May 20, 2021 1 Comment

The question whether God still speaks impacts a number of other issues, ranging from the nature of a believer’s relationship with God, to the miraculous, to church offices and authority.

A God who Speaks, God Never Stopped Speaking, God Speaks to Us, God's Voice, In prayer, Other Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Prophecy, The Bible, Through Jesus, Through others, Through the church, Uncategorized

Church Offices, conformity, God speaks, God's Word, God's words, miracles, personal relationship, Spiritual Gifts, Voice of God, Word of God

Introduction to the Word and Voice of God

Ian Johnson May 17, 2021 4 Comments

This post is the beginning of my attempt to focus on the question of how God speaks (or permits Himself to speak) to us today. It presents a summary of the various positions commonly held, from which discussion will proceed in later posts.

A God who Speaks, God Acts by Speaking, God Never Stopped Speaking, God Speaks to Us, God's Voice, Prophecy, The Bible, Through Jesus, Through others, Through the church, What is God's Word

cessationism, competing positions, continuationism, God speaks, summary, Voice of God, Word of God

You Are Not the One to Build, Part 6B: Spiritual Gifts: God Works through us for His Purpose

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You Are Not the One to Build, Part 6A: Persons given to the Church and formal “offices.”

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You are not the one to build…

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The Mind of Christ, and Rejecting It

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God Speaks to Us through His Spirit

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A Few Comments on the Overall Process

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Godly sorrow and repentance which leads to salvation, 2 Corinthians 7:8-10

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Repentance, Confession and the Textual Variant in James 5:16

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Some Other Issues Affected by the Question of Whether and How God Speaks

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Introduction to the Word and Voice of God

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