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Author Topic: REAL and FALSE KINGDOM AUTHORITY  (Read 12558 times)
Janet Easson Martin
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« on: April 17, 2012, 12:40:52 pm »

REAL and FALSE KINGDOM AUTHORITY

There are some great teachers of the Word of God out there.  Those who are approved by God and speak under His authority correctly handling His Truth.  One such widely recognized teacher is Adrian Rogers, who is 'still speaking' on the program, Love Worth Finding.  He was a pastor, teacher,  author, and three-term president of the Southern Baptist Convention.  My sweet former pastor (who happened to go to bible school with him, though both now have gone to heaven) said Adrian really impressed on him that people were more important than projects.  

His series on Kingdom Authority encouragingly reminded me of the astonishing power that is ours as believers; and struck me with new insight.  As he stepped through to explain the truths of our entitlement to heavenly authority now in Christ, our reigning now in His Spirit on earth, and the abundance of grace that is absolutely ours now to be free from the slavery of sin and Satan; the flame of my faith became fanned by the knowledge of direct access to God the Father to personally connect with Him, beseech Him in prayer, and SEE Him work marvels that will reconcile any wrong, flourish any desert in our lives, and remake us into the glorious creation he has planned.  Instead of worrying, we can be ASKING for lots of help, just like a child would do.  We can do the very important and wonderful works he deliberately thought-out for us, before the FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD!!  Can't get more exciting and adventurous than that!

Mr. Rogers also explained that many Christians do not live through this authority because they’ve not been told,
or they think it is too good to be true
.



In 1863, Abraham Lincoln penned and signed a document that entitled and declared slaves their permanent, legally valid, and protected freedom.  I have included pertinent excerpts from "The Emmancipation Proclamation" below:

"That on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, …shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free; and the Executive Government of the United States…will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons, or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom

Now, therefore I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-Chief, of the Army and Navy of the United States in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and government of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, do, on this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days… “  
 
-Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States (bold emphasis mine)


Adrian explained that although this great covenant was made something distressing occured, 'however, many slaves stayed on the plantations'.  'Some didn’t get the news of the proclamation; and some didn’t believe it because it seemed too good to be true.'



The same is true for christians.  If our church leaders don't deliver the news of our new freedom and power by declaring the Truth of God's Word then we may remain ignorant of it.  Or if what we've been taught or modeled is so different, it may seem foreign or unbelievable to us.  Shepherds after God's heart want their flock to know and experience their POWER and FREEDOM in Christ, so they will be empowered to do all that God has called them to individually.  False Shepherds want the sheep to be dependent on them to control what they believe and do.
 
You shall know the TRUTH and the TRUTH will set you free'

He clarified and illuminated godly authority (not “godly form” but power).  Defining authority as the official legal right to act, he explained, because one is under authority, he can have authority.  Citing Luke 7:8 he showed that the source of authority is always from above, and that your authority is no better than the one who is over you.  Jesus has dominion over Satan and authority over demons.  That means they are subject to you also in HIM, just as they were to the disciples. Yet, only when they were believing, and not influenced by the religious legalists.  When we are believing, we ACT like Jesus.  We move as a BODY of believers and the LIFE & LOVE of CHRIST is in US.  We are not a business with just projects to master workers to do.  You cannot be over someone in the body of Christ UNLESS you are UNDER the authority of GOD.  This is apparent by one’s actions, not one’s words.  If you are submissive to God you will be submissive and humble toward others as God commands, “Submit to one another out of REVERENCE for Christ”.  You will “walk in the way of love”.  Thus you will be kind, not rude and bullying; humble, not boastful and arrogant; encouraging, not envious or competitive; patient, not pushy and hard line; gentle, not dominant or dictatorial; a giver, not a taker or a user; a servant, not manipulator or a controller.  The positive genuine characteristics are those resulting from obedience to Christ.  The negative traits are of those who are disobedient to God.  Then Adrian ended his teaching today on Kingdom Authority by emphatically stating this:

“GOD DOES NOT GIVE KINGDOM AUTHORITY TO REBELS!”



It seems the only other way, then, to impose "kingdom authority" is to INVENT IT by DECEPTIVE PERSUASION and CUNNING CONTROL.

To Compel you to need them because you are "not good enough" as you are, Impose a standard other than simply living in Christ, Press you by "lack of spiritual committment" guilt, Push by condemnation when they sense you are getting too confident, Belittle you with accusations, Coerce you by lying about their "closeness and higher approval with God", Intimidate you by telling you how wrong you and how right they are, Steal your freedom, your money, your free time, and your future, and Break you down by using you to perform endless tasks and "service" for their glory (not God's) by FALSE AUTHORITY as IMPOSTERS
.



God himself pleads with us through Paul:

 “You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?  That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you.  “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” You have such admirable tolerance for impostors who rob your freedom, rip you off, steal you blind, put you down—even slap your face! I shouldn't admit it to you, but our stomachs aren't strong enough to tolerate that kind of stuff...
 Since you admire the egomaniacs of the pulpit so much (remember, this is your old friend, the fool, talking), let me try my hand at it.”

-Galatians 5:7-9, 21-23


« Last Edit: May 11, 2012, 07:39:25 pm by Janet Easson Martin » Logged

For grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them.        - Saint Augustine
Janet Easson Martin
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« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2022, 06:26:34 pm »


REAL and FALSE KINGDOM AUTHORITY


. . . “A leader gains doctrinal authority by being correct, not by virtue of his position. He must be able to defend his doctrinal position with solid argument and reasoning.

A Godly Christian Leader should welcome challenges to his doctrinal position from wherever they come; firstly because it will makes him think about his position more; secondly because if he is correct the challenge will make him more confident of position; thirdly because if he is wrong then he would want to know about it, since almost nothing should scare a preacher more than teaching wrong doctrine. In summary a Godly Christian leader never feels threatened by well meaning criticism, where a cultic leader has everything to fear from it.

In our experience with cults, the reason these sorts of fear-based restrictions are taught is because the cult leaders do not have the answers. Stray away from their well-trodden set of scripture verses and their arguments go down in flames; deep down they know this, so they ban the very mechanisms by which valid questions could be asked. In fact, like the Super Apostles, the cult leaders ban even discussing these things with other members who are on the same level as you. And really sophisticated cult leaders program their members to feel they have sinned by even thinking that their leaders could be wrong.

Now, I wonder, where did we put our copy of George Orwell’s 1984?”
. . .


- Excerpt from “Church Leadership Authority” by CultWatch




Church Leadership Authority
https://www.cultwatch.com/churchleadershipauthority-html.html



« Last Edit: April 06, 2022, 06:40:16 pm by Janet Easson Martin » Logged

For grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them.        - Saint Augustine
Janet Easson Martin
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« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2022, 08:59:47 pm »


GUARD YOURSELVES and OTHERS



After reading about other bullying & manipulative Christian Leadership in the Larger Body of Christ this evening in addition to my own with GCx, I suddenly saw these words (below) from the Apostle Paul as charged with real emotional urgency and imminent danger. The frequency of such people among the Universal Body of Christ is scary. This is NOT Real Kingdom Authority! So glad some guards are sounding the alarm against False Kingdom Authority. (At the same time most of us would agree that there are those in error, Legalism, or jealousy who vehemently label Anointed Biblical Teachers as “False.”)

God’s Word tells us we will know them by their fruit. Not the number of people they have as followers, but that which Galatians 5:22 clearly outlines. What do they really do when not platformed before an audience? How do they do they treat their people behind closed doors? How do they actually practice their faith? How do they handle money given by hard-working people to God’s Ministry? Do they speak or counsel in fear of loosing possession of people and so restrict them from hearing truth; or do they allow the Spirit and His Word to work and reign in people’s lives? Do their words and tone agree with scripture or are they perversely twisting God’s Word and manipulating? Finally, what are the actual results in people’s lives whom they claim to “minister” to?




Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed
you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased
with his own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come
in among you
, not sparing the flock. Men will rise up even from your own number
and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them.
Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years
I never stopped warning each one of you with tears.

Acts 20:29



« Last Edit: October 05, 2022, 07:37:02 am by Janet Easson Martin » Logged

For grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them.        - Saint Augustine
Janet Easson Martin
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Posts: 1898



« Reply #3 on: October 09, 2022, 07:11:24 pm »


True Spiritual Maturity and Leadership


In light of all the misleading and erroneous examples of “spiritual” maturity and leadership that we were persuasively taught in GCx Churches; it is SO refreshing and encouraging to read this Christian books author, Bible college administrator, and Missions Director’s study of these important subjects. Oswald Sander’s identification of true godliness in his scriptural discovery is rich and right on. It is such a welcome contrast to what was modeled by McCotter, and many of his disciples that have remained “in power” in the remnant of GCx-rooted Churches. (Only the bold emphasis below is mine.)




SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP and SPIRITUAL DISCIPLESHIP

by. J. Oswald Sanders

MOODY PUBLISHERS


In Paul’s day, only a deep love for Christ and genuine concern for the church could motivate people to lead. But in many cultures today where Christian leadership carries prestige and privilege, people aspire to leadership for reasons quite unworthy and self-seeking. Holy ambition has always been surrounded by distortions. …

All Christians are called to develop God-given talents, to make the most of their lives, and to develop to the fullest their God-given gifts and capabilities. But Jesus taught that ambition that centers on the self is wrong. …

The word ambition comes from a Latin word meaning “campaigning for promotion” The phrase suggests a variety of elements: social visibility and approval, popularity, peer recognition, the exercise of authority over others. Ambitious people, in this sense, enjoy the power that comes with money, prestige, and authority. Jesus had no time for such ego-driven ambitions. The true spiritual leader will never “campaign for promotion.”

To His “ambitious” disciples Jesus announced a new standard of greatness: “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all” (Mark 10:42–44).


Christ begins by calling four passive personal qualities blessed.

Spiritual Inadequacy.
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (v. 3), or “O the bliss of those who feel inadequate!” …

The person who is to be envied is the one who, in consciousness of his spiritual bankruptcy, is cast back on God and draws on His limitless resources. As Luther said, “We are all beggars, living on the bounty of God.” But such poverty leads to spiritual affluence. “Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” …




From:

https://www.moodypublishers.com/mpimages/Marketing/WEB%20Resources/ProductExcerpts/9780802482761-TOC-CH1.pdf





« Last Edit: October 10, 2022, 01:17:44 pm by Janet Easson Martin » Logged

For grace is given not because we have done good works, but in order that we may be able to do them.        - Saint Augustine
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