All posts by Jerald Finney

Jerald Finney was the lead counsel for the Biblical Law Center ("BLC") from May, 2005 until 2011. The BLC helps churches who desire to organize according to New Testament principles. In 2016, he again worked with the BLC and still does, but he now heads up the Churches under Christ Ministry which is under the authority of Charity Baptist Tabernacle of Amarillo TX. Finney is a licensed attorney who can be reached at 512-785-8445 jerald.finney@sbcglobal.net. Over the last few years he has lectured and preached on the issues concerning government, church, and separation of church and state. God called Finney, a Christian and fundamental Baptist since his salvation, to enter the University of Texas School of Law in 1990 at the age of 43 to stand in the gap concerning legal issues facing Christians. Since being saved, he has been a faithful and active member of a local fundamental, Bible-believing Baptist church. He received his JD degree in 1993 and has followed the Lord in the practice of law since that time. Finney received his law license in November 1993 and began practicing law in January, 1994. All along he was seeking the Lord’s direction. The Lord initially led Finney to practice criminal law. He knew that not many, if any, of the Christian law firms dealt with or specialized in criminal law, and that some Christians were being charged with crimes for their Christian behavior and for taking a stand for God’s principles. The Lord confirmed Finney's choice. Very soon after he started practicing, he helped an Eastern Orthodox priest with a criminal charge. He was charged under a criminal statute for trying to expose the promotion of sodomy and other sins within a Catholic Church. God gave the victory in that case. Then Steve, a Christian who counseled outside abortion clinics, called Finney. He was charged with a crime under the Austin, Texas Sign Ordinance for his activities outside an abortion clinic. Being a new lawyer, Finney called the Rutherford Institute. They asked him to send them a summary of the facts and a copy of the Sign Ordinance. Then they told him that the case could not be won and that they would not help. Steve lost at trial, but God gave the victory on appeal. The Austin Police Department immediately cited Steve for violation of the state sign ordinance. The Lord gave the victory at trial. Finney's first felony trial came about a year and six months after he started practicing law. A single Christian mother was charged with third degree felony injury to a child for spanking her six year old son. She left some prominent stripes across his rear end and also a stripe across his face when he turned suddenly during the spanking. The Lord gave the victory at trial. At the same time, Finney was also representing another Christian married lady who was charged with the same crime for spanking her little girl with a switch. On the date the trial in that case was to begin, the prosecutor, with prompting by the judge, lowered the offer to deferred adjudication probation of short duration on a misdemeanor charge with very few conditions on the probation. In a deferred adjudication in Texas, there is never a judgment of guilt if the probationer successfully completes the term of the probation, (and, with successful completion of the probation, the probationer can now file a Motion for Nondisclosure which, if granted, requires the file to be sealed so that the general public has no access to it). The mother decided to take the offer. The Lord has also allowed Finney to help Christian parents in numerous situations involving Child Protective Services (“CPS”) infringement into parental rights. God has given the victory in all those situations. The Lord has also used Finney to intervene in numerous situations where government officials or private companies tried to deny certain Christians their rights to do door-to-door evangelization, preach on the street, hand out gospel literature in the public forum, and pass out gospel tracts and communicate the gospel at their place of employment. Finney has also fought other legal spiritual battles including a criminal case in San Antonio. A peaceful pro-life advocate was arrested and charged with criminal trespass for handing pro-life literature giving information about the development of the unborn baby, places to go for help, and other information to women entering an abortion clinic. All the above-mentioned cases as well as others not mentioned were handled free of charge (except the last spanking case for which Finney received $750). In 2005 Finney became lead counsel for the Biblical Law Center. Since his early Christian life, he has considered the issue of separation of church and state as taught in the Bible to be one of the primary issues facing New Testament churches today. He believes, based upon what the Bible teaches, that operating as a corporation (sole or aggregate), unincorporated association, or any other type of legal entity and/or getting a tax exempt status from the federal government at the very least puts the church under the headship of both the Lord and the state, and may even take the church from under the headship of Christ and put the church under the headship of the state. He believes that taking scriptures out of context and applying human reasoning contrary to biblical teaching (such as “Obey every ordinance of man,” or “We should be good stewards and incorporation is good stewardship”) in order to justify unbiblical marriage with the state causes our Lord much grief. Once he took on the position as counsel for the BLC, it was necessary to do an in-depth study of the issue of separation of church and state. He began with the Bible. He initially read through the Bible at least five times (and many more times since then) primarily seeking the answer to the question, “Does the Bible have anything to say about this issue?” He was amazed at what He learned. The Bible gives God’s principles concerning separation of church and state, the purpose of a church, the purpose of the civil government, the headship of church, the headship of civil government, the principles by which each is to be guided, and much more concerning these two God ordained institutions. He continued to read the Bible daily seeking insights into these and other issues. He also began to read other books. he had already read starting shortly after being saved, books and other information by Christian authors. For example, he had read, among other works, A Christian Manifesto[1], The Light and the Glory,[2] From Sea to Shining Sea,[3] The Myth of Separation and some other works by David Barton, [4]Rewriting America’s History,[5] and America’s God and Country.[6] These resources inspired, influenced and guided him and millions of other Christians, gave them philosophical and historical underpinning, and led them into battlefields such as politics, law, and education armed with what they learned from those resources. Sometime in 2006 he began to realize that some of the books by Christian authors which he had come to depend upon were misleading, at the very least. Other books revealed to him that some of the above mentioned books had misinformed and misled sincere Christians by revising and/or misrepresenting the true history of separation of church and state in America. In 2006, he read One Nation Under Law[7] which cites a wealth of resources for one seeking to understand the history of separation of church and state in the United States and of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.[8] Reading One Nation Under Law, some of the books it cited, and some other books was a launching pad into the universe of historical information which he never dreamed existed. He had expected to be misled in the secular law school he attended. He was amazed that he had been misled by Christian brothers. I asked myself, “How could Peter Marshall and others have missed this vital information?” At an Unregistered Baptist Fellowship conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, James R. Beller, a Baptist historian, gave a PowerPoint presentation which gave him the answer to this question. Finney bought two of Beller's books and read them. Those books filled in the details not mentioned in Pastor Beller’s concise PowerPoint presentation. Since that time, God has led Finney into an in depth study of the issues of government, church, and separation of church and state. God Betrayed/Separation of Church and State: The Biblical Principles and the American Application and the other books he has written and listed on this website were written as a result of those studies. God Betrayed is not a rehash of the same information that has been circulated in the Fundamental Baptist and Christian community through sermons, books, seminars, etc. since at least 1982, the year Finney was saved. God Betrayed and Finney's other books reveal facts and information that must be understood in order for a pastor and other Christians to begin to successfully (in God's eyes) fight the spiritual warfare we are engaged in according to knowledge. Finney believes that the lack of attention to the biblical doctrines concerning government, church (which is likened to the wife and bride of Christ), and separation of church and state, has had dire consequences for individuals, families, churches, and America. Unless pastors educate themselves on these doctrines and their application in America, the rapid downhill slide will continue at an accelerating pace. [1] Francis A. Schaeffer, A Christian Manifesto, (Westchester, Illinois: Crossway Books, 1981). [2] Peter Marshall and David Manuel, The Light and the Glory, (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1977). [3] Peter Marshall and David Manuel, From Sea to Shining Sea (Old Tappan, New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1986). [4] David Barton, The Myth of Separation, What is the Correct relationship between Church and State? (Aledo, Texas: Wallbuilder Press, 1992). [5] Catherine Millard, Rewriting America’s History (Camp Hill, Pennsylvania: Horizon House Publishers, 1991). [6] William J. Federer, America’s God and Country, Encyclopedia of Quotations (Coppell, Texas: FAME Publishing, Inc., 1994). [7] Mark Douglas McGarvie, One Nation Under Law: America’s Early National Struggles to Separate Church and State (DeKalb, Illinois: Northern Illinois University Press, 2005). [8] The First Amendment to the United States Constitution states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” The religion clause, properly interpreted, as is shown in God Betrayed, is a correct application of the biblical principle of separation of church and state.
Miscellaneous Spiritual/Legal Matters

The Trials and Tribulations of the Old Paths Baptist Church ‘No Small Stir’ Street Preaching Ministry

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The Trials and Tribulations of the Old Paths Baptist Church ‘No Small Stir’ Street Preaching Ministry

Jerald Finney
Copyright © January, 2014

Notes taken on very poignant statements by a fellow believer and Chicago attorney:

If you don’t believe in evil, if all you are looking for is heaven, (like, dare I say most, pre-trib believers) there is no reason to do anything for the glory of God – just be a little good. It is OK to do everything the world does (drink, listen to evil music, dance, fornicate (includes sodomy), etc. because there is no hell for them. I “love” and I am good enough. Those so-called Christians believe in hell but they do not think they are going there. They have their “fire insurance,” they think. They think: “I have my ticket to heaven so I need do nothing for the glory of God the rest of my life.” They do not believe in hell, the devil or evil – or at least as applied to them – or they would love Bible preaching. Real Christians, as opposed to these fake believers, these children of the devil, would get down on their knees and say “Thank you” to Bible based street preachers.

Contents:

Latest Development: April 6, 2016. Northfield News prints a libelous, biased, slanted one-sided attack against OPBC street preachers. Response and further developments will be included. Read the whole story as it develops at: Citizen v. Citizen: Some Northfield, Minnesota Citizens Seek to circumvent First Amendment

Preface (Below)

  1. Examples of correct police conduct and correct response to illegal police conduct
  2. Link to article: Anti-Christian Hatred Sweeps The World
  3. Recent relevant free speech decision (Street preachers who displayed hog’s head, denigrated Muslim traditions, and preached a strong anti-Muslim message, and denigrated Muslim traditions at Muslim event, were attacked by Muslims. There was little intervention by the police as to the Muslim attacks and the police threatened the preachers with arrest if they did not leave. Such treatment was “solely on the basis of the views they espoused,” which violated the Plaintiffs’ rights under the First and 14th   Moreover, the Court of Appeals determined that the Deputy Chief Defendants are civilly liable to the Plaintiffs for violating clearly established precedent.  The County was also found civilly liable because of the improper guidance it provided to its Deputy Chiefs.  Importantly, the Court described the police officers’ indifference to the mob to be a “heckler’s veto,” in violation of the Plaintiff’s free speech.  In essence, the officers’ failure to quell the mob, despite repeated requests for assistance from the Plaintiffs, shut down the Plaintiff’s freedom of speech/expression in an unreasonable manner.  Making matters, worse, the officers threatened to charge the Plaintiffs if they remained, further attenuating the Plaintiffs’ rights.”) For more thorough legal analysis, see: Street Preaching in America: Is it Legal?
  4. Link to article: First Amendment Ultimate Safeguard Against Encroaching Shariah In America
  5. Facebook comment concerning OPBC street preachers by Satanists
  6. Articles, sermons, etc. chronicling the attacks, including and beginning with the Northfield MN attacks, against OPBC street preachers

(The following is a summary of contents of link no. 6. Click link above for full stories.)

  1. Preface
    b. Introduction
    c. Relevant facts concerning the first attack in Northfield (including link to audio of actual
    events)
    d. Updates of attacks against the street preachers following that in “c.”: February 16, 2014     (The attack  of the officer seems to have been that of a “lone wolf” police officer – video included of prior proper police conduct.)

March 30, 2014 (Courteous Northfield officer approaches OPBC preachers in response to a complaint, mentioned certain city ordinances, but did not arrest or cite anyone in that he needed clarification. The ordinances are quoted and the audio of the encounter is included.)
March 31, 2014 (OPBC member calls Alliance Defense Fund for possible legal representation in the even the city violates the First Amendment. Police inform Pastor Cooley that the city attorney told him there was nothing they could do. Etc.)
June 21, 2014 (On June 21, 2014, some OPBC men went to Faribault MN to preach in the public forum. Complaints were called in and police threatened the preachers with citation and arrest. See how this played out by reading the story below and the article linked thereto.)
August 17, 2014 (Business owners unsuccessfully tried to shut down street preaching in Northfield MN. The obtained a permit for the purpose of preventing the street preaching. The OPBC preachers returned the first week after the permit was issued and nothing was done to them because of First Amendment law.)
September 12, 2013 (Debate on the First Amendment as a result of Old Paths Baptist Church street preaching. Includes op-ed article by Jerald Finney, “Street Preaching: A Misunderstood Blessing.”)
October 11, 2014 Link to report and testimonies on the “No Small Stir” street preaching ministry activity in St. Paul. The enemy continues to oppose the preaching of God’s word.
April 18, 2015. (On this date, OPBC men went to Minneapolis, MN to preach in the public forum. Some were assaulted. The police came and told them to leave in 5 minutes or be arrested, thereby violating their civil rights (First Amendment speech rights). Read the whole story as it unfolds by clicking: April 18, 2015 encounter with unlawful police officer in Dinkeytown, Minnesota and subsequent actions by the offended parties.)
August, 2015. Police try to chill rights of OPBC street preachers, but they hold their ground: 2 videos.
October 21, 2015. Advance letter to “The Halloween Capital of America” concerning street preaching by the men of Old Paths Baptist Church
April 6, 2016. Northfield News prints a libelous, biased, slanted one-sided attack against OPBC street preachers. Response and further developments will be included. Read the whole story as it develops at: Citizen v. Citizen: Some Northfield, Minnesota Citizens Seek to circumvent First Amendment

  1. Highest Law (God’s Law)
    f. United States Constitution and relevant case excerpts which interpret that law
    g. Constitution of the State of Minnesota
    h. Northfield, Minnesota Code of Ordinances and Charter

 

1. Preface

Jesus said in Luke 24.46-47, “And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem..” In Acts 1.8 He instructed his followers, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

When men of Old Paths Baptist Church began to obey the above instructions, no small stir arose. Some police in southeast Minnesota understood and correctly applied the First Amendment law which requires peace officers to protect those speaking in the public forum and not to arrest, interfere with, or shut down the speakers.

Others who did not know the law and their role in protecting public speakers, have been educated. OPBC has endeavored to prevent the need for court intervention, something which proves costly to the police officers, police departments, city officials and the city involved. Sadly, the costs of the city are born by the citizens and the desire of OPBC is to avoid spending taxpayer dollars on issues that are well settled in the law.

Most likely, it will be necessary to educate others as the men of OPBC preach in forums never before confronted with public speech protected by the First Amendment.

OPBC is very thankful to those historic Baptists who fought the spiritual warfare which resulted in the First Amendment to the Constitution.  Historic Baptists stood in spite of loss of life, liberty, property, and family. We would be remiss not to stand when facing none of those trials. See The History of the First Amendment

Church_LessonsOnDoctrineOf

The Love between Christ and His Churches as Depicted in Song of Solomon

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Click here to go to “Bible Studies on the Doctrine of the Church” from other books of the Bible.

Adopted from Dr. J. Vernon McGee’s Thru the Bible Studies.

Introduction

Let me first point to and comment on Song of Solomon, 2.16: “My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.” This Song of Solomon expresses the highest spiritual state of the relationship between the Lord Jesus Christ and the believer. There is no other book of the Bible which portrays this relationship any better that this little book, and there is no higher plane than this right here: “My beloved is mine and I am his.” This is one of the deepest, most profound of all theological truths which our Lord Jesus Christ put into seven simple words: “Ye in me, and I in you” (John 14.20). The bride says, “My beloved is mine, and I am his.” The Lord Jesus said, in effect, ‘Down here I took your place when I died on the cross. I am in you. Now you are to show forth My life down here in this world.” Of course, we can only do that in the power of the Holy Spirit. But we are in him  in heavenly places (the suffix ly denotes like, as manly (man-like, or lovely (love-like), accepted in the Beloved, joined to Him, risen with Christ. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Colossians 3.1). How wonderful! Of, my friend, if you are a child of God, why don’t you tell Him that you love Him?

Summary of Song of Solomon

Ep.5.25“Christ also loved the church and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5.25). This love is depicted in Song of Solomon which is a picture of the beautiful love relationship between Christ and his churches (and between the believer and the Lord Jesus Christ). Song rebukes asceticism, but also condemns lust and unfaithfulness to the marriage vow. It is a beautiful song of marital love and the love between Christ and His churches.

“As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters” (Song 2.2). “Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves’ eyes within thy locks: thy hair is as a flock of goats, that appear from mount Gilead” (4.1). The word “love” speaks of the bride, and “beloved” refers to the bridegroom in Song of Solomon. The Shulamite girl in Song of Solomon gave her heart to the shepherd. “As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste” (2.3). After she gave her heart to him, they were madly in love. “My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies” (2.16). They had a wonderful, personal relationship.

Song2.1-4One time he took her to dinner as he traveled through the country. “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” This shepherd spoken of in Song was a shepherd who did not have any sheep that she could see. “Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions” (1.7). Then one day he announced that he was going away but that he would return. “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (Jn. 14.1-3).

The days passed and she waited. Finally, her family and friends began to ridicule her. “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Pe. 3.3-4). Yet, she trusted him, loved him and dreamed of him. “By night on my bed I sought him whom my soul loveth: I sought him, but I found him not” (Song 3.1). Church, is this a picture of your love for our Savior? Do you long for him? Or do you occupy your time with another lover or lovers – the state of your incorporation, the federal government and your 501c3 status, your big buildings (a New Testament church, a heavenly spiritual organization, can own nothing), your security at the expense of Bible doctrine, etc.?

One night she lay restless upon her couch when she noticed a fragrance in the room. In that day it was a custom that a lover would put some myrrh or frankincense in the opening to the door handle. She smelled the perfume and went to the door. “I rose up to open to my beloved; and my hands dropped with myrrh, and my fingers with sweet smelling myrrh, upon the handles of the lock.” Notice that she was alone in her room when this happened – she was not with another lover.

Song2.8One day, she was working in the vineyard with the vines, putting rocks under the vines so that the little foxes would not get to the grapes. “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.” While she was doing this, down the road there comes a pillar of smoke. “Who is this that cometh out of the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, with all powders of the merchant” (3.6). She is busy, and she does not know King Solomon. Someone tells her he is asking for her: “The voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice.  My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away” (2.8-10). This is the promise of the Lord Jesus. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (Jn. 10.27-28). “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thes. 4.16-17). He promised to come again for us. “For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away” (Song 2.11-13).

By the way, how much is your church involved with the world? Do you use worldly ways to do the work of Christ? Is your church incorporated and thereby entwined with worldly rules for operating? Do you and your church submit to the rules of 501c3 in order to obtain worldly favor? Do you bring in people into your church who are not saved? Do you use non-Biblical methods to entertain them? After all, you can keep goats only if they are entertained. Does your church music and light shows put the best of nightclubs to shame. Do you need the help of the lost to pay your bills? Do you have a staff and employees? is your church run like a business. Is it incorporated? Does it have 501(c)(3) status?

Do you try to impress him with your worldly riches, possessions, methods, and alliances? “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.” “Contemned” means loathed, despised. God is not asking for our money, our service, and our methods. If we don’t love Him, He despises the so-called Christian work we try to do, our humanistic methods, our unholy affairs with civil government and others, and the money we give.

Song of Solomon, 2.16: “My beloved is mine, and I am his: he feedeth among the lilies.” This Song of Solomon expresses the highest spiritual state of the relationship between the Lord Jesus Christ and the believer. There is no other book of the Bible which portrays this relationship any better that this little book, and there is no higher plane than this right here: “My beloved is mine and I am his.” This is one of the deepest, most profound of all theological truths which our Lord Jesus Christ put into seven simple words: “Ye in me, and I in you” (John 14.20). The bride says, “My beloved is mine, and I am his.” The Lord Jesus said, in effect, ‘Down here I took your place when I died on the cross. I am in you. Now you are to show forth My life down here in this world.” Of course, we can only do that in the power of the Holy Spirit. But we are in him  up there–seated in the heavenlies, accepted in the Beloved, joined to Him, risen with Christ. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sittety on the right hand of God” (Colossians 3.1). How wonderful! Of, my friend, if you are a child of God, why don’t you tell Him that you love Him?

8.14One final note (from Dr. McGee). Song of Solomon 8:14 (the last verse in the book) “Make haste, my beloved, and be thou like to a roe or to a young hart upon the mountains of spices.” The bride is saying to the Lord of the vineyard “Return?” Over in the book of Revelation the last thing she says is ‘Even so, come Lord Jesus.’ My friend, I don’t believe you can honestly say that unless you know Him, unless you love Him, and unless you make Him known. Can you look up and say, ‘Come Lord Jesus, I want you to come’? Paul said that God will give a crown to those who love His appearing. And to love His appearing means to love Him—even as a bride eagerly anticipates and prepares for the coming of the bridegroom, her beloved.

“Let us conclude this marvelous Song of Solomon with the lines of Herbert:

“Come, Lord, my head doth burn, my heart is sick,
While thou  dost ever, ever stay:
Thy long deferrings wound me to the quick,
My Spirit gaspeth me night and day,
O show thyself to me,
Or take me up to thee!

“Yet if thou stayest still, why must I stay?
My God, what is this world to me?
This world of woe? hence all ye clouds, away!
Away! I must get up and see.
O show thyself to me,
Or take me up to thee!

“We talk of harvests; there are no such things,
But when we leave our corn and hay.
There is no fruitful year, but that which brings
The last and loved, though dreadful day.
O show thyself to me,
Or take me up to thee!”

A believer and a church cannot honestly say, “Return,” without loving Him, knowing Him. Loving and knowing Him means seeking to please Him with every bit of one’s existence. Forgive me when I make an application. A church who places herself under any head other than the Lord Jesus Christ (incorporates, gets 501c3 or 508 status, or becomes a legal entity in any way) or knowingly compromises her relationship with her betrothed in any manner does not know and love the Lord Jesus Christ.

“He is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend.”

Do you know of a church who loves the Lord Jesus?

Click the following for one of Dr. McGee’s great teachings from Song of Solomon: The Song of Christ’s Return; The Dove of the Clefts of the Rock. This teaching is from Song of Solomon 2.10-14. “Rise up, my love my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land. The fig tree putteth forth her green figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. O my dove, that art  in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places  of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.”

Song 1

1.2There are five brief songs in the book. In the first song, the bride and bridegroom are together in a wonderful relationship. “Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine” (1.2). The kiss was the pledge of peace, a token of peace. Solomon’s name means peace. He was a prince of peace and ruled in Jerusalem, the city of peace. the Shulamite girl is the daughter of peace.

His Kiss

The kiss indicates the existence of a very personal, close relationship. Christ communicates His message to us through the Word of God. He speaks to our hearts through His Word. “Let him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth.” The one who has ears to hear and has heard Him speak peace—peace through the blood of His cross by forgiveness of sin—can take the next step. If you have been reconciled to God by redemption in Christ, He entreats the kiss of the solemn, nuptial covenant. It is the kiss which seals the marriage vow between Christ and the believer.

His Love

“For thy love is better than wine.” Wine speaks of that which brings the highest joy to the heart. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit” (Ep. 5.18). This is talking about something that we know little about. We play at church. We talk about being dedicated Christians simply because we are busy as termites, and often have the same effect. We need to come to Peter’s attitude when he wrote: “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” (1 Peter 1.8). “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:  Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation” (Hab. 3.17-18).

“Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee” (Song 1.3). The ointment is the perfume. When Christ began His life on earth, myrrh was brought to Him as a gift. When he died, myrrh was brought to put on His body. There was a fragrance in His entire life on earth from His birth to His death. Oh, the fragrance of His love for us when He died upon the cross!

His Drawing Power

“Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee” (1.4). This is the expression of one who is in love with Christ, who desires a close relationship with Him. We say, “Draw me,” because we cannot attain that state. If you are a child of God and have never experienced that wonderful relationship, then listen to the bride, and give her response, “Draw me.” God will answer your cry.

We did not seek after god. God sought after us. “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day” (Jn. 6.44). Jesus said to His own, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” (Jn. 15.16). We need the Spirit of God to give us the Water of Life.

“We will run after thee.” We want to run after Him, but He will have to give us the legs to do it. He must give us that enablement, that divine enablement. He must draw us. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Heb. 12.1-2). “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” (Is. 40.31).

His Chambers

When we cry “Draw me, we will run after thee,” He responds—“the king hath brought me into his chambers.” The chamber is the secret of His presence, His pavilion. It is the secret place away from the noise of the crowd. It is like Christ’s invitation: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” (Re. 3.20).

We withdraw and cry out with Isaiah, “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts” (Is. 6.5). But “the king hath brought me into His chambers”—He provided a redemption. He made the supreme sacrifice.

Believers need more joy in their churches and lives. “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (Jn. 10.10). “And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full” (1 Jn. 1.4).

God wants to make love real to us. He wants to manifest His love to us. That is a lot better than crawling up on a bar stool. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ep. 5.18). “We will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine.”

“The upright love thee.” The upright are those who belong to Him. They have said, “Draw me.” They are to run to the race of life, looking for Jesus, the author and finisher of their faith.

The Christian life is a love affair. We love him because He first loved us enough to give Himself for us. If you don’t love Him, be honest and chuck the whole thing because it is all meaningless. The believer’s loving response is, “O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is” (Ps. 63.1). “To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary” (Ps. 63.2). This is the bride’s secret place of communion. “Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips” (Ps. 63.3-5). “Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice” (Ps. 63.7). “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not” (Mt. 23.37)! This is a great picture of His love and the great desire to protect the helpless ones from harm.

The Sunburned Slave Girl

“I am black but comely, O he daughers of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother’s children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept” (Song 1.5-6). She is sunburned, but beautiful. Black is beautiful when the heart is right with the Lord. No one can come into the holy presence of God without the covering of the righteousness of Christ to protect him.

We are ugly; we are sunburned. We are not attractive to Him as we are, but He says that He is going to make us His beautiful bride. That is the beautiful picture given to us in Ephesians 5. “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ep. 5.25-27). Many believers do not wash themselves in His word. Pastors and churches, for example, do not study and apply the Bible doctrines of church and separation of church and state.

The Pasture

…

I offer the above study to demonstrate the application of the book as to the relationship between Christ and his churches. For a full study, see Ecclesiastes & Song of Solomon by Dr. J. Vernon McGee which is online in audio form at: http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/thru-the-bible-with-j-vernon-mcgee/series/. Most of these studies were taken from Dr. McGee’s teachings.-

…

–

Miscellaneous

Lawyer says liberals criminally responsible for attempted murder in the ballpark

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SeveredHeadTrump[E-mail to Rush Limbaugh on June 20, 2017] Jerald Finney <jerald.finney@sbcglobal.net> To ElRushbo@eibnet.us June 20, 2017t 12:32 PM

As a former Texas lawyer who practiced some criminal defense law, I believe that there is a strong argument that left wing liberal politicians (including former presidential candidates), performers, those who widely share their left wing hate on secular news and social media, demonstrators, liberal “scholars” etc. are guilty as parties to the attempted murder of the Republican legislators who were practicing for their annual baseball game. They and their audiences have motive – extreme hatred for President Trump and Conservative Republicans (as the Freedom Forum) that goes to their deepest bowels. They do not qualify their statements and actions. They publish and praise extreme acts – the bloody head of President Trump, the assassination of President Trump. They promote killing – line up and kill all Republicans. They falsely accuse Trump and Republican policies of killing millions – Republican health care, economic, and environmental policies will result in the death of millions.

Consider some Texas law which probably corresponds to that of other states:

TEXAS PENAL CODE

TITLE 2. GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY

CHAPTER 7. CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONDUCT OF ANOTHER

SUBCHAPTER A. COMPLICITY

Sec. 7.01. PARTIES TO OFFENSES. (a) A person is criminally responsible as a party to an offense if the offense is committed by his own conduct, by the conduct of another for which he is criminally responsible, or by both.
(b) Each party to an offense may be charged with commission of the offense.
(c) All traditional distinctions between accomplices and principals are abolished by this section, and each party to an offense may be charged and convicted without alleging that he acted as a principal or accomplice.

Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.

Sec. 7.02. CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONDUCT OF ANOTHER. (a) A person is criminally responsible for an offense committed by the conduct of another if:
(1) acting with the kind of culpability required for the offense, he causes or aids an innocent or nonresponsible person to engage in conduct prohibited by the definition of the offense;
(2) acting with intent to promote or assist the commission of the offense, he solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid the other person to commit the offense; or
(3) having a legal duty to prevent commission of the offense and acting with intent to promote or assist its commission, he fails to make a reasonable effort to prevent commission of the offense.
(b) If, in the attempt to carry out a conspiracy to commit one felony, another felony is committed by one of the conspirators, all conspirators are guilty of the felony actually committed, though having no intent to commit it, if the offense was committed in furtherance of the unlawful purpose and was one that should have been anticipated as a result of the carrying out of the conspiracy.

Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.

Of course Wikipedia is not an authority, but points to authorities and for these purposes serves to make the point – From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The Texas Law of Parties[1] states that a person can be criminally responsible for the actions of another in certain circumstances, including “[i]f, in the attempt to carry out a conspiracy to commit one felony, another felony is committed by one of the conspirators, all conspirators are guilty of the felony actually committed, though having no intent to commit it, if the offense was committed in furtherance of the unlawful purpose and was one that should have been anticipated as a result of the carrying out of the conspiracy.”

In Texas capital cases, a person may be convicted under the Law of Parties, but may not be sentenced to death if convicted under the Law of Parties unless the sentencing jury finds beyond a reasonable doubt that “the defendant actually caused the death of the deceased or did not actually cause the death of the deceased but intended to kill the deceased or another or anticipated that a human life would be taken.”[2]

Convictions under the law[edit]

See also: Lists of people executed in Texas

People convicted under the law include Thomas Bartlett Whitaker, Kenneth Foster, Jeffery Lee Wood, Clinton Lee Young, Steven Michael Woods, Jr., Robert Lee Thompson,[3] John Adams,[4] Ray Jasper,[5] Joseph Nichols,[6][7] Randy Halprin, and Patrick Murphy Jr. (the latter two being part of the Texas Seven). Foster’s sentence would later be commuted to life imprisonment, one of only two persons convicted of capital murder to have his sentence commuted since restoration of the death penalty in the 1980s.[citation needed

See also[edit]

Felony murder rule (Texas)

References:

Jump up ^ “Texas Penal Code Section 7.02, Criminal Responsibility for Conduct of Another”. 2016. Retrieved August 1, 2016.
Jump up ^ “Texas Penal Code Section 37.071, Procedure in Capital Case”. 2016. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
Jump up ^ “Document – USA: Choosing death again: Texas governor rejects clemency recommendation”. amnesty.org. 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2011. Robert Lee Thompson, a 34-year-old African American man, was put to death on the evening of 19 November 2009 for the murder of a store worker 13 years earlier.
Jump up ^ “Document – USA (Texas): Death penalty / Legal concern, Gregory Edward Wright (m)”. amnesty.org. 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
Jump up ^ “A Letter From Ray Jasper, Who Is About to Be Executed, Hamilton Nolan (m)”. gawker.com. 2014. Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
Jump up ^ “Document – USA: Breaking a lethal habit: A look back at the death penalty in 2007”. amnesty.org. 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
Jump up ^ “Document – USA: One county, 100 executions : Harris County and Texas – a lethal combination”. amnesty.org. 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2011.
Categories: Texas lawU.S. state criminal legislation

Also, look, e.g., at the following article “But I Didn’t Do Anything!! The “Law of Parties” in Texas Criminal Law” at  But I Didn’t Do Anything!! The “Law of Parties” in Texas Criminal Law [http://www.timpowers.com/Blog/2012/June/But-I-Didnt-Do-Anything-The-Law-of-Parties-in-Te.aspx]

 

Miscellaneous, Miscellaneous Spiritual/Legal Matters

Answer to the question: “What part of the constitution is the basis for outlawing murder?”

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Someone asked, on Avvo, a legal website, the following question:

“What part of the consititution is the basis for outlawing murder? am wondering if a person says they worship allah and allah says to kill gays…what is to prevent them from doing this and saying it is the freedom of their practice of religion?”

Some lawyers replied, including myself. You may view the question and answers at: https://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/what-part-of-the-consititution-is-the-basis-for-ou-3079274.html.

My answer was as follows:

“Islam and true Christianity are diametrically opposed. When I say true Christianity, I am speaking of that practiced by true born again believers since the beginning of the church age as recorded in the New Testament. In order to answer your question, I believe I should give you a thumbnail sketch of how American law came to be. It was not founded upon the a religion that combines church and state (Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, etc. or atheism). It came about as a result of a spiritual warfare which raged for many hundreds of years. I would add, without explanation, that sadly, the highest man made law in America, the United States Constitution, was a blend of God’s law and man’s reasoning; I do not have time to explain that in this comment.
–
“After the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts, the Jewish religious leaders, then Rome, then the official ‘church’ of Rome formed when Constantine combined church and state, the Protestant churches establishments which came much later, viciously persecuted (imprisoned, beheaded, drowned, tortured, etc.) those labeled heretics by established churches. 50-150 million of these “heretics” were so murdered. Many of them were authentic born again believers who had formed New Testament churches. This persecution, though less intense, was continued in the American colonies. As a result of that spiritual warfare, the First Amendment to the United States Constitutions was adopted in 1791. To read this whole story, go to https://opbcbibletrust.wordpress.com/god-betrayed….
–
“Under Islam (which combines religion and state), murder of certain people is practiced because the Islamic “holy books” say this is to be done. However, the Bible does not condone the murder of people by others. Of course, civil government (man ruling over man under God) was ordained by God as was capital punishment. God ordained Gentile civil government, and the theocratic government/nation of Israel. I explain this in The Biblical Doctrine of Government. America is a Gentile nation. America chose to honor God (the only God-the God of the Bible) in many ways. One of those ways was to provide that the government punish those who intentionally kill another or others without legal justification. In America, no one has a right to kill anyone else unless justified (self-defense, defense of a third person, etc.).
–
“I understand that some Muslims, including many who now live in America, want to convert the world and actively work to promote that goal. Those Muslims did not come to America to assimilate, but for that reason mentioned in the last sentence. However, this is not a Muslim nation. This is America. I suggest that anyone is free to seek to move to a nation that more closely practices their beliefs and that doing so should be their preferred course of action.”

Uncategorized

Favorite Songs – Be Blessed

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Ephesians 5:18-19  “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”

Colossians 3.16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

Close the Books

Thank You Lord for the Breath that I Breath

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow – Petersens

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow – Petersens Live

If Heaven Had a Window
(About a loved one who has gone to be with the Lord)

Here is Love Vast as the Ocean
(Welsh and English Original)

Here is Love

But for the Blood

Wondrous Love (Here is Love, Vast as the Ocean)

Here Is Love (Amazing Love) by Abby Scott & Chris Eaton

Down To The River To Pray – Alison Krauss

Down To The River To Pray – Petersons Live

Did You Think to Pray?

It is No Secret What God Can Do

To God Be the Glory

All Glory Be to Christ – The Petersens (Live)

He Could Have Called Ten Thousand Angels

The Woodpecker Song
(God made this marvelous creature)

Seven Awful Things

Crossing Rivers and Moving Mountains

God on the Mountain

If On A Quiet Sea

Peace in the Valley

I Love to Tell the Story

In A Little While We’re Going Home

The Stranger of Galilee

Go into the World

Martyr’s Song by Watchmen

I will add more later. First, Pastor Rocky Otwell, who was the son of my first Pastor. He is my favorite singer of all time, bar none.

Songs sung by Pastor Rocky Otwell:

(1) Wilt Thou Be Made Whole?
(1) God Leads His Dear Children
(2) Two Little Feet
(3) The Love of God
(4) Til the Storm Passes Over
(5) In Times Like These
(6) This Old House
(7) What a Friend We Have in Jesus
(8) Burdens Are Lifted at Calvary
(9) Consider the Lilies (Online DVD)
(10) Who Am I?
(11) Never See My Troubles Again
(12) Precious Memories
(13) He Touched Me
(14) Home on High (In That Land We’ll Never Die)
(15) I Wasn’t There

Anderson Family (Dear Friends and great singers)

(1) There Will Be a Happy Meeting in Heaven
(2) Turn Around
(3) Are You a Stranger to God

–

Close the Books

Church_LessonsOnDoctrineOf

Lesson 6 on Colossians: Christ the Head of the Local Church

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Christ, the fullness of God, poured out in life through believers, Chapters 3 and 4.
Living of Believers is Holy – Colossians 3.5-4.6
Fellowship of Believers Is Hearty – Colossians 4.7-18
(26 questions with answers following)
Added on  May 15, 2017

Click here to go to the “Bible Studies on the Doctrine of the Church” (Has links to all lessons)
This is the last lesson on Colossians

Answers at the end, following the questions. Those who disagree with anything please see the note at the end. Reasoned dialogue is encouraged and any Bible or fact based comments, if made in a Christian manner in an attempt to get to the truth will be considered.

This is an open book quiz meant to challenge the Bible believer – the saved person who believes the Word of God rather than the person who tries to fit particular Scriptures into a system of interpretation meant to validate one’s desired view of how things should be by philosophizing, allegorizing, or spiritualizing chosen Scriptures. The literal meaning, taken in its immediate context and within the context of all related Scripture is the basis for these studies. It is presented for the glory of God.

Colossians directs our attention to the head of the body who is Christ. The body itself is secondary. Christ is the theme. He is the center of the circle around which all Christian living revolves. Christ is the fullness of God. The dominating thought is that Christ is all I need; He is everything. He is the primary object, and the thought passes downward to the church as the body of Christ.

Colossians was written to the local church at Colosse (with the principles to be applied by all local churches and believers) to counteract the heresy of Gnosticism, the first heresy in the church. There were many forms of Gnosticism, and in Colosse there were the Essenes. There are three points of identification for this group: (1) They had an exclusive spirit. They felt that they were the people—they had knowledge in the jug and held the stopper in their hands. Thus, they felt that they were super-duper in knowledge and knew more than anyone else, including the Apostles. (2) They held speculative tenets on creation. They taught that God did not create the universe directly, but created a creature who in turn created another creature, until one finally created the physical universe. Christ was considered a creature in this long series of creations.  Paul refutes this in Colossians 1:15-19. (3) They practiced asceticism and unrestrained licentiousness. They got the asceticism from the influence of Greek Stoicism and the unrestrained licentiousness from the influence of Greek Epicureanism. Paul refutes this in Colossians 2.16, 23 and 3.5-9.

See, J. Vernon McGee, Colossians for more on this.

Christ, the fullness of God, poured out in life through believers, Chapters 3 and 4.

Colossians 3.5-4.6 is to lengthy to reproduce

Questions:

Christ, the fullness of God, poured out in life through believers, Chapters 3 and 4.
Review the answers to some of the more
difficult fill in the blank questions before attempting to answer:

Colossians 3.5-4.6: Living of Believers is Holy

  1. If we are truly risen with Christ this will be evident in ______ area(s) of our lives which (is)(are):
    –
    a, our personal holiness
    b. our fellowship with others who are about us
    c. our friendship with the world
    d. a and b (a. our personal holiness; b. our fellowship with others who are about us)
    –
  2. Colossians 3.5 tells believers to mortify certain sins. Mortify means to put to _______. Fornication means sexual _____________. Other sins listed in verse 5 are ______________ (includes thoughts, words, gestures, and bad jokes); _____________ ____________ (uncontrolled passion or lust); evil concupiscence (evil desires); and covetousness which is idolatry (wanting more or wanting what belongs to others). “The ______ of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6.10).
  3. Those things in verse 6 bring “the _______ of God on the children of _______________.” Believers walked in the sins above before they were ________. (See Colossians 3.6-7).
  4. Believers also put off ________ (over the wrong things; some anger is justified), ________ (anger that becomes an unforgiving spirit), _________ (and that tries to take revenge and get even), ____________ (defaming the name of God (blasphemy against God); lying about someone else (blasphemy against another person), _________ ________________ out of their mouths (foul communication that is abusive or filthy). (See verse 8).
  5. The church at Colosse had put off the _____ _____ with his deeds and put on the “_____ _____ which is renewed in knowledge after the image of _____ that created him” (Colossians 3.9-10).
  6. “Where there is neither ________ nor _____, _______________ nor ________________, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but ________ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3.11).
  7. In the doctrinal section of Colossians, we learned that Christ is the fullness of ______ and head of His ___________. Believers have been made complete in _____, not in any man-made legal or philosophical __________.
  8. Colossians 3.12-17 teaches us that, since we have risen with Christ, it will lead us to holiness in our relationship to _________. Verses 18-21 deal with holiness in the _______. Verses 22-25 and Chapter 4, verse 1deal with holiness on the _____. Paul deals with the same things that he dealt with in Ephesians.
    –
    Many questions could be added on all those verses. However, churches would be advised to study those verses out for themselves. Following are just a few questions.
    –
  9. __________ is the bond of perfectness. The believers at Colosse are called in one _______ (as is every New Testament church). The word of ________ is to dwell in them richly and they are to ________ and ___________ one another in ________ and ________ and spiritual _______. The new man in holiness is exhibited to ________, in the ______, and on the _____ as these verses point out. “Ye serve the ______ ________.”
  10. Chapter 4, verses 2-6 present more important areas of Christian conduct. They are:
    –
    a. prayer
    b. public walk
    c. speech
    d. all of the above
    e. a and c
    –
  11. As Colossians 4.2 makes clear, _________ and ___________ go together. “Nevertheless we made our ________ unto our God, and set a ________ against them day and night, because of them” (Nehemiah 4:9). Watch and pray with _______________.
  12. Pray that God will open unto us (every believer) “a ______ of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ” (Colossians 4.3, 4). Every believer should seek an open ______ to serve the Lord. “Redeeming the ______” (Colossians 4.5). When the ___________ sees an opportunity to serve the Lord, when a door is opened, he should pray that the Lord will _______
  13. The believer’s speech is to be “always with ________, seasoned with _______, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every _____.”
    –
    Fellowship of Believers Is Hearty (Colossians 4.7-18).
    –
  14. In Colossians 4.7-18, we come to a list of ________ of people whom Paul knew. They were in the midst of ___________, but they were   Paul had a tremendous, far-reaching ministry. Many of the people named here lived in Ephesus. Paul had never been to Rome nor had he been to Colosse, yet he lists people he knew, many of whom were from those two cities. This indicates that he had led many people to Christ who returned home to cities he was never able to reach directly or personally.
  15. “___________” was the pastor of the church in _________ (See Ephesians 6.21, Acts 20.4, 1n3 2 Timothy 4.12)..
  16. “___________” was a slave of ___________ in __________. He had run away from his master, and Paul led him to the Lord. He was now being sent back. Paul calls ___________ his “___________ and __________”
  17. “______________” was a _________ __________ with Paul, and he was his friend.
  18. “_________” is John _______, the nephew of Barnabas—the son of his sister. He is the writer of the Gospel of ______. ______ left Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, and because of this Paul did not want to take him along on the second missionary journey. Paul was wrong in his judgment of ______ ______, who made good. Paul acknowledges that here (“__________ him”). Paul mentions John Mark again in his second letter to Timothy: “Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is ______________ to me for the ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11).
  19. ________ (Justus) was Jewish (of the _______________). The Colossian church was mostly __________, but there were a few Jews in that church. These men are wonderful brethren, helpers of _______, and great missionaries themselves.
  20. ____________ was the pastor in __________. Now he is in prison. His new ministry there is _________.
  21. __________, ___________, and _____________, are close together.
  22. _______ is the beloved physician. When Paul first mentioned Demas (Philemon 1.24), he called him a “_________________.” Later on, _______, will ___________
  23. ______________, at that time, met in _________ (see verse 15). Churches started in the home. True churches are going to come back to the ________, as they have in many countries where they are persecuted.
  24. These epistles of Paul are to be __________ by the churches (See verse 16. Paul does not say that he had written an epistle to the Laodiceans. The letters of Paul were being circulated around.)
  25. We do not know anything more about “______________” than is mentioned here. But the Lord had given him a ____________ and Paul urges him to fulfill it. This advice can be extrapolated to everyone to whom the Lord has given a ___________. Of course, if possible, that ministry is to be fulfilled under the authority of a local New Testament ________.
  26. For the second time Paul says, “Remember my ________—or pray for me. “________ be with you. Amen.” Paul wrote to a church he had never __________, but he knew many of the people and led them to knowledge of the _______ _________ ___________.

Answers

Colossians 3.5-4.6: Living of Believers is Holy

  1. If we are truly risen with Christ this will be evident in two area(s) of our lives which (is)(are):
    –
    d. a and b (a. our personal holiness; b. our fellowship with others who are about us)
    –
  2. Colossians 3.5 tells believers to mortify certain sins. Mortify means to put to death. Fornication means sexual immorality. Other sins listed in verse 5 are uncleanness (includes thoughts, words, gestures, and bad jokes); inordinate affection (uncontrolled passion or lust); evil concupiscence (evil desires); and covetousness which is idolatry (wanting more or wanting what belongs to others). “The love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6.10).
  3. Those things in verse 6 bring “the wrath of God on the children of disobedience.” Believers walked in the sins above before they were saved. (See Colossians 3.6-7).
  4. Believers also put off anger (over the wrong things; some anger is justified), wrath (anger that becomes an unforgiving spirit), malice (and that tries to take revenge and get even), blasphemy (defaming the name of God (blasphemy against God); lying about someone else (blasphemy against another person), filthy communication out of their mouths (foul communication that is abusive or filthy). (See verse 8).
  5. The church at Colosse had put off the old man with his deeds and put on the “new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him” (Colossians 3.9-10).
  6. “Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3.11).
  7. In the doctrinal section of Colossians, we learned that Christ is the fullness of God and head of His churches. Believers have been made complete in Him, not in any man-made legal or philosophical system.
  8. Colossians 3.12-17 teaches us that, since we have risen with Christ, it will lead us to holiness in our relationship to others. Verses 18-21 deal with holiness in the home. Verses 22-25 and Chapter 4, verse 1deal with holiness on the job. Paul deals with the same things that he dealt with in Ephesians.
    –
    Many questions could be added on all those verses. However, churches would be advised to study those verses out for themselves. Following are just a few questions.
    –
  9. Charity is the bond of perfectness. The believers at Colosse are called in one body (as is every New Testament church). The word of Christ is to dwell in them richly and they are to teach and admonish one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. The new man in holiness is exhibited to others, in the home, and on the job as these verses point out. “Ye serve the Lord Christ.”
  10. Chapter 4, verses 2-6 present more important areas of Christian conduct. They are:
    –
    d. all of the above (prayer, public walk, speech)
    –
  11. As Colossians 4.2 makes clear, prayer and watching go together. “Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them” (Nehemiah 4:9). Watch and pray with thanksgiving.
  12. Pray that God will open unto us (every believer) “a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ” (Colossians 4.3, 4). Every believer should seek an open door to serve the Lord. “Redeeming the time” (Colossians 4.5). When the believer sees an opportunity to serve the Lord, when a door is opened, he should pray that the Lord will lead
  13. The believer’s speech is to be “always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
    –
    Fellowship of Believers Is Hearty (Colossians 4.7-18).
    –
  14. In Colossians 4.7-18, we come to a list of names of people whom Paul knew. They were in the midst of paganism, but they were   Paul had a tremendous, far-reaching ministry. Many of the people named here lived in Ephesus. Paul had never been to Rome nor had he been to Colosse, yet he lists people he knew, many of whom were from those two cities. This indicates that he had led many people to Christ who returned home to cities he was never able to reach directly or personally.
  15. “Tychicus” was the pastor of the church in Ephesus (See Ephesians 6.21, Acts 20.4, 1n3 2 Timothy 4.12)..
  16. “Onesimus” was a slave of Philemon in Colosse. He had run away from his master, and Paul led him to the Lord. He was now being sent back. Paul calls Onesimus his “faithful and beloved”
  17. “Aristarchus” was a fellow prisoner with Paul, and he was his friend.
  18. “Marcus” is John Mark, the nephew of Barnabas—the son of his sister. He is the writer of the Gospel of Mark. Mark left Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey, and because of this Paul did not want to take him along on the second missionary journey. Paul was wrong in his judgment of John Mark, who made good. Paul acknowledges that here (“receive him”). Paul mentions John Mark again in his second letter to Timothy: “Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11).
  19. Jesus (Justus) was Jewish (of the circumcision). The Colossian church was mostly Gentile, but there were a few Jews in that church. These men are wonderful brethren, helpers of Paul, and great missionaries themselves.
  20. Epaphras was the pastor in Colosse. Now he is in prison. His new ministry there is prayer.
  21. Colosse, Laodicea, and Hierapolis, are close together.
  22. Luke is the beloved physician. When Paul first mentioned Demas (Philemon 1.24), he called him a “fellowlaborer.” Later on, Demas, will forsake
  23. Christians, at that time, met in homes (see verse 15). Churches started in the home. True churches are going to come back to the home, as they have in many countries where they are persecuted.
  24. These epistles of Paul are to be shared by the churches (See verse 16. Paul does not say that he had written an epistle to the Laodiceans. The letters of Paul were being circulated around.)
  25. We do not know anything more about “Árchippus” than is mentioned here. But the Lord had given him a ministry and Paul urges him to fulfill it. This advice can be extrapolated to everyone to whom the Lord has given a ministry. Of course, if possible, that ministry is to be fulfilled under the authority of a local New Testament church.
  26. For the second time Paul says, “Remember my bonds—or pray for me. “Grace be with you. Amen.” Paul wrote to a church he had never visited, but he knew many of the people and led them to knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Should you disagree with an answer given, please explain why you disagree in the comment section below the article. All reasoned comments will be published, perhaps with reply. The purpose of this website is the Glory of God. God cannot be glorified by shutting out honest disagreement in the search for truth. The author would be interested in your explanation. The comments are required by the website to be approved or disapproved. The author is very busy with many matters and may or may not immediately notice your comment. He will address it as soon as he notices it. He almost always approves comments presented with a godly spirit. He never alters comments. Sometimes, he replies to comments.

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Lesson 5 on Colossians: Christ the Head of the Local Church

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Christ the Answer to Ritual (For the Heart) – Colossians 2.16-23
Christ, the fullness of God, poured out in life through believers, Chapters 3 and 4.
Colossians 3.1-4: Thoughts and Affections of Believers are Heavenly
(18 questions with answers following)
Added on  May 11, 2017

Click here to go to the “Bible Studies on the Doctrine of the Church” (Has links to all lessons)
Click here to go to Lesson 6

Answers at the end, following the questions. Those who disagree with anything please see the note at the end. Reasoned dialogue is encouraged and any Bible or fact based comments, if made in a Christian manner in an attempt to get to the truth will be considered.

This is an open book quiz meant to challenge the Bible believer – the saved person who believes the Word of God rather than the person who tries to fit particular Scriptures into a system of interpretation meant to validate one’s desired view of how things should be by philosophizing, allegorizing, or spiritualizing chosen Scriptures. The literal meaning, taken in its immediate context and within the context of all related Scripture is the basis for these studies. It is presented for the glory of God.

Colossians directs our attention to the head of the body who is Christ. The body itself is secondary. Christ is the theme. He is the center of the circle around which all Christian living revolves. Christ is the fullness of God. The dominating thought is that Christ is all I need; He is everything. He is the primary object, and the thought passes downward to the church as the body of Christ.

Colossians was written to the local church at Colosse (with the principles to be applied by all local churches and believers) to counteract the heresy of Gnosticism, the first heresy in the church. There were many forms of Gnosticism, and in Colosse there were the Essenes. There are three points of identification for this group: (1) They had an exclusive spirit. They felt that they were the people—they had knowledge in the jug and held the stopper in their hands. Thus, they felt that they were super-duper in knowledge and knew more than anyone else, including the Apostles. (2) They held speculative tenets on creation. They taught that God did not create the universe directly, but created a creature who in turn created another creature, until one finally created the physical universe. Christ was considered a creature in this long series of creations.  Paul refutes this in Colossians 1:15-19. (3) They practiced asceticism and unrestrained licentiousness. They got the asceticism from the influence of Greek Stoicism and the unrestrained licentiousness from the influence of Greek Epicureanism. Paul refutes this in Colossians 2.16, 23 and 3.5-9.

See, J. Vernon McGee, Colossians for more on this.

Colossians 2.16-23 [Christ, the Answer to Philosophy (For the Head):] “16 Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. 18 Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, 19 And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God. 20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.”

Christ, the fullness of God, poured out in life through believers, Chapters 3 and 4.

Colossians 3.1-4: Thoughts and Affections of Believers are Heavenly: “1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.”

Questions:

Christ, the Answer to Ritual 2.16-23
Review the answers to some of the more
difficult fill in the blanks before attempting to answer:

  1. God gave his people in the Old Testament ______________ that are only _________ (a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order.) and liturgical (relating to a form or formulary according to which public religious worship is conducted). Paul explains that those were merely “a ________ of things to come” (verse 17). They were pictures of ________. Since ________ has come, there is no need to go back to the picture. “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is ________ in you, the ______ of glory” (Colossians 1:27).
  2. Colossians 2.18, 19 is a warning against mysticism (belief that union with or absorption into the Deity or the absolute, or the spiritual apprehension of knowledge inaccessible to the intellect, may be attained through contemplation and self-surrender). Paul here is condemning the Gnostics who made a pretense of _________. Today, some in churches assume a pious _______________. They are “spiritual snobs.” These people, generally, are very ignorant of the ________. “____________ into those things which he hath not seen.” That is a pretense, putting on, _________ like you have something that you don’t really have.
  3. “And not holding the Head” means that their head is not screwed on. Such people have
    –
    a. a loose relationship with Christ
    b. psychological problems
    c. both a and b
    d. neither a nor b
    –
  4. Those spoken of in the question 3, are not “holding the ______, from which all the ______ by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit ___________, increaseth with the increase of God” (Colossians 2:19). What a description!
  5. Colossians 2.20-23 is against the error of asceticism (severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons). Here, Paul says “if ye be _______ with Christ.” In other words, since you have died when ________ died, do not return to pre-________ religious living. What we are dealing with here is the pride that apes (imitates in behavior) ___________.” “I deny myself, and I don’t do these things. Just look at me. I’m sprouting wings.”

Christ, the fullness of God, poured out in life through believers, Chapters 3 and 4.
Colossians 3.1-4: Thoughts and Affections of Believers are Heavenly

  1. Chapters 3 and 4 are the practical section of Colossians. In chapters 1 and 2 we saw the preeminence of Christ. We saw Him as who He is, a member of the __________. He is very man of very _____, but He is very God of very _____. He is preeminent in creation because He is the __________. He is preeminent in redemption because He is the ___________. He is preeminent in the churches because He is the One who gave Himself for the _________. Now we come to the place where God, through Paul, insists that He must be made _____________ in our lives.
  2. So far, in Colossians, Paul has discussed the different things that lead people away from ________. The Christian life is to live out the life of ________. ________ ________ is all we need. This practical section shows the believer ________, the fullness of _____, poured out in life through ____________—that is the only way He can be poured out.
  3. The “if” of Colossians 3.1, was, like the “if” of Colossians 1.23, the “if” of argument, not the if of condition. The Colossian believers had risen with ________. Their lives evidenced their ____________.
  4. The fruit of the Spirit was in their lives. The evidence of their salvation was (See Colossians 1.4, 5)
    –
    a. their faith
    b. their hope (the coming of the Lord Jesus)
    c. their love
    d. all of the above
    e. b and c
    –
  5. They showed their ______ they had for all the saints (See Colossians 1.4). A practical example is a church member’s ______ for the other church members. He shows that ______ by supporting the Bible ministries of the pastor and other church members, by supporting the church which is the whole body of believers and every member of the church. A pastor, for example, shows his ______ for the church member by edifying each church member and by supporting and encouraging each member in their ministries. All bestowing the most honor on the least honorable.
    –
    1 Corinthians 12:22-26: “22 Nay, much more those members of the ______, which seem to be more feeble, are ____________: 23 And those members of the ______, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
    –
    Thus, every church member is to recognize not only his own part, but also the part of every other member of the local church ______, putting all others in the local church ______ before __________ and before every one who is not in the local church _______. The member who is not a pastor is to primarily support and promote his pastor, not some other pastor; he is to first support the other members of his church ______ and their gifts, not those of outsiders, whether believer or not. One is not to grieve his pastor by giving his primary adulation, attention, and support to some other pastor or teacher. Likewise, a pastor who honors New Testament church doctrine will give his first support, attention, consideration, and promotion to the members of his church _______, not to pastors, teachers, believers, and others who are not a part of the local church ______ which ________ made him a part of—there is no universal ________ at this time. Yes, he is to love everyone, and every believer. He can glean from others. However, his first and primary love, consideration, and support is to be given the other members of his church ______, ________ being the head. God gave very special rules for the local church ______. “That there should be no ________ in the body; but that the members should have the same ______ one for another.” Ephesians emphasizes that the local church is a spiritual ______. That ______ can become the victim of self-inflicted disease caused by lack of love by members of the church body. 1 Corinthians 13 teaches on God’s love (_________); the context is the church body and the gifts of the body—1 Corinthians 12. Of course, that love is to extend to everyone, but the body is the focus and primary. Others outside the local body are not part of the same spiritual ______, not part of the same organism. It would be wise to notice that every church body is not a ____________ organism only; many are either worldly organizations or hybrids, part __________ and part ____________. Everyone who is a member of a church is a member of one of these types of ___________. It is wise to consider that aspect of every believer, pastor, and teacher. Any pastor, teacher, or other believer who knows the Bible doctrines of church, state, and separation of church and state and leaves the church he is a member of in a compromised state does not love His Lord with all his ________, ______, mind and ___________. Such a believer is partly (or maybe wholly) ____________ at the very least and is not to be applauded by other believers. By compromised state is meant, the state of being a _________ entity such as a corporation, 501c3 or 508 tax exempt religious organization.
    –
  6. In verse 1, the believer is told to “_______ those things which are above.” Where is Christ today?
    –
    a. on earth
    b. in the grave
    c. sitting on the right hand of God
    d. none of the above
    –
  7. Where is the believer to set his affections?
    –
    a. on things on the earth
    b. on things above (the things of Christ)
    c. on things below
    d. both a and b
    –
  8. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are _______, where ________ sitteth on the right hand of _____” (Colossians 3:1).
  9. “Set your affection on things ________, not on things on the ________” (Colossians 3:2).
  10. ______ and set your ____________ on the things of Christ. The things of Christ are ______, _________, ______, ______, _________, and of ______ _________ (See Philippians 4.8).
  11. “For ye are ______, and your life is hid with ________ in _____” (Colossians 3:3).
  12. When does a believer die? Give a Bible explanation for your answer.
    –
    a. when his body ceases to function
    b. when he gives up
    c. when he is crucified
    d. a and c
    –
  13. Whose life is the life of the believer? Give a Bible explanation of your answer.
    –
    a. that of his family
    b. his own
    c. Christ’s life
    d. that of his country

Answers

Christ, the Answer to Ritual 2.16-23:

  1. God gave his people in the Old Testament ordinances that are only ritual (a religious or solemn ceremony consisting of a series of actions performed according to a prescribed order.) and liturgical (relating to a form or formulary according to which public religious worship is conducted). Paul explains that those were merely “a shadow of things to come” (verse 17). They were pictures of Christ. Since Christ has come, there is no need to go back to the picture. “To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27).
  2. Colossians 2.18, 19 is a warning against mysticism (belief that union with or absorption into the Deity or the absolute, or the spiritual apprehension of knowledge inaccessible to the intellect, may be attained through contemplation and self-surrender). Paul here is condemning the Gnostics who made a pretense of wisdom. Today, some in churches assume a pious superiority. They are “spiritual snobs.” These people, generally, are very ignorant of the Bible. “Intruding into those things which he hath not seen.” That is a pretense, putting on, acting like you have something that you don’t really have.
  3. “And not holding the Head” means that their head is not screwed on. Such people have
    –
    a. a loose relationship with Christ
    –
  4. Those spoken of in the question 3, are not “holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God” (Colossians 2:19). What a description!
  5. Colossians 2.20-23 is against the error of asceticism (severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons). Here, Paul says “if ye be dead with Christ.” In other words, since you have died when Christ died, do not return to pre-Christ religious living. What we are dealing with here is the pride that apes (imitates in behavior) humility.” “I deny myself, and I don’t do these things. Just look at me. I’m sprouting wings.”

Christ, the fullness of God, poured out in life through believers, Chapters 3 and 4.
Colossians 3.1-4: Thoughts and Affections of Believers are Heavenly

  1. Chapters 3 and 4 are the practical section of Colossians. In chapters 1 and 2 we saw the preeminence of Christ. We saw Him as who He is, a member of the Trinity. He is very man of very man, but He is very God of very God. He is preeminent in creation because He is the Creator. He is preeminent in redemption because He is the Redeemer. He is preeminent in the churches because He is the One who gave Himself for the church. Now we come to the place where God, through Paul, insists that He must be made preminent in our lives.
  2. So far, in Colossians, Paul has discussed the different things that lead people away from Christ. The Christian life is to live out the life of Christ. Christ Jesus is all we need. This practical section shows the believer Christ, the fullness of God, poured out in life through believers—that is the only way He can be poured out.
  3. The “if” of Colossians 3.1, was, like the “if” of Colossians 1.23, the “if” of argument, not the if of condition. The Colossian believers had risen with Christ. Their lives evidenced their salvation.
  4. The fruit of the Spirit was in their lives. The evidence of their salvation was (See Colossians 1.4, 5)
    –
    d. all of the above (a. their faith, b. their hope (the coming of the Lord Jesus), c. their love)
    –
  5. They showed their love they had for all the saints (See Colossians 1.4). A practical example is a church member’s love for his pastor and the other church members. He shows that love by supporting the Bible ministries of the pastor and other church members, by supporting the church which is the whole body of believers and every member of the church. A pastor, for example, shows his love for the church member by edifying each church member and by supporting and encouraging each member in their ministries. All bestowing the most honor on the least honorable.
    –
    1 Corinthians 12:22-26: “22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
    –
    Thus, every church member is to recognize not only his own part, but also the part of every other member of the local church body, putting all others in the local church body before himself and before every one who is not in the local church body. The member who is not a pastor is to primarily support and promote his pastor, not some other pastor; he is to first support the other members of his church body and their gifts, not those of outsiders, whether believer or not. One is not to grieve his pastor by giving his primary adulation, attention, and support to some other pastor or teacher. Likewise, a pastor who honors New Testament church doctrine will give his first support, attention, consideration, and promotion to the members of his church body, not to pastors, teachers, believers, and others who are not a part of the local church body which Christ made him a part of—there is no universal church at this time. Yes, he is to love everyone, and every believer. He can glean from others. However, his first and primary love, consideration, and support is to be given the other members of his church body, Christ being the head. God gave very special rules for the local church body. “That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.” Ephesians emphasizes that the local church is a spiritual body. That body can become the victim of self-inflicted disease caused by lack of love by members of the church body. 1 Corinthians 13 teaches on God’s love (charity); the context is the church body and the gifts of the body—I Corinthians 12. Of course, that love is to extend to everyone, but the body is the focus and primary. Others outside the local body are not part of the same spiritual body, not part of the same organism. It would be wise to notice that every church body is not a spiritual organism only; many are either worldly organizations or hybrids, part worldly and part spiritual. Everyone who is a member of a church is a member of one of these types of churches. It is wise to consider that aspect of every believer, pastor, and teacher. Any pastor, teacher, or other believer who knows the Bible doctrines of church, state, and separation of church and state and leaves the church he is a member of in a compromised state does not love His Lord with all his heart, soul, mind and strength. Such a believer is partly (or maybe wholly) worldly at the very least and is not to be applauded by other believers. By compromised state is meant, the state of being a legal entity such as a corporation, 501c3 or 508 tax exempt religious organization.
    –
  6. In verse 1, the believer is told to “seek those things which are above.” Where is Christ today?
    –
    c. sitting on the right hand of God
    –
  7. Where is the believer to set his affections?
    –
    b. on things above (the things of Christ)
    –
  8. “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Colossians 3:1).
  9. “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Colossians 3:2).
  10. Seek and set your affection on the things of Christ. The things of Christ are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report (See Philippians 4.8).
  11. “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).
  12. When does a believer die? Give a Bible explanation for your answer.
    –
    c. when he is crucified. E.g., Galatians 2.20.
    –
  13. Whose life is the life of the believer? Give a Bible explanation of your answer.
    –
    c. Christ’s life. E.g., Colossians 3.4.

Should you disagree with an answer given, please explain why you disagree in the comment section below the article. All reasoned comments will be published, perhaps with reply. The purpose of this website is the Glory of God. God cannot be glorified by shutting out honest disagreement in the search for truth. The author would be interested in your explanation. The comments are required by the website to be approved or disapproved. The author is very busy with many matters and may or may not immediately notice your comment. He will address it as soon as he notices it. He almost always approves comments presented with a godly spirit. He never alters comments. Sometimes, he replies to comments.

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Lesson 4 on Colossians: Christ the Head of the Local Church

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Christ the Answer to Philosophy (For the Head) – Colossians 2.1-15
(19 questions with answers following)
Added on  May 11, 2017

Click here to go to the “Bible Studies on the Doctrine of the Church” (Has links to all lessons)
Click here to go to Lesson 5

Answers at the end, following the questions. Those who disagree with anything please see the note at the end. Reasoned dialogue is encouraged and any Bible or fact based comments, if made in a Christian manner in an attempt to get to the truth will be considered.

This is an open book quiz meant to challenge the Bible believer – the saved person who believes the Word of God rather than the person who tries to fit particular Scriptures into a system of interpretation meant to validate one’s desired view of how things should be by philosophizing, allegorizing, or spiritualizing chosen Scriptures. The literal meaning, taken in its immediate context and within the context of all related Scripture is the basis for these studies. It is presented for the glory of God.

Colossians directs our attention to the head of the body who is Christ. The body itself is secondary. Christ is the theme. He is the center of the circle around which all Christian living revolves. Christ is the fullness of God. The dominating thought is that Christ is all I need; He is everything. He is the primary object, and the thought passes downward to the church as the body of Christ.

Colossians was written to the local church at Colosse (with the principles to be applied by all local churches and believers) to counteract the heresy of Gnosticism, the first heresy in the church. There were many forms of Gnosticism, and in Colosse there were the Essenes. There are three points of identification for this group: (1) They had an exclusive spirit. They felt that they were the people—they had knowledge in the jug and held the stopper in their hands. Thus, they felt that they were super-duper in knowledge and knew more than anyone else, including the Apostles. (2) They held speculative tenets on creation. They taught that God did not create the universe directly, but created a creature who in turn created another creature, until one finally created the physical universe. Christ was considered a creature in this long series of creations.  Paul refutes this in Colossians 1:15-19. (3) They practiced asceticism and unrestrained licentiousness. They got the asceticism from the influence of Greek Stoicism and the unrestrained licentiousness from the influence of Greek Epicureanism. Paul refutes this in Colossians 2.16, 23 and 3.5-9.

See, J. Vernon McGee, Colossians for more on this.

 Colossians 2.1-15 [Christ, the Answer to Philosophy (For the Head)] “1 For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh; 2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words. 5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ. 6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.”

Questions:

Christ, the Answer to Philosophy 2.1-15
Review the answers to some of the more
difficult fill in the blanks before attempting to answer:

  1. Christianity has, on one extreme, always been in danger of either evaporating into a philosophy, in which case it becomes nothing but steam. An example of this is the philosophy of John Calvin which, among other things, redefines the Sovereignty of God and denies the free will of man. On the other hand, the opposite danger is that it will freeze into a form and become nothing more than a ritual. Christ is neither steam nor ice, neither of which can sustain life. Rather, He is water. That is why we need to guard against following a ______________ (e.g., Roman Catholicism or the Calvinism of John Calvin) or a ________ (e.g., Roman Catholicism and Protestantism). Christianity is ________. Christ is the answer to man’s head and his _______. Paul deals with five errors that endangered the Colossian church in Chapter 2: Enticing ________ (verses 4-7); b. ______________ (verses 8-13); c. ___________ (verses 14-17); d. ____________ (verses 18, 19) e. _____________ (verses 20-23). These are dangers today. Many _______ believers have slipped into one or more of these errors.
  2. Paul had great conflict (agony) in his heart for the churches at ________ and _________. He had not been to _________ and ________—they and others had not seen Paul. Paul saw that there was great ________ and it caused great conflict in Paul’s _______.
  3. “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love.” Heart indicates the entire inner _____, the whole propulsive nature of _____, their whole person.
  4. Paul desires that they will be drawn together in:
    –
    a. spirituality
    b. gifts
    c. love
    d. knowledge
    –
  5. “Unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding.” Nothing but ________ can lead the believer to truth. “Sanctify them through thy _______: thy word is _______” (John 17:17).
  6. The mystery spoken of in verse 2 is the institution of the ________. It is a mystery because it had not been revealed in the _____ ___________. Baptism brings unity since all members of a local New Testament church are ________ into one ______. A body must be local and connected to all other parts. Otherwise, it is not a body. We are told to “endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of _______” (Ephesians 4.3). How? By doing all the things God’s Word instructs us to do, not by falling prey to enticing _______, _____________, __________, ___________ , or ___________; by remaining in ________. ________ is the reservoir of all ____________.
  7. Paul warns them, in verse 4, not to let any man “beguile you with __________ _______.” __________ _______ are a lot of oratory or sweet talk. “_________” means to victimize. Believers are to follow the Word of God and not a ____________ or an _____________. The purpose of a church or believer is not to make one feel ______ all over. One purpose of a pastor is to preach the Word of God and make application for the _____________ of the body (See, e.g. 1 Corinthians 10.8, 13.10, 14.4-5, 12, 26; 2 Timothy 4.1-5; 1 Thessalonians 5.11; 1 Peter 5, 2). Believers are to follow the pastor as the pastor follows the ______ of God, in charity shepherding and overseeing the body so that all members may exercise their God-given gifts and function as a healthy ______ accomplishing their God-given goal (See, e.g. Romans 12.4-8, 1 Corinthians 12-13, Ephesians 4).
  8. At the time this epistle was written the church at Colosse were in proper _______ and they were “_________” in their faith (verse 5).. Church members ought to be ___________ shoulder to shoulder, not undermining or taking advantage of other church members.
  9. Steadfast means:
    –
    a. to have a solid front
    b. to be immovable
    c. always abounding in the work of the Lord
    d. all the above
    –
    “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye ___________, _____________, always ____________ in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your ________ is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
  10. Paul instructs believers to ______ in Christ, “________ and _______ up in him, and stablished in the _______ as ye have been ________, abounding therein with _______________.” Walk in _________, walk in the _________.
  11. Philosophers such as Kant, Locke, and Bultmann do not have a high view of the inspiration of the ______ of _____. Some very prominent theologies are based upon philosophy and not on a literal reading of the ______ of God. They look for the answers to the problems of life which are not found in _____________, in ________ knowledge. _________ is the answer to philosophy. “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us ________, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Christ told the religious leaders of his day: “Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your ____________?” (Matthew 15:3).
  12. Verse 9 is a clear statement of the ________ of Christ.
  13. Verse 10 makes clear that only in Christ alone are you ___________. What is your question? ________ is the answer. What is your need? Turn to ________. Are you carried away by enticing words? Turn to ________. Are you carried away by the systems and traditions of men? Turn to ________.
  14. Verse 11 teaches that the real circumcision is the new _______. “For in Christ Jesus neither _______________ availeth any thing, nor __________________, but a _____ creature” (Galatians 6:15). Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a _____ creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become _____” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
  15. Salvation is accomplished (verse 12) by
    –
    a. the resurrection power of God.
    b. some philosophy.
    c. some gimmick.
    d. taking some course that will enable you to live for God.
    –
  16. Salvation is, contrary to men’s philosophies (verse 13)
    –
    a. improvement of the old nature.
    b. impartation of a new nature.
    c. both a and b
    d. neither a nor b
    –
  17. One philosophy is, then as now, that men can live so nobly that death cannot matter—one is not to be uplifted by good fortune nor cast down by adversity” (Stoicism). Another philosophy, Epicureanism, teaches that all is uncertain so it is vain to deny ourselves any present joy in view of possible future ill; let us eat and drink until we die (Epicureanism). Both those systems address the _____ man who is in the flesh, not the _____ man. Those systems have gimmicks and systems set before them to enable them to live a “spiritual” or a “good” life. No manmade _____________ works. The answer is to come into a personal relationship with _______ ________.
  18. What did Christ write on the cross?
    –
    a. The Ten Commandments
    b. a law which I cannot keep
    c. ordinances which I am guilty of breaking
    d. ordinances which Christ kept
    e. all of the above
    f. a, b, and c
    –
  19. “And having ___________ principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, _____________ over them in it” (Colossians 2:15). Hallelujah!

Answers

Christ, the Answer to Philosophy 2.1-15:

  1. Christianity has, on one extreme, always been in danger of either evaporating into a philosophy, in which case it becomes nothing but steam. An example of this is the philosophy of John Calvin which redefines the Sovereignty of God and the free will of man. On the other hand, the opposite danger is that it will freeze into a form and become nothing more than a ritual. Christ is neither steam nor ice, neither of which can sustain life. Rather, He is water. That is why we need to guard against following a philosophy (Roman Catholicism or John Calvin) or a ritual (e.g., Roman Catholicism). Christianity is Christ. Christ is the answer to man’s head and his heart. Paul deals with five errors that endangered the Colossian church in Chapter 2:  Enticing words (verses 4-7); b. Philosophy (verses 8-13); c. Legality (verses 14-17); d. Mysticism (verses 18, 19) e. Asceticism (verses 20-23). These are dangers today. Many Bible believers have slipped into one or more of these errors.
  2. Paul had great conflict (agony) in his heart for the churches at Colosse and Laodicea. He had not been to Laodicea and Colosse—they and others had not seen Paul. Paul saw that there was great danger and it caused great conflict in Paul’s heart.
  3. “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love.” Heart indicates the entire inner man, the whole propulsive nature of man, their whole person.
  4. Paul desires that they will be drawn together in:
    –
    c. love (love is the glue that holds a church together)
    –
  5. “Unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding.” Nothing but Christ can lead the believer to truth. “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17).
  6. The mystery spoken of in verse 2 is the institution of the church. It is a mystery because it had not been revealed in the Old Testament. Baptism brings unity since all members of a local New Testament church are baptized into one body. A body must be local and connected to all other parts. Otherwise, it is not a body. We are told to “endeavor to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4.3). How? By doing all the things God’s Word instructs us to do, not by falling prey to enticing words, philosophy, legality, mysticism , or asceticism; by remaining in Christ. Christ is the reservoir of all knowledge.
  7. Paul warns them, in verse 4, not to let any man “beguile you with enticing words.” Enticing words are a lot of oratory or sweet talk. “Beguile” means to victimize. Believers are to follow the Word of God and not a philosophy or an individual. The purpose of a church or believer is not to make one feel good all over. One purpose of a pastor is to preach the Word of God and make application for the edification of the body (See, e.g. 1 Corinthians 10.8, 13.10, 14.4-5, 12, 26; 2 Timothy 4.1-5; 1 Thessalonians 5.11; 1 Peter 5, 2). Believers are to follow the pastor as the pastor follows the Word of God, in charity shepherding and overseeing the body so that all members may exercise their God-given gifts and function as a healthy body accomplishing their God-given goal (See, e.g. Romans 12.4-8, 1 Corinthians 12-13, Ephesians 4).
  8. At the time this epistle was written the church at Colosse were in proper order and they were “steadfast” in their faith (verse 5).. Church members ought to be standing shoulder to shoulder, not undermining or taking advantage of other church members.
  9. Steadfast means:
    –
    d. all the above (to have a solid front, to be immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord)
    –
    “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
  10. Paul instructs believers to walk in Christ, “rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.” Walk in Christ, walk in the Spirit.
  11. Philosophers such as Kant, Locke, and Bultmann do not have a high view of the inspiration of the Word of God. Some very prominent theologies are based upon philosophy and not on a literal reading of the Word of God. They look for the answers to the problems of life which are not found in philosophy, in human knowledge. Christ is the answer to philosophy. “But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). Christ told the religious leaders of his day: “Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” (Matthew 15:3).
  12. Verse 9 is a clear statement of the deity of Christ.
  13. Verse 10 makes clear that only in Christ alone are you complete. What is your question? Christ is the answer. What is your need? Turn to Christ. Are you carried away by enticing words? Turn to Christ. Are you carried away by the systems and traditions of men? Turn to Christ.
  14. Verse 11 teaches that the real circumcision is the new birth. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature” (Galatians 6:15). Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
  15. Salvation is accomplished (verse 12) by
    –
    a. the resurrection power of God.
    –
  16. Salvation is, contrary to men’s philosophies (verse 13)
    –
    b. impartation of a new nature.
    –
  17. One philosophy is, then as now, that men can live so nobly that death cannot matter—one is not to be uplifted by good fortune nor cast down by adversity” (Stoicism). Another philosophy, Epicureanism, teaches that all is uncertain so it is vain to deny ourselves any present joy in view of possible future ill; let us eat and drink until we die (Epicureanism). Both those systems address the old man who is in the flesh, not the new man. Those systems have gimmicks and systems set before them to enable them to live a “spiritual” or a “good” life. No manmade philosophy works. The answer is to come into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
  18. What did Christ write on the cross?
    –
    e. all of the above (a. The Ten Commandments, a law which I cannot keep’ ordinances which I am guilty of breaking, ordinances which Christ kept)
    –
  19. “And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15). Hallelujah!

Should you disagree with an answer given, please explain why you disagree in the comment section below the article. All reasoned comments will be published, perhaps with reply. The purpose of this website is the Glory of God. God cannot be glorified by shutting out honest disagreement in the search for truth. The author would be interested in your explanation. The comments are required by the website to be approved or disapproved. The author is very busy with many matters and may or may not immediately notice your comment. He will address it as soon as he notices it. He almost always approves comments presented with a godly spirit. He never alters comments. Sometimes, he replies to comments.

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Lesson 3 on Colossians: Christ the Head of the Local Church

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Subjective Work of Christ for Saints – Colossians 1.24-29
(12 questions with answers following)
Added on  May 9, 2017

Click here to go to the “Bible Studies on the Doctrine of the Church” (Has links to all lessons)
Click here to go to Lesson 4

Answers at the end, following the questions. Those who disagree with anything please see the note at the end. Reasoned dialogue is encouraged and any Bible or fact based comments, if made in a Christian manner in an attempt to get to the truth will be considered.

This is an open book quiz meant to challenge the Bible believer – the saved person who believes the Word of God rather than the person who tries to fit particular Scriptures into a system of interpretation meant to validate one’s desired view of how things should be by philosophizing, allegorizing, or spiritualizing chosen Scriptures. The literal meaning, taken in its immediate context and within the context of all related Scripture is the basis for these studies. It is presented for the glory of God.

Colossians directs our attention to the head of the body who is Christ. The body itself is secondary. Christ is the theme. He is the center of the circle around which all Christian living revolves. Christ is the fullness of God. The dominating thought is that Christ is all I need; He is everything. He is the primary object, and the thought passes downward to the church as the body of Christ.

Colossians was written to the local church at Colosse (with the principles to be applied by all local churches and believers) to counteract the heresy of Gnosticism, the first heresy in the church. There were many forms of Gnosticism, and in Colosse there were the Essenes. There are three points of identification for this group: (1) They had an exclusive spirit. They felt that they were the people—they had knowledge in the jug and held the stopper in their hands. Thus, they felt that they were super-duper in knowledge and knew more than anyone else, including the Apostles. (2) They held speculative tenets on creation. They taught that God did not create the universe directly, but created a creature who in turn created another creature, until one finally created the physical universe. Christ was considered a creature in this long series of creations.  Paul refutes this in Colossians 1:15-19. (3) They practiced asceticism and unrestrained licentiousness. They got the asceticism from the influence of Greek Stoicism and the unrestrained licentiousness from the influence of Greek Epicureanism. Paul refutes this in Colossians 2.16, 23 and 3.5-9.

See, J. Vernon McGee, Colossians for more on this.

Colossians 1: 24-29 [Subjective Work of Christ for the Saints] “24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: 25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; 26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: 28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: 29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.”

Questions:

Subjective Work of Christ for Saints: 1.24-29:

  1. 1.24 says “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church.” Paul was ____________ in his body for the sake of Christ’s body. When Paul (and other believers) ________ for the body (the local church), it completes the ____________ of Christ. Thus, there is still something to be ______. Paul is writing from prison and here he says he has fulfilled all his _____________ in fulfillment of Ac. 9.15-16: “15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must ________ for my name’s sake.” These _____________ of Paul were not redemptive.
  2. There are two kinds of _____________: ministerial ____________ and mediatorial ____________. Christ’s sufferings were mediatorial. Meditorial sufferings are of two kinds: Those which Christ endured and in which we ________ This is His human ____________ which he endured as a _____. These sufferings would include:
    –
    (1) hunger and thirst
    (2) loneliness
    (3) anguish, pain, and sorrow
    (4) weariness
    (5) all of the above
    (6) none of the above
    –
    Click here to listen to a teaching by Dr. J. Vernon McGee which gives the answers to the questions 3a. and 3b: The Subjective Work of Christ for Saints – His (and the Believer’s) Sufferings
    –
  3. Christ experienced two types of suffering which He could not share:
    –
    a. The first suffering which Christ could not share was His human suffering. Paul wrote, “For every man shall bear his own burden” (Ga. 6.5). Thus, there are certain burdens we must each bear _______. We are born _______, feel pain _______. We must face certain problems _______. There is a sorrow that comes which no one can share with us. No one can take our place when we become sick. You cannot take your child’s place when he or she becomes sick. No one can go through the valley of the shadow of death for another.
    –
    b. The second ____________ which Christ could not share was His ____________ as the Son of God. We see this suffering in Psalm 69. In verses 11 and 12, we learn that He was the song of ___________ and that He made ___________ His garment. Because He was the son of God, He was __________ by the Roman soldiers. The soldiers of the high priest _________ Him. They played a game in which they _____________ him, and all the soldiers _____ him with their fists. Even when he named the right one, they would not admit it but would ___________ him again and play the same game. He was marred more than any man. His face was beaten to a ______. He ___________ in a way no man has ever ___________ because he ___________ as the Son of God.
    –
  4. Christ also endured sufferings which we can share:
    –
    a. There is the suffering for _____________’ sake. Jesus suffered for _____________’ sake. “But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the _______, which I have heard of God” (John 8:40). Believers are to continue in the example of Paul and the other Apostles. When they do so, they will experience ministerial suffering. They will suffer _____________. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer _____________” (2 Timothy 3:12). If you are going to live for God, if you are going to take a stand for the right, you will find that you will be passed by. God’s men are passed by today in the distribution of ___________ honors. “The world and many ‘Christians’ will damn the man of God with faint ________, and they will praise him with faint _______.” That is the way many believers as well as lost people treat _______ men. Athletes are lauded; people in the entertainment world are praised; politicians are praised; professors are honored; Christian __________ who have forsaken Bible truth concerning church _______________ teach their ______ at seminaries, Bible __________, and ___________ and sell their heretical books to Christians who _________ follow their teachings; and heretical __________ and _________ within the “Christian” sphere are lauded, praised, and looked up to by millions and their books, sermons, ____________ and __________ teachings, etc. are believed and followed. But the believer who teaches the truth about certain matters is ___________. If you stand for the things that are right in this world, you will suffer for righteousness’ sake. Paul understood this. That will be the lot for anyone who stands for _____ using _______ methods.
    –
    b. Then there is the suffering in the measure we identify ourselves with Christ for the proclamation of the _________ The Lord Jesus made this clear, “If the _______ ______ you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the ________, the _______ would love his own: but because ye are not of the _______, but I have chosen you out of the ________, therefore the world _________ you” (John 15:18-19). “The popularity of the world and the ‘Christian’ community is in inverse ration with his popularity with Christ.” If you are popular with the world and with the general “Christian” community in America, you will not be popular with Christ. The child of God is to take his rightful place and identify himself with Christ. When we suffer for Christ, the Lord Jesus is also suffering through us, through His local church you are a member of.
    –
    Remember what the Lord Jesus said to Saul on the road to __________, “Saul, Saul, why ______________ thou me” (Acts 9.4). Saul thought he was ______________ Christians. He was shocked to learn that he was actually ______________ the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus suffers when His children are ____________.
    –
    If the Gospel and the truths of the Word of God are to go forward today, someone must _________. Believers who take the Word of God seriously and act upon the truths therein will _________. Local churches who take the Word of God seriously will understand that they “are no more ____________ and _____________, but _________________ with the saints, and of the ___________ of God; And are built upon the ______________ of the apostles and prophets, ________ ________ himself being the chief ________ _______; In whom all the ___________ fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an _____________ of God through the Spirit” (Ep. 2:19-22).
    –
  5. “ Whereof I am made a ___________, according to the _______________ of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the ______ of God” (Col. 1.25). “Dispensation means:
    –
    a. age
    b. economy
    c. financing
    d. none of the above
    –
  6. How many of God’s dispensations have been based on the redemption that is in Christ Jesus?
  7. In Colossians 1.25, Paul makes clear that this is a new dispensation of _____, given ______, “for ______” (____________).
  8. A mystery is something that had not been revealed in the _____ ___________ but is now revealed. The mystery spoken of in Colossians 1.26 that is that God would now put _________ on the same basis as the __________. God is now saving both ______ and __________, people of all _______, and making them part of the ________ of God. God also ordains local autonomous New Testament __________ made up of born again _____________. This mystery was now made manifest not only to Paul, but also to his ________.
  9. Christ in the believer is the “______ of ________” (Colossians 1.27).
  10. The gospel is (see Colossians 1.28):
    –
    a. what we preach
    b. whom we preach
    c. both a and b
    d. neither a nor b
    –
  11. “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1.28). This verse commands believers:
    –
    a. to preach the gospel in order to win sinners to Christ and to save them from the wrath that is to come.
    b. to build up believers so that they may grow in grace and be faithful members of and serve Christ in the local assembly.
    c. both of the above
    d. neither of above
    –
  12. According to Colossians 1.29, Paul is laboring according to _____ working, which worked in Paul ___________, to do the things commanded in verse 28. Oh, would the desire of every believer be to
    –
    a. get out the gospel that men might be saved
    b. baptize them into a local New Testament church
    c. build them up in the faith
    d. all of the above.

Answers

Subjective Work of Christ for Saints: 1.24-29:

  1. 1.24 says “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church.” Paul was suffering in his body for the sake of Christ’s body. When Paul (and other believers) suffer for the body (the local church), it completes the suffering of Christ. Thus, there is still something to be done. Paul is writing from prison and here he says he has fulfilled all his sufferings in fulfillment of Ac. 9.15-16: “15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.” These sufferings of Paul were not redemptive.
  2. There are two kinds of sufferings: ministerial suffering and mediatorial suffering. Christ’s sufferings were mediatorial. Meditorial sufferings are of two kinds: Those which Christ endured and in which we cannot This is His human suffering which he endured as a man. These sufferings would include:
    –
    (5) all of the above (hunger and thirst; loneliness; anguish, pain, and sorrow; weariness)
    –
    Click here to listen to a teaching by Dr. J. Vernon McGee which gives the answers to the questions 3a. and 3b: The Subjective Work of Christ for Saints – His (and the Believer’s) Sufferings
    –
  3. Christ experienced two types of suffering which He could not share:
    –
    a. The first suffering which Christ could not share was His human suffering. Paul wrote, “For every man shall bear his own burden” (Ga. 6.5). Thus, there are certain burdens we must each bear alone. We are born alone, feel pain alone. We must face certain problems alone. There is a sorrow that comes which no one can share with us. No one can take our place when we become sick. You cannot take your child’s place when he or she becomes sick. No one can go through the valley of the shadow of death for another.
    –
    b. The second suffering which Christ could not share was His suffering as the Son of God. We see this suffering in Psalm 69. In verses 11 and 12, we learn that He was the song of drunkards and that He made sackcloth His garment. Because He was the son of God, He was arrested by the Roman soldiers. The soldiers of the high priest mocked Him. They played a game in which they blindfolded him, and all the soldiers hit him with their fists. Even when he named the right one, they would not admit it but would blindfold him again and play the same game. He was marred more than any man. His face was beaten to a pulp. He suffered in a way no man has ever suffered because he suffered as the Son of God.
    –
  4. Christ also endured sufferings which we can share:
    –
    a. There is the suffering for righteousness’ sake. Jesus suffered for righteousness’ sake. “But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God” (John 8:40). Believers are to continue in the example of Paul and the other Apostles. When they do so, they will experience ministerial suffering. They will suffer persecution. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). If you are going to live for God, if you are going to take a stand for the right, you will find that you will be passed by. God’s men are passed by today in the distribution of earthly honors. “The world and many ‘Christians’ will damn the man of God with faint praise, and they will praise him with faint damns.” That is the way many believers as well as lost people treat God’s men. Athletes are lauded; people in the entertainment world are praised; politicians are praised; professors are honored; Christian lawyers who have forsaken Bible truth concerning church organization teach their lies at seminaries, Bible Colleges, and churches and sell their heretical books to Christians who blindly follow their teachings; and heretical teachers and pastors within the “Christian” sphere are lauded, praised, and looked up to by millions and their books, sermons, heretical and apostate teachings, etc. are believed and followed. But the believer who teaches the truth about certain matters is vilified. If you stand for the things that are right in this world, you will suffer for righteousness’ sake. Paul understood this. That will be the lot for anyone who stands for God using God’s methods.
    –
    b. Then there is the suffering in the measure we identify ourselves with Christ for the proclamation of the Gospel. The Lord Jesus made this clear, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:18-19). “The popularity of the world and the ‘Christian’ community is in inverse ration with his popularity with Christ.” If you are popular with the world and with the general “Christian” community in America, you will not be popular with Christ. The child of God is to take his rightful place and identify himself with Christ. When we suffer for Christ, the Lord Jesus is also suffering through us, through His local church you are a member of.
    –
    Remember what the Lord Jesus said to Saul on the road to Damascus, “Saul, Saul, why persecuteth thou me” (Acts 9.4). Saul thought he was persecuting Christians. He was shocked to learn that he was actually persecuting the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus suffers when His children are persecuted.
    –
    If the Gospel and the truths of the Word of God are to go forward today, someone must suffer. Believers who take the Word of God seriously and act upon the truths therein will suffer. Local churches who take the Word of God seriously will understand that they “are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ep. 2:19-22).
    –
  5. “Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God” (Col. 1.25). “Dispensation means:
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    b. economy
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  6. All of God’s dispensations have been based on the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
  7. In Colossians 1.25, Paul makes clear that this is a new dispensation of God, given Paul, “for you” (believers).
  8. A mystery is something that had not been revealed in the Old Testament but is now revealed. The mystery spoken of in Colossians 1.26 is that God would now put Israel on the same basis as the Gentiles. God is now saving both Jews and Gentiles, people of all races, and making them part of the family of God. God also ordains local autonomous New Testament churches made up of born again believers. This mystery was now made manifest not only to Paul, but also to his saints.
  9. Christ in the believer is the “hope of glory” (Colossians 1.27).
  10. The gospel is (see Colossians 1.28):
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    b. whom we preach
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  11. “Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus” (Colossians 1.28). This verse commands believers:
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    c. both of the above (to preach the gospel in order to win sinners to Christ and to save them from the wrath that is to come, and to build up believers so that they may grow in grace and be faithful members of and serve Christ in the local assembly)
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  12. According to Colossians 1.29, Paul is laboring according to his working, which worked in Paul mightily, to do the things commanded in verse 28. Oh, would the desire of every believer be to
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    d. all of the above (get out the gospel that men might be saved, baptize them into a local New Testament church, build them up in the faith).

Should you disagree with an answer given, please explain why you disagree in the comment section below the article. All reasoned comments will be published, perhaps with reply. The purpose of this website is the Glory of God. God cannot be glorified by shutting out honest disagreement in the search for truth. The author would be interested in your explanation. The comments are required by the website to be approved or disapproved. The author is very busy with many matters and may or may not immediately notice your comment. He will address it as soon as he notices it. He almost always approves comments presented with a godly spirit. He never alters comments. Sometimes, he replies to comments.

Articles which address biblical principles relating to separation of church and state

Exposing or Silently Co-existing with False Teaching Causes Suffering and Persecution from Within and Without a Church

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Jerald Finney, May 2, 2017

This article is written during a long period of grief and sorrow, suffering and persecution.  First, it briefly deals with the issue of false teachings concerning church organization and links to an online teaching on this matter. The article linked to also explains correct Bible church organization. Dealing with this issue is the source of much suffering. Next, the article explains the suffering and persecution which any believer who takes a Bible based stand for God, including God’s churches and church principles, must endure. Sadly, the sources of such suffering come from everywhere—from within and without. When from within, “judgment must begin at the House of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” Finally, the article quotes some very relevant Bible verses for guidance of believers in a church in the midst of suffering and persecution.

The article linked to below exposes lies and fabrications of a pseudo-law organization which has, for decades, misled people about church organization. This group has not only promoted a wrong way, but blatantly lied about the right way. Many good men of God have organized using their unlearned methods; been victim to their ridiculous arguments, etc. I left them alone for many, many years. However, every few months on average, I would be contacted by another believer who had bought their nonsense about their method of church organization (and teachings concerning pastoral leadership-a side issue) and also about correct New Testament church organization. Because truth was being drug through the mud and God’s churches misled, the Lord finally laid on my heart to “answer a fool according to his folly.”

The article is one chapter of an online booklet. Links to all articles, which address all aspects of the issue, are at the top of each article. I humbly suggest that members of New Testament churches properly organized according to New Testament principles need to understand these matters. The link to the article is:

Chapter 4: Analysis of “Biblical Law Center Bulletins”

As mentioned above, dealing with matters like this brings grief and sorrow, suffering and persecution to a believer. It is not fun to expose lies and anti-Biblical teaching and practices, especially when they are disseminated by so-called men of God. When one stands for Christ and/or His churches, he will suffer. Jesus is our example. “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Is. 53.3). Christ “loved the church and gave himself for it.” Likewise did the apostles.

Colossians 1:24  “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:” Paul, in following Christ, suffered for “the body’s sake, which is the church.” Of course, on earth, the institution of the church is manifested in the local New Testament church. “Colossians” was written to and for the church at Colosee, with principles that God desires to be applied to every New Testament church body. Just read the epistles of Paul to get an idea of his suffering and contention for and within the local church. Of course, the church at Philippi was an exception. It was a church which had only insignificant problem(s)—no false doctrine as the churches of Galatia; no problems with Christian conduct as with the church at Corinth.

Likewise, all who follow Christ will suffer. 2 Timothy 3:12: ” Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” 1 Peter 2:21: “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.”

My pastor just preached a sermon concerning Christian suffering. He pointed out that this is something that all believers who seek to follow Christ will do. They will suffer for Christ’s sake. Before hearing that sermon, I never considered that much of my suffering and anguish since salvation have come because of my feeble attempts to follow our Lord. I had equated the “suffering and persecution” of Christians with that of the martyrs. But as the pastor preached, the continuing sufferings encountered by believers within a church who is at least attempting to honor the Lord Jesus Christ may be worse than that of the martyrs in the sense that the grief and sorrow brought from internal church associations and matters continue. They do not suddenly and quickly disappear. These sufferings are varied: For example, marriage problems for a newly saved believer caused by his regeneration; rejection of Christ by the believer’s friends and relatives; adverse reactions by co-workers, bosses, people of influence who can help or hinder his advancement in his chosen occupation of profession (e.g., a believer following his Lord no longer drinks, parties, etc. with them as before); suffering caused by conflict between believers within and without a church over true versus false doctrine or conduct (maybe the most distressing type of suffering); etc.

As a believer grows in knowledge, understanding, and application of Bible truth, conflicts, suffering, and persecution increase. Christ will call such a believer to do a work for Him according to the gift(s) which He extends to the believer. May times, the exercise of the believer’s gift(s) will bring that believer into conflict with other believers, many times others within the church he is a member of. Those conflicts are many times kept hidden within but they grow like a cancer; they cannot be hidden. Unresolved tension in and of itself brings suffering and persecution. The conflict, suffering, and persecution between believers is the worst, the hardest to deal with, the most hurtful, the cause of the most severe sorrow and grief. What is one to do? Betray Christ or suffer? Confront those with whom the conflict exists of let it smoulder?

May I present a little more insight, from the Bible, concerning suffering? Permit me to go back to Paul’s statement quoted above: “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church.” Paul was suffering in his body for the sake of Christ’s body, “which is the church.” When Paul (and other believers) suffer for the body (the local church), it completes the suffering of Christ. Thus, there is still something to be done. Paul is writing from prison and here he says he has fulfilled all his sufferings in fulfillment of Ac. 9.15-16: “15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: 16 For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

There are two kinds of sufferings: ministerial suffering and mediatorial suffering. Christ’s sufferings were mediatorial. Meditorial sufferings are of two kinds.

  1. Those which Christ endured and in which we cannot share. This is His human suffering which he endured as a man. These sufferings would include hunger and thirst, loneliness, anguish, pain, sorrow, and weariness. Paul wrote, “For every man shall bear his own burden” (Ga. 6.5). Thus, there are certain burdens we must each bear alone. We are born alone, feel pain alone. We must face certain problems alone. There is a sorrow that comes which no one can share with us. No one can take our place when we become sick.  You cannot take your child’s place when he or she becomes sick. No one can go through the valley of the shadow of death for another.
  2. The second suffering which Christ could not share was His suffering as the Son of God. We see this suffering in Psalm 69. In verses 11 and 12, we learn that He was the song of drunkards and that He made sackcloth His garment. Because He was the son of God, He was arrested by the Roman soldiers. The soldiers of the high priest mocked Him. They played a game in which they blindfolded him, and all the soldiers hit him with their fists. Even when he named the right one, they would not admit it but would blindfold him again and play the same game. He was marred more than any man. His face was beaten to a pulp. He suffered in a way no man has ever suffered because he suffered as the Son of God.

On the other hand, there are sufferings Christ endured which we can share. These are the sufferings which Paul refers to in Colossians 1.24.

  1. There is suffering for righteousness’s sake. Jesus suffered for righteousness’ sake. “But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham” John 8:40). Believers are to continue in the example of Paul and the other Apostles. When they do so, they will experience ministerial suffering. They will suffer persecution. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Ti. 3:12).
    –
    If you are going to live for God, if you are going to take a stand for the right, you will find that you will be passed by. God’s men are passed by today in the distribution of earthly honors. “The world and many ‘Christians’ will damn the man of God with faint praise, and they will praise him with faint damns.” That is the way many believers as well as lost people treat God’s men. Athletes are lauded; people in the entertainment world are praised; politicians are praised; professors are honored; Christian lawyers who have forsaken Bible truth concerning church organization teach their lies at seminaries, Bible Colleges, and churches and sell their heretical books to Christians who blindly follow their teachings; and heretical teachers and pastors within the “Christian” sphere are lauded, praised, and looked up to by millions and their books, sermons, heretical and apostate teachings, etc. are believed and followed. If you stand for the things that are right in this world, you will suffer for righteousness’ sake. Paul understood this. That will be the lot for anyone who stands for God using God’s methods.
  2. Then there is the suffering in the measure we identify ourselves with Christ for the proclamation of the Gospel. The Lord Jesus made this clear, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you” (John 15:18-19). “The popularity of the world and the ‘Christian’ community is in inverse ration with his popularity with Christ.” If you are popular with the world and with the general “Christian” community in America, you will not be popular with Christ. The child of God is to take his rightful place and identify himself with Christ. When we suffer for Christ, the Lord Jesus is also suffering through us and through His local church we are members of.
    –
    PaulOnRoadToDamascusRemember what the Lord Jesus said to Saul on the road to Damascus, “Saul, Saul, why persecuteth thou me” (Acts 9.4). Saul thought he was persecuting Christians. He was shocked to learn that he was actually persecuting the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus suffers when His children are persecuted.
    –
    If the Gospel and the truths of the Word of God are to go forward today, someone must suffer. Believers who take the Word of God seriously and act upon the truths therein will suffer. Local churches who take the Word of God seriously will understand that they “are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ep. 2:19-22).

Members of local New Testament churches who seek to obey Christ and keep his commandments will suffer persecution from many sources, sometimes from within the church they are members of. Oh, would churches follow the example of the church at Philippi. If one is to follow God and his Word, he needs the love, fellowship, and edification of everyone in the church he is a member of. His local church is his oasis. The disdain, rejection, and opposition of just one beloved brother in a church – even if not overtly obvious – quelches and weakens the spirit of the targeted member(s) of the body, thereby weakening and destroying the unity of the body as a whole.  Love (charity) is the key to prevention of this malady in the body. May church members and believers seek to love one another while keeping in mind the following most appropriate verses:

Ephesians 4:11-16: “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, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 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:  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

1 Corinthians 12:22-31: “Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.  For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.  And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.  Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?  Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.”

God does not want his children to needlessly cause their brothers and sisters in Christ to suffer. He desires that we, in the midst of our sufferings, remember: “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.  Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator” (1 Peter 4:8-19). [Notice: the fiery trial starts at the church, the house of God. Believers persecute and cause other believers to suffer. A believer should make sure he is on the Lord’s side (truth and love) when this happens.]

See the following webpage for a lot of Scripture which deals with suffering and persecution of the believer: Persecution and Suffering.

Note. Many of the insights in the above article were gleaned from Colossians by Dr. J. Vernon McGee.