It may be that we become offendable at the point where our own will is in conflict with that of the Father. Certainly false doctrine would put us in that place.
Having said that, and admitting that I only know in part, I have a growing perception that the streams which we have come from have compartmentalized our understanding of the Church. This is to say, that rather than seeing the word pictures of the church as reflecting the many facets of its essential unity, the word pictures have been taken to reflect various parts instead–distinguishing them from one another. Now, I readily admit that your stream may have more light on the Scripture than I presently possess, but for now my perception is that we have divided Christ by this understanding.
For me, Paul’s rhetorical question, “Is Christ divided?” says it all. No! Therefore, I am having a difficult time receiving doctrines concerning; “The Bride of Christ” as a distinct group from “Body of Christ,” for instance. There are others who have, and continue to do the same thing–creating various classes of Christians or believers like the “Manifest sons of God,” “Joel’s Army,” “The friends of the Bride Groom,” etc.
Some have it all broken down by “national” types in their various denominations and movements: Assyria represents this, and Egypt represents that, etc. A problem I have with all of this is that it seems to legitimize division, but more than that, validates institutionalism. In fact, for all the complaints against institutionalism out there, there seems be an even greater vested interest in “compartmentalized doctrine,” making it very difficult to accept that institutionalism itself is anti-christ on its own demerit.
Now, I am very grateful for your comments, particularly at this point and time, because we’re coming down to all of this in connection with the end of things.
Today we have sorcerers with big ministries who are not unlike Simon the Sorcerer who gave the early church so much trouble.
My problem with these “big ministries” is they are institutional – the work of man’s hands. Furthermore, when they claim to be prophetic in origin and function, I have a particularly difficult time with that, because Christ came to destroy the work of man’s hands, not validate it. John the Baptist was not “REPENTANCE INC.”
Whether or not they are practicing “sorcery” is, for me, a secondary issue. The real problem is they are validating the incorporation and division of the Body of Christ, doing so in the Name of The Lord, and claiming to be acting on direct revelation. Should their claims be true, then my salvation is in serious question.
If God’s people are going to be called out of Babylon, they must have a clearer understanding–not only what they’ve been called out from, but also what they’ve been called unto. As it is, the saints seem to be continually moving from one Babylon to another, from one blind guide to the next, and the only things that change are the male egos being gratified. And currently, even female egos are beginning to get in on the act.
I confess again, I may not know the Father’s timing, but I believe this has gone on long enough. My heart’s desire is for the city of God’s making, not the cities of man’s doing.
Perhaps I should make a further confession. Although you would never guess it from my academic grades, I’ve been accused of being an intellectual. There would have be more than two or three witnesses for me to take these accusation seriously. Jesus promised to build His Church on revelation, which comes down from the Father, not on our ability to figure things out.
There are things that I hold dear which I know have come to me as revelation from the Father. There are other things that I hold dear, which may have come to me because I figured them out. I believe this may be the curse of those who are intellectually rich. They often have a more difficult time than most in discerning the difference between what is theirs by revelation, and what is theirs by human wisdom. I believe this is a great difficulty for those who function in the “prophetic” realm. Truth is, we may only prophesy in part, but we sure talk a lot, and when real prophecy gets mixed with a lot of talk, there is bound to be error in the mix. When the error is a product of those who are “intellectually powerful,” the mix can be especially compelling, and attract a large following.
The continuing debate between “Christian intellectuals” may turn out to be more the fruit of “angels of light,” than an honest wrestling with the angels of God. Whatever the intent, the fruit is tearing the Body of Christ apart. Too often, the reason appears to be the same ego gratification that caused Lucifer to run off with a third of the angels.
In my view, any prophecy or movement which builds a wall around a “part” and calls it the “whole,” does not come down from heaven, but comes up out of the earth. Enough!
- By Jay Ferris, originally posted July 2012
Loving Like God 