Key Word is Allegiance
Dear Matt,
You asked a poster,
"Final Question: Did you or did you not give your allegiance to the "the vision of the church" or "christ and the church" (intentionally or unintentionally)? If I didn't get it quite right, please tell me what you did give your allegiance to. Can you honestly say that you only gave your allegiance to Christ? This is what I am talking about. Right now, I'm asking about you. After you answer this, then begin to ask yourself who did not do this?
I think this is one of the questions you asked me or something like it. (I have lost track of Matt's questions for me and have asked him to PM me with his list. I will try to answer.)
The key word is allegiance. I always considered my allegiance to be to Christ. On the other hand, there is 2 Cor 8:5, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. NASB
At times we will join with others in our service to the Lord. We are not Lone Rangers but rather members one of another.
We all should have some vision regarding the full counsel of God, Acts 20:27, For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. NKJV
As far as what we are doing as a believer in Christ, our Christian service and work needs to be with a clear view or vision.
1 Cor 3:10-15,
10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it. 11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If any man's work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. 15 If any man's work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire. NASB
We cannot claim our allegiance is only to Christ and then conduct ourselves without regard to the Will of God.
Col 4:11-12
12 Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. NASB
Heb 10:36
36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. NASB
1 Peter 4:2
2 so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. NASB
1 John 2:17
17 And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever. NASB
Also consider the following passage:
2 Thess 3:4-5
4 And we have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command. 5 And may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ. NASB
While we are seeking to have our allegiance to Christ alone, it is okay to be open for fellowship. But our ability to fully follow the Lord and be pleasing to Him depends on our being willing to be directed by the Lord Himself. But to be directed by the Lord Himself does not mean we never listen to anyone else or receive wise counsel from another saint or have no guiding principles. For example, I would never accept someone declaring they are following only Christ and that Christ has led them to abandon their children.
In Christ Jesus there is Hope for us all,
Hope, Don Rutledge
|