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Originally Posted by Unregistered
Steel’s example is due to his desire to serve as an usher in a service.
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Well... Not really... You were closer when you said this "... Steel shaved his beard because he wanted to please the Lord..." in your earlier comment.
And to be honest... I wasn't consciously thinking that shaving my beard was akin to my wanting "...to please the Lord..." . . . Often, my disposition towards my relationship with the Lord is kind of like that of a petulant child.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered
Can a service have standards that may or may not be justified in those wanting to enter it?
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I'm thinking that "...service..." is in and of itself a "...standard..." . . . A "...standard..." that has requirements that must be met/adhered to in order to be upheld as a "...standard...".
If we consider the matter of the "...standard..." as related to the Roman Empire, we'd find some very interesting related meanings... Most, or even all, of which are focused on the need to satiate fallen man's vanity.
The truth is... There is only one "...standard..." that has any reality and therefore value... This being God's "...standard..." . . . And God's "...standard..." is simply Himself. . . . Which is why the "...standard..." of a believer in Christ Jesus is simply God as our "...standard...".
And if we are to take God's "...standards..." then there is no need for any justifying on our part... It's basically His way or no way.
Now... Being clear regarding what the "...standard..." for a believer is... When I read your above quoted speaking, Unregistered, it concerned me that you seem not to be clear regarding the difference between a "...standard..." and a "...requirement..."... And yet think to speak on the matter as having some authority regarding it.
Our service to God... Which should be what is expressed in all our daily living and being... Is simply an aspect (type of) of our worship of God... And according to scripture... This service we render unto God should be according to the measure of grace God has given each of us for the purpose of rendering this service to Him.
Ephesians 4:7... "But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ."
Ephesians 4:16... "Out from whom all the Body, being joined together and being knit together through every joint of the rich supply and through the operation in the measure of each one part, causes the growth of the Body unto the building up of itself in love."
So if there is any "...justifying..." regarding our service/worship unto God taking place... It is according to God's measure of grace He has given each of us... And not according to any human contrived requirements thought to be put in place in regards to the carrying out of this service/worship... According to the ministry footnotes... "In Rom. 12 it is the grace that produces the gift. Hence, the gift is according to grace. Here the grace is according to the gift, according to the measure of the gift. This is similar to our blood supplying the members of our body according to their size."
Therefore... According to scripture... My service/worship unto God should be according to the grace He has supplied me with to carry out my service/worship unto Him... And this being the case... The need is then on of ensuring the grace has been supplied, and that the person carrying out the service/worship is exercised in this grace while doing so.
In reality... Any "...requirements..." applicable to the bearing (carrying out) of the "...standard..." (service/worship) are contained within the measure of grace given by God to the person being asked to do so... And the need of those others who are related to it is not to become legal in their own zeal to carry out what service/worship God has brought them into... But to humble themselves and make up any lack found within those they are cooperating with the Lord to cowork with in the carrying out of God's economy on this earth.
I must help my brother and sister to exercise themselves in the measure of grace God has given them... And they must help me exercise myself accordingly... This is the reality spoken to in Ephesians 4:7 being expressed in and through teh members of the one body of Christ.
It is in and through grace that the body is built up and properly functions... Not in and through legality/legalism.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered
A brother with a beard can have a beard but if he is in Austin (sovereignly arranged by the Lord) and wants to be in the ushering service, then he needs to have that conversation with the Lord... Again, who knows?), all of which strengthens the brother’s faith and deepens his experience with the Lord.
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Or, the Lord may use this brother with the beard to expose an element of legalism that has crept into the thinking of those overseeing the ushering.
Or do you think that all the various problems related to the various churches referred to in the book of Revelation are not applicable to those overseeing matters involving the various local churches... That the overseeing ones are not susceptible to the corruption other lesser members of tehe body might suffer?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered
Many in the the recovery testify of these kinds of experiences. They are part of God’s ongoing salvation. A sister shared that she wore lots of makeup when she began to meet.... In the end it was His supply and her obedience that saved her but He used these other factors.
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Notice... In your above anecdote, the experience was divinely organic... Not humanly instituted.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Unregistered
The Lord looked upon the rich young ruler with love as He asked him to sell all he had. The young man could fulfill all the other commandments, so the Lord found the “one thing” he could not do and asked him to do it. The young man went away sorrowing. Don’t go away sorrowing. if he had remained with the Lord, the Lord would have saved him from his love of money.
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Who is to say that the Lord didn't do just that at a later date?
John 9:1-3... "And as He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth.... And His disciples asked Him, saying, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?... Jesus answered, Neither has this man sinned nor his parents, but he was born so, that the works of God might be manifested in him."
DO you know how many times Jesus may have walked by the man spoken about in the above scripture verses... Before healing him?