Jesus prayed we'd be 'ONE' with each other in Him that the world will know! (John 17)

Tag: spirit-led

A Call to Intimacy: The Holy Spirit in John’s Gospel & Epistles, by Jeff Fenske [D. A. Carson – Johannine Theology, 1993]

A Call to Intimacy:

The Holy Spirit in John’s Gospel and Epistles

by

Jeff Fenske

D. A. Carson— Johannine Theology

Wed, Dec 8, 1993

The disciple whom Jesus loved (1) — John— who had the most intimate relationship with Jesus, who was entrusted with the Revelation of the future, and who it seems was chosen to have the most longevity (John 21:20-23) — this person of seemingly great sensitivity writes the Gospel and an accompanying epistle that provide for us the most intimate call to relationship with Jesus and the Father. And this call to intimacy with God is now possible because the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead has been sent by Jesus and now indwells all true believers, enabling us to have communion with the Father and the Son and with each other. The holy catholic church, the communion of the saints credal terminology illustrates the Christian church as a union of believers under one God, joined together by himself. In John, Jesus calls us to unity with each other with an uncompromised decree which can only result from a very sensitive, intimate communion with Jesus through the Holy Spirit. Then the world will know much about the Father and the Son because they have seen God’s love demonstrated by his radiant church.

…that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me (John 17:21-23).

The glue in John that binds us to each other and to God is love, which we receive as a fruit as we position ourselves in him and under his directing guidance. John presents an illustration of us as the branches either connected to or not connected to Jesus, the vine, the only source from which we can bear genuine fruit— the only type of fruit that Jesus considers permanent and true (John 15:1-16). This mystical union between the Creator and his church is a necessity if we are to flourish and grow into complete union, not being a dormant, lifeless thing which is an embarrassment to God. D. George Vanderlip states regarding John 15: 4-6, the vine and the branches:

John is talking of a vital relationship in the literal root meaning of that word. It is a matter of life and death. Jesus is the source and channel of life for the branches, that is, the believers. When the branches “remain” in the vine, life-giving energy flows through the vine to the branches. This guarantees both health and fruit-bearing,. When the branches are separated from the vine, an inevitable result follows: the branches simply wither and dry up. Since no nourishment reaches them, they will bear no fruit. (2)

In order for the church to gain the respect of the world we must abide intimately in Christ so we will have the ability to completely love each other.

The Day that Tithing Ended, to Now Be Led By the Holy Spirit — No-More-Tithing Scriptures

The Day that Tithing Ended, to Now Be Led by the Holy Spirit — No-More-Tithing Scriptures

Compiled by Jeff Fenske

The better, new covenant way:

John 16:13 (WEB) …when he, the Spirit of truth, has come, he will guide you into all truth….

Gal. 5:18 (WEB) But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

2 Cor. 9:7 (WEB) Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart….

Rom. 8:1-4, 14 (WEB) 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who don’t walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh; 4 that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. … 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are children of God.

1 John 2:20, 27 (WEB) 20 You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all have knowledge. … 27 As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don’t need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him.

Paul never mentions tithing, but says giving should be determined in our hearts, the deepest seat of our emotions. Giving isn’t meant to be a brain-only, formula based, emotion free decision. We are to feel right, deep within, about to whom and how much we give.

2 Cor. 9:7 (WEB) Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart; not grudgingly, or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver.

Tithing puts people under a curse?/ the day tithing ended/ ”fallen away from grace”/ led by the Spirit:

Gal. 3:10 (WEB) For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. …

Gal. 3:13 (WEB) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.” [The Day that Tithing Ended]

Gal. 4:4 (WEB) But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, 5 that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children. …

Gal. 4:21 (WEB) Tell me, you that desire to be under the law, don’t you listen to the law? …

Gal. 5:3 (WEB) Yes, I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. 4 You are alienated from Christ, you who desire to be justified by the law. You have fallen away from grace. …

Gal. 5:18 (WEB) But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The elders gathered in Jerusalem to determine what should be retained from the old covenant, and tithing wasn’t one of them:

Acts 15:5 (WEB) But some of the sect of the Pharisees who believed rose up, saying, “It is necessary to circumcise them, and to charge them to keep the law of Moses.”

Acts 15:6 (WEB) The apostles and the elders were gathered together to see about this matter. …

Acts 15:22 (WEB) Then it seemed good to the apostles and the elders, with the whole assembly, to choose men out of their company, and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas: Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, chief men among the brothers. 23 They wrote these things by their hand: “The apostles, the elders, and the brothers, to the brothers who are of the Gentiles in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia: greetings. 24 Because we have heard that some who went out from us have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls, saying, ‘You must be circumcised and keep the law,’ to whom we gave no commandment; 25 it seemed good to us, having come to one accord, to choose out men and send them to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27 We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, who themselves will also tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay no greater burden on you than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality, from which if you keep yourselves, it will be well with you. Farewell.”

The commandment to tithe was “annulled because of its weakness and uselessness.” Now we have a better way, through which we draw near to God, to be led by Him:

Heb. 7:4 (WEB) Now consider how great this man [Melchizedek] was, to whom even Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth out of the best spoils. 5 They indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to the law, that is, of their brothers, though these have come out of the loins of Abraham, 6 but he whose genealogy is not counted from them has taken tithes of Abraham, and has blessed him who has the promises. 7 But without any dispute the less is blessed by the better. 8 tithes, but there one receives tithes of whom it is testified that he lives. 9 So to say, through Abraham even Levi, who receives tithes, has paid tithes, …. 15 there arises another priest, 16 who has been made, not after the law of a fleshly commandment, but after the power of an endless life: 17 for it is testified, “You are a priest forever, According to the order of Melchizedek.”

Heb. 7:18 (WEB) For there is an annulling of a foregoing commandment because of its weakness and uselessness 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a bringing in thereupon of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

The much-quoted, Jesus’ admonition to tithe applied only to before he died on the cross and before the veil was rent (so we can all enter the Holy of Holies to talk to God directly). The Levitical priests are now all replaced by Jesus, our High Priest, who then sent the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth (including to know to whom and how much to give).

Matt. 23:23 (WEB) “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin,a and have left undone the weightier matters of the law: justice, mercy, and faith. But you ought to have done these, and not to have left the other undone.

Related:

[My Dream] Tithing? “No, it’s a Holy Spirit thing!!”

Russell Earl Kelly, Ph.D.: Tithing is Not a Christian Doctrine — “Tithing, today, is reaching the levels of a modern scandal”

Russell Earl Kelly, Ph.D.: Where in the Bible Were Tithes Abolished?

Russell Kelly: REASONS TO OPPOSE N.T. TITHING

Russell Kelly: TITHERS’ MATTHEW 5:17 PROBLEM

Russell Kelly, Ph.D.: Reply to Jim Feeney, Ph.D. on Tithing

Many Pastors Still Teach Old Covenant, Pre-Pentecost Tithing—Not Spirit-Led Giving

Tithing or the Carriage Driver? [From the Let Us Be ONE prophecy]

David Bercot CD teaching: What The Early Christians Believed About

Tithing and Fasting? “You might be surprised to know…”

Teaching tithing keeps the little (and the big) children from coming to Jesus where they can have life!

Baruch: “Not only is DECEPTION of the church possible, it was PROPHESIED TO HAPPEN!” — Jesus said “IN THE LAST DAYS THE MAJORITY WILL BE DECEIVED, take heed that it doesn’t happen to you” — “FALSE TEACHERS are actually SPEAKING SPELLS with the words of their FALSE DOCTRINES!”

All of my Tithing or Spirit-led posts

Paul’s Elders’ qualifications revisited: What does ‘BLAMELESS’ mean? — Most pastors are biblically disqualified

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