{"id":653,"date":"2014-03-03T15:20:07","date_gmt":"2014-03-03T04:20:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.reformationministries.com.au\/blog\/?p=653"},"modified":"2014-03-03T15:20:07","modified_gmt":"2014-03-03T04:20:07","slug":"the-evangelism-of-despair-preachers-v-laity-pt-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.reformationministries.com.au\/blog\/2014\/03\/the-evangelism-of-despair-preachers-v-laity-pt-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The Evangelism of Despair: Preachers v Laity (Pt 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Revolution outlined in Part 1 is important for our understanding. We must see the cause and effect<\/em> of ungodliness in the Family and in the Church. In both instances, the solution to an apparent failing of one party was to either rebel against or subjugate the other party<\/span>. At no point were the Scriptures studied or Biblical counsel brought to the fore.<\/p>\n

The consequence of this Revolution has been nothing short of needless destruction and the ultimate failure to reach the stated goal. Why? Precisely because it is Humanism!<\/p>\n

To illustrate the issue, let us look at one further example from Feminism. As we know, \u201cMen are from Mars, Women are from Venus.\u201d So what! This is Biblical. God tells us that there are differences (Male \/ Female) in our similarity (Man). However, God also tells us that we are better and more potent as a team (Marriage).<\/span> Humanism, in the form of Feminism, recognised the differences, but their response was to start a war between the sexes. \u00a0Rather than see the potential of the two combined in compatibility, they chose a fight to the death.<\/p>\n

The same is true of evangelism. God\u2019s plan was never one or other; us or them; laity against Officer. God\u2019s plan emphasised both! Throughout Scripture God had both Witness (laity) and Proclamation (Elders \/ Prophets \/ Apostles).<\/span> Sadly, this point is missed because the Dodgy Theology Brigade have rent the Scriptures and once again insisted that the New Testament is brand<\/em> new, full of differences, rather than complete by means of consistency<\/em>.<\/p>\n

When we look to both Testaments, we see that God appointed his commissioned to speak and act. These were those who rightly and properly held office. They are God\u2019s officers and to them belong both the right and obligation to speak authoritatively<\/strong> from God and in His Name.<\/span> This is not something, contrary to Church Growth, that belongs to all Christians. It is a particular call to hold an authoritative office within God\u2019s Church.<\/p>\n

Thus, in the Old Testament, we have kings, priests, judges, and prophets. In the New Testament, we have prophets, apostles, and preachers.<\/p>\n

Alongside of these, there have always been those who make up the Church. Their job is to be a consistent witness to the truth<\/em> of what the commissioned proclaim. What point is there for the proclaimer to state anything, if he has no tangible proof to back his claims? Therefore, the consistent living and obedience of God\u2019s people has always been of manifest importance as a witness in support of the authoritative proclamation.<\/span><\/p>\n

When the preacher says, \u201cIf the Son shall set you free, you shall be free indeed;\u201d we testify, stating that \u201cwe are freed prisoners.\u201d When the preacher says, \u201cGod sent His Son into the world to save sinners\u201d; we shout together, \u201cand such were we, but we have been washed and sanctified\u201d. When the world looks to us, they should see this explicit demonstration of freedom and of righteousness, which confirms and witnesses to the preached word.<\/p>\n

Through our role as living epistles, we have the power to witness and show forth the radiance of the glory of Jesus Christ. This is potent. It is a genuine tool in the hands of God. Sadly, though, the moderns have despised this because they seek for themselves the more prestigious position of proclaimer.<\/p>\n

In God\u2019s order, He has appointed His men to preach. Equally, in God\u2019s order, He has appointed us all<\/em> to live<\/strong>! The proclamation is witnessed to and verified by obedient living. Both must exist in harmony. Unlike the previous articles, you are not being asked to make a choice of one or other. Today, you are being asked to accept both as God\u2019s means of mission in the world. You are being asked to respect God\u2019s design and to not covet positions to which you have not been called or adopt methods that God has not ordained. The analogy is again one taken from your homes. Fathers, do not act as children. Wives, do not usurp your husbands. Children, be children and do not seek to rule. Fulfil your God-appointed roles!<\/p>\n

My plea is this: Preachers<\/span>, understand your God-given role. Take His commission to heart. Climb back into your pulpits and begin to thunder with the voice of authority. Laity<\/span>, go home! Husbands, love your wives; wives, respect your husband\u2019s; children, obey your parents; families, honour God \u2013 and thereby shine and redound to the absolute glory of God. Preachers<\/span>, call the lost; edify the saint. Laity<\/span>, learn righteous and radiate Christ in all of life. Together<\/strong>, testify that Jesus Christ is the Son of God come in the flesh<\/em>!<\/span><\/p>\n

The true power of transformation can only be unleashed when God\u2019 people work in unity by self-consciously fulfilling their respective calls. Anything else is, fluff, bubble, smoke and mirrors \u2013 it is usurpation; it is unholy!<\/p>\n

\u201cThy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee<\/span>.\u201d Psalm 119:11<\/p>\n

\u201cFor this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous<\/span>.\u201d 1 John 5:3<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Revolution outlined in Part 1 is important for our understanding. We must see the cause and effect of ungodliness in the Family and in the Church. In both instances, the solution to an apparent failing of one party was … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[47,73,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-653","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-church","category-evangelism","category-reform","category-theology"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2V1tu-ax","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reformationministries.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/653","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reformationministries.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reformationministries.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reformationministries.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reformationministries.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=653"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.reformationministries.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/653\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":654,"href":"https:\/\/www.reformationministries.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/653\/revisions\/654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.reformationministries.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=653"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reformationministries.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=653"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.reformationministries.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=653"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}