Being Promoted Right Where You Are
Part One
The highest promotion and privilege that a born-again believer can receive here on Earth is to become an ambassador (1) for the Kingdom of God.
Regardless of one’s gender, secular education, location, or personal circumstances, EVERY born-again believer has the opportunity to train (2) and to become such an ambassador.
In fact, every born-again believer has been called and commissioned (3) to do just that, by the Highest Authority (4).
Each Man-made religion has its own set of requirements for its priesthood. Such clergy are there to perform the duties, functions, and prescribed rituals of the religious organizations that ordains them for that very purpose.
In many cases, the Biblical requirements (5) for the ordained clergy (apostles, bishops, elders, pastor-teachers, and deacons) are quite different from the requirements that have evolved within the religious organizations that have been established over the course of the Church Age dispensation.
As for the priesthood (6) of the Church Age, EVERY born-again (7), Spirit indwelled (8) believer is a “priest” to the extent that he or she represents himself or herself before God, and represents God before other people.
During the Old Testament dispensation, priests primarily served in or around the Temple, performing the prescribed daily rituals called for during that dispensation.
Here in the Church Age, it is the primary function of a Biblically-qualified pastor-teacher to study and to teach the Word of God to the members of the congregation. With the development of modern-day technology, this primary function of the pastor-teacher can be accomplished remotely, as well as face-to-face.
The office of deacon was established in order for the apostles and pastor-teachers to have more time to devote to the ONGOING study and teaching of the Word of God, while the deacons took on administrative duties and practical functions within the local assemblies (9).
Pastor-teachers customarily lead the congregation in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper (Communion), marriage ceremonies, funerals etc., but these functions and rituals can be executed by any born-again believer, in their capacity as believer-priests (10).
Most pastor-teachers continue to do most of their teaching in and around the houses of worship or in locations where the congregation physically gathers together. There are some who do their teaching by making use of modern day means of communication, reaching out to a much larger congregation from all around the world. Many pastor-teachers do both.
At the end of the day, it’s not where (11) or how the congregation gathers together (12) that matters. What matters is that the spiritual needs of those gathered together are being met.
The primary target group of an evangelist are those outside of the Christian Community who have not yet been born again. The primary target group of a pastor-teacher are those who have already been born again, and are now in need of ongoing edification (13).
There are times when these functions will overlap.
One can go to a restaurant for an hour or so every day of the week, but leave without having his appetite satisfied, or perhaps even worse, can fill themselves up with junk food.
The same principle applies to the quality and the quantity of the spiritual food being offered by any given pulpit. In times of apostasy, there is a lot of junk food out there.
It is amazing how many Christians will quickly decide not to go back to a restaurant that fails to provide them with good service, or with a meal that fails to satisfy their natural appetite, but are slow to consider the quantity and the quality of the spiritual food that is being provided by their chosen pulpit.
Sooner or later, many will come to the conclusion that they are getting nothing out of going to their choice of pulpit. Instead of going to one that can supply them with what they need to hear, many choose not to go to (or connect with) one at all.
Some will continue to financially support a local assembly in order to receive funeral services, even though such services can do nothing to change one’s eternal destination.
. . .
The loss of appetite in the natural realm and in the spiritual realm is an indication that something has gone wrong. Is it the menu or one’s desire to take it in?
Its been said that one of the definitions of insanity is when one continues to do the same thing the same way while expecting a different outcome.
. . .
Unlike traditional clergy, ambassadors do most of their work when they are out and away from their local assemblies; be it at home, school, work and play.
As a pastor-teacher, you might have the attention of your congregation for about twenty minutes or so once or twice a week, but as an ambassador, you can have the attention of those around you for hours on end during the course of any given day.
The Kingdom of Darkness has its representatives and spokespersons all around us 24 – 7, with the devastation of our spiritual lives in mind (14). Such forces of evil can do nothing to impact the integrity of the salvation that a born-again believer has already received, but can do much to reduce or to eliminate the Mark 4: 19 productivities of one’s post (after) salvation spiritual life.
These representatives consist of unseen spiritual beings and human beings who have been deceived and wittingly or unwittingly (15) do the devil’s bidding.
Keep in mind that our battle is not with such human beings, but with the evil sources that have deceived them (16).
If you can not detect the presence, influence, and SPIRITUAL objective of the devil’s representatives that all around you, there is a good chance that the 2Cor. 4: 4 god of this world has succeeded in blinding (17), deceiving (18) and or distracting (19) the one we face in the mirror.
Like striking a match in a darkened theater, the greater the darkness, the more the light of an ambassador will be noticed. It will be the desire of the opposition to put that light out!
To function well as an ambassador, one must be well-versed in the policies of the kingdom that he or she represents. When functioning in his or her official capacity, ambassadors do not convey their own personal opinions. Failure to accurately speak for the kingdom that he or she represents is grounds for immediate recall and dismissal.
Religious authority does not permit “renegade” spokesmen to voice opinions that run contrary to the company line. This is a good policy, as long as the company line is correct, but opens to door to the promotion of apostasy when it is in error, promoting the traditions of men as doctrine from God (20).
When something is done (or not done) long enough, it becomes the thing to do (or not to do) with little consideration for its benefits or consequences.
. . .
In the spiritual realm, there are only two kingdoms. Everything we say or do supports the agenda of one and opposes the other.
One, is the Kingdom of God, governed by the Triune Godhead consisting of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The other, is the Kingdom of Darkness, governed by the devil and delegated personnel (21).
Discipleship, that being the study and application of the Word of God, is initially for the spiritual development of the born-again believer, but with the long-term objective of participating in the Great Commission.
The embassy (base of operations) of an ambassador is an edified soul structure (22).
An ambassador must be in regular communication with the kingdom that he or she represents. The ambassador's words and actions will be received as having coming from the kingdom that he or she represents.
Being an ambassador in a foreign land that has a hostile history with the country that he or she represents, can place him or her in an unpopular, and a highly volatile environment.
Christ’s ambassadors will speak for God in the midst of the hostility that is generated and fueled by the Kingdom of Darkness, here in the devil’s (23) world.
Rebellion and warfare between the Kingdom of Darkness and the Kingdom of God has been going on since before the creation of the human race (24). It is far from being over.
Thee Kingdom of Darkness, and the conflict that it generates, will run concurrently with human history until the devil is sent into the lake of fire (25) and his kingdom is permanently terminated. However, until then, the devil and his kingdom here on Earth will be a force to be contended with (26).
The human race was created by God, primarily for the purpose of glorifying Him in the midst of this ongoing conflict between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Darkness.
God has a general plan for His people and a specific plan for each individual believer, in each dispensation (period of time) of human history. We are all on the same team, but play different positions. Learning of, and participating in, God’s General and individual plan for the dispensation that God has placed us in, is how one glorifies God.
(1)\t2Cor. 5: 20 (2) 2Pet. 3: 18 (3) Matt. 28: 19, 20 (4) Mark 11: 28 (5) (1Tim. 3: 2 -13/2Tim. 2: 15, 24, 25 (6) 1Pet. 2: 9 (7) John 3: 5 (8) 1Cor. 3: 16 (9) Acts 6: 2 (10) 1Pet. 2: 9 (11/) Matt. 18: 20 (12) Heb. 10: 25 (13) 2Pet. 3: 18 (14) 1Pet. 5: 8 (15) John 8: 44 (16) Eph. 6: 12 (17) 2Cor. 4: 4 (18) Rev. 12: 9 (19) Mark 4: 19 (20) Matt. 15: 9 (21) Matt. 12: 24/Eph. 6: 12) (22) Matt. 7: 24 - 27 (23) Luke 4: 6 (24) Ezekiel 28: 14, 15/Isa. 14: 13 (25) Rev. 20: 10 (26) 1Peter 5: 8
End of Part One
Part One
The highest promotion and privilege that a born-again believer can receive here on Earth is to become an ambassador (1) for the Kingdom of God.
Regardless of one’s gender, secular education, location, or personal circumstances, EVERY born-again believer has the opportunity to train (2) and to become such an ambassador.
In fact, every born-again believer has been called and commissioned (3) to do just that, by the Highest Authority (4).
Each Man-made religion has its own set of requirements for its priesthood. Such clergy are there to perform the duties, functions, and prescribed rituals of the religious organizations that ordains them for that very purpose.
In many cases, the Biblical requirements (5) for the ordained clergy (apostles, bishops, elders, pastor-teachers, and deacons) are quite different from the requirements that have evolved within the religious organizations that have been established over the course of the Church Age dispensation.
As for the priesthood (6) of the Church Age, EVERY born-again (7), Spirit indwelled (8) believer is a “priest” to the extent that he or she represents himself or herself before God, and represents God before other people.
During the Old Testament dispensation, priests primarily served in or around the Temple, performing the prescribed daily rituals called for during that dispensation.
Here in the Church Age, it is the primary function of a Biblically-qualified pastor-teacher to study and to teach the Word of God to the members of the congregation. With the development of modern-day technology, this primary function of the pastor-teacher can be accomplished remotely, as well as face-to-face.
The office of deacon was established in order for the apostles and pastor-teachers to have more time to devote to the ONGOING study and teaching of the Word of God, while the deacons took on administrative duties and practical functions within the local assemblies (9).
Pastor-teachers customarily lead the congregation in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper (Communion), marriage ceremonies, funerals etc., but these functions and rituals can be executed by any born-again believer, in their capacity as believer-priests (10).
Most pastor-teachers continue to do most of their teaching in and around the houses of worship or in locations where the congregation physically gathers together. There are some who do their teaching by making use of modern day means of communication, reaching out to a much larger congregation from all around the world. Many pastor-teachers do both.
At the end of the day, it’s not where (11) or how the congregation gathers together (12) that matters. What matters is that the spiritual needs of those gathered together are being met.
The primary target group of an evangelist are those outside of the Christian Community who have not yet been born again. The primary target group of a pastor-teacher are those who have already been born again, and are now in need of ongoing edification (13).
There are times when these functions will overlap.
One can go to a restaurant for an hour or so every day of the week, but leave without having his appetite satisfied, or perhaps even worse, can fill themselves up with junk food.
The same principle applies to the quality and the quantity of the spiritual food being offered by any given pulpit. In times of apostasy, there is a lot of junk food out there.
It is amazing how many Christians will quickly decide not to go back to a restaurant that fails to provide them with good service, or with a meal that fails to satisfy their natural appetite, but are slow to consider the quantity and the quality of the spiritual food that is being provided by their chosen pulpit.
Sooner or later, many will come to the conclusion that they are getting nothing out of going to their choice of pulpit. Instead of going to one that can supply them with what they need to hear, many choose not to go to (or connect with) one at all.
Some will continue to financially support a local assembly in order to receive funeral services, even though such services can do nothing to change one’s eternal destination.
. . .
The loss of appetite in the natural realm and in the spiritual realm is an indication that something has gone wrong. Is it the menu or one’s desire to take it in?
Its been said that one of the definitions of insanity is when one continues to do the same thing the same way while expecting a different outcome.
. . .
Unlike traditional clergy, ambassadors do most of their work when they are out and away from their local assemblies; be it at home, school, work and play.
As a pastor-teacher, you might have the attention of your congregation for about twenty minutes or so once or twice a week, but as an ambassador, you can have the attention of those around you for hours on end during the course of any given day.
The Kingdom of Darkness has its representatives and spokespersons all around us 24 – 7, with the devastation of our spiritual lives in mind (14). Such forces of evil can do nothing to impact the integrity of the salvation that a born-again believer has already received, but can do much to reduce or to eliminate the Mark 4: 19 productivities of one’s post (after) salvation spiritual life.
These representatives consist of unseen spiritual beings and human beings who have been deceived and wittingly or unwittingly (15) do the devil’s bidding.
Keep in mind that our battle is not with such human beings, but with the evil sources that have deceived them (16).
If you can not detect the presence, influence, and SPIRITUAL objective of the devil’s representatives that all around you, there is a good chance that the 2Cor. 4: 4 god of this world has succeeded in blinding (17), deceiving (18) and or distracting (19) the one we face in the mirror.
Like striking a match in a darkened theater, the greater the darkness, the more the light of an ambassador will be noticed. It will be the desire of the opposition to put that light out!
To function well as an ambassador, one must be well-versed in the policies of the kingdom that he or she represents. When functioning in his or her official capacity, ambassadors do not convey their own personal opinions. Failure to accurately speak for the kingdom that he or she represents is grounds for immediate recall and dismissal.
Religious authority does not permit “renegade” spokesmen to voice opinions that run contrary to the company line. This is a good policy, as long as the company line is correct, but opens to door to the promotion of apostasy when it is in error, promoting the traditions of men as doctrine from God (20).
When something is done (or not done) long enough, it becomes the thing to do (or not to do) with little consideration for its benefits or consequences.
. . .
In the spiritual realm, there are only two kingdoms. Everything we say or do supports the agenda of one and opposes the other.
One, is the Kingdom of God, governed by the Triune Godhead consisting of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The other, is the Kingdom of Darkness, governed by the devil and delegated personnel (21).
Discipleship, that being the study and application of the Word of God, is initially for the spiritual development of the born-again believer, but with the long-term objective of participating in the Great Commission.
The embassy (base of operations) of an ambassador is an edified soul structure (22).
An ambassador must be in regular communication with the kingdom that he or she represents. The ambassador's words and actions will be received as having coming from the kingdom that he or she represents.
Being an ambassador in a foreign land that has a hostile history with the country that he or she represents, can place him or her in an unpopular, and a highly volatile environment.
Christ’s ambassadors will speak for God in the midst of the hostility that is generated and fueled by the Kingdom of Darkness, here in the devil’s (23) world.
Rebellion and warfare between the Kingdom of Darkness and the Kingdom of God has been going on since before the creation of the human race (24). It is far from being over.
Thee Kingdom of Darkness, and the conflict that it generates, will run concurrently with human history until the devil is sent into the lake of fire (25) and his kingdom is permanently terminated. However, until then, the devil and his kingdom here on Earth will be a force to be contended with (26).
The human race was created by God, primarily for the purpose of glorifying Him in the midst of this ongoing conflict between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Darkness.
God has a general plan for His people and a specific plan for each individual believer, in each dispensation (period of time) of human history. We are all on the same team, but play different positions. Learning of, and participating in, God’s General and individual plan for the dispensation that God has placed us in, is how one glorifies God.
(1)\t2Cor. 5: 20 (2) 2Pet. 3: 18 (3) Matt. 28: 19, 20 (4) Mark 11: 28 (5) (1Tim. 3: 2 -13/2Tim. 2: 15, 24, 25 (6) 1Pet. 2: 9 (7) John 3: 5 (8) 1Cor. 3: 16 (9) Acts 6: 2 (10) 1Pet. 2: 9 (11/) Matt. 18: 20 (12) Heb. 10: 25 (13) 2Pet. 3: 18 (14) 1Pet. 5: 8 (15) John 8: 44 (16) Eph. 6: 12 (17) 2Cor. 4: 4 (18) Rev. 12: 9 (19) Mark 4: 19 (20) Matt. 15: 9 (21) Matt. 12: 24/Eph. 6: 12) (22) Matt. 7: 24 - 27 (23) Luke 4: 6 (24) Ezekiel 28: 14, 15/Isa. 14: 13 (25) Rev. 20: 10 (26) 1Peter 5: 8
End of Part One