David got me going...in the last post.
The Great Commission was given to the Apostles at a special time because He/God wanted to make the point as a reminder and with all authority as God as a supreme mandate for the Apostles to speak this truth with authority into the lives of Christ followers.
It's like Jesus wanted to summarize His ministry and reason for coming to earth to redeem the world and restore them from their separation from Him and then to show us how to continue His work. It is through the apostolic line that this message of truth is carried from generation to generation so it is not lost through disobedience.
It was given to the Apostles because it was their job to carry this message to all Christ followers. That Apostolic line continues and it is through those who have apostolic gifting who must carry this message of making disciples to the Church-the Body of Christ. Sadly, those with apostolic gifting have been stifled in the American Church. Most pastors don't even know who they are. Now in my lifetime I am seeing God raise them up and release them to spread this command for all to make disciples who make disciples who...
At the moment this truth is given to Christ followers, it is in that moment that we will be judged by that that truth. Will we obey? Or will we wiggle ourselves through the maze of compromise? Do that with the word of God and see what happens. And what will happen is not a pretty site. It's like walking on thin ice with a ball and chain around our neck.
Those with apostolic gifting's are being released from a life of being suppressed and are either being released or leaving in order to pick up their God-given authority to spread the Great Commission mandate for all believers to personally engage/obey.
As one with apostolic gifting I proclaim that if you are not making disciples who make disciples who...you are not obeying all that Christ commands. I'm not judging anyone, I'm just sharing the truth with authority.
Having said that, in America with stifled apostolic leaders we have been wrongly taught that the Great Commission is somehow a corporate job. It's hard to break with something we have been wrongly taught our entire lives. Any argument against our personal responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission is nothing more than our own self justification for our personal disobedience.
posted by Bob Carder @ 11:18 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
So if you don't get out and play your part in the great commission, more people will end up in hell, huh?
What difference have the soldiers of the cross made over the last 2000 years? Do you think that as a result of God working through their efforts, that now only 99.9998% of humanity will end up in hell, a reduction from 99.9999%?
What sort of a world has God created where the vast majority of people are condemned to eternal suffering? Because that's the reality - that's what has to be conveyed to people.
Now, Bob, I can take your line of reasoning regarding the "apostlic line" and just as easily tell you that because Christ entrusted the GC to the apostles, that is proof making disciples is THEIR responsibility!
In all other communications we have back and forth, and discussions, with friends, etc. we seem to say the GC is for everyone. Now it has a primary responsibility in the Apostles.
IF THE GIFT OF APOSTLE is operating today, their resonsibility is shared with evangelists, prophets and pastors/teachers according to Eph. 4.
I argue the GIFT of aposlte exists today. Yet people with CHARACTERISTICS of an apostle do. Peter said in Acts 1 that the "replacement" apostle, qualified for "apostolic ministry," must have been with all of them from the baptism of Christ forward. That lets all of us out, making the GIFT of apostle an establishing gift for the church.
NOW, if Jesus really said GO and make disicples to ALL of us, we are ALL the sent out, called out ones!
While we all have different gifts/functions in the body of Christ, carrying something along through an apostolic line might become a bit more exclusive than we really want to be!
TIM BAUER
Tim said, NOW, if Jesus really said GO and make disicples to ALL of us, we are ALL the sent out, called out ones!
The Planter: Not if, but when! Yes we are all the called out sent ones. On this we agree.
The Apostolic line of authority is one squelched by the modern church and the apostolic gifting is one that reminds us all of of our responsibility to make disciples who make disciples. Apostolic giftings keep the main thing the main thing. Because those giftings were squelched we have lost ground in America.
Tim, wouldn't it be awesome if all your members made disciples who...?
I'm glad you understand that all disciples are commanded to make disciples, because all disciples are commanded by Jesus to do just that. If people do not accept the Great Commission personally to make disciples it isn't my fight. We will all stand before Jesus, those who teach correctly and those who do not, those who obey and those who do not.
Tim, tell us about the disciples that have recently been birthed in your ministry and into the Christ family. That's what really matters. Share your praise with us.
Hey, who don't some of you in blog land join in here and share the transforming work of Jesus.
Tim said, I argue the GIFT of aposlte exists today. Yet people with CHARACTERISTICS of an apostle do. Peter said in Acts 1 that the "replacement" apostle, qualified for "apostolic ministry," must have been with all of them from the baptism of Christ forward. That lets all of us out, making the GIFT of apostle an establishing gift for the church.
NOW, if Jesus really said GO and make disicples to ALL of us, we are ALL the sent out, called out ones!
ThePlanter: All of the five leadership gifts are present in the Church today. So I do strongly disagree with your logic regarding Apostles. I did not say we were apostles in the Jesus appointment sense, but rather, it is a leadership gifting "apostolic line of authority" that is for the gifted to be used in the Church today. If not, why does Paul mention it. The five leadership gifts are all separate and different gifts bestowed by God onto leaders to do the work of ministry along with the other spiritual gifts all working together. Those with Apostolic gifting are the ones who must carry the mandate to all believers as a necessary culmination of our work to fulfill the mission of Christ.
It's wonderful when a church is balanced and operating in all the leadership gifts of Ephesians 4. We are seeing this work in our disciple driven church project.
I have an apostolic/prophetic gifting and those leadership gifts do not give me superiority over the others. I have learned that people don't like prophetic gifting because they point at sin even in denominational and church hierarchical structures etc.
Apostle or Apostlic gifting must lead the church back to the Great Commission and call every believer out for not obeying all things as commanded. Making disciples is a supreme personal priority for the church today.
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