Prior to his ascension, Jesus told his disciples to “tarry” or wait in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit. In some churches, this command has become a doctrine applicable to all or most Christians – that the believer must “tarry” before the Lord for extended periods in prayer and even fasting until his or her mind or spirit enters a stage more conducive to God’s Spirit before receiving the gift of the Spirit.
Continue readingFulfilled in Him
The Word of God finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. “IN HIM,” all His promises are “yea” and “amen.” The things that were “hidden” in the past are revealed in the life, words, death, resurrection, and exaltation of the Son, the one in whom all the shadows and types prefigured in the Hebrew Bible have become real. All His mysteries are laid bare in the Nazarene.
In the era that dawned with his death on Calvary, the nation of Israel has not been “replaced” by the New Covenant people of God. Instead, the original promise to Abraham to bless “all the nations” has come to fruition as Jews and Gentiles are united in Jesus to form one new people – (Romans 16:25, Galatians 2:28, 2 Corinthians 1:19-2:0).
Continue readingBabylonian Territory
The “Seven Mountains Mandate”? I was taught long ago that disciples of Jesus must live “separate from the world,” not physically, but morally and spiritually. We are “in the world but not of it,” and our task is to call men and women to “save themselves from this crooked generation” before Jesus arrives and judges the world.
Yet today, many voices are exhorting Christians to infiltrate the “mountains of culture” so they may change society’s ungodly character and institutions from the inside.
Continue readingFaithful or Salt-Less Disciples
One day, John complained because someone who was not from among Christ’s inner circle of disciples was casting out demons in his name. And if this outsider was casting out demons, then it was God who was doing so through him. John’s complaint is rich in irony since just a few verses earlier the disciples found themselves unable to exorcise demons because of their unbelief.
Continue readingMy Rights or His Cross
For disciples of Jesus, rage and violence are NOT appropriate reactions to hostility, though certainly, his instructions in this regard are contrary to the “wisdom of this age.” Angry responses by Christians to perceived violations of their political and individual “rights” only demonstrate how far many churches have strayed from his teachings.
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Disciples Global Network 