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LIVING TEMPLES OF THE LIVING GOD

WE ARE A SPIRITUAL PEOPLE

We are spiritual people.  We need to participate in spiritual things in order to be happy in life and fulfilled in our souls.  Nothing in the world can take the place of God, who is Spirit, functioning in our lives.  God means for us to be the people that the world turns to for help when their hearts and souls are in pain. And there is much pain in life because of sin.  This is why we are born of water and of the Spirit. We are of the earth and we are also of the Spirit.  These two aspects need to be balanced.

 Because the Spirit of a Holy God dwells within believers we have access to understanding and wisdom that the world doesn’t have.  And because the Holy Spirit of God does dwell within us our liveliness depends upon us worshiping God from our hearts and minds in sincerity and truthfulness.

 John 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

 

Because of this we must pray for one another, and intercede for one another that God’s Will is done in all our lives.  The miracle of Christ is that He is both human and divine in a perfect balance.  Jesus contained His power in order to walk and fellowship among us as human. We need to expand our spirituality in order to walk like Jesus among fellow humans.  Our belief will prove itself by our fruit.   Do your contributions to other’s lives produce good fruit in their lives. And what does that good fruit look life. This is important because we are to be known by our fruit. (Matt. 7:17-20/ Luke 6:43-45)

 Does your love of God produce the fruit of godly love in others?  Does it bring them to repentance or draw them closer to God in awe of God or do they run to God because of the pain you deposit in their lives.

While it is true that often we don’t know, because our contributions are in the form of seeds that will mature later.  Sometimes we do know and it is good to take stock of our effect upon others.  There are times we find ourselves caught in a cycle of bringing each other pain.  It’s important that we discontinue those cycles and share the blame.  Look at them as opportunities for God to mature, heal and bless.  (Gal. 5:22-26)

 As spiritual people we thrive when we are doing spiritual works of any sort.  Being spiritually minded is our source of liveliness and the peace that goes beyond our intellect. This is something we do best together by supporting one another and keeping an eye out for the best interest of others.  (Phil. 2:1-4, Eph. 5:17-21)

We all discover at some point that in order to actually live as spiritual people we need help.  For this reason before Jesus ascended into heaven he breathed the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. (John 20:22)  And in that special time of their first gathering together on the day of Pentecost, God released the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in their lives enabling them to praise and worship God together and admonish one another toward holiness in other languages. (Acts 2:1-18) Because of what Peter spoke it is likely that some were prophesying as well.  In effect because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within all true believers, all believers are able to be moved by God in spiritual manifestations that God uses to help us live as spiritual people. WE HELP ONE ANOTHER. We are an interdependent body.  We are meant to allow God to use these gifts to help each other and also to minister to the world of unbelievers. God does the work of saving unbelievers. Our job is to allow Him to work through us. In fact we would do well to do more that allow God to use us.  We would do well if we strongly beseeched and implored God to use us in whatever God is busy with whereever we are. (Lk 11:9-13)

 

Luke 11:“11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

 

 

 

 

The use of the word "man" in Scripture

Sometimes we forget that our Bibles are in a different language than the original writings, and as such are sometimes not perfect examples of the original. One discrepancy that stands out in 1 Tim. 3 is that in English it sounds like everything is being addressed to men. This is because the use of the word 'man' used to refer both to men and women as well as only to men. Today it is used this way less and some Bibles are outdated in still using the word 'man' as a default. Also, often the word 'man' is inserted because in English it doesn't seem to read naturally without it, even though in the original there is no such word because the sentence is meant inclusively.

In 1 Tim. 3, the whole chapter and all the examples are used inclusively toward anyone, except for the one part in verse 2 (the idiom 'one woman man', which is an inclusive idiom) and in verse twelve where it is addressed specifically toward women. Some translate gune as wives in vs. 12 but that is purely interpretive (and erroneously in this instance) because the word gune is used simply for women regardless of their marital status. So it can be used for wife as well. But technically it means women. Those who want to maintain an attitude of male dominance in the church want to hold all ministry of importance for men, and therefore they will try to maintain that vs 12 is for deacons' wives, not women deacons. But then they must contend with Romans 16 where Phoebe is a deacon of the church of Cenchrea.

In cases like that it helps to apply the whole Bible.  We can see throughout the Old Testament that God used women as prophets, a Judge, and in other important ways.  To this day Esther has a special day of celebration among Jews because her wisdom and obedience to God saved the nation of Israel.  In the OT the Prophet of the nation was the most authoritative and responsible position of influence.   The Judge of the nation and the High Priest were the next most responsible and authoritative ministries. Deborah was both Prophet of the era and Judge of the Nation. When we start to quibble about who can do what we tend to put words in God's mouth that He never said.  The fact that there are more men used in highly responsible callings does not mean God does not want to use women or that women shouldn't be used.  Women were always simply less available because of their life responsibilities. The same is true today.  Most wives have little time and energy left for other pursuits because of duties of family.  Those who do have the time and energy, like Deborah who was both wife and mother, should be gladly received.

 

NOTE:  It is unfortunate, but it is not easy for the average reader today to see whether the greek has been accurately conveyed regarding the use of "man" in the Bible.  If one keeps in mind that up until the last 40-50 years, the word 'man' was used interchangeably for men and for men and women, it helps a lot.  

 

One Woman man ....

Someone asked me about the "husband of one wife" translation of 1 Tim. 3:2.  The actual wording in Greek is "one woman man". My thoughts on the 'one woman man' controversy of 1 Tim. 3 seem pretty plain to me.  :) 

Paul is addressing this section to anyone (tis) who desires, thus right up front this is an admonition directed to anyone who desires a certain work.  The overall list is one of personal character.  Taking into consideration that the masculine is a default when one is addressing an unknown or general crowd (we don't really address the unknowns as neutered), then Phillip Payne (author of Man and Woman, One in Christ) seems right on the mark of interpreting the idiom of 'one woman man' as pertaining to 'one spouse humans'.  We can further interpret that as a call to faithfulness in relationships. 

This seems more accurate to me because then the call of faithfulness fits in with a Hebrew poetic call (in vs. 3:1) of:  faithful is the saying….. an overseer then must be blameless,  a faithful spouse, etc.  In addition this also fits right in with the rest of the list as a personal point of godly, faithful, moral character.

 

We really need to not insert physical requirements into Scripture when we know that God accepts all who come to Him and as well calls us all to be like Him and do the works that He did and more.