Unity in the Spirit #5 - IN Christ

Recently I was asked, "So, what if a large group of Christian leaders told you, Diane, your beliefs were wrong. Would you submit and change what you believe?" My answer was, "It depends upon whether or not the large group of Christian leaders were in Christ." The God ordained position of "leader" as defined by American civil laws of corporations dictates the same authority described in this verse:

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples,  saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses;  therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. Matthew 23:1-3 (NASB)

The problem this verse places on the shoulders of religious leaders is the loop hole Jesus gave us that reads "BUT DO NOT DO." When it comes to personal beliefs, religious leaders are not given any authority to dictate what to believe. Instead, we are to OBSERVE i.e. watch and pray, Matthew 26:41, or:

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1 (NASB)

And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you.  For many will come in My name [Christians], saying, 'I am the Christ [i.e. Jesus is Christ],' and will mislead many. Matthew 24:4-5 (NASB)

Jesus, that is GOD in the flesh, commanded us to NOT BELIEVE someone UNLESS God, the Father, testifies to the truth with signs and wonders.

If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;  but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father. John 10:37-38 (NASB)

One of the evidences that a person is IN CHRIST is the fact that God causes that person to do the same works God does.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. John 14:12 (NASB)

So, if a group of religious leaders told me my belief that "God created all of His creation out of Himself and not out of nothing," is wrong. Then, I would watch for these things from those leaders:

• Are those leaders doing the works of God?
  • Are they obeying God's commands.
  • Is God producing signs and wonders through them?
  • Do they humble themselves and act like gentle Bereans by lovingly presenting multiple explicit proofs in the Holy Bible that contradict my beliefs i.e. speak the truth in love, Ephesians 4:15, 1 Corinthians 13:6?

• Do their interpretations of scripture agree with the literal words of God? If not, do they follow the same allegorical rules that Jesus followed when Jesus used allegory i.e. the keys to the secrets of the kingdom of heaven?

He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Matthew 13:11 (NIV)

Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted. Matthew 13:11 (NASB)

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19 (NASB)

Remember, if they are not in Christ, they will do the deeds of Satan not God. They will get angry, violent and even kick people out of their synagogues, life groups, home groups, churches etc. or worse stone people like Stephen in Acts 6-7. Whatever the degree of violence, from simply calling a person a heretic to actual stoning, it is still the work of Satan to do works that God does not do.

If, indeed, the large group of Christian leaders were IN Christ at the time of their condemnation of my beliefs, then it would be up to me to present the scripture verses that explain why I believe what I believe. For example:

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Colossians 1:15-17 (NASB)

For from Him [as opposed to "from nothing"] and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:36 (NASB)

By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. Hebrews 11:3 (NASB) [i.e. made out of something unseen or invisible like God, see Hebrews 11:27]

By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen. Hebrews 11:27 (NASB) 

If we were made "out of nothing," we would bear the image of nothing and be sons of nothing. As God designed this world to reproduce after like kinds, we are made out of God which is why we bear the image of God, Genesis 1:26, and Adam, from whom we descended, is also the son of God, Luke 3:38.

Now, before anyone brags or claims to be a son of the most HIGH God, Jesus said, "Remember from where you have FALLEN," Revelation 2:5. In other words, do what Jesus did and do not consider equality with God as something to be grasped, Philippians 2:6.

Any contradiction then remaining between the religious leaders and my own beliefs would be found in man's interpretation of what is written rather than in what is actually written.

It is the DOING of what God does that makes us sons of God, Matthew 12:50, John 5:19 once the salvation issue has been dealt with, John 1:12. Otherwise, we are just empty clanging gongs boasting in ourselves, boasting in God's promises, boasting in shining like stars etc.

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me... If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned... If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you... Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. John 15:4, 6, 7, 9-10 (NASB)

Copyright (c) 2015 by Diane Pebley All rights reserved, no use granted without the express written permission of the author, Diane Pebley