Transcript Disclaimer - Bible Student Doctrine

Disclaimer
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I will be dealing with some of the sensitive inner
workings of an ecclesia arrangement.
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Temptation will be to assume that we are
specifically addressing you or situations you
know.
Repeated Disclaimer
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Temptation will be to assume that we are
specifically pointing to you or situations you
know.
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Resist this temptation.
His Sheep Am I
A prerequisite
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You might consider Br. Ric Cunningham’s recent
talk entitled “The Ecclesia” which builds a
strong case for following the ecclesia
arrangement first established by our Lord.
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And we as His Sheep follow this ecclesia
precedent, even today, two thousand years later.
The ecclesia …
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IN CONSIDERING this subject it is well that
we keep clearly before our minds the oneness of
the Church, and that while the entire Church
throughout the world is one, yet in another
sense of the word each separate gathering, or
company, of believers is a representation of the
whole…
Each separate Ecclesia, therefore, is to consider
the Lord as its Head, and to consider the twelve
apostles as the twelve stars, bright ones, teachers
Vol 6. Page 273
The Ecclesia
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Servants of the Ecclesia
Elders as under shepherds
Only consecrated cast votes
Each member has single vote
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A single interpretation of the Lord’s will.
Collectively it is more likely to be accurate.
Ecclesia decisions also represent the Lord’s will
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Permissive – or Express will of God
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Eg. – Israel wandering in the wilderness vs. entering the promise land
Permission of Evil also applies to the Ecclesia
Navigating in Perilous Times
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Can an under shepherd protect and ecclesia
from these “plausible counterfeits”?
Plausible counterfeits…
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"In the last days," says the Apostle, "perilous times shall
come." (2 Tim. 3:1.) Why? Because the prince of
darkness will make every possible effort to retain his
power and dominion; and ignorance, error and
superstition are his strongholds. He first used all his
power to keep men in ignorance and to foster
superstition. But now God's due time has come for
knowledge to be increased (Dan. 12:4), and the
Millennial dawn is breaking; and not only the Church
but the world is now waking up and beginning to think.
So the policy of Satan now is to devise plausible
counterfeits of the truth whereby to entrap and mislead
those who have been making progress in the knowledge
of the divine plan. R4798
Voice of the Shepherd
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Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know
them, and they follow me:
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How is this voice heard?
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Conscience tuned by the Word of God.
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Other educating of the conscience?
Following Christ,
Shepherd of the Flock
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APOSTLE PAUL:
1Co 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also
am of Christ.
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What is a transparent leader/under shepherd?
Transparent Leaders…
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Pastor Russell as an example
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We find the man or woman who tries to put themselves
forward, to make themselves conspicuous, will injure
their influence to that extent. I would say that
especially with regard to elders of various classes. It
seems to me … [the elder]… aught to perform the
duties that devolve on an elder in a spirit that is so
permeated with humility that others would get a
blessing from his service, and yet at the same time
would hardly be aware of the fact that he was the elder
of the class. B H Barton P 274 Pilgrim Echoes – “Christian Fellowship”
Also gives Holy Spirit to Guide
Joh 16:13 Howbeit when it, the Spirit of truth, is
come, it will guide you into all truth:
Guide you into all truth…
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Today in the US and around the world – why do
we see ecclesia boundaries? Or larger group
boundaries?
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There are possible scenarios that we will briefly
examine.
Small groups can self confirm plausible arguments.
 Individuals in ecclesia/region with an inordinate
amount of influence.
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In this "voluntary association" of the consecrated there is
no imperial authority of one over another; and no
lording over God's heritage should be permitted; for
the one and only Lord has left the instruction, "Be not
ye called Rabbi; for one is your Master, even Christ, and
all ye are brethren."--Matt. 23:8.
Instead of the kingly and lordly rule prevailing in the
customs of the world, the Master gave all another and
an opposite rule, saying, "Ye know that they which are
accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship
over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon
them. But so shall it not be among you; but whosoever
will be great among you, shall be your minister [literally,
servant]; and whosoever of you will be the chiefest,
shall be servant of all [or greatest servant]; for even the
Son of man came not to be ministered unto [to be
served], but to minister [to serve], and to give his life a
ransom for many."-- Mark 10:42-45.
R1574
We like sheep have gone astray…
Addressing two parts…
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There are two different parts of the ecclesia that
are interrelated.
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We will be addressing
Leaders of Sheep
 Sheep
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Issues facing under shepherds
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Must Give an Account
Heb 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over
you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for
your souls, as they that must give account, that
they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for
that is unprofitable for you.
Perilous times – Plausible Counterfeits
Protect flock from grievous wolves
Exhorting, Rebuking
Temptations for under shepherds
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To be anxious about these difficult issues
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Anxiety  Fear  ??
Fear does not mean that the under shepherd
would stand trembling.
Fear can trigger a seemingly strong/bold
response and the true fear is hidden.
Comfort for these anxieties…
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Proverbs 19:21 Good News – “People may plan all
kinds of things, but the Lord’s will is going to be done.”
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Proverbs 22:12 Good News “The Lord sees to it
that Truth is kept safe by disproving the words of liers.”
- Yes we can be a tool of the Lord
- But owning the issue is anxiety producing
- “The Lord sees to it…”
Who is Captain of this boat?
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Steadying the ark
Careth thou not that we perish?
“Why are ye so fearful – how is it that you do
not have faith?”
If we lack faith – can we become over
controlling – trying to “help” the current
situation.
God is fighting for us not vise versa
THE CONTENDING FORCES
For whom do we fight--for God? for Christ? No, we answer. We
fight for ourselves. A great mistake is made on this point by many
who seem to imagine that fighting the good fight of faith is
doing something for God, which deserves His thanks and reward.
The Almighty God does not need that we should fight for Him.
He is omnipotent, abundantly able to take care of Himself and
His cause; He needs not our puny efforts. God is fighting for us,
and assisting and encouraging us to fight the good fight of faith
on our own behalf. It is well that this feature of the case be clearly
discerned.
Against whom do we fight? We answer, our battle is not against our
fellow-creatures, nor with carnal weapons… R5109
Inordinate influence or control…
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Two disservices to the SHEEP results (at least)
Sheep will reject the under shepherd
(specifically or generally where the ministry is
blamed)
 Sheep are trained into submission to the under
shepherd (thereby preparing them to be controlled
by any other over zealous under shepherd)
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Impact on the Sheep
Over influencing of SHEEP sends negative
messages:
I don’t trust you to be able to do it right
 I don’t respect your spiritual judgment
 I don’t think you are spiritually competent
 I don’t value your sanctified insight, experience
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Warning from THEE Shepherd
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Mat 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these
little ones which believe in me, it were better for
him that a millstone were hanged about his
neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of
the sea.
Mat 18:7 Woe unto the world because of
offences! for it must needs be that offences
come; but woe to that man by whom the
offence cometh!
What is an under shepherd
to do then?
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Help to build a stronger sheep.
SHEEP: Ecclesia Voting
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Midterm Elections – Did you vote?
When asked –what would you say
Do others vote in their church meetings? If they
have no say – then they have to pick a church to
go to.
For us we have this great privilege of the
ecclesia and voting, as if we were members of
the board of directors for the “Church”
One vote per sheep
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The collective vote of the ecclesia
Each consecrated member contributes one vote
Sheepish voting
Voting our conscience
Achilles Heel of the Ecclesia
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Inordinate influence in Nominations and Voting
time can be a sign of ecclesia weakness.
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From Wikipedia: An Achilles’ heel is a fatal
weakness in spite of overall strength, actually or
potentially leading to downfall.
Summary
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Maintain integrity of ecclesia decisions.
Maintain integrity of individual and conscience.
Maintaining Truth.
Maintaining the Spirit of the Truth.
An antidote for anxiety…
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Phil 4:6 NIV “Do not be anxious about anything, but in
everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present
your requests to God.”
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I am thankful for long business meetings because it means the brethren
still have a voice.
I am thankful for the cold drafts in our meeting hall because it means we
still have somewhere to meet.
I am thankful for the children making little noises because it means that
their parents want them to be with the brethren.
I am thankful for…
Viewing other sheep
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I remember the words of the Apostle Paul in Romans 15:24. He told us about the
journey he hoped to make to Spain, and he said he expected to go by way of Rome,
and he would stop and visit the Roman brethren, and he said he hoped that he would
be somewhat filled with them. Another translation makes it a little clearer – “he hoped
he would be partly satisfied with them.” What! Did the Apostle expect to be partly
satisfied with the brethren at Rome. Did he not expect to be entirely satisfied? No. He
was not entirely satisfied with himself, so how could he be entirely satisfied with them?
I know I have been acquainted with myself a great deal longer than I have been
acquainted with you and I know that I have had opportunities to understand my
motives better than I could possibly understand your motives, because I can not read
your hearts, and I know I have had plenty of time to get accustomed to my own
peculiarities and idiosyncrasies, and so on, while I have not had much opportunity to
get acquainted with yours. It must be then, that if after all of these years I am not
satisfied with myself, how can I possibly be satisfied with you. I know that in you
there are things I do not like; if I do not know what they are it is simply because I have
not been with you long enough. If you and I could live under the same roof for about
six months probably I would know something about your weaknesses, and probably
you would know something about mine; and therefore the thing for us to do is not to
cultivate the spirit that would readily find fault because a brother is weak, but rather
the spirit which seeks to be strengthened and benefited and helped by the weaknesses
of the brethren. How can these weaknesses help us? By developing in us more of the
spirit of patience, of compassion etc – the spirit that would make allowances for that
brother. B H BARTON – P 278 Pilgrim Echoes – “Christian Fellowship”