Showing posts with label Joseph Mattera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Joseph Mattera. Show all posts

Thursday, April 25, 2019

Modern-Day Wimpy Jesus vs. Jesus as Warrior-King - JOSEPH MATTERA CHARISMA NEWS




Much of what has been written and preached about Jesus the past decade has often amounted to nothing more than a watered-down milquetoast version of the real Jesus. 
This has been largely done to appease contemporary society's "anti-masculine" culture and to attract more followers and fill up more church buildings on Sundays. However, as we do a quick scan through the pages of the New Testament (that's right, I said the New Testament), we see that Jesus came to reign on the earth and in the heavens as the warrior King.
What the Scriptures Teach
First of all, we remember how Jesus affirmed to Pilate that the reason He came to the earth was to show that He is the true King and to demonstrate this truth (see John 18:37,38). We can also think about how Jesus is depicted in the last book of the Bible, which is dedicated to revealing who He is (See Rev.1:1).
The Revelation of Jesus Christ
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In the book of Revelation, He is not only called the Alpha and the Omega (Rev.1:8) but is also referred to as "the Lion of the tribe of Judah" in 5:5.
The lion is called by many "the king of the jungle," who is strong, fierce and who fears no one and never backs away from a fight.
Proverbs says, "the terror of a king is as the roaring of a lion; whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own soul" and "the king's wrath is as the roaring of a lion, but his favor is as dew on the grass" (see Prov. 20:2;19:12). Hence it is no accident that Jesus is described as similar to this amazing and ferocious animal.
Related to our cosmic struggle against the forces of darkness, the apostle Paul admonishes the church to "be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God" (Eph. 6:10b-11a). He is therefore depicting Jesus as our No. 1 warrior, arrayed in battle attire (See Eph. 6:10-17.)
Near the end of the book of Revelation, Jesus is described as the warrior King who rides on His white horse, leading the armies of heaven (the saints and angelic beings) to slay (or subjugate) the nations with the sword of His mouth (See Rev. 6:2, 19:11-19)—which is referring to His divine decrees as well as His Word being proclaimed (Eph. 6:17, Heb. 4:12) to the nations of the earth throughout human history since His ascension into heaven.
One of the most quoted psalms in the New Testament is Psalm 2 (See Acts 4:25-26), which refers to Jesus as the King of the nations, whom He rules (or breaks) with a rod of iron and shatters like earthenware. The kings of the earth are warned to worship Him with reverence and rejoice before Him with trembling and to do homage to Him lest He become angry and they perish due to His wrath being released against them (see Ps. 2:6-12 as well as Rev. 2:26-27).
Then there is, perhaps the most quoted Old Testament passage in the New Testament, Psalm 110, which speaks about Jesus sitting in the heavens until His enemies are made a footstool for His feet (see Matt. 22:44, Mark 12:36, Luke 20:42, Acts 2:34-36). Not much of a milquetoast, lovey-dovey, hippie Jesus here in the New Testament thus far!
Jesus also appeared as the King/Priest of Salem-Melchizedek who approved of and blessed Abraham and offered him bread and wine (a type of the New Testament practice of Communion) after He defeated the kings of the nations and forcibly rescued his nephew Lot (see Gen. 14:17-20, Heb. 5:5-10, 7:1-11). However, He is not only a fierce king against the nations of the earth (which we have seen throughout human history the past 2,000 years related to Him rewarding and exalting certain nations and casting them down when they neglect His moral laws and abuse their people; see Deut. 28) but we also see stern language utilized in the New Testament when it comes to His people falling away from His precepts and commands.
First of all, to those who don't think there are any laws in the New Testament and only grace, Jesus said to believers "If you love me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). Thus, as King, He gives His people commands—not options. Also, the apostle John explains much more regarding what commandments He is referring to in his first epistle (see 1 John 3-4). Furthermore, the apostle Paul warns the church in Galatia and says to them "Be not deceived. God is not mocked. For whatever a man sows, that will he also reap" (Gal. 6:7). Then there is his letter to the Ephesian church, where he uses even stronger language when he warns the church that the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience because of immorality, impurity, covetousness, idolatry and greed, among other things (See Eph. 5:3-8).
Moreover, Jesus warns the Ephesian church only one generation later that He will remove their lampstand (the church—see Rev.1:20) if they do not repent and applauds them for "hating" the deeds of the Nicolaitans whose deeds He also hates (see Rev. 2:4-6.)
Jesus also tells the church of Pergamum that if they do not repent, He will "come to [them] quickly" and "war against them" (Rev. 2:16b; in this case Jesus is at war against a church) with the sword of His mouth. When God comes, Scripture most often depicts Him coming in judgement (see also Amos 5:18 and Rev. 21:20, in which Jesus says He is coming quickly in the context of a warning to those who attempt to add or take away from the words of the book of Revelation (see 22:18,19.)
He also threatens to put a false prophetess (in the church) on a bed of sickness as well as kill all her children with pestilence as a warning to the rest of the churches (see Rev. 2:22-23). Jesus again uses language most Christians only think refers to the "rapture," when He threatens the church in the city of Sardis to wake up, or else "I will come upon you as a thief" (Rev. 3:3b). Finally, Jesus tells the church of Laodicea that He is about to "vomit them out of His mouth" (Rev. 3:16, NKJV) if they do not repent, which is reminiscent of the strong language God uses when He warns Israel not to participate in the abominable practices of the nations (see Lev. 18:25).
Ultimately, the book of Revelation is replete with language that speaks about the sovereignty of God, in conjunction with the accumulated prayers of the saints both in heaven and in earth (See Rev.5:8, 6:9-1, 8:3-5) who releases judgments on the earth (which includes natural disasters and plagues) in conjunction with the sevenfold release of seals, trumpets and bowls (see Rev. 5-18) against unrepentant sinners and nations.
The above passages should forever eradicate the unbiblical depiction of Jesus as some flower child, coming to bring peace (by accommodation) to the earth without exerting His sovereign, kingly rule—which sometimes also includes expressing His divine wrath against disobedient sinners and nations.
This should also dispel the unbiblical teaching of hyper-grace advocates who only teach their perspective on the goodness of God and teach a Gnostic dualism that pits the God of the Old Testament against the New Testament God (Jesus); as if the Old Testament version of God is mean and the New Testament version of God (Jesus) is good and would never enact judgment on the earth.
Of course, the Advent of Christ revealed the fullness of grace and love of God in a way the Old Testament only depicted in types and shadows (see John 1:17,18). However, as we can see from reading the Gospels, Jesus loved sinners without compromising His holiness. For example, He protected the woman caught in adultery, but He also told her "go and sin no more" (John 8:11b); He ministered to the woman at the well and offered her the water of life, but He also revealed the fact that she was living a life of sin, with numerous men in her life (see John 4:16-19); He told the man unable to walk for 38 years, "Sin no more lest something worse happens to you" (John 5:15b) after He healed him.
"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be moved, let us be gracious, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire" (Heb. 12:28-29).
Dr. Joseph Mattera is an internationally known author, interpreter of culture and activist/theologian whose mission is to influence leaders who influence nations. He is renowned for addressing current events through the lense of Scripture by applying biblical truths and offering cogent defenses to today's postmodern culture. He leads several organizations, including The United Coalition of Apostolic Leaders (uscal.us). He also has a blog on Charisma News called "The Pulse." To order one of his books or to subscribe to his weekly newsletter go to josephmattera.org.
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Friday, February 1, 2019

Debunking 12 Erroneous Views About Apostolic Ministry - JOSEPH MATTERA Charisma News


(Hans/Pixabay)

Debunking 12 Erroneous Views About Apostolic Ministry

JOSEPH MATTERA  CHARISMA NEWS
Through the years, there has been much opposition to the restoration of apostolic ministry today. Having been educated in non-charismatic Bible institutes and universities, I have a very good understanding of those who misunderstand the global restoration of the fivefold ministry gifts as seen in Ephesians 4:11.
The following are 12 of the arguments against it and my responses:
1. There were no apostles after the original Twelve.
The fact of the matter is, in addition to the original Twelve Apostles of the Lamb, there were numerous people either cited as apostles or who were sent as apostles in the New Testament.
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During the days of the early church, the word "apostle" was a common word used to denote a person sent on official business to represent another person, nation or government. Hence, when Jesus designated the original Twelve disciples as apostles, the connotation was that they were being sent out to represent Jesus and the kingdom of God.
To make the point that there were more apostles than the original Twelve, we read in Luke 10:1 that Jesus sent (apostolos) another 70—thus, apostolic ministry expanded to a total of 82 disciples. Furthermore, there were others recognized as apostles besides those already cited:
  • Apollos (1 Cor. 4:6-13)
  • Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25; "messenger" is apostolos in the Greek)
  • James, the Lord's brother (Gal. 1:19)
  • Barnabas (Acts 14:4, 14; 1 Cor. 9:5, 6)
  • Andronicus (Rom. 16:7)
  • Junia (Rom. 16:7)
  • Titus (2 Cor. 8:23; "messenger" is apostolos in the Greek)
  • An unnamed brother (2 Cor. 8:18, 22, 23)
  • Silas and Timothy (1 Thess. 1:1; 2:6)
Consequently, this indicates that the apostolic ministry was not only not limited to the original Twelve Apostles, but that the ministry was meant to continue until the fullness of time when Christ returns bodily a second time. To this the Apostle Paul alludes to in Ephesians 4:11-13, when he says all five cluster gifts will continue until the unity of the faith and until the church comes to the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.
Obviously, since this has not happened yet we can expect God to continue to manifest these ministry gifts on the earth.
2. "Super apostles" are trying to overthrow pastoral ministry.
Although many of us teach that the church has to go from a pastoral paradigm to an apostolic paradigm, this has nothing to do with eradicating or overthrowing the ministry of pastor. This has to do with the church recapturing the pioneering missional spirit of the first-century church that not only planted churches but movements.
God set forth apostles first in the church (1 Cor. 12:28) for a reason—to ensure the church will always have an entrepreneurial attitude of continuing to expand the influence of the kingdom. By nature, apostolic leaders are visionary leaders called into territories not yet reached for Christ—which includes church planting, networking leaders, creating coalitions and equipping the saints to serve Christ in the work place, not just the church place.
By nature, pastors are called to maintain, protect and care for the flock that was initially founded originally by apostolic ministry. Hence, while the apostolic leader usually doesn't stay focused on one local congregation but exerts extra local influence in some capacity (after the local church is established), pastors are appointed to focus on the well-being of the local church.
All cluster gifts, including apostolic and pastoral leaders, are called to work together and actually depend upon the other in order to function at their apex. Rather than overthrow pastors, true apostolic leaders create networks and support systems to encourage, train, equip and galvanize pastors together so they can fulfill their purpose in Christ.
While most true pastors do not have the burden or the bandwidth to focus extra locally, their connection to apostolic leaders enables their church and ministry to have a local focus with a global participation, while the apostolic leader has a global focus with local participation. Consequently, the restoration of the apostolic doesn't overthrow pastors, but unbiblical ecclesial paradigms.
3. Apostolic leaders are trying to have dominion over society.
One of the earmarks of the present global apostolic movement is a new focus on lifting whole cities, not just individual sinners. This coincides with Isaiah's vision of the gospel recipients rebuilding ancient ruins, repairing ruined cities and the desolation of many generations (read Isa. 61:1-4).
Consequently, the gospel of the kingdom of God (which John the Baptist, Jesus and Paul all preached) has to do with the reign of Christ spilling over from individual believers into their environment due to the causality of their love and service in response to being Christlike.
Apostolic leaders are called to promote the culture mandate of Genesis 1:28, which talks about stewarding the created order of planet Earth. While the language of Genesis 1:28 makes use of the word "dominion" in regard to creation, this was before the Earth was populated with people—hence it was dominion over creation, not over other human beings.
Dominion in this context also has to do with managing and preserving—not abuse, but influence.
The New Testament equivalent to dominion was illustrated when Jesus wrapped a towel around His waist and washed the feet of His disciples and called upon His followers to do likewise. He was saying that true influence and leadership arise out of service.
Apostolic leaders today believe (as Jesus, who called His disciples the light of the world and salt of the earth in Matt. 5:13-16, did) that the church should have a positive effect on surrounding communities, even as it did in the book of Acts, as we read in chapters 8 and 19 (in which whole cities and regions were reached with the gospel). As a matter of fact, when the disciples came into a city some cried out "these men who have turned the world upside down have come here also" (Acts 17:6) The early church positively affected the values, beliefs and even the economics of a region (as they did in the city of Ephesus in Acts 19, which resulted in a riot).
The primary reason Christianity transformed the surrounding culture was because believers proclaimed that Jesus—not Caesar—was the true Lord, which caused Christ-followers to put Jesus before the Roman emperor and societal mores that contradicted their faith (Acts 17:7).
Neither the early church leaders nor the present apostolic leaders I know and work with preach that the institutional church should rule politically over cities and nations. Also, history has shown that to be problematic theologically as well as in civil life. I believe in the separation of church and state (the way the original framers meant it in the first amendment of the U.S. Constitution) but I don't believe in the separation of God and state—hence, individual believers as good citizens should bring their Christian values into the public square, just as individuals with other values will attempt to do. Furthermore, I do not know one apostolic leader who thinks that the church will bring a full manifestation of the kingdom before the second bodily return of Jesus.
4. The NAR is a global conspiracy.
NAR refers to the New Apostolic Reformation—which has recently been the catalyst of the construct of an imaginary bogeyman because of the fear it incites from those opposed to it. Opponents contend that the NAR is some kind of global conspiracy meant to take over the world and overthrow pastors (and then some—hence the points in my article today). However, further examination demonstrates that most people espousing the restoration of the five cluster gifts do not even know what the NAR is, and/or, have never even heard the term.
Dr. Peter Wagner, as a researcher and missiologist, coined the phrase in the last decade to denote individual networks formed by visionary leaders. It was called a reformation because it was not necessarily limiting church cooperation in regions to denominational affiliation and because it was led by visionary leaders and not necessarily denominational leaders. It was not an "anti-denominational" movement—but a movement that transcended denominations as a unifying force to reach the nations with the gospel.
Consequently, there is no organized conspiracy just a sovereign, global move of God catalyzing more and more unity in the body of Christ so that the world will believe He sent Jesus to be the Savior of the world (see John 17:20-23).
To conclude this point, there are non-charismatics in this movement, as well as immense diversity in regards to eschatology, ecclesiology and leadership style, as well as including adherents who are in denominations and those who are nondenominational.
If this diverse group were somehow organized by human ingenuity—it would perhaps be the greatest miracle any of us have ever seen. No, this global movement is being orchestrated by Father God to help prepare the bride for the coming of His Son to claim back the earth for His glory.
5. So-called apostles are proclaiming authority over the church in cities and regions.
While there may have been some apostolic leaders in the past who were proclaimed to be "the apostle to the city or the apostle to the nation," this made many of us in apostolic circles cringe. I have not heard anything like this often (only a few times in 40 years) and have not heard any statement like this in over a decade. That being said, even if it were said by some today—it is always unfair to categorize a whole movement by its radical fringe.
6. Apostolic leaders have an autocratic leadership style.
While it is true that some apostolic leaders are "title driven" and "hierarchical," truth be told, they were probably like that before they embraced the title apostle. The title and or the global apostolic movement had nothing to do with it—their leadership style had to do more with their own internal wiring (insecurity?) and their context and ecclesial culture. (The same accusations can also be made about bishops, pastors, reverends and doctors in the church.)
Those with whom I serve (USCAL.US) are working hard to be a movement based on relationships—not titles. Furthermore, we are espousing the servant leadership style of Jesus (John 13; Phil. 2:3-12) as our example and endeavor to use our influence to build people up, not to tear them down (2 Cor. 13:10).
7. The apostolic restoration is against denominations.
As was already alluded to, the global apostolic movement often includes leaders in most evangelical denominations, both charismatic and non-charismatic. It is not meant to eradicate denominations but motivate them to recover the way of Christ and His apostles in their mission and practice.
Not only that, so many new mainline evangelical leaders and movements are utilizing fivefold ministry language (including the word "apostolic" and "prophetic"—as adjectives, not titles) that in the next five years, it will be almost impossible for opponents of the apostolic restoration to differentiate between the groups because it will be mainstream in evangelicalism. (They will eventually have to categorize most of evangelicalism as the NAR and part of a demonic conspiracy if they don't open their hearts to what God is doing today in the world.)
8. Today's so-called apostles are self-ordained.
Since the restoration of the apostolic in name is still relatively new, there have been numerous people who have proclaimed themselves apostles. This has been done primarily because there are no set recognized processes for ordaining a person as an apostle the way there is for the preparation and training for a person to become a pastor or member of the clergy.
Many of us are speaking about a better way to go about this and are giving guidelines to those functioning in apostolic ministry.
Primarily, it is better to let other key regional leaders in proximity to you to refer to you as an apostolic leader before you and your elders start proclaiming it. Also, since many of us refer to the function as "apostolic" rather than using the title "apostle." Paul was not called "apostle Paul" but rather Paul, "an apostle." The term was used as an adjective, not a title or an office.
Many (including myself) would be more comfortable with hands being laid upon people recognizing them as apostolic leaders or consecrating them to serve in "apostolic function or ministry" if and only if there was "apostolic fruit" (church planting, ministering to pastors and leaders outside their local church, overseeing a network of churches and or a movement of leaders).
It is embarrassing to be called an apostolic leader or a bishop when there is very little fruit or a meager following.
9. Apostolic movements are personality driven.
The function of apostle is one of the fivefold gifts of the church (Eph. 4:11,12) as an extension of the mission of Jesus and His church (2 Cor. 10:10-14). In the book of Acts, Luke often names extraordinary miracles and works done by apostles (Peter, John, Paul). The fact that he mentions names doesn't separate them from the church but enhances the activity and narrative of the mission of the church. Consequently, the Jesus Movement is not a nameless and faceless movement but one led by fivefold ministry gifts that represent the various ministry functions of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The profile of the apostolic leaders in the Bible does not make it personality driven, but part of the organic church, which serves as the visible body of the invisible Christ. While there may be apostolic people who lead movements who are personality driven, we can say the same thing about some evangelists, pastors and teachers; does that mean we do away with all these other functions as well?
10. The apostolic tradition is only continued by the Scriptures, not by new apostles.
This argument is self-refuting because, as already mentioned, the Scriptures themselves testify that the apostolic ministry is going to continue until the church matures into the fullness of Christ (Eph. 4:11-13; see point one).
11. Apostolic leaders are dividing the church.
While I have heard of some reports of apostolic leaders stealing pastors from other networks or movements, this is not endemic among all apostolic leaders. The same can be true of pastors who intentionally grow their churches based on appealing to believers already committed to other churches (some call this "sheep stealing," but the polite phrase is "transfer growth) which I think is more common than apostolic leaders doing this and dividing the church.
Whoever and whenever any leader has a pattern of intentionally luring committed people away from good churches or movements, it is wrong, and they should be called out (first in private). Division in the church is never good, but to blame the restoration of the apostolic for dividing the church is unfair and untrue. Unfortunately, many are calling it "division" when pastors and leaders embrace and follow the way of Christ and His apostles in spite of the opposition of their colleagues and ecclesiastical fellowship. To that I would say our first allegiance is to the Scriptures and to Jesus, not to ecclesiastical systems that oppose what God has ordained in Scripture.
12. Today's apostles believe their prophecies are equal to Scripture.
I do not know of any apostolic or prophetic leader who teaches that their "revelations" or prophetic words are equal to Scripture. That being said, anyone who does this is in great error because prophetic words only have validity if they are in accord with the tradition, pattern, principles and authority of the word of God.
True apostolic leaders should always uphold fidelity to the Scriptures—any who don't are false apostles and should be shunned.
Dr. Joseph Mattera is an internationally known author, interpreter of culture and activist/theologian whose mission is to influence leaders who influence nations. He is renowned for addressing current events through the lense of Scripture by applying biblical truths and offering cogent defenses to today's postmodern culture. He leads several organizations, including The United Coalition of Apostolic Leaders (uscal.us). He also has a blog on Charisma News called "The Pulse." To order one of his books or to subscribe to his weekly newsletter go to josephmattera.org.
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Monday, June 25, 2018

15 Contrasts Between True and False Apostolic Leaders - JOSEPH MATTERA CHARISMA NEWS


(Unsplash/Jacek Dylag)
Jesus commended the Ephesian church for testing apostles to see if they were legitimate; we should do the same (Rev. 2:2).
Also, for the sake of brevity, I am going to use term "apostle" for the title of each point instead of my usual "apostolic" (I usually use the term as an adjective rather than an office).
In the context of this article, a false apostle is one who has a wrong motive in ministry—it doesn't mean they are not Christian or that they are not a child of God (it could be they are immature or a carnal ambitious leader).
The following are 15 contrasts between the two:
1. True apostles edify the kingdom; false apostles build their own kingdom.
The mark of a true apostolic leader is that their heart is for the expansion of the influence of God's kingdom more than their own empire.
False apostles are only committed to that which benefits their own selfish agenda and ministry
2. True apostles live to serve; false apostles live to be served.
The mark of a true apostolic leader is brokenness and humility. Their influence in the kingdom motivates them to function as a servant leader.
False apostolic leaders have an entitlement mentality and think that because they have an apostolic title they deserve an entourage replete with numerous sycophants whose only goal in life is to serve the "apostle." Often, these followers are guilty of idolatry, since they look the other way when their leader uses, abuses and objectifies others for the sake of building his (the "apostle's") empire.
3. True apostles nurture Christ-followers; false apostles only point people to themselves.
The greatest desire of true apostolic leaders is to mature people into becoming mature Christ-followers (see Col.1:28, 29).
The greatest desire of false apostles is to produce faithful, committed, loyal followers who will live to serve them. This is because they point people to themselves and not to Jesus (see Acts 20:30).
4. True apostles desire influence for His glory; false apostles desire influence for monetary gain.
I have found that one of the main characteristics of true apostolic leaders is that their primary focus is to advance the gospel—sometimes to the extent that they risk their own monetary stability.
On the other hand, false apostles don't even begin an endeavor without first making sure they will make a profit. Not only that, but they also endeavor to get "sons" in the faith for the express purpose of getting their tithe (hence the primary motivation is finances rather than pouring into their lives).
5. True apostles lay down their life for the sheep; false apostles sacrifice the sheep for their life.
I have noticed through the years that those leaders who use and abuse the sheep have only one agenda: their own benefit. Their ambition drives them so much that they will do anything to get ahead, even if it means hurting others. Apostolic leaders with this M.O. are false apostles.
6. True apostles build others; false apostles tear down others.
Apostolic leaders who are committed to the success of others and make room for other people are functioning as true apostolic leaders. Those who attempt to get ahead by attacking (through slander, criticism and posturing) peers they suspect are their competition are acting like false apostles.
7. True apostles uplift pastors and churches; false apostles usurp pastors and churches.
I have seen apostolic leaders live to serve and equip pastors and churches, but I have also observed a few (a small minority) attempt to add churches to their network by undermining the authority of local pastors. (They usually start off working with a pastor to gain their trust but eventually undermine their authority by working directly with the pastor's elders and leaders to garner their allegiance.) Such leaders are false apostles.
8. True apostles are accountable; false apostles are unaccountable.
Any apostolic leader who refuses to be accountable or be corrected regarding their life, ministry or questionable teachings is functioning as a false apostle.
9. True apostles work through teams; false apostles work alone.
Any time a so-called apostle desires to function as a Lone Ranger without working through teams for maximum effect is either insecure, immature or at times even worse—they are functioning as a false apostle. (I am not at all questioning the good intentions or motive of a leader who is not good at delegation and runs a "Mom and Pop shop." However, I am here pointing out their lack of true apostolic protocol and or ability to fully walk in the apostolic function.)
To be a true apostle, one must have a propensity to raise up and work through a community of leaders that collectively bear much fruit that can be described as apostolic. One may actually have the apostolic calling and gift, but (because of insecurity, immaturity or lack of training) the fruit they bear is greatly limited because they refuse to delegate and build teams.
True apostles utilize teams and have apostolic fruit; false apostles lack the fruit that maximizes a team effort.
10. True apostles point the church to the original 12 apostles of Christ; false apostles make themselves equal to the New Testament apostles.
Anytime a person puts themselves or their teaching on the same level as any of the original 12 apostles is dangerous and is a false apostle. What the original apostles of the Lamb laid out through their lives and ministries became the plumbline as well as the foundation for the rest of us.
All the saints throughout church history are called to point back to them as their primary reference point for ministry. Leaders who equate themselves as equal to and or lift themselves above the original apostles of Jesus are false apostles and not to be followed.
11. True apostles base their teaching on the Scriptures; false apostles base their teaching on subjective experience.
Whenever a leader consistently bases their teachings solely on extra biblical experiences (personal visions, dreams, writings, prophecies) instead of on the sacred writings of both the Old and New Testament, they are in dangerous territory and are setting themselves up to be a false apostle who can potentially deceive many. (At the end of the day, only the Scriptures can be fully trusted as fully inspired by God.)
This is especially problematic when a so-called apostle gets "revelation" from God that they claim is an extra chapter or book of the Bible or that they received instruction directly from one of the saints in heaven rather than from God. Such leaders are to be avoided in my opinion because eventually these so-called extra biblical revelations may contradict or be in competition with the Bible (similar to the Book of Mormon).
12. True apostles raise up sons; false apostles produce orphans.
False apostles leave a path of destruction behind their ministry as they use, abuse and orphan their sons, whom they abandon after they get what they wanted from them.
13. Apostles leave a lasting legacy people want to remember; false apostles leave a legacy people want to forget.
14. True apostles walk with God; false apostles walk in the flesh.
A so-called apostle who consistently walks in the flesh by losing their temper, cursing, slander, berating their staff and who lacks the fruit of the Spirit disqualifies themselves.
Jesus said you will know people by their fruit (Matt. 7:20).
15. True apostles proclaim biblical doctrine; false apostles teach heretical doctrine.
Jude 3 speaks about the obligation we have as believers to earnestly contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. True apostles uphold this biblical faith, and false apostles promote that which contradicts such cardinal doctrines such as salvation by faith alone in the finished work of Christ; the deity and lordship of Jesus over all; the need for all people to go through Jesus for eternal salvation; the reality of heaven, hell and eternity; the triune Godhead of Father, Son and Holy Spirit and more.
An apostolic leader who deviates from any of the cardinal doctrines is a false apostle. Paul even said that if we or an angel preach any other gospel than the one they originally received, let them be eternally condemned (Gal. 1).
May the church have the courage to test those who claim to be apostles so we can discern between the true and the false so we can bless, build and protect the body of Christ.
Dr. Joseph Mattera is an internationally known author, interpreter of culture and activist/theologian whose mission is to influence leaders who influence nations. He is renowned for addressing current events through the lense of Scripture by applying biblical truths and offering cogent defenses to today's postmodern culture. He leads several organizations, including The United Coalition of Apostolic Leaders (uscal.us). He also has a blog on Charisma News called "The Pulse." To order one of his books or to subscribe to his weekly newsletter go to josephmattera.org.

Friday, November 10, 2017

10 Attributes of the Fast-Approaching Jesus Reformation - JOSEPH MATTERA CHARISMA NEWS

The new Jesus Reformation will convey simplicity and generosity. (Pixabay/Public Domain)
The past several decades, more believers are embracing a Christ-focused faith (or a Christological theology). I am referring to coming back to the New Testament focus of allowing Jesus Christ to be our center, our life, and our hermeneutic for interpreting the Scriptures.
According to Ephesians 1: 9-11, this Christological focus, experience and paradigm are going to get stronger as we get closer to the consummation of human history. This passage refers to the fact that in the fullness of the times God is going to unite all things (both in heaven and on earth) in Christ. Furthermore, it says God will providentially cause all macro trends to gravitate toward Messiah, because He works all things according to the counsel of His will.
Since the Scripture (John 1: 4,5) teaches that in Him (Jesus) is life and that life is the light of the world (life and light for both Christian and non-Christian) God is merely bringing all cultures back to Himself, as His intent all along was to reconcile all things back to Christ by the blood of His cross (Col. 1:20). I am seeing more and more young believers and leaders embracing this paradigm, which will eventuate in a "Jesus Reformation".
Many are jettisoning alternate focuses in the church such as prosperity, self-fulfillment, and other emphasis since they have come to realize by His grace that only Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (truly believers are lost and hidden with Christ in God and it has pleased the father that in Jesus all fullness should dwell (Col. 1:19).
Scripture also tells us that Jesus holds the universe together with the word of His power (Heb. 1:3) and that in Him all things consist (Col. 1:16-17). The intent of the triune God in creation was that Jesus would have the preeminence in all things (Col 1:16-20). Furthermore, Jesus said that all things spoken in the Law, the prophets and the Psalms (the three Hebrew components of the Old Testament called the Tanakh) pointed to Him (this means that the ultimate goal of all biblical interpretation is Christological and/or has its full meaning explained in Jesus).
I myself have had three distinct conversion experiences since 1978:
– In 1978, I was converted to the gospel of individual salvation
– In 1995, I was converted to the gospel of the kingdom of God (the present rule of Christ in the universe)
– In the past decade, I have been converted gradually to a high Christology that has transformed every aspect of my life, ministry and focus
My experience is not unique as God is doing the same thing globally in the church as He continues to reform His church.
Every prior reformation has prepared the bride of Christ for the marriage supper of the Lamb, which is the ultimate union of the church in Him (Rev. 19).
The Birth of the Protestant Reformation 
Although there were always revivals and reformations in both the East and the Western branch of the Catholic church, after the printing press was invented in 1517, a macro Reformation exploded on the scene. This was because the Bible was now in the hands of the common people for the first time (instead of just the religious priestly class and the cultural elite). Hence, a move towards elevating the teachings of the Bible above church canons and ecclesial traditions caused a restoration of seminal biblical teachings found in the New Testament. Teachings such as justification by faith alone and salvation by grace alone.
As well as further illuminations that led to the formation of Protestant denominations such as the Reformed, Lutheran, Anglican, Ana-Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal and more (there are presently more than 30,000 denominations of Christianity in the world). However, the restoration of any true biblical teaching should eventuate in a high Christology or a Jesus-focused life, faith and church.
The following are 10 attributes of the emerging Jesus Reformation
1. A Christ-focused hermeneutic
That is to say, the science of interpreting Scripture by first uncovering the author's original intent, locating prior mention of the theme to build a proper foundation for understanding (antecedent use of the theme) ultimately leading to discovering how the narrative or doctrine foreshadows the Messiah (of course much more is involved in biblical hermeneutics).
2. Christ-focused preaching
Along with a Christ-focused hermeneutic (interpretation) should be preaching with a goal to exalt the lordship and glory of Christ. This will necessitate a shift away from using Bible study and preaching merely for self-fulfillment, motivational sermonettes and a distorted, myopic prosperity gospel.
3. A greater appreciation for the true church
With a Christ-centered approach to life, we realize that all believers together comprise His body and become His bride—that is to say we cannot separate Christ from His body, since He is the head and the church is the neck down (Eph. 1:22,23, 1 Cor. 12).
When John wanted to see Jesus, he saw the seven golden lampstands (the church) before he saw the Lord in the midst of His church (Rev. 1:12-13). That is to say—the church is the invisible manifestation of the invisible Christ.
4. A greater understanding of fulfillment in Him
Scripture teaches that believers are complete in Him who is the head of all principalities and powers (Col. 2:8-10). A greater illumination of this truth in the Jesus Reformation will cause a shift away from religious striving for accomplishment and an entering to His rest for inner satisfaction and contentment (Heb. 4:7-11).
5. A loss of religious performance and politics
The more Jesus is the center of the church the more faith becomes a way of life (John 14: 6), instead of a religious performance to ascend the heights of the institutional hierarchy.
6. A desire for living in simplicity
The self-focused prosperity message replete with opulent living and excess will be jettisoned in favor of a life content in Him. Once a person experiences the fullness of Christ they will be more fascinated with Jesus than anything else—hence the need for a lavish lifestyle to appease the flesh will be crucified in Him (Rom. 6:1-8).
7. An explosion of generosity 
When Jesus is the center of the church, then the realization comes that He owns everything in the world and believers are merely His treasurers and stewards. This will lead to living a life obedient to the Lord regarding generosity and investing more financially in His kingdom.
8. A desire to live a supernatural life of faith 
When the church abides in Him, they will bear much fruit and do great works for Him (John 15:1-7; 14:12). This will lead to living a life dependent upon Jesus as the author of our faith (Heb. 12:1, 2) resulting in seeing His mighty hand operate as part of our daily walk—both in the church and marketplace (almost all the miracles in the Bible took place outside of a religious edifice).
9. A desire to empower others
Jesus invested the bulk of His time and focus pouring into and forming His followers (Mark 3:12-14; Luke 9:1, 2; 10:1, 2). He commanded us to focus on doing the same (Matthew 28:19-20; 2 Tim. 2:2). Consequently, with the emergence of the Jesus Reformation will come a renaissance in the church of disciple making. This will cause the church to shift away from the shallow church growth, concert-based and performance-based methodologies in favor of a transformational model based on conformity to the image of Christ.
Indeed—conformity to Christ is the primary reason He saved us (Rom. 8:29, 30). Instead of church teaching and membership being a "mile long and an inch deep"—levels of teaching with a goal to mature believers in Christ will be the new normal (Col. 1:21-23). A celebration of inner virtue, humility, brokenness and Christlikeness will eventually transcend shallow gospel preaching and church practice.
10. A celebration of servanthood instead of entitlement 
Jesus said He did not come to be served but to serve and give His life a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28).
A Jesus Reformation will shatter the present focus on ecclesial and religious politics that breed entitlement among institutional and church-based leadership. This new reformation will cause the church to understand the privilege of laying down our life for the good of others. It will replace the prevalent man-pleasing, performance-based Christianity with a Christlike attitude of washing the feet of others for His glory.
Dr. Joseph Mattera is an internationally known author, interpreter of culture and activist/theologian whose mission is to influence leaders who influence nations. He is renowned for addressing current events through the lense of Scripture by applying biblical truths and offering cogent defenses to today's postmodern culture. He leads several organizations, including The United Coalition of Apostolic Leaders (uscal.us). He also has a blog on Charisma News called "The Pulse." To order one of his books or to subscribe to his weekly newsletter go to josephmattera.org.
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Monday, August 21, 2017

The Pulse: 7 Common Stumbling Blocks That Tempt Leaders Into Sexual Sin - Joseph Mattera

The Pulse, with Joseph Mattera
Monday, August 21, 2017
   
7 Common Stumbling Blocks That Tempt Leaders Into Sexual Sin
Are you at risk of sexual sin?
Are you at risk of sexual sin? (Pixabay/Free-Photos)
Unfortunately, we have all too often heard of spiritual leaders (i.e. pastors) who fall into sexual sin. As a spiritual leader who has worked with other spiritual leaders for many decades, I have observed the following demonic strategies employed by seducing spirits. Since I am a man, I will speak in the context of a male leader being tempted.

The following are seven common strategies to seduce spiritual leaders:

1. Counseling alone with the opposite sex

It is a no-brainer that a spiritual leader should rarely, if ever, conduct a private counseling session with a person who has the potential for a mutual attraction. When alone in such a setting, emotional intimacy develops because of the nature of the conversations. This easily leads to a strong emotional connection that can result in sinful physical and emotional intimacy. To protect their spiritual leaders, church boards should have clear guidelines prohibiting this kind of counseling arrangement.

2. Praying alone with the opposite sex

Satan comes as an angel of light and not with a red suit and a pitch fork. I have seen people with a seductive spirit attempt to use "religious reasons" for proximity to a spiritual leader. Using religious terminology and/or action to seduce an unsuspecting believer is nothing new, based on the admonition found in Proverbs 7:6-27. The rule of thumb is to never conduct private prayer sessions with a person of the opposite sex as it can lead to unbiblical emotional, spiritual, and physical intimacy.

3. Working alone with the opposite sex

It is a common thing to hear that a spiritual leader fell into sin with their secretary or co-worker. read more 
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