(01/24/2016) Hierarchy For Mankind

Further points are shared, today, as a BATTLE AXE on divine authority, hierarchy, and sovereignty.  All believers in Christ have the same need for an Advocate in judgment as well as divinely provided atonement, forgiveness, and propitiation for sin.  Through Jesus, every man may experience divinity as though being in a one-on-one relationship with GOD.  Those looking to be given line authority, to escape isolation, and to be in league with some “great man” or “the World” unknowingly operate in the errors of their own presumption upon divinity, and pride.  Under the sovereignty of GOD, the living are to exercise discipline and self-government directing their own consciousness and will.  None are to be manipulated as chattel, lepers, pawns, or anything less than a divine creation.  With this in view, the genuine Christian believer is a person who acknowledges that they have their highest intrinsic value only from the Creator.  Leadership is to mean influence, yet, not as seen through operations of sin that impose domination, oppression, and counterfeit ownership of another’s awareness and self-will.  The differences that exist among believers in Christ include varying levels of spiritual commitment, devotion, dutifulness, faithfulness, sacred knowledge, and maturity as well as what will be their rewards in judgment resulting from their own choices and conduct.  Believers are to encourage, honor and respect one another in the many ways that build and promote agreement, communication, praise, prayer, security, thanksgiving, and shared understanding.  This includes obeying civil law, acknowledging ones own parents, assisting those who need healing, complementing ones own children, responding to ones spouse with kindness as well as supporting those who are bereaved (e.g., orphans, the elders, widows and widowers).  The abuse of position, privilege and trust may occur among believers, however, not without eternal consequences.  Consider again the following truth, and the presentation below:

Psalms 139:  13-15, King James Version (KJV):  13 For thou hast possessed my reins:  thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.  14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:   marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.  15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Isaiah 30:  1-3, KJV:  1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:  2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!  3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.

1st Peter 4:  14-16, KJV:  14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you:  on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.  15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.  16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

Luke 12:  40-48, KJV:  40 Be ye therefore ready also:  for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.  41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?  42 And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?  43 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.  44 Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.  45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;  46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.  47 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.  48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required:  and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

1st Peter 5:  2-4, KJV:  2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;  3 Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.  4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

1st Corinthians 3:  11-13, KJV:  11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.  12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;  13 Every man’s work shall be made manifest:  for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.


THE BATTLE AXE:  Hierarchy Among Christians (01/22/2016)—It is a serious thing for a man to say, like Pharaoh, I am accountable for the life and death of others; I am a god.  Even so, as with the military, in our places of employment and work, authority is granted on the basis of being and holding others accountable for the completion of specific operations and tasks.  The division of labor requires persons to coordinate effort; continue energy, enthusiasm, and zeal; distribute equipment, resources and tools; maintain quality control; make sound decisions as necessary; and certify that all has been properly completed (job well done).  Such features in the workplace as confidence, cooperation, courtesy, flexibility, friendliness, obedience, respect and “team spirit” may vary in how regularly they appear on the basis of employee job satisfaction as well as arbitrary individual differences in character, personality, and skill among the workers. 

While many approach the spiritual work of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the same understanding they have for secular efforts, believers are alerted and cautioned that an extraordinary or supernatural work must be done;  There are non-negotiable demands for atonement, purification, rebirth, and continuous repentance.  As spiritual persons, and the new creation of Christ (who is called, King of the Angels, Regis Angelorum), believers do not participate in an hierarchy intended for angels.  Similarly, none belonging to Christ have part as Captains under Beelzebub, a prince among devils.  The order established for mankind centers in humanity having a shared endowment that should manifest as oneness and unity without sameness.  The kingdom of GOD for mankind neither generates, nor is nourished by conflict among finite  differences in ability, goals, knowledge, or temporal performance.  Ones faith and spirit content are the primary focus of final judgment; and such elements as attitudes, behavior, deeds and works are merely indicators that the divine nature is active and present.

While believers are called to exercise their shared faith as one body in one place, each person must rely entirely upon their own spirit content for right relationship to Christ, and may not depend upon the faith of others (e.g., clergy, offspring, parents, and spouses) for their acceptance and permanent place as a life companion to Christ.  With this in view, no one else may demand that you express, or suppress your Spirit from GOD using formulas and practices that pertain more to something abstract, impersonal, and lifeless (e.g., academic methods, history, regimen, tradition), rather than to the living and rich creation that you are.

Serving as apostles, prophets and teachers, believers may comfort, edify, and exhort one another in godliness, or appeal to one another as ambassadors and spokespersons from the Kingdom of GOD.  Authority to command and direct others may be established, exercised, and maintained only in mutual agreement, promise (we also say, pledge), and sacred covenant.

These are times wherein, and the preparation of mankind is such that, believers in Christ may receive only an earnest of the Spirit and power divinity intends to bestow as resurrection and eternal life.  Already, Jesus Christ has been endowed with all power in heaven and earth, however, sin still continues upon the earth, and for now the divine mechanisms for deliverance, reconciliation, and salvation also must continue to be in place.


THE GOLDEN ARROW:  Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.  And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;  Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;  And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.  Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:  Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.  Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,  And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,  (Touch not; taste not; handle not;  Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?  Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body:  not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.  (Colossians 2:  12-23, KJV)


THE DOUBLE DAGGER:  Hierarchy Among Christians (01/22/2016); Divine Discipline? (12/24/2015); Called To Be Servants? (11/25/2015); Thoughts On The Kingdom? (11/18/2015); Religious Liberty Not Authority? (09/07/2015); Succession (02/05/2014); On Youth Doing Enough (02/06/2014)


There are many other points that should be carefully considered, correctly understood, and spiritually apprehended.  (For example, 1st Kings 8:  38-39, KJV:  38 What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house:  39 Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)  Even so, I trust this fragment will be useful.  Be it unto you according to your faith.

THE BLACK PHOENIX
Washington, DC