Definitions & History of Meanings Background of Modern Churches How to Identify False Translations		Print Article

Indeed, in Heaven there will be such a divergent group that frail eyes or ears shall hardly contain their diversity. But one thing will be paramount, they will have arrived there only by a total commitment to the indwelling Lordship and Holiness of their Creator, Jesus Christ, and His eternal Word of Truth, His commandments and judgments by His Holy Scriptures.

Notice, people of varying degrees of growth in knowledge may differ in these above differences and still fulfill the Three Tenants of Fundamentalism. Love and fellowship in our differences as we each endeavor to grow in our understanding of the one Truth in scriptures and living by faith of Christ is commanded to us.

Those who are so legalistic and impatient with their brothers, that they personally castigate and demean them because of their lack of agreement with them on doctrines not pertaining to salvation (Three Tenants of Fundamentals) are violating scriptural rules governing fellowship by ignoring:

1. Flesh......James 3:15 and a violation of James 3:13 and 17-18. We all are subject to the wiles of the devil who would have us think deductively and relate to each other by our flesh natures. Only "meekness of wisdom" in sharing of inductive ³  scriptural exegesis is our fellowship and life.
2. Conscience.......First Cor. 8:11-12. We can only grow in knowledge of Him as our consciences are educated as to what is the way to read His Word (proper Hermeneutics, see article on Hermeneutics) and walk pleasing in Him. To proudly refuse "opposing ourselves" (constantly examining ourselves) to insure following inductive scriptural exegetics in our relationships with one another, we are doing violence to our brothers and the body of Christ.
3. Word....... Second Tim. 2:15-17. Demanding proper inductive scriptural exegesis and "rightly" dividing the Word is the fellowship that we have. Without that all rationalizations and name calling is "profane and vain babblings" to be scrupulously shunned.

People who make these three violations within our fellowship should be privately admonished because through following their flesh in these violations of fellowship, they violate the First Tenant, proudly placing themselves as private interpreters of scripture above their brethren as did Hymenaeus and Philetus (2 Tim 2:17). These who profess to be brothers and refuse scriptural definitions and inductive scriptural exegesis in constantly "opposing themselves" (examining themselves) are deductive thinkers, mental associates with the devil by definition, commonly called "children of pride."

One of the reason's that doctrines are noted to be divisive, separating, is because there are "children of pride" who refuse to examine their own self-adopted teachings by inductive examination.  They are being driven by their self-centered self-aggrandizing flesh natures, instead of being committed to inductively serving Truth above all else. 

These reveal their flesh nature agenda by arrogantly refusing to discuss or examine in detail with other brethren their memorized cliche scriptured reasons.  They feel flesh anger within themselves and mistakenly think this means one is arguing (or think it is righteous anger), so refuse to inductively study the world with their inquiring brother or sister.   They simply state their memorized cliches over and over, despite anything that may be offered to them in inductive reasoning, or withdraw in silence, thinking how spiritual they are being.   They are deductive thinkers; satans form of thinking in concepts.   "You will know them by their fruits (plural, when of the flesh, Gal 5:19-21 and Matt 7:19)    They are obvious to recognize, but are fearfully hard hearted.  Prov 18:2 says, A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.


***** IMPORTANT   The only difference between these religious Pharisees -- and -- those involved in giving themselves to the depths of immorality is =  the subject focus of their thinking.  Their method of thinking is exactly identical--self-justifying deductive thinking (satan's thinking) 

Either of them whole heartedly make initial assertions, either regarding an immoral behavior or a belief that appeals to them, then endeavoring to redefine or reinterpret the either their behavior or the scriptures to support their starting preference.  They both deny any factual logical (inductive thinking) doctrinal coherent examination of their behavior or beliefs.  The only distinguishing difference is their degree of blindness to their unholiness and evil self-righteousness.   Those teaching false doctrines are focusing their lives on false religious beliefs, while those obviously immoral are simply focusing their lives upon immoral behavior.  There is only one difference between them, the focus of their demonic deductive thinking.

(1)  Those giving themselves to gross immorality are fully aware of the sinfulness in their hearts because of their deliberate choice of rebellion to sinful pleasures.  This is why Christ could minister to the immoral and those given to immoral practices, not given to false religious beliefs.  They were not so spiritually blinded, they know they have chosen outright sinfulness despite their self justifying reasons.   These immoral people have not deliberately perverted God's Holy Word.  This is noted by their deliberate shunning of anything religious or relating to a god.   So most importantly, they have not shrouded their immoral behaviors in relgious beliefs, practices, and religious explanations.  Therefore, these are not blinded by satan to accept irrationality in regard to concepts of God and their relationship to Him.   These people are not blinded by satan and can think rationally concerning the Holy Spirit's enlightening of them.

This type of immoral know in their hearts they are headed to hell; they have not redefined God nor his teachings.  Indeed, they may even admit that the Bible is true and Jesus Christ was once their Savior and Lord, but they decided to live in gross sin because of some root of bitterness or whatever.  

(2)  Whereas, those devoutly holding false religious beliefs (doctrines) about God concerning salvation is simply giving themselves to lies about God's ways, whether including immorality or not, give the demons a right to blind them totally.   In this manner teaching false doctrine is  more serious than immorality. 
Those focused upon false religious beliefs arrive there only by deductive thinking concerning concepts.  They are blinded by satan in their evil (unscriptural) thinking about a god of their choosing.   They have deliberately given themselves to worship and please a god of their own imaginations, and their foolish hearts are darkened.  They have preverted the plain words of the scripture for their self-preferences, so the demons can justifiably blind these more than those who simple continue in their serf-serving living in whatever manner.    

They choose the religious worship with their self-chosen false concepts and false salvation doctrines, regardless of the name they use for this god, whether called Lord Jesus Christ or not.    Therefore, God must allow satan to blind their minds.  These have given satan a legal right to blind them because they have rejected the Love of Truth and believed (committed to) "the" lie in relationship to God, just as Adam. "Surely, if you sin, you will not die"  This is "the" first lie in the Garden, and throughout the Ages.

"The Lie" is that a person can sin, either doctrinally or immorally, and still Live with God.  This is "The Lie," the first lie of satan given to ruin all mankind in the Garden in Eden (Gen 3:4).  You can disobey God and still go to Heaven, they say, just as the satan says in, for instance,  www.Carm.com , teaching modern "grace" regardless Dispensationalism saying, today, as opposed to OT times and opposed  to Christ's New Covenant teachings, "You don't have to try to please God by being good."  They say, this is because we are now saved "by grace alone."    Blindness is blind.  Dispensationalism is totally demonic with totally demonic deductive thinking.

Those who have accepted false lies as doctrines have become lying idol worshipers of their own making, who don't have such integrity of mind left at all.  They have hardened their own hearts against the Truth by doing deductive thinking, and so been blinded by satan.  These religious Pharisees are really desparately lost idol worshippers, conjuring even their own concepts of God, even possibly calling their imaginary god Lord Jesus Christ; even worse, they may lead millions of ignorant people to destruction after them.

These Pharisees are exemplified by those who involuntarily vomit their memorized cliche assertions concerning salvation, but cannot give any coherent inductive scriptural exegesis to support their statements. They only repeat their cliche assertions with demeaning ad hominem arguments or cleverly assert subject switching or subtle redefinitions of terms or falsely assert narrative scriptures or figures of speech in their reasonings.   But often they just refuse to talk about them saying it is a divisive teaching, and strick a Holier than thou posture.  

Occasionally, one meets a dedicated deliberate child of satan who will deceitfully lie to you stating he is in full agreement with you, then tell others he fully agrees with them also.  This person may be a pastor in an Evangelical group.   These are a great danger for all of us in the assembly.   We must "guard our minds" from the wiles of the devil whom these people ignorantly and blindly represent.  Their voices are self-assured and their bearing elevated, and their hearts are hardened like stone.  Just try to reason with them and see.   Scriptural blindness and hard heartedness always go together.  And other works of the flesh become manifest the more one gets acquainted with them. 

Unfortunately in these latter times, just as in Christ's time on earth, these violators of fellowship are largely represented by pastors and self asserting pompous individuals who have likely graduated from a Bible School or Cemetery or have diligently "grounded" themselves in memorizing men's deductive writings, then use deductive thinking in self-justification thereafter.   First, and only learning doctrines of men, they forever proudly vomit on everyone thereafter.   Secondly, they use the Bible only as a talking point for their doctrines of men, like the Pharisees in Jesus day on earth.   They study men's books, want and lie for the approval of men, and refer to their redefined scriptures only to justify their wickedness.

Finally, we have found that when any group adopts these principles of meeting, by inductive thinking concerning the Bible, those of religious lies, disposed to deductive thinking, will avoid them like the plague.  They instinctively (aversively) avoid coming into the light for their deeds are evil, but their blindness prevents their understanding of their hatred for such a fellowship.  They have an immediate instinctive (demonic) aversion to inductive thinking exegesis.  

Spiritually blind people or novice new-borns may regard these spewers of cliches as great expository teachers, explaining the meaning of the scriptures, but actually denying "what scriptures say" about salvation by multitudes of redefinitions.  Remember, redefintions are the tall-tale of the devil in the high grass of false doctrines.  Grass, Grass, saved by Grass.    Just look for the "tall tale" of redefinitions; it will always be showing.  Inductive Bible exegesis of "what the scriptures say" must be the only basis of any discussions or teachings.  Expository teaching is most often used by deceivers to deceive, telling you "what the scriptures mean" in their perhaps twisted understandings of deductive demonic thinking.   Always, we may perceive false teachers by their fruits, deductive thinking.  So get a very clear understanding of what deductive thinking (demonic) and inductive thinking (Godly) are. 

Another detailed explanation of these two types of sinners to hell, Pharisees or the outwardly immoral, is given in detail as in also regarding these ending latter days, is given in the last part of Appendix G, of "Our Creator God," in OnePathPublishing.com entitled, "A Summary View of Scripture Interpretation." 

"I came not to bring peace but a sword, quick and powerful, sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of our hearts."     Selah.

Our unity in Christian fellowship can only rest upon "meekness of wisdom," mutual sharing and respect for each other within the absolute bounds of inductive scriptural exegesis, comparing only scripture to scripture (word by word and concept by concept). It is only upon this basis that we can have fellowship in our Lord, the Living Word of God in unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

"Unity without verity [Truth] is no better than conspiracy."¹ 

"Separation from evil is His principle of unity."²

        Our Fellowship Must be In His Spirit of Love

A Love of His Holiness (separation) 
            A Love of His Truth (Word, Doctines).

            His Love (indwelling us) is selfless.  
            We serve Him (Truth as He see it).

Our selfless Church. When we meet does the Holy Spirit descend into our midst as a palpable Presence, and does opening His Holy Word bring an awe and fear of God upon us?  And does each saint minister, as the Lord directs, to the others in psalm, doctrine, tongue, revelation, interpretation, knowledge, or prophesying (to speak spiritual insight
applications of present or future--speaking comfort, and exhortation.  See Cessationism in Appendix C of "Our Creator God," in OnePathPublishing.com   Here are  seven manners of speaking in the Assembly) as Paul prescribed for assembly meetings (1 Cor 14:4-26), directing the specific order of meetings in 1 Cor 14:26-35, 39-40; saying, "ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted" (verse 31).  There is no mention of a such a thing as a pastor even elder given prominence or even mentioned in assembly meetings.  "Ye may all prophesy one by one........."   Interesting.

[[ Those who teach otherwise to these 7 manners of Assembly speaking, can only do so by imposing assertions of Dispensational or Calvinist preferences of interpretation of theirs without direct scriptural statements indicating such meanings.  They are giving the teachings of men that they esteem.  Not direct scripture statements, teaching otherwise. ]]

Multiple scriptures tell us that we are to "bear one another's burdens" because "what happens to one happens to the body of Christ."  The question is how as members of His body (set apart in Him) do we relate to each other?  Do we in fact care for the old and infirmed among us till they die; do we physically aid each other in all our physical endeavors as housing, food, etc; do we have such a close relation in the Spirit and Word that we know (eido) each other and the others needs in the Spirit; do we look only to the Lord to supply these needs through us; preferring Love to the standards of the world?   Are we, true believers, a group set apart in almost every way from the world, a Holy people, a peculiar people?  Do we even have "one" Holy written Word as an authority and one means (inductive) of knowing (eido) that Word of Absolute Truth in Spirit and study? 

The startling and terrible answer in worldly churches today is "NO!" to any of these questions or scriptural practices.   We "play" church."  We have little more than a social club in the world today.  And this is apparent to any intelligent worldling that observes these  "churches".   [Paul's prescription in 1 Cor 14 is to so conduct ourselves that a stranger coming into meetings would admit that God truly dwells in us.] 

We even conduct this social club, we call "church" using the world's standards of organization and every worldly means of promoting and existing.  The so-called "church" of today is little more than a worldly social organization with paid human professional leaders to care for the existence and maintenance of the club and enjoyment of it, just like any worldly social organization.  Just like a country golf club

And the glaring, revealing, tragedy is that anyone, of whatever belief or spiritual or associated membership or practice may join with little more than a nodding acceptance of the rules of the club.    There is no time (months) of fellowshipping in the Word with them, no requirement of detailed doctrinal beliefs, no membership approval of their open and practicing life style and affiliations known among the fellowship.  No time is given to evaluate their love of His Word nor adherence to His Word in attitude or deed.   No Spiritual one mindedness is known or evaluated.   No standard at all is set for HIS Body membership.  "Great, you want to join?"   Attend a social time of knowing who the  ruler of the club is and that is all that is required, except that you should (if anyone asks), of course, tithe to maintain the existence as a social club with leader and worker expenses and paid building maintenances, and of course contributions to the national chapter.

Our selfless Living:  If we should die, we should want no public remembrances or any mention of our passing.  We go to our God; what more is known or said cheapens and degrades our life and dying in Him.  We just don't understand Christian people that want everyone to know about their heartaches and griefs and even problems and want everyone to pray for them, and want great public remembrances, and recitations.  It seems so cheap somehow, so selfish, self-centered and showman.

Our grief and heartaches are between our God and us and He is the Great Healer and He does a very good job of it, as we look to Him and He heals us.  We have Someone who knows it all better than a thousand people praying and talking about it and trying to show sympathy.  Taking it to Him in the Spirit in heart felt, heart rending, pray is all that He wants.   He then heals it all for us and gives us such Comfort......  Heals and comforts as in a touch of His Hand and Loving Presence.  It is so marvelous how He does it, and so immediately.  We need no other.  We would want no other.  Our grief then becomes something very precious just between us and Him and His Great Love to us.  It is something that we gratefully share, holding His Hand in sweet communion.   It becomes a kind of Blessing somehow.

Our Lives and Fellowship must be in Him in Holiness (set apart), not in any manner of  selfish flesh and worldliness.

Are the standards of His Church Life too high, or are we so low in our selfish flesh living?

God help us. 

                         A Unity of Fellowship

"Each is Equally Responsible Only to Their Lord for Guidance" 

Let us digress here for the purpose of a detailed explanation of this quoted Truth above, from an article by MacArthur.

John MacArthur   Today, if you listen to some of John MacArthur's sermons (on the internet), we find that he has some good exegesis using scriptures in his messages, despite many unscriptural teachings besides Calvinism [like the blood of Christ allegorically only means Christ's death, that (most incredibly) the terms in Heb 6:4-6 are never used in NT for born again people, that it is impossible to blaspheme the Holy Spirit today, that Adam and Eve did not die in the day they ate of the forbidden fruit, that if anyone takes the mark of the beast they can repent and still be saved, etc, etc.].  He really preaches well on only a few subjects, despite being a very blind Calvinist.  And he is not obsessed with the pagan-like Tulip theology about which most Calvinists only incessantly talk.   And oddly, for a Calvinist, he believes in a real future millennial kingdom on this earth.  We also recommend his books, particularly, "Truth Matters," a 35th Anniversary Anthology, 1969-2004; and "The Gospel According to Jesus," and many others.

But please remember, he is a Calvinist who believes all the Tulip doctrines of Calvinism, meaning he is morally incompetent as all Calvinists.  He can only interprete the scirptures through the glasses of referring to God as a pagan god in his understanding.  John Calvin took all his understandings of a god from Augustine (400 AD) who knew only a god of pagan Manicheanism, and conceptualized all the doctrines of the Roman Catholic church.  It was not a revolution from Roman Catholicism in 1534, when Calvin started writing, it was a very poor effort in Reformation only.  When MacArthur tries to relate his god to a Creator God totally governed by His Attributes of Monadic (on-of-a-kind) Love, Truth, Holiness, and contingently and simultaneously applied unified Wisdom of His other three Attributes, he sounds less like an innocent child of God and more like a jabbering bestial incompetent. 

Truly God has six Characteristics as any imaginery pagan god, of sovereignty, spirituality, omniscience, omnipotent, omnipresence, and immutalbe; but these Characteristics do not determine or govern his behavior.  Our Creator God's behavior in every respect is governed by His Attributes of monadic Love, Truth, Holiness, and Wisdom.  And because Calvinism is all based upon pagan concepts of characteristics only, so when they try to relate his behavior to love, truth, holiness, or wisdom they sound very contradictory and incoherent to a little child or any inductive thinker.

John MacArthur is to be greatly commended as one of the very few preachers in the country that have opposed the Dispensational "grace" regardless teachings of the majority "church," in one of his first books written back in 1988, "The Gospel According to Jesus."   Calvinism is morally incompetant, but Dispensatioinalism is totally satanically evil in every doctrine and aspect.   Some of the people of the Dallas Theological Seminary ilk, like the Dispensational "grace" regardless, truly hate MacArthur with a passion for his outspoken opposition to them and his promotion of salvation, only by committing to Christ's Lordship and requiring righteous and Holy Living even through physical death.  

This is something a true Dispensationalist preaches against with a passion, to assure his "carnal" christian congregation.  They say we are saved by grace only, works have no merit whatsoever, and we don't have to be good to go to Heaven; only need a one time mental trust or belief (mental notation), then you can even sin as you please while playing church or not and still go to Heaven regardless.  They call this "grace," whoever she is??.  Certainly, they cannot back-up any of these false doctrines, except by redefining all of scriptures (totally refuted by what the Greek actually says) to confirm their originally falsely asserted doctrines memorized from teachings of men.

We have even personally heard a Dispensational elder put a curse on MacArthur for "his Lordship salvation."   They believe that  "Lord" is just a respectful title and means little else in our salvation, while we can continue to be carnal and even unbelieving, and be guaranteed Heaven, after just a mental assent or trust to His salvation freely offered to us.  Just take the gift and continue on your merry way.  Praise God, like Hales said, we had 6,000 converts today.   Godless preaching demons, all.

Now, back to the purpose of this article relating to true Christian Fellowship. 

There is a very well organized, concise, and insightful article by MacArthur on the "The Ties That Bind," in which he says the unity of the church must depend upon five non-negotiable conditions: 
(1) A high view of God,
(2) Absolute authority of scripture,
(3) Sound doctrine, single and insisted upon,
(4) Personal Holiness, and
(5) Spiritual authority.    

These are truly the secret of Unity in the church to be sure, we think, if we also include: 
(6) the bond of peace and Love and inductive scriptural exegesis through the indwelling Holy Spirit in each member. 
(7) the use of only one OT and NT determined to be the most valid by established by history and internal validity.

Unity can only be based throughout on the single noncontradictory exclusive Truth in His Word, discerned only by inductive scriptural exegesis and the Holy Spirit indwelling us and directing and teaching us, otherwise it is little more than a conspiracy. 

Without this unity in a church, there is only a conspiracy of self-serving apostate silence of compromise--only a Baskins Robbins church, everything offered, any flavor sold.  These are they who say that "we must be balanced; Grace (and they do not understand Grace) must be balanced with Truth.   We can emphasize Truth too much," they say.   In other words, they are saying that teaching Apostolic doctrines and His entire Word (which must include what it says is the office of the Holy Spirit in our Living and salvation) as our only rule is divisive, not well balanced.  This is godless pig blind apostasy.   

And the Holy Spirit is greatly grieved, by these modern BLIND ARROGANT apostates.   Praise God that His doctrines are divisive.  That is their purpose to separate us from the world (Luke 12:51) as well as these apostates, and to sanctify ("to make Holy") us. Incidentally, MacArthur often uses the NASU (New American Standard Updated), which says in 1 Peter 1:16. "You shall be Holy, for I am Holy."  Scrivener's 1894, says "You must be (imperative--command, aorist middle, for yourself alreadiy done by own volition and choice, 2nd person plural) Holy for I am Holy."  Of course, only a Calvinist or Dispensationalist can say, "You Shall be Holy....."  sometime in the future in Heaven only.

But with the last mention of (5) Spiritual authority, MacArthur rightly assigns the authority to Christ over His church, but MacArthur then says, "He mediates His rule in the church through godly elders."  This is truly astounding!!  The leaders become the mediators of Christ's authority within the church, for all to obey.     This is just like the Catholic church isn't it ????     Definitely !!   This is exactly the Nicolaitanism instituted by Emperor Constantine (313 AD), Augustine (400 AD), Luther (1517), Calvin (1534), and the Roman Catholic church before them.  This teaching came directly from ancient Babylonian Gnosticism, even in the apostles days, through multiple heretics, then Origen (184-253 AD) and then Eusebius (263-339 AD), a contemprary of Constantine.

MacArthur is usually more scriptural in his writings and preaching (when not high on TULIPS), in which he usually takes great care to clarify the one clear meaning for any Greek word that bothers him in his teachings. When, of course, it does not contradict any TULIP Calvinism.   For this practice, he is highly commendable, over most all Calvinists.  But in this instance, he apparently likes the gnostic NASU modern translations and modern supporting Gnostic translations without further exegesis.

In this same article, he states, that the only place in the entire scriptures where he can get this idea of rulership of elders, is in Heb 13:7,17; and 1 Thess. 5:12-14.  These verses say something else in the Greek.   In Heb 13:7 and 17, we see for Str 3982, "to be pursuaded to confidence" (for KJV "obey"); and for Str 2233, "to be esteemed of value" (for KJV "rule over you"); and easily seen in Heb 13:7 and 17 Interlinear.  In 1 Thess 5:12, for Str 4291, "to stand before to maintain," (for KJV "are over" you), as a compound verb of "to stand before to maintain," as in all uses seen in Englishman's concordance.   It is of interest that he never looks at the Greek of the KJV in Stephanus, Beza, or Scrivener.  For complete replanations of these scriptures, see Nicolaitanism, of Greek New Testament, in Doffun.


These tell a completely different story using Interlinear and Englishman's concordance to discern the one meaning used by the Holy Spirit for those three words in all the NT verses in which they are used by the Holy Spirit of Pure Truth.  They are used many times in scripture so a good inference of a single meaning can be made, that will make sense in all the verses in which they are used.     And also a more consistent meaning with the many teachings of Christ on the subject and the Apostles throughout the Word is found.  See 1 Peter 5:1-5, which should be the clear definitive answer to this rulership of elders question, but is totally ignored.  He says, "neither as being Lord's over God's heritage." 

But then MacArthur is a "pastor" who is one of the elders, a "ruler" of God's church after the Catholic and Calvinist traditions, professionally educated for taking a pastorate, so why wouldn't he prefer this understanding.  It has been his whole life's orientation.

The (Calvinist) Reformation really never got us away from the harlot Catholic church.  Luther and Zwingli and later Calvin, all utilized the Catholic class hierarchy and privilege to their advantage, to even kill those who opposed them, just like the Catholic pope and priests did.    Instead of Christ through the Holy Spirit leading His church assembly through the individuals members, each functioning as equal members of His body, we have the most apostate groups today playing like the harlot church for their self-serving purposes, just as foretold with tears by Paul.  

The translators of the KJV were all of social Calvinist backgrounds at the time.  Their Calvinist leanings comes out in certain inserted, but italicized, words they used, and some other manners of translating without italics.  Hebrews 7:7 and 17 are glaring examples. Infact the translators of the KJV were commanded by King James to preserve the hierachy of the Anglican church in their translation.   But this has always served the church hierarchy of pastors and elders which is neither scriptural or consistent with Christ and the Apostles teachings and conduct.  We cannot expect the modern corrupt translations to help because they also serve the still corrupted hierarchy church concept from the Catholics.  Also, many of the translators today are clear apostates, even unbelievers, agnostics or Gnostics. 

Paul and Peter always referred to the overseers or bishops or elders or pastors or deacons (so-called in our man-invented Nicolaitan translations) as the same people who became esteemed among the assembly for their manifestation of gifts and helps to the assembly through the Holy Spirit, and through their exemplary living and expounding of the Word.  These became the esteemed (Str. 2233) among them to whom they were to give ear to be persuaded (Str. 3982) in matters of concern and scriptures and living.  The NT scriptures teach that these elders or shepherds (not pastors) were not to serve in the church for money or support, see article, Nicolaitanism.  

But each person was to search the scriptures for himself in all matters, as they listened to those considered of value (Str 2233) among them for their insights into the Scriptures and Holy Living.  They serve as helps through whom Christ would help to guide and educate and assist; just like any member to another in so many things of living and fellowship.  But each is to be only persuaded to His Lord's leading in all matters.  Then and only then can we have true unity in the Spirit of our Lord.

These elders were never envisioned to be lords over God's people, nor of a class of seminary educated men to come in as professional position seekers for our obedience to such strangers.   These were to be men upon whom the Holy Spirit laid the care of the flock because of their peculiar Holy Spirit gifts and proclivities which became manifest within their fellowship and close living relationships over a long period. 

They were to be recognized from among themselves as the Lord leads and gifts each for their uses intended within His assembly.  This is how Paul and Titus and Peter established the elders in all the churches they founded.   They simply experienced who they were within the group over a period of time within their close fellowship as the Lord manifest Himself through each of them.

MacArthur takes his reasoning farther and says:  [[[[ bracheted comments ours ]]]]

"I am one of many leaders at our church. I happen to be the one whom God chose to preach (he sought the "paid job" and happily took it), but I am one elder among many. While there are variations in the giftedness of spiritual leaders, there is still an equality of spiritual authority among those the Bible calls elders or overseers. [[[ AND WHAT OF THE SPIRITUAL AUTHORITY OF ALL  OTHERS IN CHURCH--ARE THEY SECOND CLASS CITIZENS OF HEAVEN ??  This is ancient Gnosticism of two classes of Christians, the spiritual leaders and the carnal.  ]]]]    Such spiritual leadership is essential to the church of Jesus Christ. That's why the church must be committed to training and obeying godly leaders."    [[[  NOW THE CHURCH IS TO TAKE UPON ITSELF TO TRAIN THEIR OWN LEADERS to whom they are to obey !!!!    Where did God go ????--   And MacArthur said at the start that Christ is the head of the church ???  ]]]]]

Is this status elitism and self-centered arrogance within the church?  Is this what our Lord and his Apostles taught?   Of course, NO, they taught just the opposite.     "We elders are equal, and we are to rule those peons below us."   This is satanic Gnosticism (two classes of people, the spiritual and the carnal initiates) which the Apostles fought, but which we are esteeming more and more today. 

And look where MacArthur is now taking us in this reasoning of "rulership":  Our overseers (rulers) are to be trained, not by our Lord only of those diligently in His Word and fellowship, but by the very high archons, "ruling ones."  Interesting. 

But further, they are now probably in one of many schisms called a denomination, since the flesh of their rulers has been bearing much flesh fruit to be propagated in their students to lead them further toward more schisms and eventually, through time, total apostasy.   And satan gets his "ministers of righteousness" produced free of charge (2 Cor 11:15).  Also teaching Eternal Security gives satan job security.

Once we stray from the absolute Truth, we find ourselves in absolute error.  But the problem is, after we have strayed, we don't recognize our own self-contradictions and half truths (lies) forever after.  Our eyes are blinded and our hearts are hardened because we have given legal rights to darkness to mess with our minds.    

And most all the rest of the members sadly dwell in the land of ignorance and probable blindness also.   The assembly of our Lord has been taken prisoner by the enemy, and we don't know it.   Today, we still take the harlot church as our example more than ever before, and are even now learning to return to her in fellowship.   How can God forgive us?   We are just like Israel of old, all over again, totally blind.   And Paul said that what happened to Israel is said to be a warning to us (1 Cor 10:11).

We presume to accept a leader or leaders as lords over God's heritage, just as Israel wanted a king to rule over them because the world had them.  And the new king then picks his own private authorities (elders) to minister his wishes to the people.   

Then we can all set back and look to them to do everything for us and guide us in the way we should go.  And of course, pay our minimum 10% taxes and fees to our king's household as good citizens.  So we just sit back, submissively listen and clap and eat and enjoy, playing church government thereafter.  We submissively listen to our pastor and elders and go by what they tell us.  Is this what our Lord has left to us? 

Thus, we are made individually spiritually weak, sick, and stunted in our individual spiritual service and growth, which can only be nurtured by a personal walk with our Lord in obedience to Him and His Spirit only.   

And the full time chosen human lord of the flock is now himself severely compromised by endeavoring to maintain his position as leader, as well as his income to support a growing family and wife; and especially if there is a large building being planned and constructed to be purchased from the growing numbers of "tithes,"  hopefully.    And we wonder why there is so much worldliness, confusion of differing beliefs, and compromise experienced within any individual church today.   Because the pastor's highest priority must be to work his own private spiritually compromised agenda to maintain his exalted position of pride.

Each member is such because he or she committed themselves to follow Jesus Christ as their Lord and Master, through His Word and His leading of the Holy Spirit given to them.  To abrogate this to "mediating human rulers" is a sham and deception of the first order.  

How many of us at His Judgment Seat (Bema) will be justified in his behaviors or beliefs because his church elder told him to do it, and "I submitted and obeyed" ?

Again:  "Unity without verity [Truth] is no better than conspiracy."

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Upon detailed examination, today, one will find that most of the celebrities of so-called Christian preachers and teachers today are NOT real Fundamentalists. This makes them either cultists or  Evangelical apostates (who redefine historic Apostolic doctrinal teachings and separation).   Unfortunately, to day there are those who have accepted redefined doctrines ignorantly (and now are blind) but consider themselves Fundamentalists.    We must call them New Age Fundamentalists.

Today, sadly, it is necessary to make a new category, NEW AGE FUNDAMENTALIST, because they are just so many and so different. The reason and full explanation will be given next.

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