Bible Study Dec/Jan

[Fabruk]

Hi guys,  I have been away for while and I was wondering if there was any Bible Study in December and January, I know February is cancelled so just wondering if I missed any.

Taking this opportunity, I was wondering if Ray ever wrote on the subject of going to church. Whenever I tell the babilonians I am not going to church anymore they come with those verses about God giving the CHURCH Pastors, Preachers and so and so and they also tell me about we HAVE TO BE part of a local church as the Bible teaches about fellowship with one another and so and so. I know they got it wrong big time, but I just wondering if there is more I can learn about not going back to that mess they call church.

One thing that get me big and I still not sure how to answer is when I am asked about the Spiritual Leader, someone who cares for my spiritual food. I answer, Do I need any other Spiritual Leader apart from Jesus?
They say even did went to church.

Are there any papers about the Spiritual Leadership/or the importance (if any) of being under an spiritual authority.

Please bear with me, I am still growing up and learning to live free of their heresies.

God Bless you all

[aqrinc]

Hi Fabio,

Did you read this paper yet, it is a long read but well worth your time and effort.
Check out the excerpt below and go there as soon as you can to read it all.

http://bible-truths.com/lake8.html

Excerpt from: What Happened to the Church Jesus Built?

"THE" CHURCH VS. "MY" CHURCH

During Jesus' ministry, He spoke of "the" church and "My" church. There already existed "the church" (Matt. 18:17), at the very time that Jesus said He would build "MY CHURCH" (Matt. 16:18). For fifteen centuries God established Israel as a church:

"This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, 'A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; Him shall ye hear.' This is HE, that was in the CHURCH in the wilderness with the angel which spoke to him in the mount Sinai, and with our fathers who received the lively oracles to give unto us: To whom our fathers WOULD NOT OBEY, but thrust him from them, and in their hearts turned back again into Egypt" (Acts 7:37-39).

We could, of course, trace the church back through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, back to Noah, and indeed, back to Adam.

DEFINING "CHURCH"

Just what is a "church?" Strong's Greek Dictionary, #1570. ekklesia, a calling out. (1b) Ekklesia, from ek, "out of," and klesis, "a calling..." So the church is those whom God has CALLED OUT to be His "called out ones," hence, Jesus said, "So the last shall be first, and the first shall be last [sorry, don't have time to explain this unique statement of our Lord]: for many be called, but few chosen." I will take the time to explain this second statement, however.

Notice that the "called" and the "chosen" cannot be the same group, as one is "many" and the other is "few." God has given us a general statement as to whom He has called and whom He has not called. We already know the number of those called is "many." Now we will see the two general classifications of those called:

THE "CALLED" AND THE "NOT CALLED"

"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many [some, but not many] wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.

But God has chosen the foolish things [many translations do not insert the word "things" in these verses] of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And the base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen, yes, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: that no flesh should glory in His presence" (I Cor. 1:26-29).

So we see that God calls MOSTLY those who are: weak, base, despised, nothings! Are we to believe that God is going to build a SPIRITUAL ARMY of Sons and Daughters by which He will conquer and SAVE THE WORLD?

Hard to believe, isn't it? I think we can all agree that there is a great deal of work to be done with and to these "nothings of the world" whom God is calling to such a formidable, once-in-an-eternity task!

But of the "many called," we are told, "few are chosen" (Matt. 20:16). Why is that? God has intended it to be such. We are given the parable of the "sower of seed" where much of the seed fell by the side of the tilled soil, and the birds ate it; some had no depth and withered in the sun; still more fell among thorns and were chocked, but some fell upon good soil and produced much fruit. Many seed are sown, but few seed produce good fruit. "Seed" we see everywhere in the Church; "fruit" of God's spirit is more rare. These few have the added designation of:

"These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful" (Rev. 17:14).

These are the "very elect" who cannot be deceived any longer by the Great Whore, "Mystery Babylon the Great, Mother of Harlots, and the Abominations of the earth."

One more important verse regarding our calling, that I will cite out of the Concordant Literal New Testament because I believe they translate the Greek aorist tense properly, whereas the King James uses the past tense:

"Now we are aware that GOD [it is unfortunate that the King James leaves out "God" even though it is in the manuscripts. Most translations do put "God" in this opening phrase. Things don't just 'work' together without GOD doing the 'working'] is working all together for the good of those who are loving God, who are [being] called according to the purpose that, whom He foreknew, He designates beforehand, also, to be conformed to the image of His Son, for Him to be Firstborn among many brethren. Now whom He designates beforehand, these He calls [not 'called' as all are NOT YET called, it is the aorist tense] also, and whom He calls, these He justifies, also; now whom He justifies, these He glorifies also" (Rom. 8:28:30).

george .

[Fabruk]

Thanks George
That is really interesting, I had read some bit of that before but I didn't understand much. I will read again with more care.
Thanks again