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Learning How to Live Victoriously
œAddicting Ourselves to the Ministry of the Saints
œRenouncing Self Dependencies and egal Confidences
Now that you are born again no matter what addiction or addictions you are enslaved in God has a new addiction that He wants you to reside in.
Addicting Ourselves to the Ministry of the Saints
Addictions
1.
a. Compulsive physiological and psychological need for a habit-forming substance: a drug used in the treatment of heroin addiction.
b. An instance of this: a person with multiple chemical addictions.
c. The condition of being habitually or compulsively occupied with or involved in something. I believe that most people have an addiction of some sort oranother. Biblically speaking, an addiction can be referred to as living inthe habitual indulgence of corrupt passions. Corrupt passions arehidden sins of unclean thoughts, which can express themselves inhabitual practices such as: alcoholic intoxication; drug abuse; gambling;fornication; etc.
We are instructed in the word to view our lives previous to salvation as a closed matter. We have died with Christ and have been raised to newness of life.
For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: 1 Peter 4:3
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11
For me personally, I was involved with habitual alcoholic consumption during my teens and twenties. When I was able to go to a bar, at age 21, I would attend five or six times a week. I also started to dabble in drugs during the ages of 18-25. Around my mid-twenties, I needed a change. I had a steady job working in a factory making valves, but I was not happy. Something or someone was missing.
I eventually attended a Baptist Bible study and believed in Jesus Christ as my savior, thus becoming born again. I was flooded with God’s presence, which produced incredible joy and peace in my life. Eventually, I left this church in search of another where I could understand how to experience this joy and peace on a more continual basis. I found an assembly of believers whose teachings focused on getting to know God in a more consistent, personal way. As I attended church on a consistent basis, appropriating the teachings through listening, memorizing, and meditating on scripture not only did my thoughts change, but God’s presence became more and more operative in my life, thus breaking the hold that these addictions had on me. In some cases, God does deliver us from our addictions; however, I believe that in most cases God’s answer to our problems is found in his word and strengthening power.
Find a church where: you’re learning about who you are in Christ; the gifts of the Holy Spirit are operating; you’re replacing your old ways of thinking with God’s new ways of thinking; you’re taught to learn, appropriate, and meditate upon scripture; you’re instructed to confess sin to God the Father; God’s Holy Spirit is providing comfort and strength; you’re learning how to be an overcomer in all areas, including addictions; you’re learning how to address addictive thoughts or cravings from a Godly or scriptural perspective, etc. After you find a Spirit filled church, be faithful in attending on a regular basis.
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. Hebrews 10:25
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21
They Have Addicted Themselves to the Ministry of the Saints
Those in the household of Stephanas were among the first converts in the region, and they were among those who assumed responsibility for the general welfare of the church. Sometimes Paul appointed elders, but in this instance members of Stephanas’ household voluntarily took on the responsibility. Paul recognized their position as ordained by God and urged others to submit to them. They addicted themselves (by aiding the ministry; by showing hospitality; by providing for their needs; by attending and aiding the apostles in their journeys, etc.) to the service of their fellow believers.
Learn to become addicted to God working in your own life, and the result will be that you will become addicted to being a servant to your brethren.
I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth. I am glad of the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus: for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied. For they have refreshed my spirit and yours: therefore acknowledge ye them that are such. 1 Corinthians 16:15-18
Addictions can be broken when we become addicted to Christ first. This doesn’t mean that when we are attending an assembly of believers, that we should immediately become involved in some activity. It means to get to know ourselves in God’s light. No volunteering, no doing this or that, just receiving. How long should you continue to receive and not be engaged in some activity? Until you have learned how to address the addictions in your life on a day to day to day basis.
We are to make the Lord Jesus our model. We should follow the attitude that Christ exhibited or how he thought about things. This should include a spirit of humility and of self-abnegation and an interest in the welfare of others. Humility is realizing that we can’t make it without relying on God. Humility says that my own thoughts, speech, and actions offer no spiritual transformation for my life. His thoughts, His speech, His actions, and His power will transform me.
If we attend an assembly of Spirit-filled believers on a regular basis and also attend a different assembly of people for drinking parties, sexual immorality, litigations, drug activity, etc., then we should not be surprised that we are still having problems in our lives. We are told to not be continually “drunk with wine” in Ephesians 5:18. This verse could have used any other words besides “drunk with wine” that describes a continual, habitual condition. The rest of the scripture that follows offers the solution to any kind of addiction, which is to “be filled with the Spirit.” This means that we are to allow the Holy Spirit to continually control us or to fill us with himself. When the Holy Spirit is filling us with himself, then we will have His desires, which will result in our living with a sound mind, injuring no person — including ourselves — in body, mind, reputation, or property.
Set your mind on heavenly realities and values which are determined by the presence and power of the risen Christ, and earthly things will no longer be your aim, goal, or master. We, who are Christ’s, have not given ourselves over to be ruled by our own human nature. However, to crucify the flesh, destroying its power utterly, can only be attended to with great pain. Thanks be to God that we don’t have to solely rely upon ourselves in order to have victory over our addictions. We take the first step by letting His mind be in us, and God takes the second step by filling us with himself.
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Philippians 2:5
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting or drunkenness, not in chambering or wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Romans 13:13-14
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit Ephesians 5:18
Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Titus 2:12
Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2
And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. 1 Corinthians 6:24
Are there instances in which a believer can have a scriptural basis for taking another believer or an unbeliever to court?
Renouncing Self Dependencies and
Legal Confidences
In the early 1980’s I was involved with a church which was accused of coercing a member out of millions of dollars. The church member took the church to court in order to receive monetary restitution. The church member won the case, whereby the church was ordered to pay back the money that it had received. The church filed for bankruptcy. The church facility — which contained a chapel, library, cafeteria, staff housing, day school, dormitory housing, Bible college, and many other buildings — had to shut down. It eventually relocated to another state.
This was a court case of a believer against another believer. Some believe that a believer taking an unbeliever or believer to court is unscriptural. Let us take a look at this issue through the eyes of scripture.
How should we respond when situations occur that appear to be the basis for us taking an unbeliever or believer to court in order to resolve a matter?
Paul Appeals His Case to Caesar
Suggested Reading: Acts 21:8,18-40; Chapters 22,23,24,25, & 26
The apostle Paul continued on his journey to Jerusalem. Paul and his company arrived in Caesarea. While there, a prophet named Agabus prophesied that the Jews would bind him at Jerusalem and give him into the hands of the Romans.
When Paul arrived in Jerusalem he came unto James, one of the apostles, who was accompanied by all of the elders, and reported to them concerning God’s working among the Gentiles. Paul was told that there were rumors circulating that he was teaching that the Jews should forsake all of their customs. As a way to indicate that he was not teaching as such, he was instructed to identify himself with four men, who were under a Nazarite vow, pay for their sacrifices, and be with them in the temple for their time of purification. Paul agreed to this plan.
All seemed to be going well until certain Jews from Asia saw Paul in the temple. They proclaimed to all of the Jews that would listen, that there was the man who was forbidding the Jews to practice their customs. An uproar ensued. Paul was apprehended by the crowd of Jews and beaten. Roman soldiers intervened and Paul was brought to a castle located in Caesarea.
As Paul was being led up the stairs of the castle, he was allowed to address the Jews in order to defend himself. Paul, in his defense, stated that he was a Jew and was under the tutelage of Gamaliel. Following this, he recounted his journey to Damascus, the purpose of which was to find Christians and bring them back to Jerusalem in order that they might be punished. After which, he talked about his conversion to Christ and his subsequent return to Jerusalem.
The Jews decided that they had heard enough and restated their sentiment that he should be killed. The chief captain brought Paul into the castle intending to inflict punishment on him, so that he might learn from him what he had done to the Jews, which caused them to be provoked.
During this time, Festus Porcius succeeded Felix (A.D. 60 AD) as procurator of Judea (an employee of the Roman emperor in civil affairs, especially in finance and taxes, in management of imperial estates and properties, and in governing minor provinces). A few weeks after he had entered his office the case of Paul, then a prisoner at Caesarea, was reported to him. While on a visit to Jerusalem, the high priest and the chief of the Jews made accusations against Paul before him and asked him if he would bring Paul to Jerusalem from Caesarea to stand trial before the Sanhedrin with the hope that he would be assassinated along the way. Festus returned to Caesarea and held court. Many of the Jews testified against Paul, but none of what they said could be proven. Following this, Festus asked Paul if he would go with him to Jerusalem to be judged there, but Paul refused saying that he had done nothing to deserve death, and subsequently appealed his case to Caesar, in Rome.
The next day, Festus heard Paul defend himself of his charges in the presence of Herod Agrippa II (the son of Herod Agrippa I and the great grandson of Herod the Great, who was appointed by the Roman Emperor Claudius as ruler of Abilene, part of Galilee, Iturea, and Trachonitis) and his sister Bernice. Paul chose not to be tried before the Jewish court known as the Sanhedrin, but rather used the Roman judicial system because, being a citizen of Rome, he believed that he would receive a fair trial. In this instance, Paul appealed his case to be tried before the Roman legal system, knowing that if he was tried before the Sanhedrin (the judicial system of the Jews) he would be found guilty on false charges and would be subsequently sentenced to death. There are some who believe that Paul should not have appealed his case to Caesar, because he was trusting in man’s ways and not God’s.
Conditions For a Believer Not Taking an Unbeliever to Court:
a. when we have been wronged, because of our faith.
But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. Matthew 5:39
b. when we have lent money to benefit someone who is in need and they don’t pay us back. Lending money should be done with the attitude that if he/she doesn’t pay us back, then we are not to despair about getting the money back.
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Matthew 5:42
And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Luke 6:34-35
c. when we lend money to someone with interest, and they don’t pay us back. Money should be lent without interest. If they don’t pay back any of the loan, then refer to the response in part b. above.
Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Matthew 5:42
d. when we are slandered. We should respond by speaking of those things which we can commend in him/her. If there is nothing to commend, then we are to say nothing.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you… (Matthew 5:44)
e. when we are unjustly accused by prosecution in law. We should pray for them asking God for the removal of divine punishment toward them.
But I say unto you, Love your enemies,…pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:44)
Conditions For a Believer Taking a Fellow Believer to Court:
Taking a fellow believer to court is determined as to whether the offense is considered a small matter or a major matter.
Small Matters
In the Corinthian church, the believers were taking legal action against their fellow believers before pagan or unbelieving judges. These suits constituted issues that were considered small matters. Small matters refer to the smallest matters that are involved in suits, cases, or litigations. These small matters or minor offenses, as defined in the lesser Jewish courts (known as a Bench Of Three Judges or The Bench Not Authorized and was chosen by the parties between whom the controversy depended) involved suits for debts, bodily injuries, thefts involving various amounts of restitution, slander, family disputes such as inheritances, etc.
There are two ways to address these small matters in the church. The first is to have the case be brought before those in the church, who are governed by piety and integrity, to decide in these cases. The second option is simply not to address the offense at all, but to endure the wrong patiently and cheerfully.
Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining
to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren. 1 Corinthians 6:1-8
Major Matters
Under the Jewish judicial system of the Sanhedrin, which was guided by the Mosaic Laws, some of the major offenses are stated as being: kidnapping, murder, adultery, working on the Sabbath, rape, homosexuality, bestiality, incest relations between a brother and a sister, following after familiar spirits, etc. The punishment for these offenses was death. We are aware that this legal system of the Jews was abolished in 70 AD, when the temple was destroyed by the Romans.
Which of the major offenses under the Mosaic Law are still considered sin according to the New Testament epistles, and which of these sins would be considered a major offense under our legal system today? All of the offenses under the Mosaic Law are considered sin according to the New Testament epistles. Those offenses that are considered major offenses for today— which would be litigated in a court of law — are kidnapping, murder, and rape.
In the verses that follow the believers, who suffered verbally or physically because of their testimony for the Lord Jesus, are considered blessed or prosperous by means of the ministry of the Holy Spirit operating in their lives, who provides for them refreshment in the midst of their troubles.
There is another kind of Christian suffering mentioned here, which will receive punishment allotted by the laws of the land. This is when a Christian engages in: murder (could refer to retaliating in this manner to physical violence that is related to persecution); theft (could refer to taking someone else’s property as compensation for theft that is related to persecution); wrongdoing (one who customarily engages in doing what is bad); and being a busybody (coveting what belongs to another, and as a result a breach of confidence, perpetrated for profit or to gain some unfair or dishonest advantage). From this list, I would add theft (grand) and busybody as major offenses. In these instances of murder, rape, kidnapping, grand theft, and busybodying, I believe that it is appropriate according to the laws of the land for a Christian to take another Christian to court, because they are considered major offenses. I am not saying that these are the only major matters, but those which relate to the verses here and the verses in 1 Corinthians 6:1-8.
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. 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. 1 Peter 4:14-15
I don’t know about you but I am learning a lot about the many weaknesses of my flesh. Could there be more?
In the next section we will look at two more.
The first has to do with being shunned by our fellow believers for a difference of opinion on a doctrinal topic. What does God’s word state when something like this happens?
The second has to do with a lifestyle that has become a sacred institution in this country. God forbid that this action would be considered as sin between two people. No matter what the addiction, passion, craving, etc. God wants to set us free so that we can live according to the guiding and leading of the Holy Spirit.
Website: http://makingtheonerightchoice.com
Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/James-Rondinone-560602797425740/
Weekly Messages: https://www.blockislandtimes.com/affiliate/block-island-christian-fellowship/12074
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