Watchman’s notes on 18/2/19: Around 2009 I was introduced to
a group which focused on spiritual activities. The founding pastor testified
that she personally encountered Jesus, was miraculously saved from a Buddhist
background, delivered from demonic attack and subsequently walked in the power
of the Holy Spirit healing sick people. She encouraged sick people to use
intensive Bible reading, attend regular prayer meetings and wait upon God to
help themselves without the use of medicine. Worship then appeared to focus on
exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
However, it soon becomes evident that there are no
significant miraculous healing testimonies except testimonies occurred many
years ago. There are obvious doctrinal self-contradictions with mixed and
confused teachings in combining the Old and New Testaments. Most noticeably,
there is no practical application of the Grace and Love as taught by Jesus.
Instead of teaching and practicing the grace and truth that came through Jesus,
the leader focuses on the teaching and practicing the Old Testament Legalism
and the ministry of death and condemnations (as warned by apostle Paul against
the legalism teachings by the Judaists in 2 Corinthians 3 and Galatians). It is
no surprise that increasingly “devotees” have left in disappointments and
hurts.
We must take heed the stern warnings from Jesus and the
early apostles against the yeast (false teachings) of the Pharisees and the
Judaists. The apostle James has also clearly warned that a double-minded man
(Christian) will not receive anything from the Lord. (James 1:7-8)
The earliest Jerusalem church’s apostles and elders have
unanimously agreed and decreed that they should not test God by putting a yoke
(i.e. commanding the Gentile believers to follow Jewish practice and keep the
law of Moses) on the neck of the Gentile (non-Jews) disciples which the Jews
themselves were unable to bear. (Acts 15:10-11) “But we believe that through
the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as
they.” Ephesians 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that
not of yourselves; it is the gift of God”.
After I stopped attending their gatherings, there are news
that the above mentioned leader has changed their worship to emulating
worshiping in heaven (as popularly imagined) using harps which she deems worthy
to be the one of the main few exclusive musical instruments used in heaven.
Yesterday I heard that they are selling harps (made by a third world country)
to many (presumably churches and Christians) like hot cakes (exorbitantly
expensive ones). This latest news has prompted me to revise what I have written
in this blog ten years back about the duties of a watchman and his/her weapons.
I have since cast that 2011 blog to trash bin.
REVISED FOCUS for all “watchmen” (Every born again
believer): we have the Holy Spirit inside, the Bible, and eternal life
which means know God and Jesus.
What has Jesus taught and commanded us? What has
Jesus demonstrated while on earth? Let us emulate Him!
Jesus is our sole spiritual power source and
authority. He has personified God -grace and truth in Himself. He
has given every believer in Jesus the Holy Spirit and His gifts and anointing.
Jesus said that He and the Father (God) will dwell in every believer of Jesus.
Jesus has reconciled every believer with God. God’s presence is now in us and
not outside us somewhere (as in the Old Testament time). No amount of external
atmosphere or ambience can bring God to anywhere nearer than what Jesus has
accomplished for every believer of Jesus!
The works of Jesus every believer is to do and
continue doing: doing what Jesus did. Jesus did not do any
harp playing worship. Neither did the apostles and disciples of Jesus in the
early churches did. What did Jesus and His apostles and disciples do? Preach
the gospel, heal the sick, set the oppressed free.
The New Testament has assured us that every born
again believer of Jesus already has the following qualifications:
- We
are saved by grace (God’s initiative) and not by works (our initiative).
It is already a done deal through Jesus.
- We
are born of the Holy Spirit.
- We
are saved, redeemed by the blood of Jesus, justified, sanctified and made
the righteousness of God. God has made Jesus become our wisdom,
righteousness, holiness and redemption.
- We
have eternal life: know God and Jesus.
- We
have His Word: The Bible.
- We
have every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.
- We
can do all things in Christ Jesus who strengthens us.
- We
are seated with Jesus at the right hand of the Father in heaven.
- We
are sons of God; therefore, we are led by the Holy Spirit.
- We
are filled with the Holy Spirit and are given His gifts to bear fruits.
- As
Jesus is, so are we in this world, anointed by the Presence of God (the
Holy Spirit dwelling in us).
- We
have received the same precious faith as the apostles did.
- We
have been made partakers of the divine nature of God.
- We
walk by the Spirit.
- We
live by faith.
Our mission on earth: Our
spiritual anointing (empowerment by the Holy Spirit) is to do the work that
Jesus had done and greater works than what Jesus had demonstrated while on
earth as a man (Luke 4:18; John 14:12). Jesus has given us power and authority
to them: witnessing for Jesus, seeking, healing and saving the lost, doing and
teaching about the kingdom of God, be ambassadors for Christ, imploring the
world to be reconciled to God.
Commandments given by Jesus to all believers:
(Scripture quoted in New King James Version)
1 Corinthians 4:2 Moreover it is required in stewards that
one be found faithful.
Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying,
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and
make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and
of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that
I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the
age.” Amen.
Mark 16:15-20 And He said to them, “Go into all the world
and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized
will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these
signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they
will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink
anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the
sick, and they will recover.” 19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He
was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they
went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the
word through the accompanying signs. Amen.
Luke 24:46-48 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and
thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the
third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in
His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of
these things.
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit
has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all
Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Examples of how the apostles and early
churches/disciples applied what Jesus has commanded: How they prayed, the
prayer’s effect, and how they applied:
Acts 4:29-31 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to
Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, 30 by stretching
out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name
of Your Holy Servant Jesus.” 31 And when they had prayed, the place where they
were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy
Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Acts 5:12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs
and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in
Solomon’s Porch.
Acts 5:14-16 And believers were increasingly added to the
Lord, multitudes of both men and women, 15 so that they brought the sick out
into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of
Peter passing by might fall on some of them. 16 Also a multitude gathered from
the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were
tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
Acts 5:29-32 But Peter and the other apostles answered and
said: “We ought to obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers raised
up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree. 31 Him God has exalted to His
right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and
forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also
is the Holy Spirit Whom God has given to those who obey Him.”
Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they
did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
Acts 6:7-8 Then the word of God spread, and the number of
the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests
were obedient to the faith. 8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great
wonders and signs among the people.
--> Acts 8:6-8 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city.
-->
Jesus
teaches that His truth can set the Jews free from the legalistic bondages
imposed by the Pharisees and scribes using Moses law.
[ The Truth Shall Make You Free ] Then Jesus said to those
Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31-32
2 Corinthians 3:14-18
14 But their minds were blinded. For until this day the same
veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is
taken away in Christ. 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies
on their heart. 16 Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken
away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there
is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the
glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to
glory, just as [a]by the Spirit of the Lord.
Footnotes:
2 Corinthians 3:18 Or from the Lord, the Spirit
*Note
on harps: I have written another related blog: please click on: harp and lyre delusion effect on Christian worship congregation.
I
have no issues with using harp or any other musical instrument if you like its
music. But I would caution that it is not an exclusive Christian musical
instrument and it does not give anyone healing or deliverance unless they
believe in Jesus who shed His blood for our redemption, by the power of the
Holy Spirit. I also urge Christians and churches to remember the command of
Jesus for His believers, to go (out into the world) and witness for Him, make
disciples of all nations. There is nowhere in the New Testament Bible
(throughout Jesus’ walking on earth as a man, up to His death, resurrection and
ascension to heaven and the establishment of Christianity on earth) that speaks
of Christians (and churches) practicing using of any specific musical
instrument to worship. i believe that as watchmen for truth, we have a
responsibility to point other believers to the truth.
A
pagan king had used the same musical instrument, the harp, to accompany the
worship of him (as their compulsory idol) by his subjects: “when all the people
heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds
of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the
gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up” (Daniel 3)
