JOHN 4:21-24
Since God is not a person in physical embodiment (for personality limits to place and time), His worship is not limited to a certain time (day) or place (building). His Spirit is in us and we are the last and highest manifestation as well as the fullest and most complete expression (pressing out) of Him.
Therefore, we can access His presence any time and we do not need any learned mind or book to "open the portal" of the Kingdom of God for the Source of all knowledge, the very Spirit of Truth lies within ourselves to teach us the Truth about all things (He is knocking). If we could be as little children with mind devoid of any doctrine, theorem, dogma etc (unless you be as children, you shall no way see the kingdom of heaven).
Nevertheless, we may need some resources, maybe a book or person to guide us to accessing His presence (Rm 10:14).
Gathering to Teach and be taught.
In Acts 20:7 is the first recording of the gathering of the believers. Note that they gathered to teach and be taught on the Word of God and not to set aside a day for worship of God promoted by the Church to control the mind.
The Church is not a building where believers go to “feel the presence of God”, rather it is the gathering of believers to teach and exhort one another. For the different gatherings, the proper nomenclature for them is Ministries not Church.
Different Ministries, One Spirit.
Why the different Ministries of the Church of Christ?
The Spirit is one and it is an integral part or essence of all mortals. It is its manifestation in each individual that is different. Each individual is a manifestation of the same Spirit albeit in different degree or quantity. (Eph. 4:7).
Therefore, each teacher ministers according to the degree of the manifestation of the Spirit in him. One minister may have a higher degree of manifestation and sees the other ministry as not being adequate or dynamic enough and may desire to open his own ministry to minister according to his own degree of the manifestation of the Spirit. The followers that sees the minister’s teaching as being more in enlightening to his soul may decide to follow him while the others who have not attain that level of enlightenment and choose to remain in the former. Both are right.
Apostle Paul was sad when believers in I Cor 1:11 which is one of the earliest recorded of the making of different ministries. The Son of Man Himself said, “Let no man be a judge of each other” because they are all one and the same spirit in different degree of manifestations, all dynamic and constantly progressing towards a greater degree of manifestation and the fullness of Christ.
Therefore be as little children, ever-ready to be led by the Spirit and not by carnality – intellect – mind.
Apart from progressive ministration, another reason for different ministries is the deliberate descending from the Spirit to the carnal – intellect – mind (which is open to manipulation by the forces of flesh). Letting go their progress in spirituality, they become engrossed with I Jn 2:16 (the desire for fleshly gratification, the desire for possessions, and worldly arrogance) and for them to satisfy their lust, they go out to the world, ministering to the world what the world wants to hear to fulfill their vanity.
Do not be shaken in your belief.
For believers of the Gospel and the new Covenant, warnings were given against false teaching and teachers. To sum it all, the believer is accountable only to the Father through Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. Therefore, no mortal should be your pattern or model in Christian faith as the spirit manifest differently to each one.
Also, never allow the apparent misconduct of supposedly ministers derail your progress in spiritual ascension towards the Fountain Head, the source of Being – God. Rather we should subject everything to test and hold on to what is good (1Thess 5:21), and be in constant pursuit of the Truth. Truth is the essence of all things – the WHY, the fundamental of all things whether expressed or manifested.
We are connected every moment of our existence to the Source of Being and we have the ability to draw upon this source for anything good, capable of desiring (Eph 2:18). We all have access to the Source of Being, however, the only thing limiting us is our knowledge of how to draw from the Source. This knowledge is not theology or wise sayings, for God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise 1 Cor 1:28, but God has revealed those things to us by his Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the deep things of God 1 Cor 2:10.
It is written that the mind argues but the Spirit takes of the deep things of God and reveals. It does not give opinion about truth. It is the truth and reveals itself. It will humble you when your eyes open to see and experience how everything (no matter the degree of manifestation) connects to the Source.
Christ the Model.
Once again, I say, do not model yourself according to any mortal or let anyone be the author of what you do, eat or wear for Christ is the only author and finisher of our faith in Him. Him alone can tell you how to approach the Father.
The worship of God in Truth and in Spirit is not limited to place or time, it is a way of life. We should live it every moment of our existence. Anything we do or say, the Spirit of God in us knows and do not need a special day or place to worship the Father.
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