| Now |
reference |
Then |
|
|
|
| church |
ekklesia |
assembly, gathering |
| worship |
proskeneo,
latreuo |
absolutely, totally submit
yourself to
serve |
| 1. worship services:
2. items of worship:
- singing
- praying
- "partaking" the Lord's
Supper
- making a collection
- preaching/teaching (or is it
learning?) |
- no scripture -
- no scripture - |
disciples gathering together
for fellowship, meals, the
Lord's Supper, prayer, and
activities listed in 1 Cor. 11 -
14. |
| Sunday, Wednesday church
meetings |
Acts 2:42, 46; Acts 6; 1 Cor.
11 - 14 |
daily gatherings |
| preacher (professional, paid) |
Acts 8:4 - euanggelidzo
Mt. 10:7, 27; Mk. 16:16 -
kerusso |
- all disciples tell the good
newseverywhere they go
- all disciples publish,
proclaim, cry out the good
news |
| elder, presbyter |
presbuteros |
older person (generic) |
| pastor |
poimen |
shepherd, care-giver |
| bishop, overseer |
episkopos |
care-giver |
| deacon |
diakonos |
servant |
| Mt. 28:19, 20; Mk. 16:15, 16;
and Acts 2:38 as an
exclusively "works" or
"merit" - oriented salvation |
|
Romans 8 - and the blessings
of the "grace" of God; and the
gift of His Holy Spirit |
| "items of worship":
- sing |
Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16; 1 Cor.
14:15; Rom. 15:9; Heb. 2:12 |
disciples sing. No command,
example, nor inference that a
"congregation" ever did |
| - pray |
("pray, prayed, praying,
prayer" - 118 times in NT. |
Always individual - never
corporate.
- examples of groups praying
while together: Acts 1:14, 24;
2:42; 4:31; 12:5,12; 13:3;
21:5 on the beach; These are
possible exceptions of groups
praying, but not someone
"leading them" in prayer, but
of each person praying.
[Note: Mt.6:5 standing and
praying in synagogue
(assembly) condemned by
Jesus] |
| - "partake" of the Lord's
Supper |
Mt. 26; Mk. 14; Lk. 22; Acts
2:42, 46; 20:7; 1 Cor. 11;
Jude 12 |
initiated as a sub-part of
Passover feast. Continued as
a sub-part of fellowship
meals. |
| - make a collection |
1 Corinthians 16:1, 2 |
a collection was forbidden.
Individuals were encouraged
to store up at home so there
would be no need to "take up
a collection" |
| - preach/teach (or is it learn?) |
Acts 20:7(?) |
"preach" - neither
euanggelidzo nor
kerussoappears in Acts 20:7;
there is no command,
example, nor
implication/inference of a
class of "preachers", separate
from the ordinary disciples;
certainly no hint of a
full-time preacher, nor
part-time preacher, as an
employee of any church. In
Phil. 4, Paul was not an
employee, "supported by" the
Philippian church. They
were meeting his needs for
living because he was
"needy". |
| the hermeneutic: commands,
approved apostolic examples,
necessary inferences
(implications) |
Scripture?
No one, anywhere, anytime,
for any reason, ever
interpreted anything else by
such rules. Preachers became
the ones who select which
commands, which examples,
and which implications
Christians are to follow. [i.e.,
why not the commands of
Mt.6:9 - 13; Rom. 16:16;
- the examples of
Mt.17:17-21; Mt.21:22;
Mk.14:35; Acts 21:5; 1 Tim.
2:8;
- or the implications of
1Cor.1:2; 10:32; 15:9, et al;
Acts 2:42-47; 20:7;
1Cor.14:15, 16; 1Cor.12-14;
and others?] |
The way to "interpret"
scripture is to read it, praying
for understanding. Try to
understand it the way those
did to whom it was directly
written. [Remember, when
reading the scriptures, you
are reading someone else's
mail! We need to understand
it as the addressees would
have.]
Then:
- Live like those whose
behavior was like Jesus, and
- Avoid living like those
whose behavior was like the
devil (was not like Jesus).
You do not need a preacher
nor a clergy person to help
you understand it.! |
