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Discussion Forum : Scriptures and Doctrine : What are the rules?

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StarofG0D
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Joined: 2007/10/28
Posts: 1232
United States

 What are the rules?

I've been thinking a lot about rules. Rules can be legalistic, or they can be safeguards Jesus puts in place to protect your souls, spirits, and minds.
What do you think Paul means by this verse? Are the rules different for everyone? Or are there rules in Scripture that are set for us all? Just some thinking out loud, and would love some feedback. thanks!

2 TIm. 2:5
Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules. (NASB)

Others verses, to consider....1Pet 2:16, 1Co. 10:23


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Michelle

 2017/7/9 10:51Profile









 Re: What are the rules?

Michelle good thought-provoking questions. Need to flesh these out before the Lord in prayer. But Galatians 5:18 came to mind as I read your post.

••• But if you were led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.•••

So I guess a question I would have is does the Spirit help us obey the rules? Whatever the rules nay be. Will post more once I've reflected more on your question before the Lord.

Bro Blaine

 2017/7/9 12:03
JFW
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Joined: 2011/10/21
Posts: 2009
Dothan, Alabama

 Re: What are the rules?

Sister Michelle,

I agree with brother Bear, this is a good question and worthy of prayerful reflection before the Lord-
I too hope that He allows me His insight and that I may share them for the edification of His body.

Blessings to you dear sister:)


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Fletcher

 2017/7/9 13:51Profile
InTheLight
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Joined: 2003/7/31
Posts: 2850
Phoenix, Arizona USA

 Re: What are the rules?

Clearly the reference is to a sporting contest where the same rules would apply to all. There would be the technical rules of the contest as well as preperational rules to tune the body to peak performance.

Of course Paul is referring to a crown won in Christian ministry and the Bible is clear that there is a divine order for all things pertaining to the Church. By one anointing we are brought into that divine order and like the tabernacle there is no detail left to the imagination of man, everything is governed by the Holy Spirit.

In Christ,


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Ron Halverson

 2017/7/9 15:12Profile
TMK
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Joined: 2012/2/8
Posts: 6650
NC, USA

 Re:

2 Timothy 2:1-7 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. It is the hard-working farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.
--------

In context the idea seems to be about diligence and single mindedness vs rule keeping.

Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus.....


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Todd

 2017/7/9 16:41Profile
StarofG0D
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Joined: 2007/10/28
Posts: 1232
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 Re:

Thank you..


This is from t. Austin sparks, the responsibility of the Christian


The Christian As Athlete

Our next 'group' consists of just this fragment: "If a man contend in the games, he is not crowned except he have contended lawfully." Here, hidden behind the English translation, is a Greek word - athleo - from which we get our English words 'athlete' and 'athletic'. The Greek word means to compete in, or take part in, the public games or contests. The Christian is compared to a Greek athlete. Now that sounds like sport, but it is not! For the word is a very strong word, implying one who engages in a contest for the mastery. That is making a business of things, is it not? We, as Christians, are called to engage seriously in a contest, at the end of which there is a prize, which it is possible for us to lose. That is the conception. Of course, there is a very large background of the Greek games to this word of Paul's; he knew all about it. The Greek athlete was called upon to spend ten whole months in rigorous preparatory discipline and training before he was allowed to enter the contests. And the rules for training were stringent. He must shun many things; he must observe certain regulations; he must discipline himself and put aside all his own preferences and his own likes. He must recognize that this thing is so serious that, should he break one of the regulations of his training, he is disqualified, he is not allowed to enter.

Well, here is a contest, here is an engagement, which calls upon us to be very watchful, and to be in many directions self-denying. But don't mix this up with your salvation - you can never be saved by good works! To be a Christian you don't have to give up this and give up that, and do all sorts of things that you don't naturally like doing! This is not IN ORDER TO BE a Christian; but when you ARE a Christian, here is a vocation, here is a responsibility. Paul said: "I buffet my body... lest... after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected" (1 Cor. 9:27), and he is thinking of this very thing - this business on hand, this great responsibility into which he is called, this great contest. 'I must see to it that my body, my fleshly appetites, don't get the upper hand; I must keep a strong hand upon myself; I must learn the disciplined life.' To most people that word 'discipline' is a most hated word. Yes, but this is not just discipline for its own sake - it is because of what is involved. And we can lose so much - young Christians, you can lose so much, and you can be disqualified from the great calling with which you are called, and from obtaining the great prize, the real prize, which is set before you, if you do not learn the disciplined life. Keep under your body. A Christian ought to be a very disciplined person, with a life well ordered and regulated - nothing loose or flippant or careless. We ought to be people girded on a great business.


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Michelle

 2017/7/9 23:34Profile
JFW
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Joined: 2011/10/21
Posts: 2009
Dothan, Alabama

 Re: What are the rules?

("Are the rules different for everyone? Or are there rules in Scripture that are set for us all?")

Ok here's what I've gotten so far, and while it may not be exactly what you where asking it nonetheless addresses an aspect of this line of questioning-

Are the rules different for everyone?
In one aspect,Yes they are... because we all have a specific function within the body of Christ and each function is regulated by the spirit of God. He puts the requirement on us to "keep step with the spirit" as we are "yoked with Christ Jesus". Abiding in that is governed by the rule/law of love and each of us are at a different level of maturity so the rules are adjusted there as well. One example of this is Jesus telling Peter to feed His sheep and not to be concerned with what John was to do...
Also we have upon us an expectation to grow in grace and abound in Christ, again by disciplining ourselves (rules or regulatory principles) and those vary from soul to soul based on the individual characteristics and weaknesses of a given person at a given time. It (seems to me) to be more of an organism and less an organization in that it is vital, living and dynamic as opposed to being fixed, rigid and mechanical like the OT law.
So yes I believe they (rules) are there to protect us but also to grow us in Christlikeness by the revealing of truth of Gods spirit. This too would naturally follow rules. The scriptures say, "Holy Spirit leads us into all truth" but that is of course contingent on us following and it's in the following that the rules come into play. In my understanding this is tailored to each individual based on Gods plan for them in advancing His Kingdom as well as their personal needs.
One of the main differences between the rules of the OT vs NT is now the rules are internal and come from the Spirit God Himself placed within us, whereas before that happens we struggle to perform and live up to an external set of rules. By simply changing the motive of man to serve God rather than himself, God rewrote our lives fundamentally,... reprogrammed and given a new operating system -if you will. Another way to say it is He changed the "o" in got to an "e" in get, and that changed everything. Now we "get" to obey Him, whereas before it was something we've "got" to do.

Is there rules for us all?
Yes there seems to be-
Paul talks about these as well as Peter and James.
But first just look at what Jesus told the disciples before He sent them out, "be wise as serpents but as harmless as doves" and "if you are received in peace, enter- if not dust out your robe and walk away" etc... these are rules,no?
That's not to say they'd be punished for breaking them, but since now they share a love for God, they don't want to break them because they want to be profitable in His hand and pleasing in His sight.
Paul talks about rules regarding food and weaker brothers and unbelievers,... those apply to everyone strong/mature enough to apprehend them and this continues in most of his epistles.

What I don't think we can find in the NT is a formula or set of rules that if we obey these we're good- because that makes it a ritual. That's not to say rituals are bad in and of themselves but they can never be expected to replace a spontaneous response of love acting in faith towards God which is what Jesus modeled for us, that's "Christ in us the hope of glory".

Hope that helps a bit :)


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Fletcher

 2017/7/10 0:07Profile





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