Messages with tag - Authority

Are you spiritually toxic? An organized system of thought that applies various philosophies and solutions, along with a sprinkling of Biblical application, is indicative of a spiritually toxic believer. Making life work without complete and total dependence on Christ makes us become believers operating with Satan's thinking - human viewpoint. In this important lesson, we learn new insights into what defeat took place in vs. 15, and how it applies to spiritual warefare.

Living the Christian life is based on our position in Christ. Distractions from this truth abound, but it is only being in Christ that offers the daily life impact resulting in God’s promised riches in Christ. We may admit that Christ is the answer to our final destiny, but everyday problems are sometimes given over to man’s solutions. The problems in Colossi are no different than what we encounter today. Man’s solution begins with autonomy from God, which is the foundation for the downward spiral into a maze of humanistic answers that position man farther and farther from the truth. All of life’s problems can be traced back to sin. Christ solved the sin problem and “in Him” we are given all we need for solutions in life through application of His Word. What remains is for us is to engage our volition to learn and apply these solutions against a tide of cultural and political trends that run counter to God’s Truth. Pastor Dean explains in depth what it means to be “in Christ.”

God tells us to sing. Why? To express the word of God that dwells in us richly, teaching and admonishing in wisdom. Our inspiration is God’s grace; our motivation is truth; our audience is God; and our conduit is excellence. Worship, expressed in this way, will transform our values in the midst of a culture that has no absolute values. Excellence is in the standard. Adhere to the standard, and real beauty will be expressed. Our question is not, “Is this good enough?” Our question should be, “Is this the absolute best means to glorify God, reflect who He is and echo the Truth He has given?”

Critics discredit this verse as something out of the culture of Paul’s time that has no impact in our culture today. But scripture’s clear idea of gender roles had been revealed since Genesis 1. The world tries to define equality through roles while God defines equality in our very essence. The argument has been extended to the absurd in discussions about the gender of God. We are in the image of God. God is not in the image of man. There are references to God in masculine, feminine and neuter forms. Apart from Jesus in His incarnation, God doesn’t introduce himself as a man or woman, but as the leader, Almighty God. Learn about role distinction, authority and equality within the Godhead and how that has application in the structure of marriage relationships.

Marriage can be a great source of joy, or suffering, depending on whose rules of relationship you apply. See how relationship roles predate creation and how elements of creation communicate and reinforce God’s design in role distinctions. Where is the equality in marriage? Does headship imply greater value? Does submission imply lesser value? See how God’s original purposes for man and woman were directly frustrated because of the Fall. Appreciate how God did not abandon us in the hopelessness of judgment but provided a solution in ultimate redemption through Jesus Christ and spiritual recovery in time through the Holy Spirit and the Word.