Resolving Offences In Jesus' Name

Scripture Text: Matthew 18:15-20, 'On resolving offences within witnessing paschal faith communities'

In today's reading, the historical Jesus teaches his followers, how to resolve offences against one another, within witnessing paschal faith communities, in his name (Matthew 18:5, 20). The name of every person or thing in the Bible has a literal, as well as an inner spiritual meaning and daily practical application. New names were often given to leaders when their hearts, minds and character were changed by the Godhead. A good example is Saul's name changed to Paul (Acts 13:9).  In Jesus' name not only means speaking in the name 'Jesus'. It really mean's that believers, in steadfast faith, humility and obedience follow God Metanoia Model for kingdom living, which the historical Jesus revealed, proclaimed and manifested here on earth (Mark 1:14-15, Luke 17:20-21, John 5:19, 30).

In resolving offences among his followers, Jesus recommends initial, honest dialogue between the offender and the offended, in the life and mind of the spirit. Jesus' followers should resolve offences and achieve reconciliation as soon as possible. In Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based kingdom living, offences are spiritually discerned, as unique opportunities to further cast out the mind of the flesh, by forgiving, reconciliation and spiritually companioning one another. 


In the mysterious ways of the Holy Spirit, offences are opportunities to more deeply embrace and establish the mind of the spirit, and foster greater unity within each witnessing paschal faith community (Romans 8:1-11). They are occasions for Christ-centered, spiritually awake believers to listening, gain clarity, be generous, engage in dialogue, and forgive one another. When believers offend one another, they are provided unique opportunities to demonstrate compassion and civility to one another. They are admonished by the historical Jesus, to reveal the grace, love and truth of God's plan of forgiveness and reconciliation and kingdom living, here and now (Matthew 6:9-10, 18:15). 

In Matthew 16:16, Jesus reveals his concern about the real presence, attitudes and actions of stubborn and unrepentant believers, within witnessing paschal faith communities. He discusses how spiritually awake believers should approach and deal with the hard heartedness, spiritual blindness, spiritual deafness and spiritual sleep of believers within witnessing paschal faith communities. If the offender refuses to repent to the offended in private one on one dialogue, Jesus recommends that two or three other believers be invited into the dialogue as listening spiritual companions, for both the offended and the offender. In God's Metanoia Model, others are included to establish truth, clarify differences, facilitate understanding and seek reconciliation. 

If the stubborn believer persists in the mind of the flesh, by refusing to resolve the offence, that believer is consciously and deliberately refusing to follow God's Metanoia Model. Jesus then recommends that the offence be told to the whole witnessing paschal faith community. If the offending believer refuses to hear the advice of the witnessing paschal faith community, Jesus clearly establishes the fact that in the mind of the flesh, that believer has chosen to be at enmity with the mind of the spirit. The bible clearly states that mind of the flesh must be cast down, separated from, and cast out of Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based, witnessing, paschal, faith communities (Romans 8:5-8). 

Resolving offences in Jesus' name must involve daily practical application of God's Metanoia Model (Mark 1:14-15). Offences are unique occasions to pass over from slavery to sin, into the freedom of God's love, in the presence and power of the indwelling Godhead, through the universal indwelling Christ of Faith. In faith, humility and the mind of the spirit, Christ-centered, spiritually awake believers obey and follow the historical Jesus in living this Paschal Mystery. Offences are spiritually discerned and used as opportunities for spiritual formation and spiritual growth (Matthew 18:19-20).   

In Matthew 18:19, the historical Jesus affirms the power and authority Christ-centered, spiritually awake believers have in his name, on earth and in heaven. He declares, "Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and what ever you loose on earth, will be loosed in heaven". In the Gospel of Christ and in God's Metanoia Model for kingdom living, Jesus always located the kingdom of heaven, in the spiritual dimension of our lives. The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Christ are within us, among us and in our midst (Mark 1:14-15, Luke 17:20-21).  

Within Christ-centered, spiritually awake, witnessing, paschal faith communities, offences among believers are occasion to purse Christ-centered unity, in the mind of the spirit. By embracing and making daily practical application of God's Metanoia Model in Jesus' name, believers will further establish kingdom living, here on earth. By resolving offences against one another in Jesus' name, kingdom living here on earth, will be further established through Christ centered, Holy Spirit-based spiritual mindedness in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups, throughout our planet.

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God’s Metanoia Model for living the Paschal Mystery

Reference Scripture: Matthew 16:20-28, ‘Jesus declares the Paschal Mystery’.

In Mark 1:14-15, the historical Jesus began his ministry by proclaiming, “The time has come. The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news”. He then clearly defined the role of his disciples in God’s universal saving process and kingdom living when he said to them, “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men”(Mark 1:17).

In the Gospel of Christ, the Greek word for repentance is ‘metanoia’. Repentance is changing one’s mind. In Romans 8:1-11, the apostle Paul clearly describes God’s metanoia model for mankind’s salvation and kingdom living here on earth. As fishers of men, by faith, repentance, obedience and self-denial, believers are delivered from slavery to sin, and the mind of the flesh. By faith, humility, obedience and following the historical Jesus in living the Paschal Mystery, they enter into the freedom of God’s love, through living their lives in the mind of the spirit. By faith and obedience they become effective fishers of men.    

After Peter declared that the historical Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus promised that he would give him the keys of the kingdom and kingdom living, here on earth (Matthew 16:16-19). Jesus then assured Peter as a fisher of men, that whatever he binds on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever he looses on earth, will be loosed in heaven. Throughout his ministry, Jesus always located the kingdom of heaven within every person, among us and in our midst (Luke 17:20-21).

Jesus then warned his disciples, as fishers of men, to tell no man that he was the Christ (Matthew 16:20). The disciples knew that Jesus was the Messiah. As carnal minded fishers of men however, Jesus recognized that his disciples did not comprehend who he really was as Messiah. Because they continued to live in the mind of the flesh, they did not know that as fishers of men, they should follow him as the Way, the Truth and the Life, in kingdom living here on earth (Matthew 5:9-10, John 14:5-8). 

As fishers of men, they did not recognize, nor could they teach that the historical Jesus was the fully orbed incarnation and manifestation of the Godhead in human flesh (John 14:9, Colossians 2:9). They did not discern, seek and serve the universal indwelling Christ of Faith, in the historical Jesus’ spiritual body and the spiritual body of all mankind (John 14:10-14). They did not understand and thus were not equipped to teach the believer’s true spiritual relationship with the Godhead, the historical Jesus, and one another, through faith in the universal indwelling Christ of Faith, God’s image and likeness, in the spiritual body of all persons (Genesis 1:26-31).

The apostles, as carnal minded fishers of men, lacked spiritual understanding, discernment and insight into the truth about Jesus as Messiah. The depth of their spiritual relationship with the historical Jesus was distorted and blocked by their spiritual deafness, spiritual blindness and spiritual sleep. They lived their lives and experienced the historical Jesus as Messiah, in the mind of the flesh.

At this crucial time, the end of his ministry, the historical Jesus sought to again reveal the kingdom of God and kingdom living to his disciples in the parable of his actual life experiences. He did this by outlining and explaining the Paschal Mystery about himself, and describing their role as fishers of men, in following him in kingdom living, here on earth. From that time on Jesus began to tell his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law. He must be killed. On the third day he would be raised to life (Matthew 16:21-22).

Peter then took Jesus aside and began to rebuke him. “Never Lord!” He said. “This shall never happen to you”. Jesus then turned to Peter and said. “Out of my sight Satan. You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men” (Matthew 16:23).

Jesus then outlined God’s metanoia model for salvation and it’s daily practical application in the lives of fishers of men. He said to his disciples, “If anyone one would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Many Christ-centered, spiritually awake believers, as fishers of men, believe that Jesus’ reference to cross bearing in this text, involves the daily practical application of God’s universal metanoia model for salvation and kingdom living, here on earth (Mark 1:14-15).  

By faith, humility and obedience, Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based fishers of men are empowered and guided by the indwelling and incarnate Godhead. In faith, repentance and obedience, they are delivered from slavery to sin, and the mind of the flesh. By living their lives in the mind of the spirit, they are born from above. By faith they pass over into the new and glorified life with the indwelling and incarnate Godhead, in the mind of the spirit. They follow the historical Jesus in living the Paschal Mystery.

For the carnal minded believer, giving up the self centeredness, worldliness, materialism and spiritual blindness of the mind of the flesh is too great a sacrifice. Many spiritually deaf and spiritually asleep religious people in all the world traditions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups remain slaves to sin, because they choose to live their lives in and according to the mind of the flesh. They have rejected Jesus’ invitation to follow him in passing over from slavery to sin, into the freedom, new and glorified life, with the indwelling and incarnate Godhead, by living their lives in the mind of the Spirit.

Do you believe the historical Jesus’ declaration that you are loosing your life, by living you life in and according to the mind of the flesh? Are you willing with God’s help, to obey Jesus command to cast out the mind of the flesh? Will you become a fisher of men, by embracing God’s metanoia model for salvation and follow Jesus Christ in living the Paschal Mystery? Will you with God’s help, live you life in the mind of the spirit (Matthew 16:25-28)?             

The Surrendered Life And Living The Paschal Mystery

Scripture reference: Romans 12:1-8, 'The surrendered life'


In today's Epistle Romans 12:1-8, the apostle Paul wrestles with one of the deepest challenges facing every human life. That challenge is living our lives in obedience and surrendered to the will of God.  God's sure reward for the surrendered human life is the believer's passing over from slavery to sin into the freedom of God's love, through the indwelling Christ of Faith. Living this Paschal Mystery involves seeking, worshipping and serving the Christ of Faith, God's image and likeness, in the spiritual body of the historical Jesus, one's self and all persons (Genesis 1:26-27).

Throughout his earthly ministry as Messiah, the historical Jesus sought, surrendered to, worshipped and served the Godhead, through the indwelling and incarnate Christ of Faith, in his spiritual body.  Jesus presented his spirit, soul, mind and body, as a holistic living sacrifice to the Godhead. Jesus lived his life in full surrender and obedience to the indwelling and incarnate Godhead. As the Son of Man, Jesus declared that he came not to do his will, but the will of Godhead, who sent him (John 5:19, 30).

Paul declares that presenting our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable unto the Godhead is also the believers reasonable service. Being living sacrifices also involves the believers' spirits, souls, minds, bodies and relationships. The Bible declares that in Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based faith, believers in all traditions, religions, cultures and ethnic groups can be acceptable living sacrifices to God, by following the historical Jesus in living the Paschal Mystery.

True worship and living sacrifices to the Godhead are centered in the secret place, within every human heart. The holistic approach to living sacrifice in the Gospel of Christ, which Jesus taught and modeled, is Christ-centered and Holy Spirit based. Jesus declared in John 4:24, "God is a Spirit, and they that worship must worship God in spirit and in truth ".

Christ-centered, obedient, spiritually awake human souls, hearts and minds are the essential inner transformation and regeneration needed to create effective witnessing paschal (passing over) faith communities, throughout our planet. These transformed believers repent by turning from and casting out the mind of the flesh. They instead by faith, embrace and are transformed in and through the mind of the spirit (Romans 8:1-11). Like the historical Jesus, they proclaim and manifest the indwelling Godhead's love, through faith in the presence, love, grace and truth of the indwelling and incarnate Christ of Faith, God's image and likeness, in the spiritual body of the historical Jesus and all persons (John 1:9-14) .

Effective witnessing paschal faith communities follow the historical Jesus in living the Paschal Mystery. By faith, with God's help, these believers are passing over from life in the mind of the flesh into the new and glorified life with the indwelling Godhead, in the mind of the spirit. They are no longer self-centered. They do not exalt themselves, in the conceit, hypocrisy and empty boastfulness of the mind of the flesh. Through Christ-centered spiritual mindedness they are being born of the spirit and born from above. These heavenly minded, humble and sober believers can be found in all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups throughout our planet (Romans 12:3).

In Romans 12:4-6 the apostle Paul compares surrendered, effective, witnessing paschal faith communities to the human body. First he declares that unity in these spiritually awake witnessing communities is established in the indwelling Godhead, through the Christ of Faith. Each member has a different offices and different, supernatural, spiritual gifts. Like the different members of the human body, these offices and spiritual gifts of the Godhead's grace are given to members, for the edification and building up of the universal body of Christ-centered believers, throughout our planet.

In Romans 12:7-8, Paul discusses some of the duties and supernatural, spiritual gifts, God has established within paschal witnessing faith communities. They include prophesy, teaching, ministering, giving, exhortation, leadership and mercy. In surrender to the mind of the spirit, believers minister and share these supernatural spiritual gifts with wisdom, diligence, cheerfulness, brotherly love and sincerity.

Are you in obedience, surrendering your life to the will of God? Have you chosen to be involved in a witnessing paschal faith community within your religion? Have you discovered the supernatural spiritual gifts God has given you? Are you learning to use those gifts to edify and build up the universal body of Christ, not just within your local community, but also throughout our planet?  

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Your Heart And Living The Paschal Mystery

Scripture Reference: Matthew 15:10-20, 'That which pollutes human hearts and lives'

In the Gospel of Christ, the heart is the center of life. Living the Paschal Mystery is mankind following the historical Jesus in fulfilling the Spirit, rather than the letter of God's Law (John 12:26). Kingdom living here on earth as it is in heaven, is what the historical Jesus admonished his disciples and every believer to pray for and seek first (Matthew 5:33, 6:9-10).  Living the Paschal Mystery is mankind passing over from slavery to sin, into the freedom of God's love, in the Godhead, through the universal, indwelling and incarnate Christ of Faith. 

In today's Gospel reading, Matthew 15:10-20, Jesus responds to skeptical Pharisees and scribes, who questioned why his disciples broke many of the rituals and traditions of their Jewish religion. In Matthew15:7-9, Jesus made this declaration about these carnal minded religious leaders and teachers. "You hypocrites, the prophet Isaiah prophesied about you when he said. 'These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. In vain they worship Me, teaching human precepts as doctrine". In response to similar spiritually blind religious leaders and teachers, who questioned Jesus' teaching about the kingdom of God and how the kingdom of Christ would come, Jesus replied, "The kingdom of God is not coming with things which can be observed; nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!’ or 'There it is'! For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you"(Luke 17:20-21). 

The Bible declares that as Messiah, Jesus was the full incarnation of the Godhead and full manifestation of Christ-centered, Holy Spirit-based kingdom living, in human flesh (Colossians 2:8-15). Through his passion, death, resurrection and ascension, the historical Jesus revealed and lived the Paschal Mystery. As Messiah and the Son of Man, the historical Jesus passed over from life on earth in the mind of the flesh, into a new and glorified life with the Godhead, in the mind of the spirit (Luke 4:16-22). 

In the Gospel of Christ, the kingdom of God and the kingdom living, which the historical Jesus invites and admonishes all people to enter and dwell, are now potentially within every human heart and in our midst. The kingdom of God and the kingdom of Christ are found in and through the spiritual dimension of every present human life. They can be discerned, entered into, and dwelt in by all persons, when we with God's help, choose to cast out the mind of the flesh and embrace the mind of the spirit, while living in our present physical bodies. 

Now embracing and rejecting the mind of the flesh are both personal and collective decisions, attitudes conditions and action of the human heart. Similarly, embracing and rejecting the mind of the spirit are both personal and collective decisions, attitudes, conditions and actions of the human heart. In Matthew 15:10-20, Jesus reiterated and confirms several truths which are universally embraced by all traditions, religions, cultures, ethnic and secular groups. 

These truths are: 1. Men look at outward appearances, but the Godhead looks at human hearts (1 Samuel 17:6). 2. Every person should keep one's heart with all diligence, for out of the heart proceed the issues of life (Psalm 4:23). 3. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see the indwelling and omnipresent Godhead (Matthew 5:8). The Godhead is Spirit, and they that worship God, must worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

Matthew 15:19 declares that the mind of the flesh produces evil intentions, murder, adultery, fornication, theft, false witness and slander in human hearts and lives. These decisions, attitudes, conditions and action of and from the human heart, defile a person. They delay, prevent and block kingdom living, here on earth, as it is in heaven. Eating with unwashed hands do not defile a person (Matthew 15:20, Galatians 5:19-21).             

Faith in the historical Jesus as Messiah, and faithfully following Jesus in living the Paschal Mystery, involve decisions, attitudes, conditions and actions of the human heart. It means living according to the mind of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-26). With the help of the indwelling and incarnate Godhead, living in the mind of the spirit, can and will create God's desired clean and pure human hearts and kingdom living, here on earth (Psalm 51:10-12, Luke 7:20-21). 

Following the historical Jesus in living the Paschal Mystery is based on the believer's rejecting and casting out the mind of the flesh (Matthew 16:21-26). In today's Gospel reading, Jesus make it clear that the mind of the flesh pollutes human hearts (Matthew 5:10-20). The mind of the flesh distorts and destroys human souls, minds, relationships and lives. The mind of the flesh is anarchy against the reign of the indwelling Godhead. It creates divisions, hatred and incivility within and among fellow human beings, and strife within witnessing faith communities. It engenders lack of compassion, disrespect and destroys appropriate love and concern for Godhead's whole creation. 

In which state of mind do you now choose to dwell? Are you seeking God's will for your life? Do you choose to live in the mind of the flesh, or the mind of the spirit (Romans 8:1-11)? Do you now discern the deception, pollution and destruction of the mind of the flesh? Will you now choose to embrace the mind of the spirit? With all your heart, and the help of the indwelling Godhead, will you steadfastly follow the historical Jesus in living the Paschal Mystery? 

   

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