many students and teachers of the bible are making a careless mistake.

james
said, “let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such
we will incur a stricter judgment”(james 3:1 nasb). if anyone is willing to come
before the people of god and teach, the teaching must be scrutinized by those
who are mature-“who by reason of use have their senses exercised to know the
difference between good and evil”(hebrews 5:14 kjv). no one is above this
scrutiny (acts 20:28-31; 1 corinthians 14:29,30). first off we know by the scriptures
that, “all scripture is god-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of god may be
perfected, thoroughly furnished to every good work” (2 timothy 3:16,17 mkjv).
therefore we know that the integrity of the scripture is complete- and it is written
“the scriptures cannot be broken”(john 10:35). we must incorporate all the
scriptures concerning any subject at hand. also, we see that the scriptures are
prophetic in nature, being god-breathed. this is further confirmed by peter, “ we
have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed,
as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star
arise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any
private interpretation. for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but
holy men of god spoke as they were moved by the holy ghost” (2peter 1:19-21
kjv). the scriptures came forth through men as the breath of god, and it is the
spirit of truth that reveals the mind of christ through the scriptures (1 corinthians
2:5-16; 1john 2:27; john16: 13). that the word of god is "prophetic" means this-the
truth of god is not primarily historical, it is primarily eternal....which means it is
always in the now. "today, if you hear his voice, harden not your
hearts...."(hebrews2). yet, this now, today, word comes out from the scripture-"it is
written". it is made prophetic by the illumination of the holy spirit. god has been
faithful in the accumulation and preservation of the cannon of scripture to give us
at least two or three statements concerning any issue of any substance. when we
have witnesses in the scripture that appear to contradict each other the answer is
to probe deeper with prayerful consideration and study. the answer will eventually
appear as a treasure hidden in a field, which a man, when he finds it will sell all
that he has to secure the field. the field is the entire word of god. the treasure is
the revelation of jesus christ. “for god, who said, ‘light shall shine out of
darkness’, is the one who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the
knowledge of the glory of god in the face of christ” (2 cor. 4:6). “for i want you to
know how great a struggle i have on your behalf and for those who are at
laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, that their hearts
may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the
wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true
knowledge of god's mystery, that is, christ himself, in whom are hidden all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (colossians 2:1-3). this “manifold (mani-
faceted) wisdom of god”(eph. 3:10) is so great that paul wrote, “if any man thinks
he knows anything he knows not yet as he ought to know”(1 cor. 8:2).
comparative knowledge means nothing, “for we are not bold to class or compare
ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure
themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are
without understanding” (2 cor. 10:12). only the scriptures matter and the holy
spirit teaches and illuminates them. “ now we have received, not the spirit of the
world, but the spirit who is from god, so that we may know the things freely given
to us by god, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom,
but in those taught by the spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual
words”(1 cor. 2 13). there is no opposition between the word and the spirit
because “my words are spirit and my words are life”.

in the deadness of the letter (words without spirit) the scriptures deal death as
law, being unattainable, unfathomable and petrified into the traditions of men.
your generation of tradition may exceed another based on comparative
knowledge, but without the breath of the spirit you are simply a “stronger, better
pharisee, saducee or zealot”. rejecting the unfolding revelation of the mystery of
god that is today’s word “today, if you hear my voice” - all the while bowing down
to yesterdays serpent of brass (see numbers 21:5-9, then read 2 kings 18:4). no
prophecy of scripture is given to any man's private interpretation because the
testimony of jesus christ is the spirit of prophecy. “let him who has ears to hear-
hear what the spirit is saying to the churches”. jesus is head over all things to the
church….he walks among the lampstands(churches) and holds the 7 stars(elders,
teachers, servant shepherd ministers) in his hand. he will testify through the
spirit. his testimony will arise from and return to the scripture. the oracles of god
are forever rooted in the person of jesus christ because he is “the radiance of the
fathers glory and the exact representation of his power and all things hold
together by the word(rhema-utterance) of his power”. knowledge and law based
approaches to the things of the kingdom of god become caricatures-
misrepresenting the “true knowledge of god”(col. 2:2, 3:10; 2 peter 2:3-8).
scripture should not be taken out of the context of who he is, now, today (he is
who he is and always has been and always will be- the i am). the holy spirit is
“christ in you the hope of glory”(col.) taking that which is the fathers and giving it
to us (john). the holy spirit wields the sword of spirit (the word of god)-
illuminating the scriptures, which are the oracles of god, to bring us inexorably
under submission to the beautiful, glorious mind of christ. the spirit is the breath
that breathed the word through the prophets and apostles. there is no opposition
between the spirit and the word. an old saying puts it simply….”all spirit blow
up…all word dry up… spirit and word grow up. we need the operation of the spirit
in this fight of faith. we have supernatural enemy and we have been given many
tools and weapons with which to fight him. we need them all. the scriptures
themselves bear witness to this.

(eph 6:11-13) put on the whole armour of god, that ye may be able to stand against the
wiles of the devil.
for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high
place. wherefore take unto you the whole armour of god, that ye may be able to
withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

(2co 10:4,5)(for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through god to
the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that
exalteth itself against the knowledge of god, and bringing into captivity every thought to
the obedience of christ;

the holy spirit is working through the whole body of christ to bring us into one
mind and one accord and into the unity of the faith measured by only one
standard

(rom 12:5,6) so we, being many, are one body in christ, and every one members one of
another. having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether
prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

(see eph 4:7-13) till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the son
of god, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of christ:

the holy spirit confirms the word of god through the members of the body,

(1co 14:31-33) for ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be
comforted. and the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. for god is not the
author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
(rom 12:5,6) so we, being many, are one body in christ, and every one members one of
another. having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether
prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
(1co 12:7) but the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

the holy spirit encourages us in the scripture to be exercised in the spirit for the
purpose of edification
(1co 14:12) even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may
excel to the edifying of the church.

(1co 14:26) how is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a
psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. let all
things be done unto edifying.

teaching is the inspired illumination of the scriptures pertaining to all the wisdom
and knowledge of god in doctrine and wisdom and understanding. prophecy is
inspired speech for the purpose of edification, exhortation, and consolation.
highlighting the scriptures, so to speak, for the purpose of revealing the mind of
christ in a specific way; for a specific purpose; at a specific time; to a specific
group of people or person. the holy spirit requires that we judge the word that is
shared whether by doctrine or exhortation or prophecy.

let the prophets speak two or three and let the others judge.

“let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will
incur a stricter judgment”(james 3:1 nasb

the scriptures themselves preserve purity in doctrine because they are, the sword
of the spirit (rev. 1:16, eph(6:17). god reveals doctrinal purity by the holy spirit . he
has set his own priorities in the kingdom of god. in other words- “let him who has
ears to hear what the spirit says to the churches”. hear the voice of the one who
walks among the lampstands and holds the seven stars in his hands (rev. 2:1).
some group may be strong in knowledge but weak in love. the holy spirit will
begin to motivate members of the body to speak by way of prophecy or revelation
concerning the need to walk in love as god’s present priority for the body. the
speaking will arise out of and return to the scriptures, but the "highlighter" of the
holy spirit is the prophetic emphasis. the one who tries the reigns and the hearts
knows what the will of god is. all things are open to the eyes of him with whom we
have to do. he will speak through the word. “for the word of god is living and
active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division
of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and
intentions of the heart. and there is no creature hidden from his sight, but all
things are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do” (see
hebrews 4:12,13). jesus told the pharisees they were hypocrites who put heavy
loads on the backs of men that they themselves would not touch with their little
finger. they failed to recognize that the priorities of god were justice, mercy and
peace. they strained at the gnat while swallowing the camel because they did not
hear the voice of the lord. they were gnostics (saducees), legalists (pharisees)
and patriots (zealots) who had their own agendas confused with god’s kingdom.
“today, if you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.”

the gifts of the spirit are intended for the purpose of edifying the body. in other
words the grace of god manifests through the body for the body so that we are a
priesthood of believers. we are truly members of one another through the spirit,
under the headship of jesus. we all participate in the service of the tabernacle of
the lord. all of this must be subject to the scriptures(“see to it that you build it
according to the pattern you received on the mountain”). yet the spirit leads us in
the specific application and empowers the affect. in the teachings of jesus and
the apostles and the record of acts, the foundation of plurality is absolutely clear.
the operation of diverse spiritual gifts reinforces plurality. plurality safeguards
freedom and grace. it is not necessary to trade away the gifts of the spirit or deny
the priesthood of believers or eliminate the plurality of elders(presbytery, plural
government) or ministering gifts to the body(apostles, prophets, pastors,
teachers, and evangelists) to maintain order and doctrinal purity. in fact, the
opposite is true. diversity preserves purity as iron sharpening iron. what is
required is the berean tenacity to search out the scriptures. the search will yield
the repentence and accompanying humilty that will give rise to a mature yet holy
spirit breathed manifestation of the body of christ. the whole goal of the plurality
and diverse anointings of ephesians 4 is that we might no longer be as children,
tossed about by winds, but that we might all attain the unity of the faith, to a
mature man, unto the measure of the stature of the son of god.
those who dispensationalize all these things into extinction may be simply
misled, or unexcusably ignorant, or worse, devoid of the spirit themselves and
evil workers masquerading as ministers of christ. the solution to the unscriptural
use of gifts of the spirit is not to quench the holy spirit. we grieve the spirit when
we deal with these issues superficially. the answer is to seek god and let iron
sharpen iron. gather for prayer and committed berean consideration through the
sciptures and the multitude of counselors. this is the same thing we require in the
discussion of controversial doctrinal issues. the reason some refuse to apply this
method to the subject of the ministries and manifestations of the spirit may be
that they are more comfortable in a knowledge based realm - where god’s
sovereign participation is less threatening to their sacred cows and hidden
agendas. yet, paul urged us to engage one another in love with tenacity. jude
urged us to contend for the faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints.
once, and for all. this faith came in the power of the spirit, and the spirit drove the
message home. that their faith might not rest upon the wisdom of men’s words
but upon the power of god. the lord worked with them confirming the word. he will
work with us as well when we are seeking him aright and ready to lay down our
lives for the gospel. after the glory of the lord departed from the temple i am sure
there were those who tried to pretend that everything was alright, it was just a new
dispensation. ezekiel disagreed. the arm of the lord is not shortened that it cannot
save, rather our sins have seperated us from our god. we ought instead to sound
the alarm, proclaim a solemn assembly, gather the people, consecrate a fast and
cry out to god that he would spare his people. the departure of the spirit is god's
judgement upon an apostate nation. if you are willing to stand before the
assembly as one who is a teacher of the word, you have to be willing to withstand
a stricter judgment. no prophecy of scripture is given to any man’s private
interpretation. the father knew what he was saying when he said it. the meaning is
available today through the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of
god. "for the promise is to you, and your children and all who are afar off- even as
many as the lord our god shall call to himself." the holy spirit will grant balance
and blessing through the multitude of counselors. there is one foundation - let
every man be careful how he builds upon it. we ought to let the material with
which we build withstand the fiery light of day.

(luk 4:18,19) "the spirit of the lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach the
gospel to the poor. he has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of
sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed, to proclaim the favorable year of
the lord."

(act 1:7),8 he said to them, "it is not for you to know times or epochs which the father
has fixed by his own authority; but you will receive power when the holy spirit has come
upon you; and you shall be my witnesses both in jerusalem, and in all judea and samaria,
and even to the remotest part of the earth."

(act 2:37-39) now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to peter
and the rest of the apostles, "brethren, what shall we do?" peter said to them, "repent,
and each of you be baptized in the name of jesus christ for the forgiveness of your sins;
and you will receive the gift of the holy spirit. "for the promise is for you and your
children and for all who are far off, as many as the lord our god will call to himself."

(luk 24:49) "and behold, i am sending forth the promise of my father upon you; but you
are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high."

(mar 16:20) and they went forth, and preached everywhere, the lord working with them,
and confirming the word with signs following. amen.

(heb 2:3,4) how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? after it was at the first
spoken through the lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard. god also testifying
with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the holy
spirit according to his own will.
(rom 12:3-7) for through the grace given to me i say to everyone among you not to think
more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound
judgment, as god has allotted to each a measure of faith. for just as we have many
members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are
many, are one body in christ, and individually members one of another. since we have
gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them
accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his
serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching;

(1co 12:4-31) now there are varieties of gifts, but the same spirit. and there are varieties
of ministries, and the same lord. there are varieties of effects, but the same god who
works all things in all persons. but to each one is given the manifestation of the spirit for
the common good. for to one is given the word of wisdom through the spirit, and to
another the word of knowledge according to the same spirit; to another faith by the
same spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one spirit, and to another the effecting
of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to
another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues but one
and the same spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as he
wills. for even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the
body, though they are many, are one body, so also is christ. (1co 12:15) if the foot says,
"because i am not a hand, i am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the
less a part of the body. and if the ear says, "because i am not an eye, i am not a part of
the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. if the whole body were
an eye, where would the hearing be? if the whole were hearing, where would the sense of
smell be? but now god has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as he
desired. if they were all one member, where would the body be? but now there are many
members, but one body. and the eye cannot say to the hand, "i have no need of you"; or
again the head to the feet, "i have no need of you." on the contrary, it is much truer that
the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of
the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and
our less presentable members become much more presentable, whereas our more
presentable members have no need of it. but god has so composed the body, giving more
abundant honor to that member which lacked so that there may be no division in the
body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. and if one member
suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice
with it.now you are christ's body, and individually members of it. and god has appointed
in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of
healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. all are not apostles, are they?
all are not prophets, are they? all are not teachers, are they? all are not workers of
miracles, are they? all do not have gifts of healings, do they? all do not speak with
tongues, do they? all do not interpret, do they? but earnestly desire the greater gifts. and
i show you a still more excellent way.

(1co 14:26) what is the outcome then, brethren? when you assemble, each one has a
psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. let all things
be done for edification.

(eph 4:7-16) but to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of christ's
gift. therefore it says, "when he ascended on high, he led captive a host of captives, and
he gave gifts to men." (now this expression, "he ascended," what does it mean except that
he also had descended into the lower parts of the earth? he who descended is himself
also he who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) and he
gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as
pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the
building up of the body of christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the son of god, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which
belongs to the fullness of christ. as a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here
and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men,
by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in
all aspects into him who is the head, even christ, from whom the whole body, being
fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of
each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

chapter 2

the real reason that our enemy fights so hard against what the word of god teaches about
the work of the holy spirit in the saints is that the baptism(fulness, overflow, immersion
in) of the holy spirit is the key to the manifestation of the body of christ. we(corporately)
are the "temple" of the holy spirit. we are, as living stones, being fitly joined together so
that we may grow up into a "tabernacle"(dwelling place, habitation) of god in the spirit.
we are all baptized into one body by one spirit. there are diversities of gifts of the spirit
but one spirit works them all. let all things be done for the edification of the body.

(rom 12:3-5) for through the grace given to me i say to everyone among you not to
think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound
judgment, as god has allotted to each a measure of faith. for just as we have many
members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are
many, are one body in christ, and individually members one of another.

notice that paul stands only upon the grace that is working in him in charging the
believers to make room for one another in humility and awareness. "an apostle by the
will of god." each member of the body is allotted a measure of faith. a distinctive
manifestation of the grace of god is given to evry believer for the purpose of benefitting
the whole body, building the whole tabernacle. the work of the kingdom is done by the
body of christ and it is only because we are seated with christ in the heavenly realms
above "all rule, power and authority" that we are able to overcome principalities and
powers. in other words we must be connected in proper order to the head over all things
to the body. this occurs as the spirit works thru all the various members of the body to
express the will of god. john expressed something that is pre-eminent among god s
purposes among when he said, (1jo 3:8) the son of god appeared for this purpose, to
destroy the works of the devil. the devil works overtime to bind the saints, keeping them
in their own strength, in the letter, under the law and out of the spirit.

(gal 3:2-13) this is the only thing i want to find out from you: did you receive the spirit
by the works of the law, or by hearing with faith? are you so foolish? having begun by the
spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? did you suffer so many things in vain--if
indeed it was in vain? so then, does he who provides you with the spirit and works
miracles among you, do it by the works of the law, or by hearing with faith? even so
abraham believed god, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. therefore, be sure
that it is those who are of faith who are sons of abraham. the scripture, foreseeing that
god would justify the gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to abraham,
saying, "all the nations will be blessed in you." so then those who are of faith are blessed
with abraham, the believer. for as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse;
for it is written, "cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book
of the law, to perform them." now that no one is justified by the law before god is
evident; for, "the righteous man shall live by faith." however, the law is not of faith; on
the contrary, "he who practices them shall live by them." christ redeemed us from the
curse of the law, having become a curse for us--for it is written, "cursed is everyone who
hangs on a tree"-- in order that in christ jesus the blessing of abraham might
come to the gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the spirit
through faith.

it is difficult for many to hear...but these verses(along with 2 cor., the entire third
chapter) clearly teach that the blessing of abraham is that we would receive the promise
of the spirit. they also teach that this spirit works miracles among us, and is received
by"hearing with faith"....remember, "faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of
god". the old testament saints were looking forward to this. we all, as the body of christ,
the tabernacle of god, are supposed to be the fufillment of the promise.

(act 2:17,18) 'and it shall be in the last days,' god says, 'that i will pour forth of my spirit
on all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men
shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my bondslaves, both
men and women, i will in those days pour forth of my spirit and they shall
prophesy..........

(act 2:33) "therefore having been exalted to the right hand of god, and having received
from the father the promise of the holy spirit, he has poured forth this which you both
see and hear.

(eze 11:19,20) "and i will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them(see acts
chapter2 and chapter4). and i will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them
a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my statutes and keep my ordinances and do them.
then they will be my people, and i shall be their god.

(eze 36:25-28) "then i will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; i will
cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. "moreover, i will give you a
new heart and put a new spirit within you; and i will remove the heart of stone from your
flesh and give you a heart of flesh. "i will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk
in my statutes, and you will be careful to observe my ordinances. "you will live in the
land that i gave to your forefathers; so you will be my people, and i will be your god.

(jer 31:31-34) "behold, days are coming," declares the lord, "when i will make a new
covenant with the house of israel and with the house of judah, not like the covenant
which i made with their fathers in the day i took them by the hand to bring them out of
the land of egypt, my covenant which they broke, although i was a husband to them,"
declares the lord. "but this is the covenant which i will make with the house of israel
after those days," declares the lord, "i will put my law within them and on their heart i
will write it; and i will be their god, and they shall be my people. "they will not teach
again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, 'know the lord,' for they
will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them," declares the lord, "for i
will forgive their iniquity, and their sin i will remember no more."

(1jo 2:27) but the anointing which you received from him abides in you, and you do not
need anyone to teach you. but as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is
true and no lie, and as he has taught you, abide in him.