FIVE SMOOTH STONES - The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherds Bag

FIVE SMOOTH STONES — The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherd’s Bag

than these necessary things: 29 that you abstain from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell ” Most of the New Testament epistles were written to settle disputes or deal with some disagreement or contention between the believers. All of these epistles were written by apostles, and apostles and prophets were central to determining action in every major disagreement that is recorded in the New Testament. Yet the early Church was filled with power, able to expand beyond any earthly calculation, and continually was able to return to unity of faith and love for one another despite disagreements from within and pressures from without. The Church today must display sound judgment for the many challenges and opportunities that she faces. Understanding that part of the pattern of the early Church, and one of the aspects of the apostolic ministry, is to bring wisdom and sound judgment to the Church with the leadership of the Churches. When we begin to recognize the biblical model of apostolic wise men gathering with leaders to discuss, and solve, the challenges the Church faces, we can expect to see justice prevail in those situations.

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