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Castles in the Air

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Castles in the Air Castles In The Air A Bible Study Table of Contents 1. PREFACE..................................................................................................... 4 2. EXAMINING THE FOUNDATION................................................................. 5 3. BIBLICAL INTERPRETATION................................................................... 13 Rules of Biblical Interpretation...............................................................................................................16 Common Errors in Biblical Interpretation...............................................................................................19 4. THE SOURCE OF OUR CHURCH'S BELIEFS AND PRACTICES ........... 26 One Man’s Influence..............................................................................................................................27 The Example of History .........................................................................................................................30 Speak Where the Bible Speaks ...............................................................................................................33 The Studies............................................................................................................................................38 Discipling Partners.................................................................................................................................39 Authority ...............................................................................................................................................49 Growth as the Evidence of God’s Grace .................................................................................................50 Reconstructions and Remnant Theology.................................................................................................56 5. EXAMINATION OF THE ROLE OF LEADER OF THE MOVEMENT ........ 60 Old Testament Leaders ..........................................................................................................................61 New Testament Leaders.........................................................................................................................62 Not So With You - Leadership in the Church..........................................................................................68 But Someone Has to Lead!.....................................................................................................................73 The Bottom Line on The Leader of the Movement..................................................................................80 6. SALVATION ............................................................................................... 82 The Gospel ............................................................................................................................................82 Conversions in the Book of Acts ............................................................................................................83 Our View of Discipleship.......................................................................................................................89 7. THE CHURCH ............................................................................................ 96 The One True Church ............................................................................................................................98 Can you leave the ICC and still be a Christian?.....................................................................................102 Fall Away – What does it mean? ..........................................................................................................111 The Synagogue, The Pharisees and Us..................................................................................................116 Self Exaltation .....................................................................................................................................123 Brokenness vs. Boasting ......................................................................................................................124 Judging Others.....................................................................................................................................128 Restoring the church ............................................................................................................................133 2 8. TITHES, BUDGETS & SUPPORTING THE MINISTRY .......................... 135 Budgets & Supporting the Ministry Staff..............................................................................................135 Tithing.................................................................................................................................................141 Thoughts on Giving from 1st Timothy...................................................................................................147 9. THE NUMBER SYSTEM .......................................................................... 151 No Scriptural Support ..........................................................................................................................152 Worldly Wisdom or Scriptural Examples?............................................................................................157 Faith vs. Human Effort.........................................................................................................................159 Long Term Effects...............................................................................................................................161 10. AUTHORITY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ................................................ 172 The Apostle Paul and Authority ...................................................................... 174 His Role and Position...........................................................................................................................174 Paul and the Corinthians ......................................................................................................................174 Paul and the Thessalonians...................................................................................................................180 Paul and the Philippians .......................................................................................................................181 What Paul Commanded ................................................................................... 183 Commands and Opinions .....................................................................................................................183 Commanding or Encouraging? .............................................................................................................187 Delegating Authority to Others.............................................................................................................189 11. FRUIT IN JOHN 15................................................................................... 192 Analysis...............................................................................................................................................198 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................208 12. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS................................................................... 213 A Climate of Fear ................................................................................................................................213 Waging War as the World Does ...........................................................................................................223 Reliance on Men..................................................................................................................................227 13. EPILOGUE ............................................................................................... 233 14. BOOKS..................................................................................................... 237 3 PREFACE March 5, 2003 This paper was originally written in July of 2000. It is based on over two years of my own Bible study and research begun in January 1998 and concluded in July 2000. The supporting material for these studies (encompassing Scripture lists, Greek word definitions and Bible commentaries) take up well over five hundred pages. I have examined some very basic Scriptural issues, such as salvation and authority, but I also examined some of the practices and doctrines of the church. I have relied on my own experience over 15 years as well as written material from various leaders and excerpts from sermons and lessons. In these Bible studies, I tried to be as detailed and thorough as possible, given the seriousness of the subject matter. These studies were never intended to be made public on a wide scale however. I organized them into a more readable format only so that I could present my conclusions to close friends here in my church, particularly our lead evangelist who was and still is, a very dear and beloved friend. I make no claims to great scholarship, nor do I presume to have discovered anything new. These studies were simply one man’s search for a deeper understanding of the will of God for his life, that is all. These studies are not a personal attack on any man, church or group of churches. In fact, I have refused to post these studies where they might be seen as such. Nonetheless, if they come across
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