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Three things leadership can do to Three things leadership can do to properly protect the gifts of God’s people properly protect the gifts of God’s people in in order to prevent criticism.order to prevent criticism.

Last WeekLast Week

How to properly promote giving How to properly promote giving among God’s people.among God’s people.

Picking Proper Personnel Picking Proper Personnel Plurality of OversightPlurality of Oversight

Positive CertaintyPositive Certainty

No pressure tactics No pressure tactics Proper stewardship teachingProper stewardship teaching


Two Dimensions of Authority Two Dimensions of Authority

II Corinthians 10:1-6II Corinthians 10:1-6

Today’s MessageToday’s Message


Things to NoteThings to Note1. The tone of the epistle changes quickly 1. The tone of the epistle changes quickly from soft to severe. (Both are in love) from soft to severe. (Both are in love)

2. He is no longer dealing with the church 2. He is no longer dealing with the church as a whole but with individuals that have as a whole but with individuals that have crept into the church that are false crept into the church that are false teachers.teachers.The church today has The church today has

been attacked, and been attacked, and penetrated with numerous penetrated with numerous false teachers and severe false teachers and severe doctrinal errors. Some are doctrinal errors. Some are blatant, and some are subtle.blatant, and some are subtle.


God has supplied “ false God has supplied “ false doctrine wind breakers” doctrine wind breakers” for the wise saint who for the wise saint who seeks truth above seeks truth above experience and experience and soundness above soundness above elevated men. elevated men.

……until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by here and there by every wind of teachingevery wind of teaching and by the cunning and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming.

Eph. 4:13-Eph. 4:13-1414


In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season charge: 2 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. with great patience and careful instruction.

Step up to the challengeStep up to the challenge

3 For the time will come when men will not 3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. I Tim. 4:1-4the truth and turn aside to myths. I Tim. 4:1-4


Be on the Look out for:Be on the Look out for:

1. Those who add works for salvation1. Those who add works for salvation

2. Those that put new revelation, or tradition 2. Those that put new revelation, or tradition as equal to the word of Godas equal to the word of God

3. Those that speak with disdain against 3. Those that speak with disdain against people who seek doctrinal puritypeople who seek doctrinal purity

4. Those speak of unity with no emphasis on 4. Those speak of unity with no emphasis on doctrinedoctrine


Damage assessment Damage assessment

1. They take the church’s focus off of 1. They take the church’s focus off of Christ and place it on man and Christ and place it on man and experience.experience.

2. They rob people of truth and genuine 2. They rob people of truth and genuine liberty.liberty.

3. They put opinion, and special 3. They put opinion, and special revelation above the word of Godrevelation above the word of God4. They prey on people who are weak on 4. They prey on people who are weak on doctrine, and mock biblical soundness.doctrine, and mock biblical soundness.

Paul, writes to the Corinthians of his two Paul, writes to the Corinthians of his two dimensional authority and spiritual warfare dimensional authority and spiritual warfare

capacity, to deal with apostates and false teaching.capacity, to deal with apostates and false teaching.


1. The Humility of Authority1. The Humility of Authority By the meekness By the meekness and gentleness ofand gentleness of ChristChrist, I appeal to , I appeal to you --I, Paul , who am you --I, Paul , who am "timid" when face "timid" when face to face with you, but to face with you, but "bold" when away! I Beg "bold" when away! I Beg you…10:1,2a you…10:1,2a It always begins with pleading It always begins with pleading

I appeal to you…I beg you…I beg you

The First DimensionThe First Dimension

Be shepherds of God's flock that is under Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseer… not lording it your care, serving as overseer… not lording it over those entrusted to you…All of you, over those entrusted to you…All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one clothe yourselves with humility toward one another…I Pet. 2-5another…I Pet. 2-5


And the servant of the Lord must not And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all [men], apt to strive; but be gentle unto all [men], apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And the acknowledging of the truth; 26 And [that] they may recover themselves out of the [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will. II Tim. 2:25-26him at his will. II Tim. 2:25-26


2. The Boldness of Authority 2. The Boldness of Authority I beg youI beg you that when I come I may not have to that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some be as bold as I expect to be toward some people…v.2bpeople…v.2b

Bold authority is based on a standard Bold authority is based on a standard not of this world not of this world ……who think that we live according who think that we live according

to to the flesh. V. 2cthe flesh. V. 2c

The Second DimensionThe Second Dimension


““Flesh” Gr. Sarx Flesh” Gr. Sarx

Translated as world, carnal, old natureTranslated as world, carnal, old nature

Def. That which is the inherent Def. That which is the inherent selfishness, and self centeredness of man. It is selfishness, and self centeredness of man. It is the thinking, the pursuits and actions of sin the thinking, the pursuits and actions of sin inherited by Adam. It does not seek God.inherited by Adam. It does not seek God.

Society that is governed by such is called Society that is governed by such is called “the world” in the scriptures. “the world” in the scriptures.


Boldness comes from truth and the Boldness comes from truth and the Spirit, which comes from God. . Truth is Spirit, which comes from God. . Truth is realism. It is looking at life the way it really is. realism. It is looking at life the way it really is. That is why we must know God’s word and That is why we must know God’s word and meditate in them constantly. meditate in them constantly.

Wrong ThinkingWrong Thinking, , always leads to wrong actions always leads to wrong actions Constant Constant bombardment with deception and error that bombardment with deception and error that attacks us daily, tempts us to drift back into attacks us daily, tempts us to drift back into thinking the way everybody around us thinks. thinking the way everybody around us thinks. We must know what it is we are really up We must know what it is we are really up against.against.


Bold authority sees conflict as a Bold authority sees conflict as a spiritual battle spiritual battle For though we live in the flesh, For though we live in the flesh, we do not we do not wage war as the flesh does. v.3wage war as the flesh does. v.3

Warring of the fleshWarring of the flesh

Coercion, independence Coercion, independence manipulation, pressure, manipulation, pressure,

physical violence, physical violence, alliances, deception, alliances, deception,

proud resistance proud resistance

Warring in the spirit Warring in the spirit

Love, truth, prayer, Love, truth, prayer, praise, righteousness, praise, righteousness,

proclaiming the gospel, proclaiming the gospel, depending on God, depending on God,

forgiveness, humilityforgiveness, humility


Bold authority utilizes Bold authority utilizes spiritual weapons spiritual weapons

The weapons we fight with are The weapons we fight with are

not the weapons of the flesh. v. 4anot the weapons of the flesh. v. 4a

Put on the full armor of God so that Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Eph. 6:11-12Eph. 6:11-12


On the contrary, they are powerful On the contrary, they are powerful through God to demolish strongholds. 5 We through God to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every high thing demolish arguments and every high thing that sets itself up against the knowledge of that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. vs.4b,5make it obedient to Christ. vs.4b,5


Five fold characteristics of the Five fold characteristics of the spiritual weaponsspiritual weapons

• They are powerful through GodThey are powerful through God

• They are for the destruction They are for the destruction of strongholdsof strongholds

• They are not fleshlyThey are not fleshly


• They bring thoughts into captivity and make They bring thoughts into captivity and make them obedient to Christ them obedient to Christ

•They demolish arguments and every They demolish arguments and every high thing that raises itself up against the high thing that raises itself up against the knowledge of Godknowledge of God


Bold authority will avenge itself Bold authority will avenge itself against disobedience against disobedience

…and being in readiness to …and being in readiness to avenge all avenge all disobedience, when your disobedience, when your obedience shall obedience shall be made full. v.6be made full. v.6

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