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The Realities of Being a True Christian in God's Church
MP3
Usually when someone prefaces his remarks with, “I am going to share
with you the realities of the situation”, they are about to speak to the
harsh realities as opposed to the joyous ones. I am about to share with
you the harsh realities of being a true Christian in God’s church. Let
us use a biblical phrase. Turn to a scripture of Paul's account of
what it was like for him as a minister preaching the gospel in various
towns.
“And there came
thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people,
and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been
dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and
came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.
And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many,
they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, Confirming
the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith,
and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of
God.” – Acts 14:19-22
“We
must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
As the Bible elsewhere states, much of this tribulation is and will be
perpetrated by those in or near the Body of Christ. As I have stated
many times, not everyone claiming to be a firstfruit of God is really of
the Body. I show this graphically in the diagram I use to show why
there is not always harmony in God’s church. See the diagram
here and the Minister’s Notebook piece, “Give
Me a Church in Peace and Harmony!”
In the diagram, we see that besides firstfruits faithfully moving
forward in the Salvation Process, we have:
1] Falsely converted. They were baptized but did not truly receive the
Holy Spirit. They are currently not being called by God.
2] Fallen away. These were once converted firstfruits but have now
quenched the Holy Spirit but are still attending with the congregation.
3] Crept in unawares. These are agents specifically seeking to divide
or destroy the congregation.
4] Firstfruits currently backsliding for one reason or another. One is
able to repent of
backsliding.
5] Newbies. These are those new to the faith, but possibly carrying
baggage from previous religions and/or life situations and personal
belief systems.
Most of the disharmony and evil done in God's church comes from the
first three classifications in this list. The falsely converted,
the fallen away and those crept in unawares have one thing in common:
they lack the Holy Spirit and are not in the Salvation
Process. Firstfruits are generally the victims of the evil and the
tribulations rather than the instigators.
No one I know has the gift of discernment. No one I know can fit
individuals in the church into any of these classifications. That is
to say, we know these classifications exist, but no one is able to
identify where they are in the congregation. Therefore there is
no condemnation of specific individuals in the church.
In my piece on Church Harmony [and the lack
thereof] I speak to end time prophecies that specifically
speak to internal problems within the church. In my discussion of the
parable of the Ten Virgins [and
Matthew
24:45-51] I identify the following:
1) unfaithful servants gossiping about the righteous.
2) unfaithful servants spreading discord among the brethren and
attempting to separate the righteous from their friends.
3) unfaithful servants seeking to unseat the righteous from their duties
or positions in the church.
4) unfaithful servants seeking to put down and continually criticize the
ministry.
5) unfaithful servants, who are jealous, hateful and bitter regarding
their brothers and sisters in the church.
6) unfaithful servants, who seek to disfellowship the righteous from the
congregation.
7) unfaithful servants, who will depart from the doctrine of the church
and the church’s own constitution, by-laws and guidelines.
Matthew 24:49 says that some members will begin to smite their brothers
and sisters in the church. They will become accusers. They will
question your repentance. They will do you much evil as Alexander the
Coppersmith did to Paul [2 Timothy 4:14].
What to Expect
Notice these scriptures speaking to the harsh realities within the
church:
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Beware of
dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision [a
cutting off, a mutilation]. –
Philippians 3:2
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Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have
we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out
devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? –
Matthew 7:22
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But what I do, that I will do, that I may cut off
occasion from them which desire occasion; that wherein they
glory, they may be found even as we. For such are false
apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the
apostles of Christ. –2 Corinthians 11:12-13
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Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark
them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (For many
walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even
weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose
end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is
in their shame, who mind earthly things.) –
Philippians 3:17-19
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This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy,
according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou
by them mightest war a good warfare; Holding faith, and a good
conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have
made shipwreck: Of whom is Hymenaeus and Alexander; whom I have
delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme. –1
Timothy 1:18-20
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This know also, that in the last days perilous
times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves,
covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,
unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers,
false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are
good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than
lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power
thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which
creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins,
led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to
come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres
withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of
corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. –2 Timothy 3:1-8
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For the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to
themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn
away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto
fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do
the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. –2
Timothy 4:3-5
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They profess that they know God; but in works
they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every
good work reprobate. – Titus 1:16-2:1
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For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure
through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those
that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they
promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of
corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he
brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the
pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and
overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
–2 Peter 2:18-20
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For there are certain men crept in unawares, who
were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men,
turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying
the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore
put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the
Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt,
afterward destroyed them that believed not. And the angels
which kept not their first estate, but left their own
habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under
darkness unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and
Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving
themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh,
are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal
fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh,
despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the
archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the
body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation,
but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those
things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as
brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. –
Jude
4-10
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But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the
abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and
idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake
which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second
death. – Revelation 21:8
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As I read through these scriptures, I get the impression
the individuals being described here have no idea this Word of
God is identifying THEM! Indeed, they read these scriptures and
attempt to apply them to those they persecute. Unfaithful servants
and the fallen away, for the most part, do not know they are unfaithful
servants or fallen away [2 Timothy 3:13]. Notice...
These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh,
that whosoever killeth you
will think that he doeth God service.
And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the
Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the
time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these
things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
–John 16:1-4
Extreme self-righteousness and spiritual blindness will drive these
individuals to persecute you, hate you and want you out of your duty
positions, out of your ordination [if any] and out of the church all together.
They will present themselves as individuals devoid of sin. Some
will declare they, alone, are doing the real work of God in this end
time. In reality, they will be persecutors, accusers and haters of
the brethren.
Their Prime Target: The
Ministry
In my experience, these workers of iniquity go after the ministry and
those leading the Work of God. In many cases, these accusers are
jealous of the ministry and covet their positions. To attain this
goal, they must demonize the minister in every way they can. I
have seen vicious and prolonged attacks upon the ministry from those
proclaiming to be faithful, Christ-like members of the flock. They
can become obsessed in their passion to destroy the minister they have
targeted.
Modern-Day Examples
In my almost forty years in the church and eleven years in the ministry, I,
personally, have come under attack and seen others in the ministry
hounded and persecuted without mercy. I have seen lives shattered
and even seen one or two come to an untimely death as a direct result of
these relentless attacks. Clearly, end time prophecies indicate we
will see an increase in deaths due to persecution and hate.
The following table will enumerate some of the evil mindsets of those
who are obsessed with smiting their brothers and sisters in the church.
These are taken from actual situations I have witnessed or been made privy to.
Each one of these mindsets or actions is not of Christ. None are
supported in the Word of God.
| Accuser Mindset
or Action |
Reality Check |
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He has never actually met the person he is
attacking but he relentlessly attacks him nonetheless.
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The accuser does not know
and/or understand the person he is attacking. He is basing
his attack on limited information and/or personal bias. |
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He levels charges against the person
though he is not a firsthand witness to them.
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In this case, the accuser was not a firsthand
witness but relying on second and third-hand information; none
of it very accurate. |
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He reads something the minister wrote and
screams "false doctrine." He claims, therefore, that the
minister is a false minister. At the same time, he has not
proven what the minister wrote is, in fact, false doctrine.
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Actually none of our 33 common doctrines was in
play here. The accuser grossly misunderstood what he was
reading. Other than voicing opposition to what he thought
was being stated, he never produced a biblically based paper to
oppose what the minister had written.
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Continuing with the item above, instead of
going to the minister privily, he never contacts him in any way
but sends demanding letters to the church headquarters demanding
that severe and immediate action be taken against the minister.
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The accuser never went to the minister in
accordance with Matthew 18. The minister in question would
not learn his accuser's name till months later. It is
ironic that the accuser was calling the minister false when he,
himself, was not following the specific instructions of Jesus
Christ in the Word of God.
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He claims the member or minister is a liar
or compulsive liar. He believes that compulsive liars do
not know they are lying.
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In this particular case the accuser asked the
minister, "Is it possible that you have been a liar all your
life and did not know it?" If true, how could the minister
answer in the affirmative? He would not know that which he
did not know.
When confronted with the accusation he was a
compulsive liar, the minister did a study on the subject of of
compulsive lying. What he found was the fact compulsive liars know very well
they are lying. In addition, compulsive lying most often
manifests itself in a situation where the person has other
compulsive behaviors, such as addictions to gambling, sex, drugs
and/or alcohol. Such an accusation precludes that God
would have a man ordained with these preexisting problems.
Such addictions do not appear overnight.
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He is the judge of the member's or
minister's repentance.
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The accuser does not understand he has no
business being the judge of another's repentance.
Repentance is between God and the firstfruit. See my piece, "Who
Are You to Judge Me?"
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He charges that the member/minister is a
habitual repenter.
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How can the accuser know this? No member
or minister can be a judge in this respect. The only
recourse the elders of the church have is to act if one is
openly sinning and failing to repent.
It is ironic that one of the chief elements of the Salvation
Process is to be repentant; to be a repentant person.
David was a man after God's own heart because he was repentant.
See key scripture sheet
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He declares that he is not sure the person
has changed.
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If the accuser is not sure, why is he assuming
the worst? What concept of God would justify this
statement?
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He imputes motives. He claims the
member/minister repented only to hold on to his position or
salary He states that if he had his way the
minister would be looking for honest employment elsewhere.
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No real Christian is justified in imputing
motive. No true firstfruit would seek to pull brothers in
the faith down. This is hatred. The accuser is
smiting the firstfruit. |
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He refuses to acknowledge any good the
member/minister has ever produced. He will not acknowledge
any truth the person as uttered. He will not acknowledge
any spiritual fruit ever produced by the person.
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The accuser has one focus and this is the
demonization of the firstfruit he is attacking. He is not
going to be interested in acknowledging any fruits he has
produced.
Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad
against me are sworn against me. –Psalm 102:8
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are
opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying
tongue. They compassed me about also with words of hatred;
and fought against me without a cause. For my love they
are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer. And
they have rewarded me evil for good, and hatred for my love. –Psalm
109:2-5
Notice the commentary on this last verse:
Ps 109:5
[And hatred for my love]
Instead of loving me in return for my love, they have met me
with the expressions of hatred. This often occurred in the life
of David; it was constant in the life of the Saviour; it is
habitually manifested by people toward God; it is often
experienced by good men now; it "may" occur in the life of any
man-and if it "does" occur to us, we should not think that any
strange thing has happened to us. ~from Barnes' Notes
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In his attack, he will state, "This is not
about forgiveness, compassion, love or repentance."
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There is no situation in in the church, there is
no interaction between any two firstfruits that can be devoid of
forgiveness, compassion, love or repentance. Where is the
power of the Holy Spirit when one is justifying their attack on
a brother by saying the situation is not about forgiveness,
compassion, love or repentance?
All things in the church are in the presence of and linked to
the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is never devoid of its
fruits of forgiveness, compassion, love and repentance.
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He justifies his attack with claims he is
serving God the best way he knows how.
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They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh,
that whosoever killeth you will think
that he doeth God service. –John 16:2
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He claims the member/minister is showing a
"pattern of sin."
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Where in the Bible is the concept of "pattern of
sin"? This is a man-made terminology designed for one
purpose: Condemnation. There is no place in God's
church for
condemnation.
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He claims the member/minister will never
change his ways.
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The whole purpose of Godly calling and the
Salvation Process is to effect change in the one called. We
change from a character driven by human nature to that of Jesus
Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. To state that a
member/minister will never change is tantamount to denying the
power of the Holy Spirit and bringing condemnation to Godly
calling.
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He will not admit to the fact that he has
ever sinned a sin. He will not acknowledge that he is
fallible or could, in any way, be wrong about the "facts" he
currently holds on the targeted member/minister.
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They profess that they know God; but in works
they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every
good work reprobate. –Titus 1:16
Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from
such turn away. –2 Timothy 3:5
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing,
but inwardly they are ravening wolves. –Matthew 7:15
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He makes himself the victim by stating
that the member/minister he is attacking is spreading hate and
gossip about him.
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This is another technique used by the accuser to
discredit the member/minister and keep himself in a positive
light.
For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers,
specially they of the circumcision: Whose mouths must be
stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they
ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. –Titus 1:10-11
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming
themselves into the apostles of Christ. –2 Corinthians 11:13
But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving,
and being deceived. –2 Timothy 3:13
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and
worse, deceiving, and being deceived. –2 Timothy 3:12-13
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He constantly looks for new charges to
bring up against the member or minister and/or digs up old,
buried and long repented of sins of the person.
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Until he reaches his goal of the total
destruction of the member/minister he is attacking, he will keep
his "evidence file" stuffed with new and piled-on charges and
accusations.
See the Garner Ted Armstrong booklet, "Forgiveness,
Buried Sins and Spiritual Graves Robbers"
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When the member/minister blocks incoming
e-mails from the attacker,
the attacker calls the member/minister childish and indicates
that this action verifies all the accusations he is making.
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It does not really matter what the attacked
member/minister does, it will be fodder for the accuser to
justify and continue his attacks. There is a spiritual
reason the member/minister breaks contact with the accuser:
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like
unto him. –Proverbs 26:4
This is not to be confused with Proverbs
26:5, which states, "Answer a fool according to his
folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit." Verse four is
speaking to one full of strife and contention and seeking your
demise. Verse five speaks to a sincere member in error on
a spiritual subject, concept or scripture and is in danger of
spreading the error to others. Generally describes one
rather new to the faith and not fully introduced to all the
doctrines and teachings of the church.
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The follow verses are
from a letter Paul sent to a minister but also speak to the member in
these end times in God's Church:
2 Timothy 4:1-5
1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who
shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke,
exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but
after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having
itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be
turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an
evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
2 Timothy 3
1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,
fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of
God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such
turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive
silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the
truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.
9 But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest
unto all men, as theirs also was.
10 But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose,
faith, longsuffering, charity, patience,
11 Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium,
at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord
delivered me.
12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
persecution.
13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and
being deceived.
14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been
assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are
able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ
Jesus.
16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all
good works.
Understand that these days of trials, tribulations and persecutions are
upon us. Endure them! Be knowledgeable from whence they will
come. Stay immersed in the Word of God and count it all joy.
Notice the last words of Paul,
a much persecuted minister of Jesus Christ:
Serving the Lord with all humility
of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which befell me by the
lying in wait of the Jews: And how I kept back nothing that was
profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly,
and from house to house, Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the
Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing
the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost [Spirit]
witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto
myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry,
which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the
grace of God. And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have
gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore
I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.
–Acts 20:19-26 [see
commentary]
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