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To: PresbyRev
discipling nations means bringing whole people groups under the Lordship of King Jesus.

Reverend, your exegetical principles are loose. "Discipling" means whatever the men did who heard the word. We must presume that the ecclesiology and practice of the book of Acts is an accurate illustration of what Jesus said, and is the sum total of the "cultural mandate" the church has the right to shoulder.

121 posted on 06/23/2004 10:49:57 AM PDT by Taliesan (fiction police)
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To: Taliesan

The Church in the Book of Acts was, as a New Covenant body, just coming into existence. It was in no position to take on necessary tasks that the Church in later ages addressed - such as the abolition of slavery.

The Church in Acts is not archetypal nor perfect. It is a window on the early Church and the Spirit's work in Her. Some things were left undone, as I noted. Other experiments were tried, failed and left behind - communal sharing of property for instance.

You cannot accuse me of playing loose with my exegesis if the word 'disciple' only meant what its original hearers intended. That is pure decontructionism. For then, disciple can mean for you or me whatever we wish.

The Biblical import of matheteuo, disciple/discipling, is to bring under the tutelage of a teacher, to follow, to obey precepts or instructions - Who is the teacher and what is being taught and obeyed? God and God's Law-Word. Is this obedience, learning and discipleship for individuals alone? No, it is for the nations.


134 posted on 06/23/2004 11:09:08 AM PDT by PresbyRev (Christ is Lord over all spheres of human thought and life.)
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