Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet
The apostle Paul, by the inspiration of God, set forth the guide for the gathering of the church and told us what we are to do when we gather together as the church.
Paul said:
I Corinthians 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
The basic instruction was freedom for God to speak through whom HE willed.
One person might have a psalm.
Another a doctrine.
A tongue and interpretation might be brought forth by Holy Spirit. Always there would be interpretation if there was a tongue for Paul said this was to happen and if there was no interpretation that man was to speak his "tongue" to himself, for the church could only be edified if there was interpretation.
I Corinthians 14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
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The prophets were free to speak, two or three ... and let the other judge ... I Corinthians 14:29-33 ... And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
So there was orderliness in the presentations of the prophets as they spoke in the church gathering.
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By what Paul said about the control of women and the ordering of silence, we can see those women in the church gathering had been disrupting the gathering of the church by asking questions which would interrupt the flow of the Spirit of God and draw attention to themselves.
Thus Paul said: And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. I Corinthians 14:35
However some women were prophets.
Philip had 4 daughters who were prophets.
Acts 21:8-9 And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.
Prophets speak to the church.
Women who prophesied would have to speak by the will of God to the church to prophesy.
I believe God has shown me that Paul, in I Corinthians 14, was addressing the disruption women brought to the church, but prophets who were women were another matter. If they were prophesing, by the will of God, they were not prohibited from speaking to the church gathering.
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Paul said after he departed, he knew the church would change and men would bring in perversions in order to gather others to themselves.
This is a very significant revelation for us today.
Paul says:
Acts 20:25-30 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. For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which HE hath purchased with HIS own blood.
For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.
Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.
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But after the apostles were gone, then what happened?
The church in Paul's day met in homes.
Man set up church buildings and highly structured church services to control the people and keep unapproved people from speaking.
If Jesus appeared today in the flesh, HE would not be able to speak in most of the church groups the way churches today are set up.
(Most church groups have a platform to separate the congregation from the approved speakers. If an unknown speaker tried to speak, he would likely be ushered out of the building by the men who are set there for this purpose. It is totally different from what Paul said to do when we come together as the church.)
I Corinthians 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
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So we see antichrist moved into the church as soon as Paul and such authorities departed.
These men took over the authority in the church and changed from the inspired Word of God, from the Holy instructions which we see in the Bible. And they set up the churches by their own thinking which kept all but those approved by themselves from speaking in the church.
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So all sorts of groups began appearing.
The Catholic leadership set up many things contrary to Bible.
They added a pope (not in Bible) and changed the Bible "bishop" to a form that differed from Bible instruction.
A bishop in Bible was the husband of one wife and had multiple children over which he demonstrated godly control.
In Bible rules, an unmarried man could not be bishop/elder in the church.
(Also in Bible, bishop and elder are interchangeable words and these are the same office in the church.)
As I understand it, the Catholic leadership set up a bishop to be a priest who had risen to a higher rank but was ranked lower than pope. Catholic bishop would be unmarried.
But in Bible, bishop/elder was a man who had wife and children.
I once attended a protestant church where an unmarried, divorced, man was allowed to be "an elder"... opposite to Bible requirement.
(This should not be.)
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Does it make any difference?
Absolutely! For Bible is the only thing we have to go by in the church, and when Bible is removed, even in part, or changed, the restraint against antichrist is removed and antichrist moves into the church group and takes over exalting himself above the scriptures.
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Bible says the following concerning bishop/elder in the church.
Paul says:
Titus 1:1-10 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers
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A bishop/elder clung to Bible, holding fast the Bible as the rule book for the church.
The Bible is the only thing we have as a book of doctrine for the church.
II Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
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After the departing of Paul and the other apostles, men came and set up all types of churches, departing from instructions of Bible or twisting scriptures in very strange ways.
And many people flocked to these groups.
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The Catholic leadership came up with a rule telling the people they could not eat meat on Fridays, so they ate fish.
But Bible says:
I Timothy 4:1-5 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Another Bible point, concerning meats ... Jesus called fish, "meat".
John 2:5-6 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
And HE said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.
They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
John 2:5-6 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
And HE said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find.
They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
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Also came the various protestant churches, setting up doctrines by their own thinking, disregarding scripture or taking scripture and twisting it to their own thinking.
They called crackers and grape juice "The Lord's Supper."
So they ate and drank at church gatherings and disregarded teaching their people to judge themselves by Bible.
Concerning the instruction given in I Corinthians 11 about the way to partake of The Lord's Supper...
I Corinthians 11:27-30 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (die).
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (die).
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How do we examine ourselves?
What Paul is saying to us is the following: As you partake of the Bible, the Lord's supper, you must examine yourselves by the scripture, making needed changes to your lives ... eating the scripture in an appropriate manner ... doing scripture.
The Lord's supper is the Word of God ... eating and drinking the Word of God ... correctly applying it to our lives by the Spirit of God.
The Word of God has great power.
Eating crackers and drinking grape juice has no power at all. You are not made better by partaking of crackers/grape juice at church. Nor are you made worse by not doing this.
As the Catholics superstitiously cross themselves, the various churches partake crackers and grape juice calling this communion with God. Members often take great pride in thinking they "took communion" that day. But there is no real change inside them by this fleshly thinking of men.
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Is there any church group that set up themselves by the whole New Testament without adding strange doctrines opposing Bible or without twisting scripture by their own fleshly interpretation?
The church office of apostle has a strong anointing by God to deal with scripture and church doctrine.
Most churches completely eliminated the apostle saying Paul was the last apostle.
Yet when the apostles met to replace Judas, it was not Paul who was named the 12th apostle. It was Matthias.
Acts 1:15-26 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,)
Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.
Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.
For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection.
(We see by these rules for being apostle, Paul could not have been apostle with them, for Paul didn't fit the qualifications. Paul was not with them from the baptism of John unto the resurrection of Jesus. In fact, during the time after Jesus' resurrection Paul was persecuting the Christians.)
Acts 1 ...23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
(Matthias was apostle number 12 ... taking the place of Judas.)
So how did Paul get to be an apostle?
Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus.
For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.
Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.
For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of His resurrection.
(We see by these rules for being apostle, Paul could not have been apostle with them, for Paul didn't fit the qualifications. Paul was not with them from the baptism of John unto the resurrection of Jesus. In fact, during the time after Jesus' resurrection Paul was persecuting the Christians.)
Acts 1 ...23 And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.
And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.
(Matthias was apostle number 12 ... taking the place of Judas.)
So how did Paul get to be an apostle?
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After the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, HE (Jesus) gave "gifts" to the church, ministers to care for the churches.
Ephesians 4 ... v.8 Wherefore HE saith, When HE (Jesus) ascended up on high, HE led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.
11-12 And HE gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
After Jesus ascended into heaven, HE gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to the church as "ministers."
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So the Church of Christ denomination sets themselves up saying it is wrong for a minister to call himself "pastor", so the minister calls himself "minister."
By doing this, they deny Ephesians 4:11 ...
Many church leaders teach there are no more apostles or prophets in today's church. But Jesus set up today's church to have apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.
By their doctrine, these groups deny Ephesians 4:11 and the gifts Jesus gave to the church through the ministries of apostle and prophet.
(apostle in NT church has anointing from God to deal with scripture and church doctrine while prophets often bring correction to ministers and individuals in the churches.)
If you eliminate apostles and prophets in the churches, you eliminate the judges who rule over church doctrine and the "police officers" who deal with wrong doers in the church.
Thus antichrist reigns in the church group!
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Then the church groups set up all kinds of twisted doctrine.
The Church of Christ denomination says they can have no instrumental music at the church gathering.
They base their doctrine on the following:
Ephesians 5:19-20 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to
the Lord;
But if they were to follow this scripture fully, they would only sing "in their hearts", not even opening their mouths.
In the Old Testament, we have examples of all types of musical instruments being used in the praising of God.
But if they were to follow this scripture fully, they would only sing "in their hearts", not even opening their mouths.
In the Old Testament, we have examples of all types of musical instruments being used in the praising of God.
In my judgment, the Church of Christ doctrine is strangely twisted and invalid concerning instrumental music in the church.
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Is there any church group where the apostles "judge" doctrine today? I haven't seen such.
And when did all this perversion begin in the church groups?
After the departing of Paul, I think.
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Antichrist was trying to work in the church groups even in the days of the apostle John. We see by the following scripture that when antichrist couldn't get into the church to take over, he departed from the church group.
John says:
And when did all this perversion begin in the church groups?
After the departing of Paul, I think.
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Antichrist was trying to work in the church groups even in the days of the apostle John. We see by the following scripture that when antichrist couldn't get into the church to take over, he departed from the church group.
John says:
I John 2:18-19 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.
(They went out and set up other church groups by doctrine other than Bible...thus anitchrist)
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In the church groups, immediately after the resurrection of Jesus, there were apostles and prophets watching over the doctrines. They would have fought these false doctrines and divisions into groups such as Catholic, Baptist, Church of Christ.
Paul was added to the church in the ministries of apostle and teacher after the resurrection of Jesus.
Then Paul spoke of divisions in the church and called these people "carnal".
Paul said:
I Corinthians 3:1-7 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
(Today, one is called Baptist. Another Catholic. Another Methodist... dividing the church from Jesus Christ, from one Lord, one Church, one faith, one baptism ... carnal.)
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
(Did Paul die for your sins? did Apollos?)
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
(Today, one is called Baptist. Another Catholic. Another Methodist... dividing the church from Jesus Christ, from one Lord, one Church, one faith, one baptism ... carnal.)
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
(Did Paul die for your sins? did Apollos?)
What all who belong to Christ should say is: "I am of Christ, a Christian."
We do not identify ourselves by a church group. To do such is carnal.
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So after the departure of Paul, men came with their perversions and all these divided groups were set up with their many followers, striving over which group was right and all thought their group to be right and often they thought their group to be the "only" church ... Catholics and Church of Christ groups have long thought themselves to be the "only" church and taught such to their followers.
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I find people of God scattered everywhere today, in church groups and not in any church group.
The church are those people called of God, the elect of God, those who have the Holy Spirit of God.
The problem in the church existed in the days of John and has increased greatly through the decades as scripture is removed (in part) from the church denomination and antichrist moves in to the group with lawlessness against portions of scripture.
Jesus will destroy these groups and antichrist when HE returns.
II Thessalonians 2:7-12 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming:
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming:
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
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