The Higher Liberty
Order the book The Higher Liberty
The Higher Liberty
by Gregory HHC, d
Minister of His Holy Church
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Deaconus of Ten
Is
there an office of Deacon? What should he be doing? Churches have
strayed so far from the Gospel of the Kingdom that their deacons
actually argue
that the belief that service is distinctive of deacons is the servant
myth.
The
Deacon Gooley used the letters to the Trallians by Ignatius of
Antioch to
make his point. It stated, ‘deacons are not waiters (diakonoi)
providing food and drink but executives (hyperetai) of the Church of
God’.
Terms
evolve, but what was their meaning and use in the time and context of
the scripture? The term “Dean”, a faculty head, is
derived from the Latin “deaconus”.
Terms
like decurions signified
those who served ten deans.
The Latin word deaconus meant a
leader of ten.
Originally
tithing was based on ten families being served by one minister. Each
minister in Israel served ten families. In support of that government
they were tithed
to in accordance to their service.
They served
the tents of the congregation ten families to keep them free.
Throughout the early Church you
see congregations of ten, with ministers gathered also in groups of
ten. This was a pattern repeated to join the people in a living
network of faith, hope, and charity, under the perfect law of
liberty. Families seeking to be ruled by God rather than by the
unrighteous gods of the world
gathered together.
They
were served by their Christian ministers. They provided for their
welfare and needs by charitable contributions so that they did not
have to go to the civil altars of men who exercised
authority and be entangled in
bondage again in the elements of that world.
So, Ignatius and Gooley were
correct. Deacons were not merely to wait on tables and serve food but
they were the welfare officers of a republican form of government,
the Kingdom of God, which composed from about 5 to 10% of the Roman
Empire and beyond.
Footnotes:
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Related Articles and Audio:
Romans 13 part 1
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/audio/rm/Romans131.ram
ROMANS 13 verse 1 the higher liberty
Does God want us to be subject or to be free?
http://www.hisholychurch.org/sermon/romans13.php
Romans 13 and I Peter 2,13-14
Is the Bible consistent about setting men free or does it contradict itself?
http://www.hisholychurch.org/sermon/romanspeter.php
Romans 13, NN Video Series:7-10 4:32
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SEMYx6affo
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