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The word ''overseer'' is translated from the same word we see as ''bishop''.<Ref> 1985 ~ἐπίσκοπος~ episkopos \@ep-is’-kop-os\@ from 1909 and 4649 (in the sense of 1983);  n m  AV-bishop 6, overseer 1; 7
[[File:Servant.jpg|thumb|250px|A [[Bishop]] or [[Overseer]] provide a service to the Christian community by over seeing the ministers of small congregations of [[tens|ten families]]. The head or eldest natural Father of each family group was an [[elder]] who chose their [[Minister]]. Those minister chose a minister who would be called a "[[bishop]]" and "[[overseer]]" who provided aid during [[dearth]]s whicñ plaged the people during Acts. The ministers of God's form of government are truly [[titular]] leaders in [[righteousness]] and servants of the people. The [[kingdom of heaven]] is like unto a net<Ref>Matthew 13:47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:</Ref> In choosing your minister for your family as you sit down in the [[tens]] you are [[network|weaving a net]] of [[righteousness]] through [[charity]], not choosing a ruler nor a guru.]]
: 1) an overseer
::    1a) a man charged with the duty of seeing that things to be done
          by others are done rightly, any curator, guardian or
          superintendent
::    1b) the superintendent, elder, pastor, or overseer of a
          Christian church; the NT uses the term bishop, overseers,
          1985 pastors, 4166 elders, and presbyters
          4245 interchangeably {#Ac 20:17,28 Eph 4:11 Tit 1:5,7
          1Pe 5:1-4 etc.}</Ref>
For any government to function, there must be participation by the people in the supply and demand of services. The titular leaders of a free government cannot be given power to exercise authority over how much or when the people entrust their ministers. Christ commanded that His appointed ministers not “exercise authority”. When the people lose their daily right to choose, they are made subjects.


What is given is given completely, like a burnt offering or bread cast upon the water, but the free will choice to give must remain with the people. The choice and manner of service provided by that gift must remain entirely with the minister, who is a servant of God. In essence, this form of sacred purpose trust, with the minister as the steward (a kind of trustee), is at the foundation of His Church.
== Bishops and Overseers ==


It has been customary that another group oversee the ministers. Of course in truth the actual overseer of the Church is the Holy Spirit or what is sometimes called the Comforter.<Ref>Parakletos translated comforter 4, advocate 1. 1) summoned, called to one’s side, esp. called to one’s aid. 1a) one who pleads another’s cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate.</Ref>
The word ''[[overseer]]'' is translated from the same Greek word episkopos which we see as ''[[bishop]]''<Ref name="episkopos">{{1985}} </Ref> in the New Testament.


The Apostles met the requirements laid down by Christ. They were prepared to represent the Holy Spirit, and when they had received the power to do so from that Spirit, they were able to go out and preach the Kingdom as the physical representatives of that Comforter. They exercised no authority by their own hand over the people, but relied entirely upon the power of that Holy Spirit.  
A [[Bishop]] or [[Overseer]] provided actual services to the Christian community by ''over seeing'' the needs of the ministers of small congregations of [[tens|ten families]]. The head or eldest ''natural Father'' of each [[family]] group was an [[elder]] who chose the [[Minister]]s for their family while forming [[free assemblies]].  


The ordination requirements of the overseeing ministry of Christ are extremely controversial today, but have been a tradition both at the time of Christ and before. They are well documented in the Biblical text, but neglected by many modern ministers. The Levites did not belong to themselves as freemen, like those in the congregation of the people, but they “belonged” to God. They were His firstborn servants, appointed to minister to the people according to the Holy Spirit as it moved in them and in the people. They had no right to hold a free dominion offered by God to all men. They had no inheritance in the land as a personal estate. The same was clearly true at the time of Jesus’ appointment of His ministers.
Those congregations were not a corporation nor associations but were free souls under God. They chose the ministers they believed served God's kingdom according to His [[righteousness]] and the [[perfect law of liberty]]. They were not bound by contracts, covenants nor constitutions but by [[faith]], [[hope]] and [[charity]] which were a mutual union of [[love]].


'''The Poor Overseers of a Free Church'''
That union of [[love]] was nurtured by a [[communion]] of [[love]] filled with the [[eucharist]] of [[Christ]] providing for the [[care]] and [[welfare]] ''for the people, by the people and of the people.''<Ref name="Johnwy">{{Johnwy}}</Ref>


In the Bible we see the Greek word ‘episkopos’ meaning overseer.<Ref>  1Episkopos. a man charged with the duty of seeing that things to be done by others are done rightly, a bishop.    </Ref>  It is often translated as bishop. In the early Church, an archbishop was merely an overseer of overseers. This was a part of the network of the Church ordering itself in groups of tens. Ten families and one minister, ten ministers and their minister or overseer. The early Church used this pattern. But the church of Constantine did not.
Those minister of those free assemblies gathered together in their own congregations of ministers and chose a minister who would be called a "[[bishop]]" and "[[overseer]]". This empowered that minister to be someone who provided direction and aid during the [[dearth]]s which plagued the people during Acts.  


On the 30th of April, 311, the emperor Galerius had posted an Edict of Tolerance at Nicomedia making provisions for the Christians, who had “followed such a caprice and had fallen into such a folly that they would not obey the institutes of antiquity” which had been established for the welfare of the people. The Edict of Milan commanded that the “places where they were previously accustomed to assemble” “the same shall be restored to the Christians” including restitution of the value of property taken from the Christians, “without payment or any claim of recompense and without any kind of fraud or deception.”
These ministers of God's [[one form of government|form of government]] were truly [[titular]] leaders because they ''could not [[exercise authority]] one over the other.''<Ref name="exauth">{{exauth}}</Ref> 


[[Constantine]] was not the first to grant tolerance or restitution, but he was the first to grant favor. His instant converts were often required to get baptized, but not to repent. In 325, a small portion of the Church<Ref>[[Constantine]] invited all 1800 bishops (about 1000 in the east and 800 in the west), but like. Eusebius of Caesarea counted more than 250. Many walked out.  </Ref>  was about to take a big turn down a new path, from which they have not yet returned.
There position was the result of conforming to Christ and His requirements of being in the [[world]] and not of it and giving up their [[Vow of poverty|personal estate]] to become [[joint heirs]] with [[Christ]].
The First Council of Nicaea endorsed the new Christianity of Constantine, the “Bishop of Bishops.” The vast majority of Christians opposed many of his precepts, but he did end violent persecution. However, a new threat loomed in the complacency of his Pax Romana. The Emperor bestowed gifts from the spoils of war and heavy taxation, winning favor with some, bringing in a seed of corruption until finally, Theodosius I made Christianity the “state religion” or could call the state religion Christianity.


These new Christians came to believe without repentance. They were enticed by the favor and grace of emperors, not Christ. These bribes for their faith included millions of dollars in land, gold, and silver, given out of the treasury of Rome. These royal grants were given to bishops who came to his councils and remained, or to those who were appointed by his own permission and authority. These new bishops were soon issuing edicts and commands, even calling for the persecution of pagans or Christians who did not bow down to the thinking of this new church.  
While this was important to the [[kingdom of God]] so that it could ''return everyman to his [[family]] and His possessions''<Ref name="retfam">{{retfam}}</Ref>  it would only prevail as they also sought the [[righteousness]] of God as the servants of the people in that same [[love]] of Christ.  


The citizens of Milan were truly instant Christians. They eventually elected Ambrose the Bishop of Milan. Ambrose a roman lawyer and governor had tortured prisoners and entertained prostitutes. At first he refused the election, knowing little of Christianity or the ways of Christ. But with popular support and the emperor’s encouragement he relented and within a week he was baptized with water.  
This divine relationship is publicly established by [https://www.hisholychurch.org/declarations/church/DeclarationofSacredPurposeA.pdf the declaration] through mutual witnesses, service, and sacrifice by [[the way]] of the [[perfect law of liberty]] where a covering is provided both [[breeches|by the people and their deeds, witness, and testimony]].


Except for words and names there was little alteration of the spirit of these new Christians. Ambrose did take a leave of absence from his employment with the empire to study some of the basic requirements for the ministers of Christ. As bishop of the Church he knew he could own no property in his own name and apportioned his money to the poor, donating his lands, except for provision for his sister Marcellina, and committing some of his property to the care of his family by his brother.
The [[kingdom of heaven]] is like unto a net<Ref>[[Matthew 13]]:47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:</Ref> In choosing your minister for your family as you sit down in the [[tens]] you are [[network|weaving a net]] of [[righteousness]] through [[charity]], not choosing a ruler nor a guru.


All the ordained ministers of the Church gave up any personal estate or wealth to follow in the service of God. This had been true for Christ,<Ref>  32 Corinthians 8:9 “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.”  </Ref>  the apostles,<Ref>  Matthew 13:44, 19:2;Mark 10:21; Luke 12:33, 18:22, 14:33 “So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”    </Ref>  and new ministers<Ref> Acts 4:36... 5:11. “... Joses ...a Levite, Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.... But a certain man named Ananias... kept back part of the price... fell down, and gave up the ghost”  </Ref>  of the Church the same as it had been for the [[Levites]]<Ref>  [[Numbers 18]]:20, 24; 26:62. Deuteronomy 18:2  </Ref>  called out by Moses to serve the tents of the congregations. This was necessary to maintain a government of service as was the network of small intimate congregations..
{{Template:Ancient Orders}}


The true overseers of the Church remained faithful, refusing Faith-Based initiative of the emperor not only for the Church, but for themselves. They were not masters of those they served, but servants of Christ by serving those they ministered unto. The highest overseer is servant of servants.
These terms like "[[bishop]]" and "[[overseer]]" are used regularly in today's [[modern Church]], but what did they mean at the time of the [[early Church|first-century Church]] by those [[early Christians]]?


The true overseer was an ordained minister meeting the qualifications of Christ, being in the world but not of it. Their full faith and fidelity must belong totally to God. They could not apply on behalf of the Church or themselves for gifts or grace of any sovereign or government. Christ was their king and they were His bondservant alone. No minister following Christ could apply to Rome for protection because God’s kingdom is not of their “[[World|world]]”, their “apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government.” To maintain an autonomous church the same continues to be true for its ordained ministers.
* '''"[[Bishop]]s, [[presbyter|presbyters]]([[Elder]]) and [[deacon]]s occupy in the [[church]] the same positions as those which were occupied by Aaron, his sons, and the [[Levites]] in the [[temple]]."''' [[Jerome]], Ep. 146


The ministers of Israel held a similar status even before kings began to appoint them without meeting these requirements of God given to Moses concerning the called out Levites. In those days when there was no king in Israel,<Ref>[[Judges 17]]:6 “In those days [there was] no king in Israel, [but] every man did [that which was] right in his own eyes.”  </Ref>  it had been the election by the courts of the people<Ref>[[1 Chronicles 9]]:22 “All these [which were] chosen to be porters in the gates [were] two hundred and twelve. These were reckoned by their genealogy in their villages, whom David and Samuel the seer did ordain in their set office. The word villages is far more often translated courts from the Hebrew word chatser and the word genealogy is from ''yachas'' which had to do with their family group.”  </Ref> that chose the ministers of God’s kingdom. They were paid according to their service<Ref>  [[Numbers 7]]:5 “Take [it] of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shalt give them unto the [[Levites]], to every man according to his service.”  </Ref>  by the offerings of the people of a free nation under God. This peculiar and separate status of the overseers and ordained ministers of the government of God might be called today a vow of poverty.
Does the [[Modern Church|modern church]] do what the first-century church did?


This is one of the more controversial subjects concerning the nature of the early Church established by Christ. Like so many things from those ancient days the meaning and purpose has been shrouded in rituals and ceremonies. Few understand the full significance of that unique status or how it applies today.
Do "[[bishop]]s" and "[[overseer]]s" fulfill the same role and duties we see being done in those early days when James explained "[[pure Religion]]"?


We ask no one to accept anything because it is written. We encourage everyone to study out the truth in other sources and their own hearts and minds, praying to the Father for guidance and understanding.
Do [[Modern Christians]] depend on the Church for its [[Daily ministration]] of [[free bread]] - ''rightly divided from house to house'' like by the [[early Church|first-century Church]], which was called the [[Eucharist]]?


In [[FCR|The Free Church Report]] we have tried to shed a new light of understanding on how these ancient precepts and requirements can play an essential role in the free church and free congregations of the people. How without the implementation of these precepts upon precepts of Christ and the prophets the Church becomes vulnerable to the powers and spirit of the “[[World|world]]”. There are multiple concepts centering around the proper application of the biblical doctrine of “no inheritance” or a “vow of poverty” and it is important that we have a clear understanding rather than a blind faith in these matters.
[[Modern Christians]] often think it is okay to go to men in ''government'' who "[[exercise authority]]"<Ref name="exauth">{{exauth}}</Ref> but that is the covetous practices condemned by [[Moses]] and [[doctrine of Jesus]], and of course by Paul and Peter [[warned]] the people that such [[covetousness]] was [[idolatry]]<Ref name="Isidolatry">{{Isidolatry}}</Ref> and would make them [[merchandise]].  


Because words and phrases are defined in many ways according to their context and usage we will need to define terms used in this work according to the message and doctrines of Christ. Titles like Bishop or Overseer and Minister or Elder must be defined within the context of the time of Christ, limiting those positions to His instructions, and not merely accept the definition of modern churches simply because they are common in today’s thinking or religious circles and institutions.
The early [[bishop|bishops]] and [[deacon|deacons]] provided a righteous system of [[social welfare]] through the [[tables]] of [[charity]] and the voluntary [[network]] of of [[love]] through the Church [[appoint]]ed by [[Christ]].


== Bishop ==
Are modern bishops fulfilling the same purpose as the original ''bishops'' or ''overseers'' of the [[early Church]] in the practice of [[pure Religion]], or do [[modern Christians]] pray to the government [[benefactors]] of the [[world]] who [[exercise authority]] one over the other?<Ref name="exauth">{{exauth}}</Ref>


: 1 Timothy 3:1 "This [is] a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2  A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
It does not appear they are in the [[harlot]] churches that ''ride the beast''. They do not appear to teach the [[pure religion]] that is unspotted by the [[world]]. While the teach a reductionist gospel they deliver the people back in the [[yoke of bondage]] through the welfare system that Psalms, Proverbs, and Paul call a "[[snare|snare and trap]]".<Ref name="snaretrap">{{snaretrap}}</Ref>
3  Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4  One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5  (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6  Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7  Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil."


And are their [[apostle]]s among these men?


: Titus 1:6 "If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. 7  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;
And are they [[Apostle]]s of Christ or someone else?
8  But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
9  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.
10  For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
11  Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.
12  One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
13  This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
14  Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
15  Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
16  They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate."


Each of us are to be led by the Holy Spirit with that overseer the Bishop of our soul.<Ref>[[1 Peter 2]]:25 For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.</Ref>
=== Titular ministers ===


The [[Church legally defined|Church is defined]] as ''one form of government''. For any government to function, there must be participation by the people in the supply and demand of services within and to participants of society.


{{Template:Monks}}
The [[titular]] leaders of a free government cannot be given power to exercise authority over how much or when the people entrust their ministers with their [[Freewill offerings|freewill offering]]. Christ commanded that His appointed ministers not “'''[[Exercises authority|exercise authority]]'''”.


{{Template:Network}}
When people lose their daily [[choose|right to choose]], they are made subjects of those who have a right to choose for them.


== Footnotes ==
=== Servants of sacrifice ===


<references />
What is given to a minister or bishop of the Church is given freely and completely, like a ''[[burnt offering]]'' or ''bread cast upon the water'', but the free will choice to give must remain with the people. The choice and manner of service provided by that gift must remain entirely with the minister, who is a servant of God.
 
In essence, this form of [[Sacred Purpose Trust|sacred purpose trust]], with the minister as the steward (a kind of trustee), is at the foundation of His Church and the [[Daily ministration]] of [[Pure Religion]].
 
It has been customary that another group oversees the ministers in a [[network]] of service. But again, not as rulers one over the other.
 
Of course, in truth, the actual overseer of the Church is the [[Holy Spirit]] or what is sometimes called the ''[[Comforter]]''.<Ref>Parakletos translated comforter 4, advocate 1. 1) summoned, called to one’s side, esp. called to one’s aid. 1a) one who pleads another’s cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate.</Ref>
 
The [[Apostles]] met the requirements laid down by Christ. They were prepared to represent the [[Holy Spirit]], and when they had received the power to do so from that Spirit, they were able to go out and preach the Kingdom as the physical representatives of that Comforter. They exercised no authority by their own hand over the people but relied entirely upon the power of that [[Holy Spirit]].
 
The definition of overseership today might be called "the office or status of an overseer."
 
Since a [[deacon]] was a minister to groups of [[Tens]] in a network of Christians. A [[Bishop]] was a minister of [[tens|ten ministers]]. He might be called an ''Archdeacon'' or ''Archbishop'', not because he ruled over the minister but over the responsibility of an office of service. While, these terms are still used today they originally came down to us from the [[early Church]] which provided all social [[welfare]] for Christians through [[Pure Religion]] dependent on a [[daily ministration]] of [[charity]].
 
<blockquote>
"An Archdeacon pre-eminently a priest with pastoral gifts and spiritual maturity, able to relate to, encourage and support both clergy and laity in the archdeaconry in their fulfillment of the church's mission". [https://cofenewcastle.contentfiles.net/media/documents/document/2020/11/Catherine_Sourbut_Groves_service_of_Collation.pdf THE DIOCESE OF NEWCASTLE]
</blockquote>
 
Preaching the [[gospel of the kingdom]] does not isolate congregations under an exclusive pastoral leader or divide the "[[body of Christ]]" by [[denominations]]. The common denominator for all Christians is Christ who said we were ''not to be like the governments of the Gentiles who call themselves [[benefactors]] but [[exercise authority]] one over the other'', nor pray to ''the [[Fathers]] of the earth'' who provide [[benefits]] like [[free bread]] or the [[Corban]] of the Pharisees.
 
The overseership of the Church established by Jesus does not divide people into isolated groups but is desiring to connect all families in a [[network]] of [[charity]] and [[love]].
 
Christ preached the [[kingdom of God]] at hand and if we [[repent]] and [[seek]] it and the [[righteousness]] of God it will lead us away from despotism<Ref>: “Despotism, suspicious by its very nature, views the separation of men as the best guarantee of its own permanence and usually does all it can to keep them in isolation. No defect of the human heart suits it better than egoism; a tyrant is relaxed enough to [[forgive]] his subjects for failing to love him, provided they do not [[love]] one another. He does not ask them to help him to govern the state; it is enough that they have no intention of managing it themselves. He calls those who claim to unite their efforts to create general prosperity “turbulent and restless spirits” and, twisting the normally accepted meaning of the words, he gives the name of “good citizens” to those who retreat into themselves.”
: “Thus the vices fostered by tyranny are exactly those supported by equality. These two things are complementary and mutually supportive, with fatal results.” Democracy in America: And Two Essays on America, by [[Alexis de Tocqueville]] </Ref> and back to liberty under God.
 
The [[modern Church]] is often ''[[Corban|making the word of God to none effect]]'' like the [[Pharisees]] with their state run [[Corban]] because it fails to teach the people [[The Way]] of [[Pure Religion]] and depend heavily on what was called [[public religion]] and the [[covetous practices]] of the [[world]]. These two systems were at the core of the [[Christian conflict]].
 
 
 
----
 
[[Category:Articles]]
 
[[Category:Definitions]]
 
[[Category:Words]]

Latest revision as of 15:33, 3 November 2024

A Bishop or Overseer provide a service to the Christian community by over seeing the ministers of small congregations of ten families. The head or eldest natural Father of each family group was an elder who chose their Minister. Those minister chose a minister who would be called a "bishop" and "overseer" who provided aid during dearths whicñ plaged the people during Acts. The ministers of God's form of government are truly titular leaders in righteousness and servants of the people. The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net[1] In choosing your minister for your family as you sit down in the tens you are weaving a net of righteousness through charity, not choosing a ruler nor a guru.

Bishops and Overseers

The word overseer is translated from the same Greek word episkopos which we see as bishop[2] in the New Testament.

A Bishop or Overseer provided actual services to the Christian community by over seeing the needs of the ministers of small congregations of ten families. The head or eldest natural Father of each family group was an elder who chose the Ministers for their family while forming free assemblies.

Those congregations were not a corporation nor associations but were free souls under God. They chose the ministers they believed served God's kingdom according to His righteousness and the perfect law of liberty. They were not bound by contracts, covenants nor constitutions but by faith, hope and charity which were a mutual union of love.

That union of love was nurtured by a communion of love filled with the eucharist of Christ providing for the care and welfare for the people, by the people and of the people.[3]

Those minister of those free assemblies gathered together in their own congregations of ministers and chose a minister who would be called a "bishop" and "overseer". This empowered that minister to be someone who provided direction and aid during the dearths which plagued the people during Acts.

These ministers of God's form of government were truly titular leaders because they could not exercise authority one over the other.[4]

There position was the result of conforming to Christ and His requirements of being in the world and not of it and giving up their personal estate to become joint heirs with Christ.

While this was important to the kingdom of God so that it could return everyman to his family and His possessions[5] it would only prevail as they also sought the righteousness of God as the servants of the people in that same love of Christ.

This divine relationship is publicly established by the declaration through mutual witnesses, service, and sacrifice by the way of the perfect law of liberty where a covering is provided both by the people and their deeds, witness, and testimony.

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a net[6] In choosing your minister for your family as you sit down in the tens you are weaving a net of righteousness through charity, not choosing a ruler nor a guru.

The Ancient Orders of Overseers

The most predominant form of government throughout history and around the world[7] even before Nimrod has been based on voluntary systems composed of a Network of families in what was sometimes called the "tens, hundreds, and thousands". Early Israel, the Teutons, Saxons, Lumbards and many others societies all followed this pattern including the early Church because Christ commanded it. It is important to understand that the Imperial Cult of Rome and the Corban of the Pharisees were welfare systems of Social Security and public welfare that makes the word of God to none effect. They also make the people merchandise, curse children with debt and entangle you again in the yoke of bondage and the elements of the world. The Way of Christ is your only salvation.

We see the word "paqad" translated [8] more than one way. While it appears more than three hundred times in the Bible but only translated overseer a few times but visit 59 times.

Most of the time it is translated number(119). If you added the letter Hey to paqad you got the word pequddah[9] which included ideas like "oversight, care, custody, mustering, visitation, store".

All these words together described the role of an overseer in the national network of the tens, hundreds, and thousands. They played a role in the service of the people but did not rule over the people.

They were in theory chosen by God but had no authority except by the recognition of the people and the granting of their support through freewill offerings.

They supplied oversight to prevent corruption and provide care. They were part of a charitable network providing care and welfare for the people freely given by the people.

These overseers would take custody of the property of the ministers they served in the case of death or loss of capacity to make sure it got to the next minister chosen by the people through a pattern of recognition by the people.

These overseers were key to ordering the number of the people in congregation of ten families identified as free assemblies and became an important element of the care of the people as a nation.

In time of war or attack they would muster those who would come to the aid of society; In the time of disease or famine they would not just visit but bring aid to those communities that needed more help which is what the practice of Pure Religion was all about; Because they were connected in the network of tens, gathering with other overseers of congregations in free assemblies they could call on a huge storehouse of aid without putting all their supplies in one place or a central treasury.

A repeated pattern

Before the Early Church appointed by Jesus and the Church in the wilderness appointed by Moses there was Abraham and Melchisedec who was tithed to and provided a righteous mammon through a network of living Altars.

Israel, the early Church and many nations throughout history gathered in a numerical pattern of tens, hundreds, and thousands.

An overseer is a joint heir in a national and international network and one of the main purposes of an overseer was to account for those he served by keeping everyone connected in a system of service.

He would gather with other overseers like himself in his own congregation called an Order not of the world.

Those who chose him as overseer did so in hope that he would connect them with the rest of the people seeking the kingdom of God in other congregations.

These terms like "bishop" and "overseer" are used regularly in today's modern Church, but what did they mean at the time of the first-century Church by those early Christians?

Does the modern church do what the first-century church did?

Do "bishops" and "overseers" fulfill the same role and duties we see being done in those early days when James explained "pure Religion"?

Do Modern Christians depend on the Church for its Daily ministration of free bread - rightly divided from house to house like by the first-century Church, which was called the Eucharist?

Modern Christians often think it is okay to go to men in government who "exercise authority"[4] but that is the covetous practices condemned by Moses and doctrine of Jesus, and of course by Paul and Peter warned the people that such covetousness was idolatry[10] and would make them merchandise.

The early bishops and deacons provided a righteous system of social welfare through the tables of charity and the voluntary network of of love through the Church appointed by Christ.

Are modern bishops fulfilling the same purpose as the original bishops or overseers of the early Church in the practice of pure Religion, or do modern Christians pray to the government benefactors of the world who exercise authority one over the other?[4]

It does not appear they are in the harlot churches that ride the beast. They do not appear to teach the pure religion that is unspotted by the world. While the teach a reductionist gospel they deliver the people back in the yoke of bondage through the welfare system that Psalms, Proverbs, and Paul call a "snare and trap".[11]

And are their apostles among these men?

And are they Apostles of Christ or someone else?

Titular ministers

The Church is defined as one form of government. For any government to function, there must be participation by the people in the supply and demand of services within and to participants of society.

The titular leaders of a free government cannot be given power to exercise authority over how much or when the people entrust their ministers with their freewill offering. Christ commanded that His appointed ministers not “exercise authority”.

When people lose their daily right to choose, they are made subjects of those who have a right to choose for them.

Servants of sacrifice

What is given to a minister or bishop of the Church is given freely and completely, like a burnt offering or bread cast upon the water, but the free will choice to give must remain with the people. The choice and manner of service provided by that gift must remain entirely with the minister, who is a servant of God.

In essence, this form of sacred purpose trust, with the minister as the steward (a kind of trustee), is at the foundation of His Church and the Daily ministration of Pure Religion.

It has been customary that another group oversees the ministers in a network of service. But again, not as rulers one over the other.

Of course, in truth, the actual overseer of the Church is the Holy Spirit or what is sometimes called the Comforter.[12]

The Apostles met the requirements laid down by Christ. They were prepared to represent the Holy Spirit, and when they had received the power to do so from that Spirit, they were able to go out and preach the Kingdom as the physical representatives of that Comforter. They exercised no authority by their own hand over the people but relied entirely upon the power of that Holy Spirit.

The definition of overseership today might be called "the office or status of an overseer."

Since a deacon was a minister to groups of Tens in a network of Christians. A Bishop was a minister of ten ministers. He might be called an Archdeacon or Archbishop, not because he ruled over the minister but over the responsibility of an office of service. While, these terms are still used today they originally came down to us from the early Church which provided all social welfare for Christians through Pure Religion dependent on a daily ministration of charity.

"An Archdeacon pre-eminently a priest with pastoral gifts and spiritual maturity, able to relate to, encourage and support both clergy and laity in the archdeaconry in their fulfillment of the church's mission". THE DIOCESE OF NEWCASTLE

Preaching the gospel of the kingdom does not isolate congregations under an exclusive pastoral leader or divide the "body of Christ" by denominations. The common denominator for all Christians is Christ who said we were not to be like the governments of the Gentiles who call themselves benefactors but exercise authority one over the other, nor pray to the Fathers of the earth who provide benefits like free bread or the Corban of the Pharisees.

The overseership of the Church established by Jesus does not divide people into isolated groups but is desiring to connect all families in a network of charity and love.

Christ preached the kingdom of God at hand and if we repent and seek it and the righteousness of God it will lead us away from despotism[13] and back to liberty under God.

The modern Church is often making the word of God to none effect like the Pharisees with their state run Corban because it fails to teach the people The Way of Pure Religion and depend heavily on what was called public religion and the covetous practices of the world. These two systems were at the core of the Christian conflict.


  1. ↑ Matthew 13:47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
  2. ↑ 1985 ~ἐπίσκοπος~ episkopos \@ep-is’-kop-os\@ from 1909 and 4649 (in the sense of 1983); n m AV-bishop 6, overseer 1; 7
    1) an overseer
    1a) a man charged with the duty of seeing that things to be done by others are done rightly, any curator, guardian or superintendent
    1b) the superintendent, elder, pastor, or overseer of a Christian church; the NT uses the term bishop, overseers, 1985 pastors, 4166 elders, and presbyters 4245 interchangeably { Acts 20:17,28; Ephesian 4:11; Titus 1:5,7; 1 Peter 5:1-4 etc.}
  3. ↑ Is the Bible about religion which it seldom mentions only once in a good way as Pure Religion or is it about governments and law including Natural Law? "This Bible is for the Government of the People, by the People, and for the People." is attributed to the General Prologue to the John Wycliffe Bible translation of 1384, as Lincoln quoted at Gettysburg.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Not exercise authority
    Matthew 20:25 "But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you:..."
    Mark 10:42 "But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you:..."
    Luke 22:25 "And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye [shall] not [be] so:..."
  5. ↑ Return to family
    Leviticus 25:10 "And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout [all] the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family."
    Leviticus 25:41 "And [then] shall he depart from thee, [both] he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return."
    Exodus 20:2 " I [am] the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage."
    John 8:32 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
    Matthew 23:9 "And call no [man] your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven."
    Romans 8:14 "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 ¶ And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together."
    2 Corinthians 6:18 "And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
    1 John 3:1 ¶ "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not."
  6. ↑ Matthew 13:47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind:
  7. ↑ Garcillasso de Vega, an ancient Inca historian says Peru was divided into small districts containing ten families with each registered under a magistrate.
  8. ↑ 06485 ^דקפ^ paqad \@paw-kad’\@ a primitive root; v; AV-number 119, visit 59, punish 31, appoint 14, commit 6, miss 6, set 6, charge 5, governor 5, lack 4, oversight 4, officers 4, counted 3, empty 3, ruler 3, overseer 3, judgment 2, misc 28; 305 v
    1) to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for
    1a) (Qal)
    1a1) to pay attention to, observe
    1a2) to attend to
    1a3) to seek, look about for
    1a4) to seek in vain, need, miss, lack
    1a5) to visit
    1a6) to visit upon, punish
    1a7) to pass in review, muster, number
    1a8) to appoint, assign, lay upon as a charge, deposit
    1b) (Niphal)
    1b1) to be sought, be needed, be missed, be lacking
    1b2) to be visited
    1b3) to be visited upon
    1b4) to be appointed
    1b5) to be watched over
    1c) (Piel) to muster, call up
    1d) (Pual) to be passed in review, be caused to miss, be called, be called to account
    1e) (Hiphil)
    1e1) to set over, make overseer, appoint an overseer
    1e2) to commit, entrust, commit for care, deposit
    1f) (Hophal)
    1f1) to be visited
    1f2) to be deposited
    1f3) to be made overseer, be entrusted
    1g) (Hithpael) numbered
    1h) (Hothpael) numbered
    n m pl abstr
    2) musterings, expenses</Ref>
  9. ↑ 06486 ^הדקפ^ pᵉquddah \@pek-ood-daw’\@ pass part of 06485; n f; AV-visitation 13, office 5, charge 2, oversight 2, officers 2, orderings 1, account 1, custody 1, numbers 1, misc 4; 32
    1) oversight, care, custody, mustering, visitation, store
    1a) visitation, punishment
    1b) oversight, charge, office, overseer, class of officers
    1c) mustering
    1d) store
  10. ↑ Covetousness is idolatry
    Colossians 3:5 "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:"
    Ephesians 5:5 "For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God."
    1 Corinthians 5:10 "Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat."
  11. ↑ Table as a snare
    Psalms 69:22-23 “Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. 23 Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake."”
    Romans 11:9 “And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them:”
    Proverbs 23:1 "When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what [is] before thee: 2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. 3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat."
    Exodus 23:32 "Thou shalt make no covenant with them, nor with their gods. 33 They shall not dwell in thy land, lest they make thee sin against me: for if thou serve their gods, it will surely be a snare unto thee."
    Exodus 34:12 "Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:"
    Deuteronomy 7:16 "And thou shalt consume all the people which the LORD thy God shall deliver thee; thine eye shall have no pity upon them: neither shalt thou serve their gods; for that [will be] a snare unto thee."
    Judges 2:2 "And ye shall make no league [covenant] with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?"
    Proverbs 1:10 "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not."
    Proverbs 6:2 “Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.” Swear not
    Luke 21:34 "And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and [so] that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth."
    1 Timothy 6:9 "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and [into] many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
  12. ↑ Parakletos translated comforter 4, advocate 1. 1) summoned, called to one’s side, esp. called to one’s aid. 1a) one who pleads another’s cause before a judge, a pleader, counsel for defense, legal assistant, an advocate.
  13. ↑ : “Despotism, suspicious by its very nature, views the separation of men as the best guarantee of its own permanence and usually does all it can to keep them in isolation. No defect of the human heart suits it better than egoism; a tyrant is relaxed enough to forgive his subjects for failing to love him, provided they do not love one another. He does not ask them to help him to govern the state; it is enough that they have no intention of managing it themselves. He calls those who claim to unite their efforts to create general prosperity “turbulent and restless spirits” and, twisting the normally accepted meaning of the words, he gives the name of “good citizens” to those who retreat into themselves.”
    “Thus the vices fostered by tyranny are exactly those supported by equality. These two things are complementary and mutually supportive, with fatal results.” Democracy in America: And Two Essays on America, by Alexis de Tocqueville
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