Burdened…

Last night I toured the Mormon Temple Square in Salt Lake City.  It was an amazing place.  I walked away burdened, not only for the salvation of my Mormon friends, but for the state of which the Big-C church, particularly in America, is.

Why isn’t Christ making a difference in people’s lives in the nonMormon church?  Why is the divorce rate just as high in the church as it is among the unchurched?  Why isn’t the Church as a whole full of the same devotion and fervor as the Mormon church?  Why doesn’t the American church-goer really try to live the commandments of Christ?  Jesus himself commanded twice “Go and sin no more.” (John 5:14, 8:11)  He wouldn’t give a command that wasn’t “keepable”.  So why do we keep on intentionally sinning?  Because we either do not know God, or we do not fear God.

I can’t help but play Matt 7:21-23 over and over in my head.  (By the way relek95, I thought you were going to do the 10 scariest passages in the Bible… to my count, this was the first and only one you did… I’m looking forward to the other nine…)

21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

So who are those that know Him?    That word “know” is an expression of intimacy. 27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. (Jn 10:27-28).

I am burdened that the American church-goer abuses the grace and mercy of our Father because we – as the American church – have no idea how much our sin hurts Him and how it is so disgusting and offensive to Him.  I wonder how many people in the American church really “fear’ Him, I mean, really, really, fear him.  We’ve so preached the goodness, mercy and grace of Father, that it’s almost like we’ve stripped Him of the awe-factor and honor and respect and fear that He is due.

I, for one, am choosing to live Christ’s commands, but not out of a “settling the scoresheet”, or “I owe Him so much”, or “I’m working for a higher position in eternity” mentality, but out of the knowledge that I cannot ever repay Him for the Grace and Mercy He’s shown me.  I am incapable of any works worthy.  “My righteousness is as a filthy rag” (Is. 64:6).  I choose to live his commands because I love him and intimately know him and hear His voice.  I do it out of relationship, not out of religion.  I do it out of gratefulness, not out of paying my debt, because He paid my debt for me. (Jn 3:16)

Thank Y’all

I really missed you guys.  I missed doing this.  I appreciate what this has been doing for me now that Ihave been out for a week.  I went back and read through everything I have missed, and God has really surprised me I think.  I don’t know if its because I have been in it for a while that it made it easier to see the change now that I have been removed for a week.  I think its a lot like a dog or child when your around it everyday and see it all the time you get used to it and don’t see the change or growth as much as when you just visit it every once in a while.  There has been incredible growth in you guys even over just a week.  Your writing, insight, obedience and love for Dad is incredible to see and read.  I am honored to be a part of this with such men like this.

As I was reading God started showing me things as well.  We had an incredible Quest.  4 were saved and all of them got incredible freedom, thank you God.  We had a couple that were pretty tough on this one.  It took till right after worship on sat. night until one broke.  Both men had already decided and claimed that they were not getting in the chair.  One was a bible teacher at a college and written a book on Holy Spirit, the other was a KJV only type of guy bound in religion and pride.  God did some incredible things through me this week, but with that came the enemy attacking me as well.  Neither guy liked me at all, until the end, because of the challenge and the way I lead through ministry times.  It really began to get to me there for a bit because it started making me doubt and feel pretty bad.  I would really like it if someone else took up the role of pissing everyone off you know.  Well, the enemy began to tell me how not qualified I am to speak to someone like that i.e. written books, teaches bible college, knows the KJV of the bible, or whatever.  Maybe I screwed up and misquoted something, maybe I said it wrong, I probably shouldn’t even be doing this I mean I am too young right? And I am a jerk right?  I don’t have a compassionate heart and I don’t speak truth in love……all these things began to haunt my mind and attack me.  Luckily I had some men around me who love me and see me the way Dad sees me.  I play a vital role in this ministry as of now.  Not pridefully just recognizing how Dad made me.  Most guys on this Quest, maybe all of them, would have shut down or been really hurt with the fact that others didn’t like them, or in the fact that they hurt someones feeling.  God has allowed me to piss off enough people and walk through that, because of that I might have been the only one to say those things and ultimately bring them to a place to recognize themselves without it affecting me as much as others.  I began to think I was the middle finger of the “body’ you know.  I am still an important piece in God’s Kingdom.  I am not too young, or immature, my calling and anointing isn’t different or lesser than anyone elses.  I am Dad’s favorite son.  So, I have to reject that and move on. 

I had a devo, planned for today but that isnt what I have journaled.  This is my journal.  God showed me through yalls writing that I am different than I was a year ago.  Dad is breaking my heart and making me a “purple.”  I do have compassion and love for others.  I am not the middle finger stuck in the air yelling screw off to everyone.  Thank you guys for your live’s that have inspired me to look at mine.  This is going to be an incredibly hard year, but transforming, get ready boys.

Church Study #10…..Teachers

After reading scripture about teachers, I am under the same belief that pastors and teachers might either be the same gifting or the same person with both gifting.  There is a reason that the writer in Ephesians wrote the way he did and did not space or make difference to either of those.  They were grouped together in a way that people understood them to be alike.  So, I think I believe that to be a preacher one must also be a teacher, and if you are a teacher you are in the role or should be of a preacher.  Here is what I have found about teachers:

DEFINITION:
Means “teacher”, one who instructs or teaches.  Translated in new testament as:

• “master”: in the gospels applying to Jesus. In James 3:1.
• “teacher” everywhere else in the new testament.

TYPE OF WORK:

1. A teacher is an establisher, and a strengthener.  He is not an establisher in works (apostolic), but in rooting and grounding people in the Word of God, in the truths of the Bible, so that they can stand the attacks of Satan, and walk in faith.  Without a teacher, people:

·         would not be able to grow up in the Lord, to stand and walk,  

·         be carried about by every wind of false doctrine (Eph 4:14),

·         might move in the gifts, but never come to maturity of character

II Tim     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.

Notice that teachers were above miracles, and gifts of healings (1 Cor 12:28).  If you don’t get teaching, you have to get healed again, and again, and again.  But proper teaching will get you where you can continually walk in your health, and you will not need to be healed all the time of the same things (that is maturity)!

Romans    12:2
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

1. A teacher will emphasize the accuracy of the Word, and usually teach line upon line, precept upon precept.  He will teach systematically, and use examples and illustrations, to assist your understanding.

Isaiah    28:9-10
Whom shall he teach knowledge?  and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.  For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:

1. Usually, but not confined to a roving or traveling ministry (Acts 13:1 – Paul).  The knowledge is not dry, but fresh, new, and alive!

Matthew   13:52
Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

Hebrews    6:1-2
Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,  Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.

1. A teacher will have strong revealed knowledge from God!

I Cor     11:23
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:

Gal        1:11-12
But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.  For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1. The teaching will be by divine ability and anointing. (John 14:26)

Though a teacher may be based in a church, and teach at that church, he is a part of the five fold ministry.  He should also teach (minister) from the pulpit.  There is a difference between teaching and preaching at pulpit.  A teacher is not a “Sunday School teacher” as we think of them; we all have some natural ability to teach or explain things.  Also, some in the church may have a motivational gift to “teach” (Rom 12:7), but this is not a divine call, gift, or anointing into the five fold.  A Sunday School teacher will not have the deep revelation knowledge given directly by God that a five fold ministry teacher would have.

Church Study #9……Evangelists

I started reading alot about evangelism.  I found out that every one of the top 100 companies to work for in 2008 has a position for an evangelist.  When you read what I have read it makes sense that they do.

The word evangelist is derived from a Greek word transcribed as âœeuangeliona, which originally meant a reward for good news (later known as gospel) given to the messenger.  The word has been described to mean a pro-claimer of the gospel.  William W. Combs, in describing the Biblical role of the evangelist, concluded that …”the evidence seems to strongly suggest that he (the evangelist) functioned not as an itinerant revivalist preacher but as a missionary church planter. As such, these gifted men were, and still are, truly vital to the NT (New Testament) church. This work of evangelizing the lost and forming them into local NT churches deserves the prayers and support of all members of the body of Christ.”

While a revivalist preacher promotes ideas of an earlier time, a church planter seek to establish new churches. This is usually accompanied with help from a denomination, a local church or churches, a network, an association, and/or other church planting resources.  From what I have read these are some of the qualities in an Evangelist.

- The Great Commission matters to me -

-I am a leader -

-I like starting things-

- I enjoy meeting people-

- We have never done it that way before is a battle cry to action-

- I’m a rebel at heart-

- For those who would like to start over-

- Fulfill your dreams for ministry in birthing a new church -

- Lead the church to what you’ve always dreamed for it to be-

- I want to mold a church with a minimum amount of baggage-

- I want to lead and pastor from the get-go-

- Give me an opportunity to mold the church before it gets moldy -

- I want to start a church from scratch. -

- I am tired of struggling with tradition in the church -

- I want a new horizon in ministry-

- The purpose driven church makes sense to me -

- Jesus died on the cross for lost people -

As I unpack these qualities, it is obvious to me that the fundamental role of the evangelist is to start something new  and to drive change. To achieve this however, the evangelist needs to have the following:

- A fundamental belief in a cause.

- Very good leadership qualities.

- Very good communication and social skills.

- Desire for change.

There is a great quote from a pastor in England I read about and He said. “Evangelism is one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.”

Church Study #8…..Pastors

The office of a pastor in the Christian church has been a role that has been accepted without question over the past 400+ years.  Since the days of John Calvin, church government has consisted of the pastor and the elders, who are elected representatives of the congregation.  This governmental structure is almost exclusively pyramid in nature with the pastor as the head and the elder board beneath him.  This is clearly in conflict with the teachings of the New Testament, as I will prove.  The Greek word for elder is “presbyteros”.  The literal meaning of the word refers to an older man, or an elder.  This meaning need not be applied merely to those who are elderly, as is seen in the apostle Paul ‘s letter to Timothy.  It is apparent Timothy was in a position of leadership, or oversight: 2 Timothy 1:1, 2, 6,   2 Timothy  2:15,  2 Timothy  4:1-5.  Timothy even traveled with Paul on his apostolic journeys, alluding to a role as an apostle.  Yet in spite of his calling as an elder and leader, he was a younger man: 1 Timothy 4:11-16.   Ben we know this one.  So we see that an elder is not necessarily an older man, but his qualifications for this office must reflect his maturity and understanding of the word of God: 1 Timothy 3:1-7   

The Greek work for pastor is “poimen”.  The literal meaning of the word poimen is shepherd.  English translations of the Bible only translate poimen as “pastor” only one time in the entire New Testament in Ephesians 4:11.  Here pastor is listed as one of the God appointed offices in the church, but it is plural “pastors” and rules of Greek grammar here demand that pastors and teachers here refer to one office.  So if we accurately translate poimen to be shepherds, and it is one office, more properly Ephesians 4:11 reads “shepherds as teachers.” The Greek word poimen is translates as “shepherd” 17 times in the New Testament; below are its various uses:

4 times it is used of literal shepherds caring for literal sheep;

8 times it refers to Jesus as the Great Shepherd of the church;

4 times it refers to leadership of true believers, as either true or false leaders;

1 time it is used of an office in the church.

 In all contexts, other than Ephesians 4:11, poimen is used as shepherd because God’s people are viewed as sheep of the flock.   

 Another Greek word derived directly from poimen is its verb form poimaino; poimaino is also used in the context of what a shepherd does when caring for the sheep.  Poimaino literally means, “to act as a shepherd,” and is used 11 times in the New Testament.  Poimaino is translated, “feed, “ 7 times and as, “rule,” 4 times in the King James Version.  More accurate translations, (such as the New American Standard), translate the same word poimaino as “shepherd, tending, tends, and shepherding.”   Poimaino is a verb, whereas poimen is a noun and therefore poimaino shows the function of a shepherd.  Hence, this is why the King James translators mistranslate poimaino as, “to feed.”  They make an assumption that feeding is the primary task of a shepherd, when in reality the shepherd leads the sheep to pasture, but has many more important duties.  One of the foremost functions that a true shepherd fulfills includes guarding them and bringing them into the sheepfold.

 Since the office of shepherds as teachers, (i.e. – pastors/teachers), is only mentioned once, (in Ephesians 4:11), we must examine other scriptures where we see this office operating or being mentioned.  A close look at the context of where poimaino is used will help.  The following texts are quoted from the Concordant Literal New Testament:

 John 21:16  “Shepherd my sheep”

 Acts 20:28  “Take heed to yourselves and to the entire flocklet, among which the holy spirit appointed you supervisors, to be shepherding the ecclesia of God…”

 I Cor 9:7  “Who is warring at any time supplying his own rations?  Who is planting a vineyard and not eating of its fruit?  Or who is tending a flock and not eating of the milk of the flock?”

 

 

Church Study #7…..Apostles

The meaning of the word apostles are the sent forth ones. It comes from the Greek I send and from and is essentially the same word apostolos as we use in English. The original twelve disciples are the foundation apostles that stand as the pillars of the church. They were to “be with Jesus” and were called to cast out demons. There are pillars of the church called to be apostles today with the definite higher calling of the apostolic gift but the word apostle also includes anyone who has been sent by God for a special calling like missionaries or special emissaries. Paul, Barnabas and Silas all held the office of apostles “sent” by the Lord, as well as the disciples and many other New Testament persons. An apostle in any age is one that has been sent by God to bring the church to maturity.

Today’s apostles are still being sent out from Jesus to carry His message. Apostles are numbered with the five-fold ministry with the prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers until “we all come in the unity of the faith.” When you are sent, you go in the name of the One who sent you. When Jesus said to His disciples, “As my Father has sent me, even so I send you,” in Matthew 10:16, He was using the Greek word apostle. He used the same word apostle when He sent out the seventy in Luke 10. Our last day apostles will dwell in the holy of holies to bring others in with them behind Jesus in order to perfect the church and prepare us as the spotless bride of Christ.

Basically, an apostle will set standards for the church according to divine mandate. Apostles have been limited by some to being church planters but we cannot limit anything that God has for us in the role of an apostle. They will establish ministries, which includes church planting but it could also be other things, a traveling missionary could be an apostle, you could have an apostolic calling on the internet, many do. Especially in these last days, apostles are given to bring churches together more than establishing new ones. The time is short, we do not need new churches, we need perfected ones and the apostolic ministry is given that task.

Since the recognition of apostles is found in the prophetic spirit, the existence of modern day apostles cannot be denied except by those that deny the spirit in full measure. It is a collective spirit that is not subject to the leadership of any one man or one church but to the Holy Ghost and each other as we all submit to the Lord.

In the everyday life of Greco-Roman world, an apostle was one sent to arrange a marriage or divorce or to deliver a legal decision. The Jewish Sanhedrin had its apostles also and sent messengers with information to the various outlining communities. Paul was at first an emissary of the Sanhedrin, an apostolos, he later became an apostle for Jesus. The seventy disciples that Jesus sent out door to door were apostles.

Billy Graham uses the word apostle in three senses. First, apostleship is used in a general sense that all of us are sent into the world by Christ. The second uses are the messengers sent on particular errands. The third is the gift of apostleship.

Jesus is the One gathering the apostles together in these last days, saints included, to a unity that cannot be of any one ministry or of any one man or of any one group or one sex or denomination or church in any way except in the sense that we are the Body of Christ with Jesus as the Head and with us as members of His body. The Head does the thinking and we follow that direction. Jesus will be the true shepherd and will gather us to Him by His spirit. There is, of course, opposition from the conservative, traditional, doctrines of men.

This is a perfect question with a perfect answer. Am I an apostle? God knows and I don’t really care. If there is truly an apostolic anointing on your life, I mean a true apostolic anointing, it makes no difference if you called an apostle or even think that you are one. If it is true, then the perfect will of the Father will be done, no matter what the calling is called. God’s will be done, not mine, not yours, just His; no titles, no delineation, just obedience. What does it matter what others say or do or call you? Just do His will and care not about what others say.

There are numerous references to apostles in the New Testament besides the original twelve. The original Greek must be consulted in several of these examples.

 

• The Seventy (Luke 10:1, 3) Matthias (Acts 1:26)
• James, the Lord’s brother (Gal. 1:19)
• Paul (Acts 14:14)
• Barnabas (Acts 14:4, 14; 1 Cor. 9:5 & 6)
• Apollos (1 Cor. 4:6-9)
• Andronicus (Rom. 16:7)
• Junia (Rom. 16:7)
• Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25, {messenger is apostle in the Greek}
• Titus (2 Cor. 8:23 {also messenger)
• Unamed brother with Titus (2 Cor. 8:18, 23)
• Timothy (1 Thess. 1:1, 2:6)
• Silas/Silvanus (1 Thess. 1:1, 2:6)

Church Study #6…..Prophets

Eph 4:11-12 “11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:”

The role of a Prophet is placed in the five fold ministry, and a Prophet’s job is not anymore important than the other four roles. The role of: Apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers are as equally vital to the five fold ministry as Prophets are, and we will get into those roles later.  A Prophet’s role and purpose in the five fold ministry is to bring revelation and prophetic perspective, sometimes what a Prophet brings into the ministry may conflict with an Apostle or Pastors perspective. It is the job of the five fold ministry to look at all perspectives and test them, a Prophet’s perspective may not always be favored in the five fold ministry, and sometimes a Prophet needs to humble himself and accept that he’s not always going to have the answer.

A Prophets job in ministry is for the “perfecting of the saints” as it says in Eph 4:12.  A Prophets job is to perfect the saints by equipping them with prophetic knowledge, giving them revelations, and edifying them with prophetic words. Contrary to popular belief that a Prophet walks around on a pedestal like he’s better than everyone else, this is simply a false assumption and a false ideology being practiced in today’s churches. Very often a Prophet is worshipped as some kind of golden calf that has all the answers, but this is wrong because a Prophet is no more important than anyone else in a five fold ministry, although sometimes people think they are.

 A Prophet is a designated and ordained position in the church, and it’s important a church congregation and especially the Pastor and Apostle in the church are made aware of your calling. When a Pastor and Apostle are made aware of your calling they can advise you, and place you in a position in the church where you can be of benefit to others. If someone in the church needs a prophetic word of encouragement, it’s important that they be aware that you’re a Prophet, so that they can come to you for a word of prophetic encouragement if the Lord directs them to you; it’s no different than a congregation member approaching their Pastor for advice on their marriage. Pastor’s are there to Shepard and direct the congregation on practical and important issues in life in accordance with scripture, and a Prophet is there to give prophetic revelations and prophetic words of encouragement to the congregation.

People have this idea that a Prophet is a rare person who walks around calling fire down upon people, and who strides around town in a white robe,like me.  But the fact is, simple men from all works of life are called to take up the position of a Prophet in the church. We don’t often see Prophets in churches because in today’s church the Ministers oppress spiritual gifts, because if someones spiritual gift begins to flourish, the Ministers are afraid of losing total control over the congregation. But realistically, Prophets should be in the church working with the Pastors and other Ministers. Realistically from God’s perspective, there should be a Prophet in every church working in concert with the other four ministry callings. A Prophet is a normal position and a normal part of church ministry life, and hearing the idea that a Prophet is in your church, should just be as normal as hearing there is an evangelist in your church.

We should look at the role of a Prophet in the church as the role of a plumber. When you are maintaining a building, you need a builder who can renovate the building and keep it well structured, and this is the job of an Apostle, an Apostles job is to build the framework of the church. A Pastors job is like the job of a foreman, and he is there to direct and Shepard people, a teachers job is to instruct others on how to perform certain exploits in accordance with scripture, an evangelists job is to enlist new contractors to help in the construction of the building. A Prophets job is like the job of a plumber, because it’s a Prophet’s Job to keep the water of life pumping and flowing through the pipes of the building.

A Prophet is there to perfect the saints and inspire them with a vision that keeps them laboring as they look to that vision for hope.

1 Cor 12-14, Eph 4,  2 Pet 1:20-21, 1 Jn 4,

Church Study #4….Division

In the religious world today there are many different religious groups. Each has its own peculiar name, organization, doctrine, form of worship, and plan of salvation. Why are there so many religious groups?

Nearly all Bible students agree that in the New Testament there was only one church belonging to Jesus. Denominations did not exist. But today there are hundreds of churches all claiming to believe in God and most claiming to follow Jesus. Where did they all come from?

Could it be that people in all these churches are pleasing to God and are following Jesus? In 1 Corinthians 1:10 Paul rebuked the Corinthian church because there was division among the members there. If God condemned that division, why would He overlook the fact that far greater division exists today? In verse 13 Paul asked, “Is Christ divided?”  The clear answer is:No, Christ is not divided! Jesus does not contradict Himself. He does not teach one thing to one person, and then teach the opposite to someone else. But the modern denominations do contradict one another. How then can they all be following Jesus? Jesus is not divided, so denominational division did not come from Jesus. Where then did it come from?

In Acts 20:29,30 the apostle Paul spoke to a group of bishops and made this prediction: “…after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.”  After Paul left, there would be apostasy among God’s people. Religious leaders in the church would pervert or change the gospel in order to get a following for themselves.

Peter, Paul, and other first-century disciples were Christians, but what denomination were they members of? None at all! Denominational division, as we know it, did not exist in the first century. All Christians were in one body, the church which belongs to Jesus(Matt. 16:18; Eph. 4:3-6).  First-century Christians were members of Jesus’ church, but not members of any denomination. Why can’t you and I do the same today?

I wonder if  Jesus was even pleased with the existence of so many different denominations? In John 17:20,21, Jesus prayed concerning those who believe in Him, “that they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee.” In denominations today, are all people one as the Father and Son are one?

So, how can we be just Christians today without contributing to denominational division? Well, how did people do it in the first century? They obeyed the teachings of Jesus given in the gospel. Obedience to the gospel cleansed them from sin and then the Lord added them to His church (Acts 2:36-41,47).  If you and I follow the same gospel, won’t the same thing happen to us (see Acts 2:39)?

But suppose instead we follow the creed book or church law of some denomination. What then would we become? We would become members of that denomination, right? Or if we followed the laws of some other denomination, we would become members of that denomination. However, following just the New Testament would make us simply children of God, just like it did in the first century (1 Peter 1:22,23; Gal. 3:26,27).

Denominational doctrines make denominational members. The New Testament makes just Christians.  Consider the evidence that the existence of modern denominational division fulfills these prophecies. Modern denominational division came about over a period of hundreds of years because men departed from God’s will. Get back to God’s will and maybe we get back to God’s church?

Church study #2…..The Beginning?

Yesterday I started looking at the question of whether or not the church now could even look like the original church that Jesus set up.  I feel like God answered that question, we can and should look like that.  So, when did Jesus’ church begin? The New Testament often mentions Jesus’ church, but when and where did it begin?

 Many passages predict the beginning of the church. Daniel 2 predicts a kingdom that God would set up during the Roman Empire. John the Baptist taught that this kingdom was “at hand” (Matthew 3:1,2). Later in Matthew 16:18, Jesus promised, “I will build my church.” Notice that all these passages look forward to the beginning of the church. Even during Jesus’ lifetime, the church did not exist, but He predicted He would build it.

If we now look toward the end of the New Testament, we will find the church definitely in existence. In 1 Timothy 3:15 Paul instructed men how to behave themselves “in the church.” In Colossians 1:13 he said that he and other Christians were in the kingdom.

The book of Acts records the history of the early church.  Acts 20:28 says that Jesus purchased the church with His blood. Moving toward the beginning of the book, we find the church in existence in Acts 8:1 and 5:11. But the book of Acts begins with the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Notice that the church did not exist during Jesus’ lifetime, but it did exist soon afterward. Clearly it must have begun shortly after Jesus’ death.

So we can go back and see the beginning of the church, you will find it in Acts chapter 2.  On a Jewish feast day called Pentecost, Peter preached the first gospel sermon.  He told people to “repent and be baptized for the remission of sins” (v38), and three thousand obeyed.  Then in Acts 2:47 (KJV) we read: “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” The church had begun! It began in Jerusalem on Pentecost.  That is when the church fellowship started.  Did it start before that though?

Paul in Ephesians 2 describes the foundation of this temple as the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus being the chief cornerstone.  This is like 1 Peter 2:4-8 and Psalm 118:22 where Jesus is also said to be the chief cornerstone. Likewise, 1 Corinthians 3:11says there can be no foundation other than Jesus Christ (see also Matthew 16:18 where Jesus – not Peter – is the stone on which the church is built, or at least the truth that was given to Peter through Holy Spirit).

These other passages make clear that Jesus Himself is the foundation. Like Shoe I will give a short history lesson.  The chief cornerstone was the foundational stone in ancient architecture, from which all measurements began, so every other stone was laid in relationship to the cornerstone. Clearly this position belongs to Jesus.

But if Jesus is the foundation, then in what sense is it the foundation “of the apostles and prophets ” Ephesians 2:20-22.  Some claim this means the apostles and prophets are the foundation, but such a view would directly contradict the above passages. 

OK now a quick Greek lesson “Of the apostles” in the Greek is a possessive (genitive plural). It simply means belonging to or pertaining to the apostles and prophets. It does not say the apostles and prophets are the foundation, but simply that the foundation in some way pertains or relates to them.  We say a similar thing when we say this is the “Smith’s house” (Greek would use genitive here). No one would conclude that the Smiths are the house, but that it belongs to or pertains to them.  If an architectural firm designed a building or a construction firm built a building, we might say, “This is one of Smith and Brown’s buildings.” We do not mean that Smith and Brown are the building, but only that they designed or constructed it, etc. This is all that is meant in Greek by “of the apostles and prophets.”

So in what way does Jesus, as the foundation or chief cornerstone, pertain to the apostles and prophets? They revealed the gospel message which made known to the world about Jesus as the foundation of the church and how people can become members of that church. They were His ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:18-21). Peter had the keys of the kingdom (Matt. 16:18,19), which he used when he preached the sermons that taught people how to enter.

This is similar to Acts 2:42, which refers to the “apostles’ doctrine.” This does not mean they are the doctrine, nor even that they originated it. It is theirs only in the sense that they were responsible to reveal and teach it.  Likewise, the foundation is theirs only in that they revealed and taught the message about it.

To say the apostles and prophets are the foundation would be to the make the same mistake some people make on Matt. 16:18 when they claim Peter was the rock on which the church is built. To so state would exalt a man to a position God never intended, and thereby fail to truly exalt Jesus to the position He deserves. The practical consequences is seen in Catholicism and Mormonism and such groups, who have exalted their priesthood/hierarchy (especially popes) to positions all out of proportion to what God ever intended. Yet they justify their position by misusing passages such as these.  Specifically, Mormonism claims that “the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets” means apostles and prophets must be living on earth in order for the true church to exist; so any church which does not have living apostles on earth cannot be the true church. While it is true that the work of the apostles pertained to the founding or beginning of the church, yet Jesus is the chief cornerstone. Must Jesus  be living on earth in order for the church to exist? Obviously not. Then why must we have apostles and prophets living on earth in order for the church to exist? We do not need apostles living on earth today any more than we need Jesus living on earth today!

So, the church didn’t really begin in Acts. 2 but before that with Jesus.  Gen 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.  God wasn’t alone there and talking to himself.  Jesus and Holy Spirit were there as well.  So if Jesus is the beginning of the church and truth given through Holy Spirit are the keys to the kingdom than the church started long ago, and we are just seeing the fruit of people walking as the church. 

Church study #1

I have so many questions about the Church in today’s time.  Why don’t we live like the Acts church and the churches Paul talks to throughout Timothy and Revelations and Philippians?  So the next little study I will be doing is about the church, then and now.  Today I started trying to find answers throughout scripture about whether or not our time can look like theirs.  Can we really see or experience the things they did.  That is a huge debate among many people.  Some say that church is gone and was only for that time and place.  Others say we are in the age of that style or type of church.  So here we go……

The Bible plainly predicts: “For the time will come when [men] will not endure sound doctrine…” but “they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Timothy 4:3,4).This prophecy has been fulfilled, resulting in many man-made denominations nowhere mentioned in the Bible.  As well all the different teachings that have come across our ears that contradict each other so well.  Since this is true, we ask whether it is possible for the church to exist today as it did in the New Testament; and if so, how?

We can begin by looking at where the church went wrong I suppose.  Tracing a succession of church leaders back to the first century would prove nothing though. For if, as the Bible predicts, a church departed from God’s way somewhere in history, that church would displease God, even if it could trace its leaders back to the first century.  Since our churches have not been corrected, whether our fault or our church fathers, it is still in sin and does not flow with Jesus’ teaching of how we are to live.

There are a lot of options I think we could take to figure out where we went wrong and how we screwed up and whether or not we can ever go back to that and, but actually, God has provided a very simple means to guarantee that His church can exist in any age. That means is the power of the gospel. The New Testament often refers to the gospel as seed. Just as plants and animals reproduce by means of seed, so people become Christians – members of the New Testament church – by means of God’s seed, the gospel.  When seed from a plant is planted into good soil, that seed sprouts and produces a plant of the same type as that from which the seed came. Likewise, 1 Peter 1:23 teaches that we are “born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides for ever.” It is by the seed of God’s word, then, that we are “born again” to become children in God’s family, which is the church (1 Timothy 3:15).  The gospel seed is preserved by God’s power so it will exist in every age, having power to make true Christians of those who are willing to obey it. In this way, New Testament Christians can be formed in any age and any place.  All we need is to plant God’s Word in people’s hearts by diligent teaching of God’s true gospel without any human changes.  When people obey, they are born again into God’s family, the one true church (Acts 2:47).

This is the beginning of answering the question of whether or not we even can get back to the Acts time of the church.  The problem then is the teaching of the gospel of Jesus.  It has either been watered down or taught with our own prejudices and opinions.  If we will teach people the way Jesus did I think we will begin to see things we have all wanted to experience and be a part of.  Can it really be that easy?