Beginning with Samuel, God blessed Israel with truth-tellers; God calls them prophets. A true prophet tells the whole truth, and his focus is always redemption. They warned Israel repeatedly for their sins and hard hearts. Israel was a nation of idolaters until their captivity; following their exile, they became a nation that worshipped one God.
During the 400 years of silence, that culminated in the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus, they became meticulously religious. Nonetheless, they worshipped a god of their own making. They never took heed to the warnings of God's word, which brings us to the Church. For this post, we will look back on Church history so that when we see Jesus, the rightful king, we will hear his words in light of what was to come. As Jesus warned Israel, even so, He has warned the Church. Do we hear His warnings today?
The Church began through a revival, not an imitation of revival but an authentic phenomenon. That is, the cause and explanation for the event known as Pentecost have been in question. Some people view Pentecost as normative for Christianity, and others call it revival.
Pentecost was strictly a Jewish event. Just before His ascension, Jesus said, "...but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and as far as the remotest part of the earth."
The power that the early Church received was not unique to them alone, but to the extent that it happened only occurs during revivals. "And all the believers were together and had all things in common; and they would sell their property and possessions and share them with all, to the extent that anyone had need." (Acts 2:44, 45)
The natural course of life was suspended for a time. If there was a need among the early Church is was met and in a complete way. Most regenerate Churches meet the needs of their people and beyond. This Church brought people into one another's homes, and they became family. Pentecost was the first home Church movement.
As the Church ventured out into other parts of the world, the Holy Spirit's power began to depart, and sin entered into the Church more and more. The New Testament is primarily the Apostles' warnings to keep the Church focus on the truth concerning humility and, thereby, filled with God's power that alone can make holiness possible.
Persecutions followed, but eventually, the world system swallowed up Christianity. For nine-hundred years
Roman Catholicism turned Christianity into a political state. Popes and kings competed for the power to rule; remember, Israel was never meant to have an earthly king, much less Christianity. There remained only a remnant of authentic believers among the multitudes of people that called themselves Christian.
Then, five-hundred years ago, God restored the Gospel to the remnant Church. The Reformation, however, never restored the ministry as it was at the beginning through the Apostles. My dear readers, I do not speak of Apostolic gifts of miracles but of humility. Sadly, lowliness has been lacking in the Church, primarily due to the believed need to compete with the world over scholastic achievements.
The Church has benefited much from the reacquisition of the Gospel and Bibles for all. However, hearing what God has to say and do what He requires can be, unfortunately, far removed. Following the Reformation, there came massive divisions that have fractured the Church into a thousand pieces. We are not primarily concerned with the apostate Church but the remnant. It, too, has been splintered.
On the way to His death on a cross as a dying man, Jesus expressed one primary desire as He prayed to the Father. He wanted to give up His life to uncomparable death and suffering for the Father's will to separate a people from the world system to be one and glorify Him.
Church Calling
"The glory which You have given Me I also have given to them, so that they may be one, just as We are one." (John 17:22) God's glory is the expression of His being without corrupting the message. Jesus perfectly expressed the glory of God. "God ...in these last days has spoken to us in His Son ...And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature..." (Hebrews 1:1-3)
How do you think the Church is doing at fulfilling God's will as His Son proclaimed it? "I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me..." (John 17:23) My dear readers, if you answer my question, please try not to read into the present-day Church what you want to be there, but what is.
Is the Church comprised of equals? That is, do we all view one another by the blood that He spilled and the suffering He endured to make us holy? Does the Church understand that the fulfillment of one primary goal produces an obedient Church? Our primary purpose is to be one with God, which results in one with each other. We are not talking about some comradery among local Church members, and definitely not some click that makes us feel good about how we get along with whom we can relate.
We are talking about presenting our bodies as a holy and living sacrifice to not adapt to this world system. Hence, God will transform us by renewing our minds. We must come out of the world to go into the kingdom of God's beloved Son.
The question that needs to be answered by every Church leader and member is this; who is the king? Do we find a Church that suits our fancy or do we conform to the will of God as revealed in His Holy Word? If the Church were doing it properly, we would all be one.
If you would like to attend a Bible study led by yours truly, join me on Zoom Monday at 7 PM. for
The Christian Leader
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