SPIRITUAL MAINTENANCE BLOGS WORD SHOPPE = BLOGS, BLURBS & BOOKS / 2013 / august 8 THE CALLED OUT ONES! THE ISRAEL OF GOD!Galatians 6:16 The CHURCH is an ekklesia, an assembly of God’s people, called out from the world, never means a building. The English “church” derives from from the Middle English “chirche” which is from the German “Kirche”, which is from the Greek “Kuriakon”, which sometimes means building, where early ecclesia worshiped, and came from “kurios”, Lord or master,” which,In turn, came from “ kuros” meaning “authority, supreme power.” WILLIAM BARLOW Out of this same mind set came the laity/clergy error that has forever Infected the CHURCH. Peter set matters straight in the early church with the wonderful revelation of the “PRIESTHOOD OF THE BELIEVER”, that is all believers are equal to each other, and given gifts of the Spirit by which the “EKKLESIA” (the called out ones) is strengthened and grow in grace. 1 Peter 2 “…. CHRIST LOVED THE CHURCH (EKKLESIA – CALLED OUT ONES) AND GAVE HIMSELF UP FOR HER…” EPHESIANS 5:25 “…UPON THIS ROCK (KIND OF FAITH PETER REVEALED) I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH (EKKLESIA – CALLED OUT ONES) …” MATTHEW 16:18 “FOR BY ONE SPIRIT (THE HOLY SPIRIT) WE WERE BAPTIZED INTO ONE BODY (THE CHURCH) …WE WERE ALL MADE (ALL BELIEVERS) TO DRINK OF ONE SPIRIT(THE HOLY SPIRIT) .” 1 CORINTHIANS 12:13 “I PRAY THAT THE EYES OF YO UR HEART MAY BE ENLIGHTENED, SO THAT YOU WILL KNOW WHAT IS THE HOPE OF HIS CALLING , WHAT ARE THE RICHES OF THE GLORY OF HIS INHERITANCE IN THE SAINTS, AND WHAT IS THE SURPASSING GREA TNESS OF HIS POWER TOWARD US WHO BELIEVE, THERE ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WORKING OF THE STRENGTH OF HIS MIGHT WHICH GOD BROUGHT ABOUT IN CHRIST , WHEN HE RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD AND SEATED HIM AT HIS RIGHT HAND IN THE HEAVENLY PLACES, FAR ABOVE ALL RULE AND AUTHORITY AND POWER AND DOMINION, AND EVERY NAME THAT IS NAMED, NOT ONLY IN THIS AGE (JEWISH AGE ) BUT ALSO IN THE ONE TO COME. AND HE PUT ALL THINGS IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEET , AND GAVE HIM AS HEAD OVER ALL THINGS TO THE CHURCH, WHICH IS HIS BODY, THE FULLNESS OF HIM WHO FILLS ALL IN ALL. EPHESIANS 1:18-23, 5:23-30 “…WE, WHO ARE MANY, ARE ONE BODY IN CHRIST, AND INDIVIDUALLY MEMBERS ONE OF ANOTHER”. ROMANS 12:5 “…LOVE ONE ANOTHER, EVEN AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, THAT YOU ALSO LOVE ONE ANOTHE R. BY THIS ALL MEN WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YOU HAVE LOVE ONE FOR ANOTHER.” JESUS / JOHN 14:34-35 CHURCH IS NOT SOMEWHERE WE GO, BUT RATHER WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO OUT OF THE OVERFLOW OF OUR DAILY WALK. I GREW UP GOING TO CHURCH METTINGS EVERY TIME THE DOORS WERE OPENED. I WAS MARRIED TO THE PROGRAMS AND THE PROCESS, WHILE ALL THE TIME MEASURING MY SPIRITUALITY BY MY ENVOLVEMENT IN THEM, RATHER THAN GOD’S GRACE. TODAY THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF GROUPS UNDER DIFFERENT NAMES, CLAIMING TO BE THE ONLY ONE WITH THE TRUTH. MANY SPLIT OFF OF OTHER SPLITS, BECAUSE OF METHODS, PERSONALITIES AND DIFFERING SHADES OF DOCTRINE. MANY TRAVEL UNDER THE SAME NAME WITH AN ADDED WORD TO DECLARE THEIR POINT OF DIFFERENCE. MANY SPEAK OF THEIR CHURCH, THEIR PASTOR AND THEIR PROGRAMS AS IF THEY POSSESSED THE ONLY WAY. IN A CITY THE SIZE OF OURS, EVERY SHOPPING CENTER AND EVERY PART OF TOWN HAS MANY BUILDINGS AND PROPERTIES LABELED CHURCH. AS THE WORLD LOOKS ON, NO DOUBT MANY WOULD ASK WHERE IS THE REAL CHURCH? WHO IS RIGHT? THE SCRIPTURE CLEARLY DECLARES THAT, “THE GOD WHO MADE THE WORLD AND ALL THINGS IN IT, SINCE HE IS LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, DOES NOT DWELL IN TIMPLES MADE WITH HANDS;” ACTS 20:24 AGAIN, “THE MOST HIGH DOES NOT DWELL IN HOUSES (BUILDINGS) MADE BY HUMAN HANDS.” ACTS 7:48 FINALLY THE TRUE HOUSE OF GOD OR TEMPLE OF GOD IS CLEARLY REVEALED, “…DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT YOUR BODY IS A TEMPLE (GOD’S HOUSE) OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO IS IN YOU, WHOM YOU HAVE FROM GOD, AND THAT YOU ARE NOT YOUR OWN?” 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19 I GREW UP HEARING ON SUNDAY MORNINGS, “WE ARE SO GLAD TO SEE YOU IN GOD’S HOUSE” (REFERENCE TO O.T. TEMPLE) WHEN THE TRUTH WAS THAT WE ARE GOD’S HOUSE ( N.T. DWELLING PLACE). WE AS HIS PEOPLE SIMPLY GATHER AND SCATTER. ACTS 17:24 / ACTS 7:48 / JOHN 4:23-24 No man builds the CHURCH but CHRIST alone. Whoever is minded to build the CHURCH is surely on the way to destroying it; for he will build a temple to idols without wishing or knowing it. We must confess, HE builds; we must PROCLAIM HE builds; we must pray to HIM, that he may build. We do not know HIS plan. We cannot see whether HE is building or pulling down. It may be that the times which by human standards are times of collapse are for HIM the great times of construction… it is a great comfort which CHRIST gives to HIS CHURCH; you confess, preach, bear witness to me; and I alone will build where it pleases me. Do not meddle in what is my province. Do what is given to you to do; do it well and you have done enough. But do it well. Pay no heed to views, don’t ask for judg-ments, don’t always be calculating what will happen, don’t be always on the look out for another refuge! CHURCH stay CHURCH; but CHURCH, confess, confess, confess! CHRIST alone is your LORD; from HIS grace alone, can you live. PROCLAIM CHRIST LIVES! DIETRICH BONHOEFFER
Posted on: Wed, 07 Aug 2013 20:45:19 +0000
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