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Characteristics & Definitions of Religion The Church is Not a Building The Church is the Living Body of Christ on Earth The Body Manifests Christ's Love Our Heart's First Call is to Fellowship with G-d The Church's First Call is to Fellowship Who Ministers "The Gospel?" Growing into the Stature of Christ What is the nature of fellowship in G-d? How does the concept of "The Church" relate to the life of believers? What is the importance of ritual and programs in the life of a "Church?" The following will address the question of the nature of the true church and the nature of the fellowship of all believers. Institutional Christianity has done disservice to us by presenting the life of G-d as being predicated upon church activities or services that occur inside a physical edifice! The Church is a Spiritual Body of Believers Christianity is not a philosophical belief system. Christianity isnot an ideology. Christians are not Christians by virtue of their attending a particular church or denominational fellowship. We are not a Christian because our mother or father told us that we were. We are not Christian by default because we are not Buddhist, Hindu or Muslim. G-d has no second generation Christians. We are not even a Christian by virtue of an act of your own will or choosing! We are a Christian because Almighty G-d in heaven enabled you to believe through His Grace and with his hand upon you, brought you into the fellowship of the son of his love, Jesus the anointed. The Gospel message teaches that believers are supernaturally joined into an elect (elected) spiritual body, after our names have been written in the Book of Life. Our names are not written in the Book of Life by G-d in heaven without our knowing it! The day we become a believer is the day that we encounter G-d! In this encounter he touches us, he begins to transform us, and he fills us to overflowing, we will never walk in the darkness of unbelief again! "Behold all things become new!" (2 Corinthians Chapter 5;17.) In the years that we live in this world we see a lot of religious behavior and a great amount of 'church-related' activities but we have witnessed very little of the 'manifestation of G-d,' within the context of the 'church.' Forms of G-dliness without Power Writing in the second letter to the Corinthians in Chapter 6.14, Paul exhorts believers not to 'yoked' to unbelievers, idolaters, the domain darkness or the devil. The admonition concludes that we should dis-attach ourselves from that which has an appearance of G-dliness but is without (spiritual) power! Preaching of Jesus crucified upon the cross for us is the gospel which is the Power of G-d. Most of what we see in our culture as depicting Christianity is a formalistic, tradition-bound religion. It does not teach either the power of G-d or the reality his fellowship with us. Unbelief takes upon itself many form and flavors. Biblical doctrine must not be overlooked but must be understood in the light of Holy Spirit truth. The apostles approach to ministry was valid and enlighted and becomes the template for future believers. The centuries found Christendom departing from the faith. End time deceptions continue to assail to draw us away from the simple truth of G-d's gift of transforming love. Here are some practical definitions of religion. Man's attempt to explain G-d or G-d's ways; Second hand or third-handed accounts about G-d or the truth revealed in his Word; Rituals and customs which are seen to gain favor with G-d; Forms of G-dliness without manifesting G-d's presence or power; Most every programmatic thing that happens inside of church buildings. The Greek word "Ecclessia" is the word translated "church." Its definition refers to those who are called out, "the called out ones." In the writing of Peter's letter, Peter a disciple and apostle declares: " You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a special and peculiar people, that may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (1 Peter 2:9.) The "Church" is this special called out people who share G-d's gift of life and righteousness. The word church has come to refer to a building or a place of worship. Some habitually call the church building "G-d's house." However, the true church is a NOT a building but the spiritual body to which we gave reference. The apostle said, "Do you not know that you are the temple?" When believers come together even as few as two or three, and we gather in Jesus' name, he promises to manifest himself in their midst. Thus the body of Christ gathers itself together in fellowship. This is the church, the body of believers. The Body is the Living Body of Christ in the Earth Jesus
walked the earth and ministered in the flesh. He
is now walking in the flesh in us who believe.
Jesus has come to live and manifest his life within us! Jesus has come to live and manifest his life within us! Sometimes things have to be repeated to jolt us out of our lethargy. The reality of Christ in the flesh has got to impact our theology! It is so amazing so full wonderment that for it to be a mere concept is to indicate a kind of spiritual deadness. The Body of Christ is comprised of many members, many parts and many useful giftings which G-d chooses to impart. Each member has a part to play, each member is needed and has significance. We are members of him. Each is a part of Jesus Himself. He loves his Body. He is one with it as a husband and his bride are one. The union of the body is a great mystery. Christ is the head over it. The fullness of the spirit which filled Christ is fully and freely available to every member of The Body. We honor the Body. We love it. We do not declare war against ourselves by speaking evil against a brother or sister in Christ. We also are given the task of sharing in its growth and edification, therefore each of must contribute of our gifts and substance to its health. A Mystical and Spiritual Life The true church is a spiritual body selected from heaven and connected to heaven by the Holy Spirit to the enthroned Christ. In the book of the Acts, people heard the Gospel, believed the word preached, and made a public witness confirming that they believed that Jesus was the one begotten Son of G-d who was given as a sacrifice for them. They were given power and authority to become "sons of G-d". When this public confession was made the Spirit of G-d came upon them with transforming power and they experienced the miracle of the New Birth. Old things changed and passed away and new things came, (2 Corinthians 5;17.) New love came, new fellowship came. They gathered into houses and praised and worshipped G-d, men and women prophesied, The Scriptures were read with enlightenment and they knew G-d and Christ were in their midst. This was the church of the Book of Acts. Since that day his body has never left it was only added-to. It is the same spiritual body that we may join. The Body Must Manifest the Love of Jesus "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of G-d: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not." (1 John 3:1) "Hereby perceive we the love of G-d, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." (1 John 3:16) The power and redemptive quality of G-d's love has to have a place to manifest and to shine as a light. It is in this body of believers that it shines. Those who see enlightened believers who are Spiritually aflame see kindness and affection, that is unlike the rest of the world. In the fellowship of Christ there is openess (or bond) of affection among true believers not mere civility. There is a sense of care and sharing because we have the nature of G-d's love within us. Perfect love, the Scripture says, casts away all fear. The self consciousness of the unredeemed man or woman does not allow freedom and openess in shared affection. While the unredeemed person is fearful of being hurt or looking foolish of such openess and vulnerability, these fears vanish in the life of the Spirit of Christ. Our
Heart's First Call is to Fellowship All of us crave companionship and fellowship. Believers crave and hunger for the fellowship of others of like faith. It is not only this inner desire fueled by G-d's nature but the fact that "we are edified through love" in this fellowship. Thus all are prepared to share this common life with others. This is why that fellowship is essential. The word for this fellowship that G-d initiates in us is called in the Greek "Koinonia." Koinonia has several important meanings associated to it; sharing, fellowship, communion, support, and participation. All of these things describe the fellowship we have with G-d and through G-d. Because of the power and grace which G-d supplies we are first able to share his Spirit and his nature, we therefore have fellowship with Him. We become partakers of the Divine nature of G-d. We become "bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh," an expression used to describe 'marriage.' It is this "Bond of Love" that is Jesus' description of the church, His Body (Ephesians 4) and His Bride, (Revelation 21). The
Church is First Called to Fellowship We
are each are given unique gifts, supernatural enablements
to allow doing the Lord's work. No Believer is Expected to Minister or Live the Christian Life by His Own Strength or Native Ability The power from G-d (the Holy Spirit baptism at Pentecost) empowered or enabled all of the disciples to receive supernatural abilities: Many theological traditions exclude this divine enablement and see the life of disciples at the time the Bible book of Acts as different from G-d's operation in the present day. This 'cessationist' doctrine is extremely unfortunate. Any doctrine that is denied or excluded, can not be received by faith. Please, my friends be assured. Take the word of one who has seen, touched and tasted the reality of the present manifestation of G-d's power, that this spiritual enablement exists today. Spiritual enablement exists for anyone who can set aside his or her own natural abilities to seek, with faith, and to receive the "down payment of our divine inheritance,"(read Ephesians 1:13,14). regarding the giftings from the Holy Spirit. The
disciples of Jesus saw and heard many wonderful
things as they walked with the Master, the Son of
G-d. But after 3 years of walking with Him and seeing
all the wonders and hearing all the teaching, they
were told, " - wait in this city (Jerusalem)
until you are supplied with POWER from heaven.-"
Jesus' disciples needed a power which was above
their own, a power divinely enabled by G-d, to minister
with the intentions that Jesus required of them.
The Holy Spirit provided power, love and a new mind. The disciple who was to minister needed a Spiritual transplant so they could be after His image. Making Disciples E-book, A disciples Handbook. Disciples were chosen by Jesus as He walked the shores of Galilee. He is still making disciples today. He chooses men and women. He reveals himself to them. He changes their nature. He prepares them with wonderful gifts from heaven, freely given by grace. Growing into the stature of Christ Disciples reach out to make other disciples, Christ's Spirit works in them to reveal a love nd compassion which cares about the lost and the hurting; to have a heart for those who are oppressed and bound. We do not minister with the objective that we are enrolling a candidate for church membership. We meet their needs and share the promises of Christ. Love is G-d's best for each person. Ministry is what we do to provide or make possible for G-d's best for each person. We follow the doctrine of the apostles; the way of demonstrating the reality and power of the Kingdom of G-d. We are invested with Powers granted through Christ Jesus, the power of the Holy Spirit. We share a bond of fellowship with those who we rescue from the fire. We bless them and instruct them in the way of G-d. We remove the grave clothes from their lives just as Jesus instructed his disciples to do after Lazarus was called forth still bound from the tomb. We share the joy of salvation with singing and rejoicing, and making melody in our hearts. We praise G-d with songs, hymns and spiritual songs. We share and rejoice in the wonderful testimonies of deliverance. We lay on hands to heal the wounds of the afflicted and we take authority over demonic powers which would attempt continued harassment of a the fledgling believer, who is still struggling to sort out things which are spiritual from things which are soulish or psychological. We feed the young with milk and the old share meat. We are not owned by any other but hold another's interest in common with our own. We know the ruthless operations of a spiritual enemy who is always at work to enter into the fellowship, to steal the glory, to divide and conquer, to steal our confidence and our joy. We
are not ignorant of the devices of the enemy. We
stand against him. The zeal of the father's house
has eaten us. Church should not a matter of scheduled meeting times for the believer, the doors are never closed in the temple of the human heart. The altar is not mortar or wood, it is a place within us, a holy place sanctified by G-d by the blood of a lamb most Holy, A lamb without spot or blemish. A
DEFINITION OF LOVE
Mysteries,
Chapter 6 E
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