This Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ. Acts17:3
Quote:
“If you wonder why the first century church turned the world upside down and why we do not, it is because they preached the gospel, and we do not. ” ~ quote from “Hearts for the Lost”.
The gospel that was preached in the first century offended the establishment Political Leaders (Rome) and the establishment Religious Leaders (of Jerusalem).
One result from their preaching (aside from people converting to faith in Jesus Christ) was that these followers of the Way (Christians) who preached the gospel, were labeled “traitors, treasonous and sacrilegious” by the State and, “heretics, law breakers and insubordinate” by the Religious Leaders. There was a price to pay for preaching this message.
Their preaching was not State Custom compliant (the custom of worshiping Caesar and the gods) nor was it Religious Tradition compliant (the tradition of loveless legalistic dead ritualistic rote religion).
Their preaching of JESUS IS THE WAY THE TRUTH THE LIFE and REPENT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND and SALVATION ONLY IN CHRIST JESUS THE LORD actually offended the government and the religion! (“The State” and “The Church”, we would say today.) Their gospel threatened the State’s power and control over everyone as they forced allegiance to the gods and to Caesar as lord. Their gospel threatened the Religious Establishment’s power and control over everyone as they forced allegiance to the Religious Establishment and Leaders and Traditions and Rules.
The first century gospel turned the world upside down! What does that mean? The State flipped out when the Christians preached Jesus as Lord and they declared their allegiance to Him alone! (and not to the State or their System!) The Religious Establishment flipped out when the Christians preached Jesus as Lord and declared their allegiance to Him alone! (and not to the Religious Leaders or their System of manmade rules!)
The people flipped out when they heard that Jesus is the Way– NOT Rome or Caesar’s decrees, NOT the Temple in Jerusalem or the Pharisees’ traditions. JESUS IS THE WAY! Many believed and followed Jesus Christ THE WAY.
The people flipped out when they heard that the KINGDOM OF GOD is here and it is NOT the rule of Government’s Caesar in Rome and it is NOT the rule of the Religious Pharisees in Jerusalem. THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS the rule of JESUS CHRIST! In the hearts of His people! Many believed and entered the KINGDOM OF GOD.
The people flipped out when they heard that salvation is NOT through the State (Government) and it is NOT through the “Temple in Jerusalem” (the “Church”) (Established Religion). SALVATION IS IN JESUS CHRIST! Many believed and received SALVATION IN CHRIST ALONE.
Why is it different today? Why are not the Christians turning the world upside down today as in the first century?(I speak primarily of Western Christians.) Because the Christians have forsaken exclusive marriage TO CHRIST and have entered adulterous relationship with The Establishment State, with all its idolatry and false pagan gods. They are not opposing it, not separating from it, but joining it and fornicating with it. They make The State part of the way in their hearts. They make the State part of their salvation in their hearts. They make The State the kingdom of God in their hearts.
The Christians have forsaken exclusive marriage TO CHRIST and have entered adulterous relationship with The Establishment Church with all its pagan idolatry and false doctrines, traditions, rituals and idols, not opposing these things, not separating from these things but joining it and fornicating with it. They make The Church part of the way to God in their hearts. They make The visible institutional Church, the Kingdom of God in their hearts. They make The Church a major factor in their salvation in their hearts.
The gospel that is preached now is weak because it leaves out the fact that “JESUS IS THE WAY” means that State Government and Religion are NOT the way.
The gospel that is preached now is weak because it leaves out the fact that “THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND” means that USA, the world, the government, the presidents, politics, political leaders, parties, laws, constitutions, nations and The Institutional Church is NOT the Kingdom.
The gospel that is preached now is weak because it leaves out the fact that “SALVATION IS ONLY IN CHRIST JESUS” means that it is NOT in Government or politics and it is NOT in Church or Religion or Traditions.
One reason the preachers of the modern gospel do not want to say these things is because they do not believe the truth that the first century believers believed. The other reason is that preaching the truth as the first century believers did, would jeopardize their standing in the world, ie, the Establishment: politics, government, the State, The Church, religion, “important people”….all that is the Establishment of the world system and society. Thus allegiance is given to The State and to The Church, and not exclusively to Christ. And the true gospel is not preached.
The early believers preached in such a way that all hearers knew that their allegiance was ONLY TO CHRIST and that they were not giving any to the state or to the establishment religion. They had left “fear of man” in all its cowering and obedience to State and Religion, to follow Christ. They had faith, courage and boldness to preach the real gospel and were not afraid to declare this truth and declare their exclusive allegiance to Christ. The underlying foundation for their allegiance to Christ alone and their preaching is they had love for Jesus Christ that superseded everything. Their love for Christ superseded their desire for acceptance in the Church and State of the day. They feared not: being labeled “traitor” or “heretic”. They feared not: losing approval, family, friends, job, position, titles, income, benefits, social standing, acceptance, greetings in the marketplace, status, or their very lives.
The World System as it is now is overseen by the god of this world. The World System is that Establishment State and Establishment Religion. These World Systems are “business as usual” in the kingdom of darkness. Jesus was offered “all the kingdoms of the world” if He would bow down and worship the devil. He refused. The World System was humming along when Jesus Christ rose from the dead, appeared to His followers, ascended to heaven and sent the Holy Spirit to fill and empower His people. Their allegiance was to Christ alone. Their gospel was “Christ alone”. Their preaching messed with that world system as people were transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God’s Beloved Son. Their preaching upset the world system. They turned the world upside down.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
These that have turned the world upside down Acts17:6
Witnessing Encouragement 
Earlier in my life as a Christian I was very deeply into the idolatry of “Church” and “State”; God led me into repentance over this with much sorrow. When we sing, “In Christ Alone my hope is found”… we are thinking of how the song is teaching the truth from scripture that we are not saved by good works or self righteousness, etc, which is true. But we then are blind to our deeply held belief in our hearts that our salvation is partially in Church and/or State; that Church and/or State is the way; and that the outward Church (System) and/ or political-governmental State is the Kingdom. In idolatry and blindness our hope is put in these things. The truth of “In Christ alone” removes Church and State as being in any way part of our hope or part of the “salvation plan” or Kingdom of God. This message is not acceptable to polite society that finds its identity and life purpose in Church and State. This is a radical message of separation and choosing Christ over the world, that turns the world upside down.
Excellent and insightful. In addition – it is a message of repentance, self control, and the coming judgment.
Repentance, self control, and constant judgment is the life of the cross carrying disciple. It is not a popular message but it brings life to the body, spirit, and saves a lot of pain. To proceed through life with the cross of Christ is joyful and peaceful – the way of the transgressor is hard since the law of reaping and sowing are universal.
To choose Christ is to choose life (ie awareness of consequences+ choose life = Fear of God)
thank you Michael !
Oh for more of the church to turn the world upside down….
Good post!
It will happen again, but not in the way we expect. But it will be all for good and for the salvation of many.
It is interesting that the tithe is mentioned
only 2 times in the New Testament! Further that both times it is Jesus
speaking to the Pharisees who rejected the New Covenant and Messiah, thus they
were still under the Law and Old Covenant, and He is not praising them for
tithing but rebuking them for their legalism of tithing even of spices, but
neglecting the weightier matters.
We are under the New Covenant and “Freely you are given, freely give…” is our
command, and that is not of just money but all things! By the way, “freely
given, freely give” is spoken of as sharing the Gospel. So why do religious men still
preach tithe? It’s good for THEM…
http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=tithe&t=KJ
V
********************************************************
When you hear the word church what do you think of? “A physical building we need
to go to?” OR “A gathering of called out saints?”
http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=church&t=K
JV&sf=5
The word church has a Strongs Concordance number 1577 next to it. Click on it
and it takes you to the original Greek, and its meaning. Here:
http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G1577&t=KJV
Now click on the link below, and see that church, or rather Ekklesia is found
163 times in scripture, and is in both the New and Old Testaments. Now
substitute the 2 phrases “physical building” and then “gathering of saints” to
actually see which makes the most sense.
http://216.58.158.10/search?entqr=0&access=p&as_dt=i&sort=date%3AD%3AL%3Ad1&outp
ut=xml_no_dtd&ie=UTF-8&as_filetype=&lr=&as_sitesearch=&btnG=Search&as_lq=&client
=default_frontend&as_epq=&as_eq=&as_oq=&num=100&ud=1&site=biblecc&oe=UTF-8&as_q=
church+&proxystylesheet=custom32&as_occt=any&ip=24.166.33.240&as_ft=i&filter=0
“Men build buildings Jesus builds His Ekklesia!” Which one will the gates of
hell never prevail against?
“An honest person, when presented with the Truth, conform themselves to that
Truth and repents of their error…or ceases to be honest!”
Now you know the heart of men who refuse to see the “church” for who she is, and
hold to their traditions in their modern idol edifices built and expanded upon
as if God is pleased. They are wicked. Well did Isaiah speak of them…
Matthew 15:8-9 (Jesus speaks)
8‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
9‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’”
Mark 7:6-9 (Jesus speaks)
6And He said to them, “Rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is
written:
‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,
BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.
7‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,
TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’
8“Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.”
9He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment
of God in order to keep your tradition. (HELLO?!?! Anyone listening?)
Isaiah 29 (The prophet speaks what God gave him…Jesus IS the Word of God see
John 1)
13Then the Lord said,
“Because this people draw near with their words
And honor Me with their lip service,
But they remove their hearts far from Me,
And their reverence for Me consists of tradition learned by rote,
14Therefore behold, I will once again deal marvelously with this people,
wondrously marvelous;
And the wisdom of their wise men will perish,
And the discernment of their discerning men will be concealed.”
15Woe to those who deeply hide their plans from the LORD,
And whose deeds are done in a dark place,
And they say, “Who sees us?” or “Who knows us?”
16You turn things around!
Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay,
That what is made would say to its maker, “He did not
make me”; (That is the man of God as in he is not the man of God)
Or what is formed say to him who formed it, “He has no
understanding”? (That is, the man of God has no understanding)
Do you see this? They will ALWAYS say the man of God is not of God, and further,
the man of God has no understanding. They reject the man of God thinking they,
being religious clergy, are God’s anointed ones and we laity should listen to
and submit to them! These are the deeds of the Nicolaitans which thing He HATES.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ chapter 2 verses 6 and 7.
6‘Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also
hate. 7‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To
him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the
Paradise of God. (Overcomes what or who?!?! Satan and his ministers of light
which is darkness!)
(These are also known as blind guides and blind leaders of the blind!!!)
Thus those who do NOT overcome, preferring to remain in the laity clergy divide,
honoring Him with their lips, yet having hearts far from Him, being hearers only
and not do-ers of His Word, having a form of godly ness yet denying (submission
to) His power, having a zeal for God but not according to knowledge, will hear,
“Depart from Me worker of inequity, I never knew you!” “But Lord!, LORD!!,
they will cry, we did all these works in your name!!!”…”There WILL BE weeping
and gnashing of teeth…” These are the “Foolish Virgins” the “Wicked Servants”
the “Tares and not Wheat” and the “Goats and not Sheep” that scripture clearly
speaks
of! God does not dwell in buildings made by the hands of men, He makes His abode
in the hearts of His Living Stones!!!
“Men’s hands do not so much as make idols
of wood and stone to worship as they once did. Yet when you see the grand
buildings they erect called “churches and worship centers” DISPLACING the temple
of Living Stones that Jesus is building, thus elevating their traditions above
His Word, such that they make His Word of no effect, we see clearly that the
only thing that has changed is the size of the idols men build out of wood and
stone!”
“They now enter in and depart from their idols, deceiving themselves
into thinking this is where the anointing rests. Yet they completely miss that
He dwells in those who are of Him. He is our Sabbath Rest, we no longer need to
“enter in to feel His presence tonight.” For CHRIST IN ME is the hope of
glory!!!
Col 1:24-29 Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my
flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of
His body, which is the church (physical building? or gathering of saints?!?!). I
have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the Word
of God in its (HIS) fullness— the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and
generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make
known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is CHRIST IN
YOU, THE HOPE OF GLORY. We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with
all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I
labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me.
So you see, foolish virgins must go to those who peddle anointing oil to
purchase
more, always entering in to their idol temples made by man’s hands to be filled,
then leaving, just to come again to purchase more oil when they are empty… We
who are wise virgins need to WAKE UP and trim our lamps so they will give good
light to this Truth, for our Bride Groom is coming!!!
Matthew 25
——————————————————————————–
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
1“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their
lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish and five
were wise. 3 The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with
them. 4 The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5 The
bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell
asleep.
6“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
7“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish ones said
to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
9“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go
to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
10“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The
virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was
shut.
11“Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’
12“But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’
13“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
So where is this broad road that leads to destruction? The gay bar scene?!?! No!
It runs right down the center isle and up across the pulpits of these idol
temples men build! Now there is nothing wrong with meeting in a building, not
even a building built specifically for religious meetings…as long as those who
meet fully understand and reject the “church” as a physical building and embrace
His Building, which the gates of hell shall not prevail against, which is the
temple of the Living God, created by Jesus as the corner stone, on the
foundation of the Apostles and we all are the Living Stones! It is called the
Ekklesia and we are that building…regardless of where we gather in His Name
with Him as the object of our worship! It is where He alone is the Head, and we
are all equal. It is where we submit to one another as equals, and where the
under shepherds and elders FUNCTION as our guides because they have walked this
walk longer and have a better understanding. The greatest among us is the least
of us as they serve according to Jesus. These servants lead by example not by
official title like those who Lord it over the gentiles in their idol temples.
Oh and their function is to disciple their fellow believers so the we go out and
accurately preach the gospel to the lost and dying in the world. How do they
disciple? The Word in context which is here:
2 Timothy 3
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof,
for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be
adequate, equipped for every good work.
We are a gathering of the called out saints, and we would never bring in the
tares to fellowship with us for we are not to fellowship with the unrighteous
tares… Yet that is exactly what the “prophets and preachers for profit” tell
their sheep to do, thus fulfilling the prophecy of Satan and his false ministers
of light sewing tares among the wheat, when they bring in the reprobate to sell
them a jesus who has a wonderful plan for their lives as they seek their best
life now in the flesh. Never do they consider that their lives should look much
like the lives of the Apostles after they chose to follow Jesus His way. Which
prophet or martyr (means witness) had a better flesh life after heeding Jesus’
command to follow Him? Thus these buildings are filled with false converts who
are sure they are real because a preacher told them so, and the prophecy is
complete, Tares produce no fruit yet look like wheat and are sown among the few
remaining wheat by Satan. This also fulfills the prophecy of the wolves
scattering His true sheep as they are now mixed among 50,0000 denominations
(divisions) of Jesus. The Church of Rome being the Mother church and being the
mother of all harlots…what came out of Rome but these 50,000 daughter
denominational systems that mirror Rome and her laity/clergy divide!!! Jesus
prayed Father that they would be one as We are One! Well when you look at that
counterfeit system, and compare it to this prayer, is it unanswered?…OR…Is
it already answered in His Ekklesia!!! Ever run in to fellow believers? Ever
sense the “Oneness?!?!” That is till they get around to the “QUESTION” Where do
you “GO TO CHURCH?” The next thing that happens is the “SHUNNING!!!” Ever
experience it when they are Baptist and you are something else, for example…Oh
and it works both ways, as you may be the Baptist and they shun you for they are
of Wesley and not of Calvin.
So, what is our answer?!?!
The Revelation of Jesus Christ chapter 18
4 I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so
that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; 5 for her
sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
6“Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to
her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. 7“To the
degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give
her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM
NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.’ 8“For this reason in one day her
plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up
with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong.
So it is NOT a question of the building, but what the but what the building
stands for,
and who is its Lead Pastor?…The Lord is my Shepherd/Pastor/Head, and I shall
not want!
Repent of the church building system of idolatry and embrace Christ’s Ekklesia.
Then meet
where ever He is the head and the focus of the gathering, as He is NOT A MASCOT
like Chucky Cheese!!
And put up to find the building, but we go there for our entertainment…
What are His sheep waiting for? “My sheep know My Voice and will IN NO WAY
follow another…
Mickey……………………. PREACH !
I was very edified by your comment. I am feeling the ekklesia love and unity in Christ with you ! Thank you brother.
When talking one on one, lots of church folks will say they don’t see the building or the place as the church. They say that the church is the people who gather there. They say that church folks regularly gather together, its what we do, and we have to have a place to do it as we don’t live in small villages anymore where we can all just go down the street to so-in-so’s house….therefore we have the buildings as a place to gather. They say the place or building or pastor or system found there is in no way part of our salvation.
It’s to such as these for which I am at a loss for words. They can’t/won’t see the system (monster) for what it is. Others have a nagging feeling something’s wrong, but can’t wrap their minds around it so can’t accept it. They can admit SOME churches are all messed up, but they are not all wrong straight across the board. Of course, these think MOST churches are okay, tho not perfect.
“And of course God expects us to gather together, even if it means our life.” (Hebrews 10)
Oh well. I have come to the conclusion that most of these thoughts are not the problem. The problem is that there is no discernment in regard to the fact that most of the people gathering together “at church” are goats, not sheep, and most of the pastors/shepherds are hirelings and wolves. You cannot have true spiritual unity/assembling with all this. The true saints are ditching this counterfeit fluff little by little….. and more and more.
I am humbled and thankful for your kind response. You are my sister in Christ Jesus and I appreciate you and this site, perhaps more then you might know. Again, thank you!
Gina;
That is precisely why I was to write this piece, and why Loretta has this blog. I guess that make thre of us who see it! LOL
Feel free to copy and use it however you want, as it was freely given to me by the leading of the Holy Spirit, so freely I share it and there will NEVER be a copywrite on the words He gives…I don’t care if you remove my name from it either, that is a pseudoname anyways so that I am never a part of the work He does through me for it always is His glory alone! Amen!?!>
You mean you don’t want me to send you a love offering of 19.99?
Seriously tho, I appreciate that attitude. I’ve seen many who still constantly ask for donations for their ministries even after they have “come out of Babylon”. huh?
God bless you.
And God bless you Loretta for this blog.
Lol that’s good Gina $19.99…. the blog “paypal” button……..the ATM machine in the Church lobby next to Starbucks. ; )
No, just copy it and put it on the windshields of all the cars parked at the jesus franchises each Sunday.
Gave this to some confused folks who helped build their church, and they complained I guess to a preacher who then built a straw man of me to beat up on Sunday. The wife then sent me the message on CD and said she was praying I would listen to it, and further said she read psalm 150 and prayed I would see the “praise God in His sanctuary, praise Him in the firmament…”
Doesn’t she realize that the psalms were wriiten by David and men who predate him? Solomon his son built the actual temple! I sent her back a short note saying I listened to the sermon and the preacher was wicked for twisting scripture as he did, and that “His sanctuary” was heaven…even Calvin understood that! Also the firmament is the earth and the heavens…Traditions of the elders truly do work to make His Word of no effect for both the blind guides and those blind men/women they lead. The “ordained minister” has his BA in preaching, his masters in business (imagine that) and is going for his doctorate of divinity from emergent Regent Univ. in Virginia Beach, yet he doesn’t know, or has a ve$ted intere$t in not knowing the Ekklesia is not a building built by men’$ hand$, but is built by the Lord with “living stones.”
Good comment Mickey, thanks for posting.. ….. that “ve$ted intere$t” …….. mhmmmm yes that is a major factor……
The Beast-Harlot relationship: satanic Government and false Church together as One. Come out of her My people, says the Lord. Separating unto pure devotion to Christ = separating from the Harlot-Beast System. First one must realize if their head (mind-heart) and hand have made allegiance to this entity. Allegiance to Jesus Christ= forsaking in one’s heart, all other substitutes who stand in place of HIM. Jesus is LORD and no other.
Amen to all! It really all boils down to one thing: the fear of man, which expresses itself in vain attempts to please mere men – nothing more, nothing less. The fear of man! Paul sums this up when he says “For am I, even now, persuading, men, or God? Or am I seeking to please, men? If I had been still pleasing, men, Christ’s servant, had I not been! For I make known unto you, brethren, as to the glad-message which was announced by me, that it is not after man; For neither, from man, did I accept it, nor was taught [it],—but through a revealing of Jesus Christ.” It is the fear of man and such man-pleasing that drives us to & keeps us comforted and deceived in the “system/harlotry/institution”, etc. We have all been there.
Isaiah 2:22 “cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be accounted of?” Lord bless us to repent and seek your mercy and forgiveness for looking to man for his futile approval and for the idolatry of our hearts which has led us to look for the approval of mere sinful men. Also 2 Cor 5:15-16. Unfortunately, so many people want man’s approval so they “join the church” – which is something not found in the Bible. Jesus says “follow me” and never said “go join a church”, “attend church”, or “be a good church member”. In fact, “church membership” as we know it today is not reconcilable with New Testament Christianity. Christ alone is the central identity of every true disciple and not some “local organization”. If that “local church”, or building has a sign out front calling itself a “church”, then it has taken the place of Christ, for once you name it, you have placed it as an idol above Christ. Gather as believers is commanded (for which the saints do here all the time) but when the organization takes the place of Jesus, it is false. But since the fear of man and man-pleasing are so paramount to those who have yet to truly meet Christ, they are not equipped to put everything in life and that “local church” to the test of biblical authenticity. And without our “first love” leading to His holy fear being absent from our hearts and minds, thus leading us to acquiesce to the whims, wishes, philosophies, and allegiances of mere men.
Last I checked, nowhere did the apostles and early disciples preach “the church” to anyone. They never “started” or “established” a “church”. They did not ‘build a church”, ‘join a church”, or “hold membership” in a church. THEY (WE) WERE THE CHURCH – the ecclesia (called out ones) of God, His people…Israel, etc.
“But many fail to see and understand that the Spirit of God seeks a dwelling place in man, but fleshly mankind has constructed dwelling places “for God” where it is assumed His presence dwells. So then man can remain flesh and come and go at will to “worship God’ in “God’s house”. What blatant rejection of the ONE who died and gave us His Spirit to live His life through us! As Oswald Chambers said, ‘today we have submitted creedal belief for personal belief, and that is why so many are devoted to causes, buildings, etc and so few devoted to Jesus Christ.’ So to whom or what are we devoted??”
And we see in John 9, that is always the “blind” (Pharisees in this illustration) that declare their sight, etc.
His blessed ‘church’ is not brick, mortar, wood, etc (Isaiah 66:1-5). His “Church” is that which serves Him and Him alone as their High Priest and nothing or no one stands between them and their Savior. They are not “devoted” to, nor serve institutions, organizations, or men who love to label themselves as “duly authorized”, but instead they serve their God and their fellow man through love.
It is an ecclesia who existence does not depend on forms, services, ceremonies, clergy, churches, pulpits, pews, vestments, organs, endowments, money, kings, governments, or any act of favor whatsoever from the hand of man. It has lived on and continued to live on when all these things have been taken from it. It has often been driven into the wilderness, dens, and caves, by those who ought to have been its friends. It’s existence depends on nothing but the presence of Christ Jesus and His Spirit; and they being ever with it….not Christ “AND”……. Praise Jesus that this Ecclesia cannot die.
Some are misled to believe that if they join a local church or remain in a certain local church that this is going to bring them closer to God. That’s a bogus thought and notion. “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5
“How do they worship the building? They feed it, sacrifice to it, decorate it, make it nice and comfy for themselves, work on it, finance it, name it, identify themselves with it, take pride in it, and last of all, brainwash everyone into looking at a building and saying “THERE’s a church.” Rory Moore
There was no mention here of anyone having a problem with people going to a certain building. The problem is what we have made the building – an idol. This quote is right on. Read the book of Acts and try to find how important or unimportant brick and mortar was to the earliest believers and you will begin to have an enlightened understanding. The focus was not on a ridiculous physical building but rather on the Lamb, the KING, who came and bled on that cross and was buried and now was risen from the dead!!!! Glory to God in the highest! God forbid that we spend the energies, time, and resources in spiritual adultery with a stupid physical building.
When a person is truly ready to become a disciple of Christ, he will cast off religion and façade and get into God’s Word deeply and daily for himself. In God’s Word, namely under this NEW Covenant in which we live, that truth-seeking disciple will find not affection or value in any physical thing. In fact, he will discover that those “who mind earthly things” are “the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly (self), and whose glory is in their shame.”
“(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.” Philippians 3:18-21
Being saved is all about worship Jesus in spirit and in truth and not allowing anything in this fleeting world with its “many false prophets” to hinder the purity of that fellowship and worship (Matthew 24:11; 1 John 4:1)
Perhaps the real reason people want to “go to/join a church” is because it is just easier to ride on the wave of the community and social life a local gathering creates. But Jesus told us He will spew [vomit] from His mouth [out of the body of Christ] those who are “lukewarm” and “Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria.” (Amos 6:1; Revelation 3:15-16)
One goal of Satan with his modern “false apostles,” “false prophets,” and “false church,” is to spiritually kill believers by making them dependent upon the local church businesses they have set up, littering the landscape of America (2 Corinthians 11:12-15).
To obey God’s Word to become Christ’s disciple by “daily” laying down one’s own life and following Him, is much more difficult than simply blindly following some person who has set himself up in a place of leadership. Of this Carmen Rojas writes:
“It is far easier to be told what to do, what to believe, who to hang with and to take years to read one verse of Scripture.”
People who are not abiding in Christ in their daily lives, learning daily to love, worship, fear, and obey Him, want to fall back on the support group created by a larger group which they affectionately refer to as “church.”
People who do not follow the LORD Jesus by choosing to make Him more important than self, find it easier to “find a local church” and become a “church member” and do whatever the pastor says (including funding that local church business), instead of truly having a daily walk with Jesus – getting real with repentance, confession of sin, brokenness, walking in His love and by faith in the Spirit, and looking for the soon return of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.
Joining a local church does nothing but feed self instead of leading one to obey Jesus by dying to self (Luke 9:23-24; John 12:24-25, etc.). Jesus calls all who will be His true disciple to “Follow me” and He told us that such is only possibly by the denial of self, and taking up the cross (Luke 9:23-24). The numerous warnings in the New Testament Scriptures make it crystal clear that becoming comfortable or “lukewarm” in a local church atmosphere can be deadly to one spiritually and result in eternal damnation.
The LORD would have us to cease trying to “go to church” or “join a church” and simply be His Church, or “called out assembly/community of people.”
“… the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.” Ephesians 1:22-23
Well, now we number 5 who have weighed in and “get it” LOL. That surely makes a quorom, so now we can vote on the church picnic! LOL
By the way, nice work TJ!
Man is the beast, on a collective layer it is world humanism. Man worships his own image in the guise of what he thinks God should be according to his sensuous relationship with the environment..Eve was the first environmentalist to do this….organized religion (the broad road) “uses” scripture, the true believers on the narrow path “are” scripture….Both of these derive their beliefs from he same source, which is “scripture”, the difference is; one uses scripture. and the other is scripture.
When man sets aside a truth to accommodate a relationship, he now values that relationship more than he loves God. So to maintain the relationship he must ignore the scriptures, or twist them to his own destruction. Especially the epistles of Paul, which Peter said they would do.
This releases dopamine, and he receives an emotional rush, and group hug, which he perceives to be as Gods will or Gods love. He says I love Jesus, all the while ignoring the fact and truth; He has now in his own mind projected an imagery of what he thinks Jesus should be according to his surrounding environment (his, so-called friends, relationships, respecter of persons, establishments, man pleasing, or what ever, etc, etc) He determines what God should by his own 5 senses,(the carnal man). Thus when a fact, or an undeniable truth comes directly at him in a didactic manner like wielding the sword of truth, it leaves blood all over the floor, thus he must deflect that truth and try to perri it aside, this is known as the (the dialectic process), he does this in order to maintain the relationship of his surrounding environment….Eve science….
Man then holds to his lies and projects an image of God, and worships it….He worships his own imagination, which is influenced by the 5 senses, and the environment surrounding his present set of circumstances in life…(He wanders to & fro in circles) lost in his own circle of environmentalism “cir”comstances…. confusion of faces.
agape
bill
John 9:22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.
The modern gospel is reduced to a plan for “personal salvation” only; a way to avoid judgment, a mere “ticket to heaven”. This gospel is only about “us getting salvation”. (… although that is part of it of course, I’m not denying forgiveness, redemption, justification, salvation etc……). This gospel just makes “decisions”.
The real gospel declares and lives Jesus Christ as King and Lord, and His Kingdom. This gospel is about JESUS CHRIST THE KING, and His Kingdom, Who He is, and what He has done, the whole story of Him and His people. This gospel makes disciples.
“The gospel” is not the 4 Spiritual Laws, or “accept Christ”, or even “repent and believe in Jesus”….. the gospel is JESUS IS LORD and HE IS KING and HE IS MESSIAH and all the many wonders of who He is, what He has done, and is doing, and shall do, and how He rules and reigns and redeems.
Hi Loretta, i linked to your blog. The LORD bless and encourage you in His work
“…every man at his best state is altogether vanity.” Ps 39:5
“……for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.” 2 Peter 2:19
Amen sister about the “modern gospel.” Mere “fire insurance” of a “one-time persuasion” based on methods, appeals, enticement, emotions, etc. “Altar call”, “decision for Christ”, “make Him my lord and savior”, “every head bowed and every eye closed, raise your hand…”, “sinner’s prayer”, “repeat this after me…” Nothing but the vanities of men based on philosophies and traditions.
“For they that are such serve not our Lord Christ, but their own belly; and by their smooth and fair speech they beguile the hearts of the innocent.” Romans 16:18
“Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” Colossians 2:8
Amen! “The gospel” is not the 4 Spiritual Laws, or “accept Christ”, or even “repent and believe in Jesus”….. the gospel is JESUS IS LORD and HE IS KING and HE IS MESSIAH and all the many wonders of who He is, what He has done, and is doing, and shall do, and how He rules and reigns and redeems”
Greetings all saints
THE QUALITIES OF SAVING FAITH
First of all faith, even though it is something your do, is not a work. True faith; is an earnest intention of placing childlike trust and is by no means a work, likewise a commitment to follow Christ is not a work, it is a commitment.
Rom 4:4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. 6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
Jesus said repent and belief the gospel. Their is only one gospel. The gospel of grace, the gospel of salvation, the gospel of the kingdom are all the same gospel.
We are saved by grace through faith. For God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. Calling on the Lord to save you is characteristic of saving faith. (Rom 10:13, Acts 2-21,) Seeking the Lord is contingent upon ones humility. (Psalms 51)..There is no salvation without repentance, Gen 3-22 Acts ch 2-38, 3-19 etc.” Other than Jesus himself, even John the baptizer never baptized anyone with out first a godly repentance for remission of sins. Repentance and baptism in the name of Christ are likewise evidences of such faith and reflect the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. This does not mean a water baptism but a spiritual baptism in the blood of Christ. It is impossible to be saved and washed from sin without the blood of Christ, one can only be washed from sin by repenting and being baptized in the name of Christ for the remission of sins. Without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith to call upon the name of the Lord is a gift of God given to all. Faith is not a work like the Calvinists teach, it is a devotional commitment much like hope and love are. There are inevitable outward expressions of ones faith, for ones beliefs are evident by ones obedience to Christ and good works..Many easy gracers make the false assumption that being obedient to God is a works salvation…The true works of the Christian man are the obedience to God. For the apostle James, the son of Alpheous, said in his epistle; what good is faith without works? Loving our neighbour is a primary identifying mark of saving faith. Saving faith is established in the heart as a devotional commitment abiding in Christ, to bear our cross and hold on to permanently, despite all opposition. For Jesus said, “you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.”
. God’s very elect are the “whosoever will”,..John 3-15,16, John 4-13,14, John1 11-26, John 12-46, Acts 2-21, Romans 10-13, Revelation 22:17… Faith is a commitment and a devotion, and not of any works that we of ourselves can do. Humility is the most essential of characteristic quality, these are (the poor in spirit Matthew ch 5-3), humility is not a work but a devotional self abasement, which is the opposite of pride, Matthew 13-12..First of all for a person to come to faith in Christ, he must have a degree of humility which comes by way of the pricks of the heart, (a fear of displeasing God and a conscience conviction). Man generally, by habitual nature, will kick against the pricks (resist the conviction of the Holy Ghost, of whom will reprove “all” of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:) thus none will be with excuse Romans ch 1………..Also Beware; there is such a thing as a false humility, which is of works, as Satan counterfeits everything. Following Christ based on a foundational premises of being against something else, or someone else, is of pride, and not of the narrow way. 1 Corinthians 11:27
Any doctrine that does not conform one to godliness and seperate one unto holiness is a doctrine of devils…The are two kinds of people; they both derive there beliefs from the same source; which is “scripture”. The true believer “is” scripture, (the narrow way), and the counterfeit believers “use” scripture (the broad road). Many times their paths may cross, but their end destination arrives in two very different places.
peace be with you always
bill
Excuse my errer concerning the baptism performed by John, it was for repentance confessing their sins and for a coveing of sin, until the actual remission of sins which came form Christ’s sacrafice on the cross.
bill
That’s a clever answer to a tricky qusetion
Greetings Loretta and all saints
Isaiah 29:14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a (((marvellous work and a wonder))): for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. 15 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?
16 Surely your (((turning of things upside down))) shall be (((esteemed as the potter’s clay))): for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?
The turning of the world upside down shall be a good thing liken to the potter reforming the same limp of clay….OT clay of Testament Israel was
Jeremiah 18-
1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, (((as seemed good))) to the potter to make it.
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
6 (((O house of Israel))), cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
The vessel that was marred (OT Israel) was form into a new vessel at the cross (born again Israel)…
The prophecy spoken of by Isaiah 29, was fulfilled out of the mouths of the Jews in Acts 17-6..(Are these those who have turned the world upside down) .They house of Israel was made spiritual at the cross, and it appeared to the Jews, that their world had been turned upside down> for they, the unjust stewards, the Jews, lost their stewardship, and would now have to beg from the Gentiles, of whom they considered as dogs. Luke 16; The parable of the unjust steward, who wasted all of the the rich mans (God) goods. The goods that the Jews waisted were the “law and the prophets”.
Luke 16: 1 And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.
2 And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? (((give an account))) of thy stewardship; ((((for thou mayest be no longer steward))).
3 Then the ((((steward said within himself))), What shall I do? (((for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship))):
The steward had to give an account of his goods…The Jews “countenance” had fallen like Cains’, and their Temple sacrifices were no longer pleasing to God.
The unjust steward, (the Jews), thought to himself; what will I do now, my world is turned upside down. The Jew said; I am no longer the steward of Gods religion, and now I will have to dig, and I know not how to humble myself and beg. They would now have to beg from the Gentile believers of whom they once considered dogs.
Acts 17:6 And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have (((turned the world upside down))) are come hither also;
The Jews in acts 17-6 spoke their own prophesy form the OT given by Isaiah…To them it seemed now that their world was turned upside down by Paul and the new Gentile converts, but in reality God turned the things right side up.
The same prophecy lives today, as the word of God transcends time. The unjust steward is organized apostate religion, and the goods they have wasted is the gospel. (the have made the gospel message of none effect) As it said in Isaiah 29-14; “for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish”. Its the same story over again.
peace be with you
bill
“The first century gospel turned the world upside down! What does that mean? The State flipped out when the Christians preached Jesus as Lord and they declared their allegiance to Him alone! (and not to the State or their System!) The Religious Establishment flipped out when the Christians preached Jesus as Lord and declared their allegiance to Him alone! (and not to the Religious Leaders or their System of manmade rules!)”
God bless you and your family sister -Jim
thanks Jim : )