The purpose for this blog is to open discourse between Christians that by doing so, as believers we can resolve questions of scripture, doctrine and church history and more in the area of Christianity. The early church never used one man spouting out his beliefs while others sat silently. The early church teachers and elders understood the value of Christian discourse. They recalled God's call in the Old Covenant - "Come,let us reason together". The story of Job reminded them of this. Jesus never did all the talking, he often ended his parables with questions and he even allowed his worse opponents to speak that truth could come out. The Bereans are complemented by scripture for not just accepting the things Paul talked about, "they searched the scriptures, to see if these things were true." God loves questions and opinions for it is from this practice that we arrive at "His" truth.
The Father never intended for us to be silent and not question what we are told by others who may purport to be wiser, or more educated in scripture, history, theology, ecclesiology and so many of the areas, that Christians have far too long resolved themselves in allowing these to tell them what to believe. This is not New Testament Christianity and at it's worst it speaks smack of "Popery". The practices of the American churches and most churches have fallen far short of the intended purpose Jesus's serving as our High Priest, and we as the priesthood of believers.
The earliest examples of those that rebelled after the infiltration of the church of the one man rule, and the re-establisment of Judaism back into Christianity with the advent of a Bishop/Priest/Pastor one man rule system and the restoration of the temple in the form of a building built by the hands of men , were the Lollards, the AnaBaptist and some say the Cathards. Martin Luther wanted the common man to be able to read the scriptures in their own language but he couldnt break the idea as neither could Calvin of the idea of keeping their positions of power and propagating the system of clergy/laity thus their persecution of the Ana-Baptist who practiced "sitter's rights".
Since that time, thousands who have been led by the Holy Spirit to allow Christ to be their teacher as opposed to the traditions of men, have found themselves persecuted, ex-communicated, banned and even shunned by the organizational institutions of men called "church" which is a formulation of an English word "kirke".
We communicate in visual images first. Those visual images are converted to speech in words.
The very speaking of the word "church" connotates a visual in our minds of a building somewhere that people go to assemble. The church has been called " the house of God" by the traditionalist, who have long ago forgotten the idea of God dwelling in a building was the one thing Jesus came to destroy.
Jesus established himself as the true dwelling place of God, and we are that temple he is constructing that God will dwell in for eternity. In essence, the building is not "the church", Christ is and we are, being built into His Holy City, the New Jerusalem, to which He does and will dwell for eternity. The concept as taught by Paul in the letters to the "called out one's -the Ekklesia, has far too long been destroyed in our communication to believers with a pagan concept.
The temples and their priest of the "church for 1900 years, do not in anyway differ in resemblence from those of the pagans and practices that Paul preached the Gospel to and against such practices or Peter explaining to the Jews.
It is the history of our practices that has been hidden from the Ekklesia far too long that just now in these latter days once again is being revealed to His people, because He intends as He said, for us, to "come out of her".
The new house church movement and cell groups is an attempt, though a feeble one often of believers seeking to exercise their gifts that God gave them through Christ to live out this calling given to all men, and not just the select few "the clergy".
The original meaning of Ekklesia has been washed away by 1900 years of Popery, Judaism and more pagan teachings telling believers on what it means to be a Christian and a "how to practice Christianity".
Which often is nothing more then that of "works righteousness" rather than grace enacted righteousness by the indwelling Holy Spirit through the resurrected Jesus Christ. Thus we see more images of the cross and Christ on it, then we do any imgaes of His resurrection to which the "kirke" would prefer to keep Christ dead and on the cross than they would to teach Colossians - "Christ in you, the hope of glory".
This sites purpose is to give the opportunity for individuals to find the truth about Christianity, that is based not on the traditions of men, but built only on the foundation that we have which is in Christ and the Apostles.
So my intention is to see lots of comments so that others may comment to the comments. I also will invite others to write an article to initiate conversation as well. I will moderate the comments only to keep out those that would disparage believers or Christ. I have found that if you allow a complete open forum, often you will gain Atheist and people who are spiritually sick to come in and totally destroy the purpose for which this web site is established. This is a Christian site for those that already believe. It is not an evangelical site to preach the Gospel but to teach the Gospel to those that have already believed. So, I invite your "Christian" comments. This is a site for "us" to be discipled by and from our discourse that we all may come together and arrive at truths of the Gospel as taught by Christ and the Apostles.
My prayer is for many "Christians" who are searching, that have grown tired of the Western concepts of religion, grown tired of playing "church" will come here to discuss with many others Christ, the Ekklesia, Christian history and more to arrive at truth, as taught by the Holy Spirit and Scripture, so that as Christ said, "you shall know the truth and it shall set you free." So that truly we can be the Ekklesia, - "the called out ones". We are told to assemble to maintain encourgement of one another. Why does " institutional church" so often discourage believers? Or does it? I open our discussion with this question, please post your comments by clicking on the comment or answer to the link below.
Joe Black
No comments:
Post a Comment