CONTENTS

(Click On A Chapter Title)

Introduction

The Clergy And The Laity

The Body Of Christ Divided

Church Life – First Century Style

Discovering “The Brethren”

Laying The Axe To The Root

The More Excellent Way

Living Outside The Camp

Christian Rewards

Preparing For War

Epilogue

Introduction

This book will no doubt prove to be a controversial book for many believers. It is never easy to confront or expose error in the Church, and when most Christians are in agreement with such error, this makes it even more difficult. How does one communicate the fact that the bulk of God’s people are missing the goal of redemption without sounding haughty? How does one state that the focus of most Christians today is off base without sounding proud or arrogant? And how can we maintain an uncompromising separation from a System that circumvents spiritual growth without appearing divisive or exclusive?

Unfortunately, we can’t. All we can do is humbly request that the reader consider the issues that are presented in this book as issues and not as personal attacks, for we are not your enemies.

Since some of the things addressed in this book are neither known or believed by most churches and religious groups, we would like to call your attention to a few simple facts. First, being part of the "majority" does not necessarily make us right. In fact, the majority has proved to be wrong on many important issues.

For hundreds of years the majority taught that the earth was flat and that it was at the center of our solar system. It was the majority of the Jewish leaders that rejected God’s Messiah. It was the majority of Christian leaders who perpetuated the Roman Catholic system for a thousand years. It was the majority of Reformed churches that rejected the events at Azuza Street, and in general, the whole Pentecostal movement in the early 1900's.

It is not that the prevailing consensus is always wrong, for it is not. However, the prevailing consensus certainly can be wrong and many times it has been wrong. If we are wise we will make certain that what we believe is based on the Word of God, as interpreted by the Spirit of God, and not on the interpretations of the majority.

Second, spiritual wisdom and insight are not the result of learning about God's plan of redemption or His plan for the Church. They don't come as a result of learning deep end-time truths or eternal spiritual principles. True spiritual wisdom comes only as we learn to obey God directly, through the Spirit. It comes as we keep His commandments.

Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

Psalms 119:98-100

King David said his wisdom came as a result of obedience to God’s commandments. He said quite frankly that he had more understanding than the teachers and elders (ancients) of Israel because he obeyed God—clearly implying that they were not obeying God. Was David being arrogant, or was he simply stating a fact?

Being a teacher or an elder in Israel (the Church) does not necessarily equal being right. It is not our gifts or offices or ministries that make us wise. True spiritual wisdom comes only from God, and He distributes His wisdom in accordance with the level of obedience we give Him. Those who obey Him more faithfully are given more of His Divine wisdom. Those who obey Him less faithfully are given less of His Divine wisdom. Once again, teachers and elders are not necessarily always wrong, but they certainly can be wrong and many times they have been wrong. If we are wise we will make certain that we are following the Scripture, as well as the One who wrote it, not merely the opinions of the teachers and elders of Israel.

For many years God has been calling a people out of the Religious System. When He starts to call us out we often become very dissatisfied with our church or group. We gradually come to realize that we are no longer content with the depth of the Word that is being preached, or the social gatherings, or the pageants and activities. We realize that we have a longing for something more but do not know exactly what it is or where to find it. Many of us never do realize that God is calling us out of our religious groups. We end up church hopping, trying to find a fellowship that possesses that intangible "something" we are looking for. Most of us will not find it and will end up joining the fellowship we feel most comfortable with.

Some believers will contemplate leaving their church or group altogether but will be stopped by fear—fear of walking alone and of not being strong enough to stand by ourselves, fear of breaking the command to "forsake not" the assembling of ourselves together, fear of persecution by friends and relatives who remain in the System, even fear of falling into grievous error and becoming a religious kook.

We have all come across people who say the Lord has called them out of the churches, but who’s behavior turns out to be, well, quite bizarre! These unstable souls would do better to return to the groups they left, for if God really did call them out, somewhere along the way they have missed profoundly His direction for their lives. Not only are they damaging themselves spiritually, they are giving everyone outside the System a bad reputation—something which Satan takes great delight in, no doubt. There are many sensible brethren outside the System. Not everyone who leaves the churches ends up a religious wacko.

Of course, many Christians are satisfied with their particular structure or group and believe they are right where God wants them. They enjoy the social life, the rituals, the guest speakers, the large crowds and the pageants. Others need the support religious structures provide the family through youth programs, children’s activities and other special events. For one reason or another, some parents don’t believe they could ever raise their children in the faith without the help of religious structures.

In addition, many of us still need religious structures because of our psychological dependance on ministers. We have been taught that all people, everywhere, will always need to be guided and protected and fed by preachers and ministers. Because this view has been deeply ingrained in us there will always be believers who are not able to stand unless they are ministered to every week. Religious institutions, like the poor, will always be with us. If God were to tear them all down today, many of His children would fall away from the faith. So He leaves them alone and calls people "out" of them.

Being aware of these realities, it is not our intention to be those who "troubleth Israel." To those who are content where they are, to those who know they are in the center of God’s will, to those who need the support of their structure and feel they could not survive without being ministered to each week, we say, "God bless you!" You don’t need this book. Maybe you could just pass it on to someone you know who might not be so content.

Our object is not to stir up trouble or cause division within churches and religious groups—Lord knows we have enough division among God’s people already. Rather, our object is simply to underscore one essential truth: the most important need of our generation is not revival or bigger churches or better programs or more evangelism, but spiritual maturity among the entire body of Christ.

Spiritual growth among the members of Messiah’s body is not a new emphasis—it has always been the focus of the Spirit. Down through the centuries there have been notable individuals who have pressed into the fulness of the Spirit but never has there been a time when the body as a whole has experienced such maturity. Today God is moving a many-memberd, corporate man into that fulness. This is God’s goal for us but there are many things that hinder us from reaching that goal.

Spiritual maturity does not come as a result of being endowed with gifts and ministries. Nor does it come as a result of being ministered to by those who have such gifts and ministries. Maturity is not the result of discovering profound end-time revelations or unearthing great mysteries of the kingdom. Spiritual growth comes only as we enter into a deep, intimate union with the Living God. It happens only as we come to know Him, not about Him. It comes as we live out that union among the brethren, as we learn to function together in the Spirit.

There are many doctrines and church traditions that stand in the way of such maturity. For a number of years now, God has been exposing these hindrances and imparting a clearer understanding of His purposes to those who have ears to hear. Yet there is one particular area of doctrine and practice that has remained largely unchallenged. This is the division that exists between the leaders in the body of Christ and the rest of the people, between those who are gifted and those who (apparently) are not, between the clergy and the laity.

The basic premise of this book is that almost all religious groups today have a structure that is based on the existence of two distinct classes of believers within it: those who lead and those who are led. All such structures establish a division between members forever and are part of the Religious System. To one extent or another they all restrict the life of God from coming forth in His people. All stunt spiritual growth, some more, some less. Those who desire to go deeper in God will eventually have to get out of these religious structures. Even more importantly, they will have to get those structures out of them.

The Roman Catholic structure was erected over 1600 years ago and has continued to this hour, unchanged. The Lutheran structure was erected over 400 years ago and has continued till this very hour, unchanged. Believers who want to continue to grow must eventually leave these structures behind. We cannot change them. We cannot impart a deeper understanding of the things of the Spirit to them. Either we choose to stay and have our growth hindered or we choose to leave. The same is true of the Baptist structure and the Pentecostal structure and all other structures. They will not change, they cannot change, and God will never try to make them change. They will continue on indefinitely, just the way they are. The good they produce, along with the evil, will also continue.

No matter what religious group you visit or what kind of doctrine they are preaching you will find the same thing. The shepherds minister to the sheep. They cover the sheep and feed the sheep and guide the sheep and teach the sheep, week after week, year after year, forever—and the sheep grow dependant on the shepherds. The sheep grow dependent on the structures and orders and rituals. They never learn to feed or minister to themselves. They never learn to cover or guide or teach themselves, and what’s worse is that no one even expects them to!

Everyone just assumes that the sheep should remain sheep forever. The sheep never come forth in Christ or learn to function spiritually. They never make any substantial progress towards full spiritual maturity. In fact, after years of being guided and covered and fed and ministered to by the shepherds, many of the sheep are dead!

But those who are pressing into full union with God do not need structures. In fact, they must break free of them. The point is not that all structures are evil—though some are. The point is that all structures must be left behind if we want to attain the fulness of Christ, for all structures make us dependant on them. Moreover, virtually all of them are based on the clergy/laity system.

God is raising up a people in this hour who do not need religious structures to walk in perfect obedience to Him every day. He is raising up sons and daughters who do not need structures to help them abide in Christ continually. Just as the Son of God did when He walked this earth, the Father is calling His sons to follow Him outside the religious institutions of our day. He wants us to know that it is possible to live and flourish without the things we normally associate with church, that in fact, what we call "church" is not really church at all.

What exactly is the Religious System? Well, let us first say what it is not. The System is not any single organization such as the Catholic or the Protestant church. These are only manifestations of the System. It is not any combination of groups. Rather, it is a "mind-set" or a way of thinking. The mind-set affects the way we understand the body of Christ by putting a wrong slant on the Scripture.

Technically speaking, the visible institutions we see are not the mind-set, they are the out-growth or result of that mind-set. Just as a vine is made up of the stalk, the branches and the fruit, yet is called by a single name, so it is with the Religious System. The mind-set is the stalk; the many different visible structures, orders and institutions that this mind-set produces are like branches and fruit. We call the whole thing the System.

Basically the System is blind to the primary objective of God in this hour, which is the building of His kingdom in a people and the bringing of them into a state of full maturity. We are not saying all the work being done by our brethren in the System is unprofitable. God is using different kinds of people to accomplish different things. Many churches and groups are being blessed and are prospering in the work they feel God has assigned them. The issue is not necessarily between right and wrong. Rather, it is between determining what is that "good and acceptable and perfect will of God" (Rom. 12:2).

Those in the System may be engaged all kinds of work that is good and acceptable. However, there is one thing the System will never do—it will never lead believers into the best that God has for them. It will never produce a people who can function together in the Spirit under the direct Headship of Jesus Christ.

But God is producing such a people and they are destined to be the "fulness of Him that filleth all in all" (Eph. 1:22-23). They will be the perfect corporate expression of His mind, His will and His character, not in a far away place called Paradise but on this planet. How can the System impart this kind of a vision to God’s people when it does not even possess it? How can it help them reach this kind of a goal when it has absolutely no knowledge of it?

If we want to be part of what God is doing in this hour we have to get out of the System totally. In order to truly "escape" it we must (1) get out of all the structures that are a part of the System, and (2) get those structures out of us. We must break free of the mind-set that continually reproduces the System wherever we go. We need to get delivered of the way we think when it comes to the body of Christ. If we don’t get the System out of our system, we will continue to recreate it again and again, no matter where we go, no matter what we believe, no matter what we do. Hopefully this book will help some of God’s people break free from the clergy/laity mentality so they can get out of the Religious System.

Brother Daniel

2/1/98

The Clergy And The Laity

It is Sunday morning. All over the world the great Protestant ritual is about to begin. Go into any church, anywhere on the planet, and you will find the same basic "order" of worship. Generally, it will go something like this: a few songs, a prayer, the offering, (maybe special music by a choir or a solo), the sermon, another song, and finally the benediction.

Of course, there may be some minor variations in the order, but basically this is the Protestant church service. Every Sunday five-hundred million Protestants will go through exactly the same ritual. In the jungles of Borneo, the jungles of Africa, the jungles of South America, the Eskimos in Alaska, the Arabs in the Middle East, the Japanese, the Chinese, the Mongolians and the Russians—all will walk into a church building on Sunday morning and follow the same basic order of worship, week after week, month after month, year after year...forever.

Where did this ritual come from? Do you know? Do you care? Maybe it was passed down to us by the apostle Paul, or the apostle Peter? No, we didn’t get it from Peter or Paul. Well, it must be somewhere in the New Testament, right? Sorry. You won’t find it anywhere in the New Testament. No, the Sunday morning ritual we call "going to church" has nothing to do with primitive, authentic Christianity. Not one verse of Scripture in the New Testament can be brought forward to justify it, for you see, the Protestant "service" did not even exist until 1540 AD. That’s 1400 years after the first century.

Not only is the service itself absent from the Scripture, most of the individual components that comprise the service are also absent. For instance, try as you may you will never find the Protestant "pastor" in the New Testament. Oh, you may find the word pastor. But the contemporary pastor and the First Century pastor have nothing in common. It’s like comparing oranges and apples—not even the same breed.

Another missing component is the Sunday morning sermon. Interested? How about the pulpit, the choir, the pew and the building itself? Surely they were part of the Early Church. Sorry. Except for the fact that we gather together with other believers, nothing that happens on Sunday morning has anything to do with New Testament Christianity.

Shocked? Don’t believe it? Well proving it is easy. Facts are facts, and the historical evidence that the Protestant service was not created until A.D. 1540 is abundant and undeniable. It's not that hard to dig up the historical facts about the origins of the Protestant ritual. What’s really difficult—and in fact, almost impossible—is getting people to care about those historical facts. Now there’s a real challenge!

The Protestant structure is founded upon a division between the clergy and the laity and is supported by two great pillars, both of which are cherished and respected—and unscriptural. They are the pastor and the weekly sermon. Remove these two pillars and Protestantism would collapse like a house of cards.

Millions of Christians today are totally convinced that the pastor and the weekly sermon came straight out of the New Testament. Not so. The modern day pastor came from Rome. The Sunday morning sermon came from two men; Aristotle, a pagan Greek philosopher and John Chrysostom, a former heathen philosopher and orator (speech-maker).

Pope Gregory the Great popularized the term "pastor" in about 500 AD. He did so by writing a book on the pastoral duties of a Roman Catholic priest. The term pastor appears in no Christian literature before that point, other than a list of people in the book of Ephesians. The practical meaning of the word is unknown. Nobody actually knows how the original New Testament pastor functioned in the life of the church.

Pope Gregory ordered his priests to carry out the following pastoral duties: (1) visit the sick (2) teach doctrine (3) marry the young (4) sprinkle the babies (5) conduct the Mass (6) bury the dead (7) bless social events and festivals. These became the established, official pastoral duties for a Catholic Priest. They are carried out to this present hour. But no such man ever existed in the New Testament or the Early Church.

Martin Luther altered the list slightly for his priests and they became Protestant pastoral duties. Gradually the term pastor emerged in the English speaking world as the dominant term for the one who was performing these pastoral duties. But still, neither the man or his function existed in the Early Church.

Think about it. Where in the New Testament do you find a man who is always dressed in special clerical garb (or at least a suit) and: (1) visits nursing homes and hospitals (2) preaches every Sunday (3) marries everyone (4) baptizes all new converts (5) CEO’s the fellowship and presides over the elders and deacons (6) brings an oration over a corpse and then buries it with a prayer (7) prays over football games, hockey games and bingo games? He’s not there brethren—and no amount of "scholarly" study or theological interpretation can put him there. Yet both he and his role are supposedly based solidly on the Word of God. We see him on practically every page of Scripture. We have carried him and his clerical duties to the ends of the earth, passing them off as authentic, New Testament Christianity.

One of the pastoral duties of the priests was to teach doctrine. This duty evolved into the second great pillar of Protestantism. But in order to understand its beginnings, we must go back in time to the days of Greece and Rome. A heathen philosopher named Aristotle began to teach on the subject of Greek "rhetoric." Rhetoric is the art of oration, or in modern terms, speech-making. Oration had been the great love of the Greeks before Aristotle but he raised it to an art form. In the days of the Greeks and the Romans, the ability to bring a great oration (speech) was a guarantee of popularity. Orators were the stage actors of that time.

Aristotle’s rules of speech-making contained certain basic principles. Every good oration should include the following: (1) a clear introduction (2) a few major points (3) a conclusion. New Testament believers knew nothing of the rules of Greek rhetoric—most of them were illiterate fishermen, farmers, craftsmen, etc. Early evangelizing and preaching was unrehearsed and spontaneous. They spoke as the Holy Ghost gave them utterance, and they spoke fishermen’s language, they spoke farmer’s language and craftsman’s language. Moreover, preaching belonged to the whole body of believers, not just a special breed of orators.

Now it happened that around 400 AD. there lived a man named John Chrysostom in the town of Antioch, Syria. His nick-name was "John the Goldenmouth" because he was one of the greatest Aristotelian orators of all time. John joined the Christian faith and quickly became the leading priest in Antioch, and in all Syria. Brother John did two notable things. He incorporated his fine Aristotelian rhetoric into his preaching. But even more significantly, he started the practice of giving a "Christian" oration once a week in the same place, on the same day of the week.

Can you guess what day of the week it was? That’s right. It was Sunday. Every Sunday morning the whole town of Antioch would turn out to hear one of brother Goldenmouth’s orations. Thus, the Sunday morning sermon—which is very similar to pagan speeches of antiquity in style, delivery and structure—came into existence. Less than 150 years later Pope Gregory would make it one of the seven Roman Catholic pastoral duties. One-thousand years later Martin Luther would make it one of the Lutheran pastoral duties. From there it emerged as the most important function of the pastor.

What about the practice of gathering in public buildings to worship? Until Emperor Constantine came on the scene (300 years after Pentecost), Christianity was the only religion in history that met in homes. It was the only one in history that began as a "lay" movement. That is, it had no priesthood, no institutions, no rituals, no temples. The laity was not a silent mass of spectators. They were the ministers and the preachers. They were the teachers. They were the apostles and the prophets. It was their movement and they functioned as a corporate, united people.

After persecuting and slaughtering us for nearly 200 years, Rome decided that since it couldn’t kill us off it might be better to join us. So our new benefactor, Emperor Constantine, who supposedly became a Christian, made Christianity a favored religion. Then he commissioned nineteen brand new "Christian" temples to be constructed throughout the empire for us so we could come out of the catacombs and worship our God in beautiful buildings, just like normal Roman citizens.

Constantine made a special contribution to the Christian faith. Because he was still a pagan at heart he wanted to continue the Roman practice of naming religious temples after the gods they represented. Since he knew the Christians worshiped only one Deity, he decided to name them after the apostles and saints of the first century. Hence, to this very day we have churches like St. Luke’s, St. John’s, St. Paul’s, etc. Pagan Rome soon became Papal Rome and the practice of going to a temple to worship the Lord Jesus was established forever. The simplicity, the vitality, and the flexibility of home gatherings was abandoned.

What about the pulpit? Since the idea of having the same man bring a sermon to a silent crowd of believers every Sunday did not exist in the New Testament, where did it come from? Well, the sacred pulpit was sacred long before the establishment of Christianity. It was sacred to pagan priests. These priests, standing in their pagan temples, would walk out on an elevated walkway that had a banister around it and make announcements to the onlookers. That walkway was called an "ambo."

When Constantine built all those new Christian temples he had the ambo altered slightly and placed on one of the columns near the front of the sanctuary, where the priests performed their magical Mass. At the end of the Mass the priest would climb the circular staircase and from the ambo he would make ecclesiastical and secular announcements. Then he would dismiss the people.

When the Protestants took over Northern Europe (by the sword, not by evangelizing), they inherited all those beautiful Catholic temples and the first thing they did was tear out that sacred, un-approachable area where the priests performed their rites. Then they ripped the ambo off the pillar and put it where the priests once stood. Afterward they placed a Bible on the ambo to symbolize the Reformation’s centrality of teaching the Scripture, as opposed to the Catholic centrality of the Mass. The word "pulpit" came to us from the Latin "pulpitum"—which originally meant a scaffold or a platform—which is what the ambo was. In some European languages the ambo is still called by its original heathen name, the "ambon."

And so was born the Christian temple, in which stands the ambo, from behind which a special class of Christian gives forth a Christian oration to a room full of silent onlookers, every Sunday morning, now and forever. Week in and week out it is the same ritual, and not only Sunday morning but whenever we meet. That special class of believer, called clergy or ministry, is the only part of the body that really functions. The rest of the body is a spectator.

The clergy leads; the clergy ministers; the laity does nothing. We watch others function. We listen...and listen...and listen...until the life of God has been "ministered" right out of us! This is the only way Protestants meet. Any other way of meeting, any other way of gathering together, in anything other than a building, is not considered church.

Some other things that were not known in the Early Church are choirs, Sunday schools, Seminaries, Bible collages and Bible schools, mission programs, denominations, national and international headquarters, rummage sales, hay rides, nurseries, special programs for teens, for singles, for the elderly, etc. Isn’t it just a little unnerving to find out that nothing you have associated with church all these years has any basis in the Word of God? Doesn’t it disturb you, even a little, to realize that none of our current practices and traditions came from the New Testament? If it doesn't, it should.

Regardless of your denomination or name, regardless of the kind of doctrine or vision you are pursuing, your fellowship most likely has a religious structure or an order of some kind. That structure determines how you relate to one another and how you function as the body of Christ. Virtually all Protestant denominations and groups have adopted the same kind of religious structure and that structure didn’t come from the Lord Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit. It didn’t come from the apostles or the Early Church. It came from Rome. It is nothing more than a modified Protestant copy of Rome.

From 350 to 1535 AD. the dominant church was the Roman Catholic church. Within that church various individuals began to raise their voices and call for reform, among whom were men such as John Wycliff, John Huss, William Tyndale and Martin Luther. But few of those who were calling for reform could bring themselves to actually leave the Romish system altogether. Wycliff remained an ordained priest till the day he died, so likewise, John Huss.

History shows that those who refused to separate themselves completely from the church ended up carrying many of its errors over into their new works. This was especially the case with Martin Luther. Luther initially broke with Rome’s authority and many of her doctrines and rituals. But he refused to abandon her completely and ended up carrying many of those practices with him.

At the time Luther began his reforms there were various groups of believers around who had never accepted the authority or the teachings of the Catholic church. They were persecuted and ruthlessly butchered by Rome and driven from country to country. They had no official name. They referred to themselves simply as Christians or "brethren." Luther was drawn to these brethren and influenced by some of their writings. Had he thrown in his lot with them, the Reformation might have become a revolution and we might be free from Rome’s influence today. But then again, if he had joined the brethren he would have been unprotected. He probably would have been arrested and killed within a matter of months.

The fear of Roman power drew Luther into alliances with German princes. He began to draw back from the congregations of the brethren. This association with secular power, together with the returning influence of his old training, gradually led to the formation of the Lutheran church. Along with his new insights gained from the study of the Scripture, brother Luther incorporated much of the Romish system into his newly formed church, including baptismal regeneration and the system of parishes with their clerical administration. In short, brother Martin never completely abandoned the structure upon which Roman Catholicism had been built. All he basically did was modify that structure doctrinally and name it Lutheranism.

Few people understand that every Protestant group and denomination since the days of Martin Luther has been based to a greater or lesser degree on his modified Roman Catholic structure. We assume that because we have abandoned Rome’s heresies and ecclesiastical authority we have been delivered from her destructive influence. Not so my brethren. Luther never got completely free from Rome and neither have we. Indeed, today a large portion of the Protestant church has been lulled to sleep and is being led right back into her loving arms by deceived religious leaders. The harlot daughters are returning to their mother for they never really left her.

The Catholic clergy said to the laity: "you can’t be saved without our ministry." The Reformed clergy said: "you can be saved without our ministry because salvation is by faith. But you can’t grow spiritually or keep out of deception without our ministry." Thus, they chose to remain elevated above the laity and the Roman division was perpetuated. Except for the message of salvation by faith instead of works, all the Reformers actually did was trade one kind of "priesthood" for another. They traded Sunday morning Mass (where priests provided salvation through the sacraments) for Sunday morning church (where pastors provide spiritual food and protection). Different doctrines, different rituals, different traditions, but the same division between members—the same basic religious structure.

Whether it’s Catholic priests and bishops or Protestant pastors and elders, the division between the clergy and the laity is ever present—and ever in contradiction to the Scripture. In some groups the division is not as noticeable as others. Also, titles of offices vary from group to group. Various degrees of authority are vested in the clergy. We probably do not call our particular pastor "clergy" or ourselves "laity." But the structure is there nonetheless. It is the same wherever you go. The clergy ministers to the laity, always, every week, forever. The clergy is the big tongue and the laity is the big ear. Even worse, people read the New Testament and see this division everywhere. But it’s not there brother! All we are doing is reading a corrupted mind-set back into the Scripture.

In order to get completely out of the Religious System, God’s people must get a whole new vision of what it means to be the "body" of Jesus Christ. Our concept of what a church is, must be completely demolished and rebuilt on the foundation of Scripture. This is no easy task, for most of us like the Sunday Protestant ritual. And we continue to like it even after we find out that it has nothing to do with New Testament Christianity.

It is amazing how little people care about whether or not our current practices are founded upon the Scripture. Some believers practically kill each other over doctrine yet don’t give a second thought to the fact that everything we do is unscriptural! The attitude is, "it doesn’t matter that what we are doing didn’t come from the New Testament, it’s working and we like it. God gave them one thing and He has given us another."

Well friends, it’s not really working and the only reason we think it’s working is because we have nothing to compare it with. We have never seen or experienced New Testament "Church life." Our Christianity has little in common with theirs. Once we have tasted the real thing we will never settle for the Protestant ritual again.

The Body Of Christ Divided

The Early Church possessed two fundamental things we do not. First, they experienced a proper functioning of the members of the body of Christ. Second, they had a revelation of the goal and purpose of the Christian faith. We need to recover both the vision they were pursuing and the life they walked in.

Before examining their vision, it is necessary to understand the kind of spiritual life they were experiencing. People today are trying to recapture the essence of New Testament Church life, but all such attempts are destined to fail unless and until we come to grips with Scriptural purpose and role of "ministry" in the body of Christ. This will require a fresh look at what the Bible teaches concerning the gifts of the Spirit, for all genuine ministry is simply the out-flow of these gifts—and it was our misuse of them that created the original division.

How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

II. Corinthians 14:26

How is it then brethren? What happens when your fellowship gathers together? Does every one function? Is every one capable of functioning? Is every one allowed to function? Does every member realize that they should function? That they have a responsibility to function? How about you? Do you function? Or are you a spectator?

The apostle Paul had much to say about the body of Christ and how the various members should function and relate to one another. He had a vision that is conspicuously absent in our day. Though much has been written about gifts and ministry, practically everyone has missed the one revelation that he tried to convey to the various congregations during his life: that the responsibility for the growth and health of the body lies squarely in the lap of the individual members.

The confusion that has surrounded gifts and ministry started while Paul was yet alive. Even then, "gifted ones" were starting to create a division between themselves and the rest of the members of the Church. This is the very reason Paul wrote to the various congregations about gifts. God gives the body gifts and these gifts are holy, profitable and necessary. But these gifts and administrations are subject to man’s will. They are subject to man’s pride, and that pride is utilized very skillfully by Satan. The gifts are holy; what man does with those gifts is evil.

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another.

Romans 12:1-10

Here Paul presents his understanding of a properly functioning portion of the body of Christ. First he draws their attention to the corporate nature of the body, that God has given each member a function and imparted to each member the ability to function. He says, just as we have many parts that combine to make a single body or person, so it is with the body of Christ. We are members in particular, not only of the body in general but of one another. Just as in the human body, not all members have the same office or function, so it is in the body of Christ.

In this context he goes on to say that every member of the body has been given a measure of faith. The "faith" he is referring to is not salvation faith but the faith it takes to function. Every person has been given enough faith to be that particular part (function) of the body that God ordained them to be. Therefore, if we have a gift of prophesy, let us prophesy "according to the proportion of faith" that has been given. Every believer—not most, not just some, not just those who minister, but every believer—has been given the measure of faith it takes to allow the Holy Spirit to manifest Himself through them. The reason? So each member is capable of providing some kind of edification for the rest of the body of Christ.

Next, he draws their attention to the kind of attitude each member should have towards the other members. We are to "prefer" one another, "honor" one another and "love" one another without dissimulation. Without dissimulation means that we don’t move in hypocrisy or play favorites. In other words, we are not to treat certain members (including ourselves) better than others. This admonition includes those in the ministry.

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another. For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?

I. Corinthians 4:6-7

Paul had already given the Church at Corinth some practical advise on how to love one another without dissimulation. The gifts and ministries of the Spirit were flowing powerfully in the Corinthian assembly. So much so that Paul said they "came behind in no gift." Unfortunately those very gifts and ministries were puffing them up and causing strife between the various members.

Therefore, he writes to them and instructs them not to be puffed up because of their many gifts. He tells them not to exalt themselves above one another. He said, "who maketh thee to differ from one another?" In other words, what do you have that you were not given by God? If your gift or ministry has come from someone else, why are you acting like you are something special? Why are you acting as though you earned it by your own effort? None of you are any better than the rest and none of the gifts you have received makes you better than anyone else.

Regardless of the gift or ministry or office God has given us, we should not exalt ourselves above the other members of the body and we must never allow them to exalt us. The only way to love without dissimulation is to realize that every member has a function, that every member is just as important to the body as the rest.

When this revelation becomes a reality in our fellowships instead of just another savvy Christian expression, the members will begin to walk in genuine humility. The worship of men and their ministries will stop, the jockeying for positions of importance will cease, and the words, "love without dissimulation," will become more than just a religious cliché. Now Paul goes on to list some of these gifts.

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit. To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

I. Corinthians 12:4-11

Again, every believer is given at least one gift. God didn’t just give gifts to those who were special. He has given all men gifts. Why has He given all men gifts? So all men will have something to contribute to the rest of the body and thus have a place in the body.

Unfortunately, many of us do not recognize the gift(s) we have been given because our focus has become so narrow. Almost universally, when the subject of the gifts is being discussed or taught, only these nine are mentioned. Moreover, the gift of tongues has been singled out and emphasized far out of proportion. It is as though tongues is the only gift of the Spirit—or at least the only one that counts. Such a degenerate view of the gifts has not only brought reproach to the Name of God, it has caused much spiritual damage to His people.

There have been saints who have been discouraged when seeking the baptism of the Holy Spirit because they are taught to look for tongues as proof that they have received it. If they do not receive this gift, or any of the nine listed here, they are told they have not been filled with the Spirit. This is based on the common Pentecostal assumption that the gift of "speaking in tongues" is the only gift that can really validate our baptism, that it is the only gift that counts.

Brother, tongues is the gift and if you can’t speak in tongues, well, you just don’t have the baptism of the Spirit. Of course, you could be manifesting seventeen other gifts and be raising the dead, it makes no difference. If you can’t speak in tongues you don’t have the baptism! If this is not religious insanity nothing is. Because we are so focused on these nine—and more specifically on tongues and prophesy—we think that if we don’t have them we don’t have anything to offer the rest of the body.

This is utter nonsense! There are other gifts in the New Testament. Paul listed seven in Romans—six of which are not even listed here. That’s sixteen different gifts so far. Moreover, there are half a dozen others referred to in the rest of the New Testament which were not included in any of Paul’s lists of gifts. That’s at least twenty-one valid manifestations of the Spirit.

When Paul wrote those lists he was not setting them forth as the final, definitive lists of gifts. He was not trying to index all the gifts that existed. He was merely listing the various manifestations that he saw operating in the churches at that time. The Spirit was beginning to manifest Himself in diverse ways. He did not choose to manifest Himself in exactly the same way in every fellowship.

God is a God of variety—just look at the natural creation. He is not a static Being. His manifestations are not limited to certain ways, certain situations or certain times. This is why the four main lists of gifts are different. Paul was simply categorizing the manifestations that, up to that point in time, were already in operation.

God’s intention was that every member of His body have a gift of some kind. It was never His will that the Church be divided into groups of Fundamentalists who deny the gifts and Pentecostals who accept them—and in many cases abuse them. This situation was brought about by Satan, through the spiritual blindness and religious pride of men.

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

I. Corinthians 12:12-21

Again Paul speaks of the many members that make up the one body of Christ. He is not just talking about the individual, but also about his function. You are part of the body of Christ and you have been given a particular manifestation of the Spirit in order to edify those around you. God has prepared a place for you in the body and enabled you to do what He has called you to do.

Each one of us has been given something to contribute to the rest. We are all important—just as important as the next member. We are all necessary—just as necessary as the next member. To not function is to cut ourselves off from the rest of the body. It not only hurts us, it hurts the body as well. We cannot cut ourselves off from the body by refusing to function. By the same token, neither can we cut others off by refusing to allow them to function.

Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

I. Corinthians 12:22-26

Here Paul speaks of division in the body of Christ. Now consider for a moment what kind of "schism" he is referring to. Is he talking about doctrinal divisions or denominational divisions? No. He is talking about divisions of importance. He is talking about divisions of rank based on the kind of gift we possess.

God tempers the members of the body together so we all share the same honor and care. Those who seem to be more feeble, less honorable, or uncomely, are to receive more abundant honor. The honorable parts have no need; the strong parts have no lack. Therefore, God gives more honor to those parts which lack. Why? So there will be no schism (division) in the body. So each member—whether comely or uncomely, whether strong or feeble, whether more or less honorable—will receive the same care. There is to be no division in the body. Yet man does just the opposite! The parts (functions) that are honorable and comely are given much more honor than those that are less honorable and uncomely.

The kind of division Paul is referring to comes as a result of certain kinds of attitudes—one of which says, "my gift is more important than your gift, therefore I am more important than you. My gift carries more spiritual authority than your gift, therefore I have more authority than you and you should submit to me." He’s talking about the attitude that says, "the body of Christ needs my gift, they can’t grow spiritually without it. But they can get along just fine without your gift."

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men...And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:7, 8, 11-13

Again, every one is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Paul said when Jesus ascended He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. Notice carefully that these five operations of the Spirit are gifts. They are gifts just like the rest of the manifestations of the Spirit are gifts. It is important that we understand that they are gifts because the Religious Establishment has separated several of them, and in some cases all five of them, from the rest of the gifts in the New Testament and exalted them far above all other gifts.

It has divided the gifts of the Spirit into two separate categories and said the manifestations of the Spirit in Corinthians twelve are ordinary gifts but the manifestations of the same Spirit in Ephesians are ministry gifts. It goes even further and postulates that ministry gifts are the only ones God had ordained to lead and mature the rest of the body of Christ. Therefore, ministry gifts are granted more authority and are esteemed of greater value than ordinary gifts

Then what Paul says about how these five gifts (operations) were given for the "perfecting of the saints" is thrown into the equation. The only possible result is the establishment of two classes of believers within the body of Christ. A division between the "perfecters" and the "perfectees" becomes automatic. The ministry gifts are exalted above the ordinary gifts and likewise, the members who have them are exalted above the rest. In such an atmosphere it is only reasonable for the "perfecters" to assume they are "perfecting" the saints and are therefore indispensable. Sooner or later they let the "perfectees" know this in no uncertain terms. Moreover, the perfectees are considered by the perfecters to be in "rebellion against spiritual authority" if they refuse to agree with their view of themselves or submit to their ministry.

Though many boast about their superior rank, others at least try to display some humility and profess that they do not think they are better than the rest. But the very logic that causes us to assume a position of authority over the rest of the body, based on our gift, comes from a vain heart. Instead of seeing ourselves as just another member who has been given a gift—a gift that is to function along side the rest of the gifts—we assume our gift confers authority over everybody around us and places upon us the responsibility of teaching, leading and feeding them every week, time without end.

Is not the pastor (or any combination of gifted ones) seen as a special class within the fellowship and given preferential treatment over the average member? Isn’t it true that those in the ministry assume they alone have been called to build the body of Christ?

But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Ephesians 4:15-16

And not holding the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God.

Colossians 2:19

From an exalted position the "gifted ones" quote Ephesians 4:11 to the perfectees and say, "God gave the ministry gifts to guide and mature the Church, so none can reach spiritual maturity without submitting to our ministry and authority." Oh thou gifted one! Read the rest of Ephesians chapter four and stop twisting the Word of God! The same apostle Paul, in the same chapter, said that it is the effectual working in the measure of every part—not some parts, not just those "special" ministry parts, but every part—that "joins" and "compacts" the body.

Again, in Colossians the same apostle said as the joints and bands receive nourishment from the head—not from gifted ones—and are knit together by the head—not gifted ones—the body increaseth with the increase of God. Exactly who is responsible to perfect the body of Christ? The body of Christ! The whole body together, each member doing its effectual part.

The body was not ordained to be built by the pastor alone. Neither was it ordained to be perfected by ministry gifts alone—unless all the gifts are understood to be ministry gifts. It is not being joined together and nourished by just the five gifts listed in Ephesians. It is being built by that which every joint supplies; and the "supply" that every joint supplies comes from the Head, Jesus Christ. That means every member should be getting his "daily bread" from Jesus directly, not from Christ in the pastor or Christ in the elders or Christ in the apostles. The hope of the Christian is not Christ in others but Christ in you! Only as every member begins to function does the body grow and get nourished and compacted together. It is built, joined and perfected as each member does his part.

By the way, who is perfecting the perfecters? Who is perfecting the ministry? Supposedly they have been ordained to perfect us but who is perfecting them? Certainly not us. Who then? God, they will say. So then, the ministry is being perfected by God through the Spirit directly but the rank and file are being perfected indirectly through the Spirit of God in the ministry. No Roman Catholic influence in this view of the body of Christ, is there.

Listening to gifted ones preach will not mature us. We do not mature by being ministered to. We mature as we learn to function, as we learn to minster to others ourselves. What if a church is too big for everyone to function every time we gather? The point is not that every member must function every time we meet. The issue is that every member must be capable of functioning and free to function every time we meet. Also, every member must be free not to function when we gather. Those who are not free to give others a chance to come forth in Christ are being driven by religious pride.

Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

I. Corinthians 12:27-31

Though Paul said some of the gifts in this list are better than others, he never said some were ordinary and others extra-ordinary. He never divided them into sub-categories. He listed the "ministry" gifts of apostle, prophet and teacher right along with the "ordinary" gifts of miracles, healings, helps, etc.

The reason he did so is very simple. All the various manifestations, administrations and offices of the Spirit are equally necessary. Indeed, this list of gifts is laid out just as clearly as the one in Ephesians. Paul said God set some in the church, first apostles, secondly prophets and thirdly teachers. He then goes on to list the gifts that follow these. Because he said apostles, prophets and teachers were set in the body before the rest, we automatically assume that they are more valuable than the rest and confer on us some kind of special status. Again, we are thinking with a warped mind-set.

Yes, it is true that they are better because they are more important strategically. No, it is not true that they are of more value to the body than all the rest. No, it is not true that they are the only ones that are perfecting us. The gift of the apostle is listed first because this is the most strategic gift in the building of the kingdom. The apostle is basically a church planter. Without him assemblies would never be raised up. Prophets and teachers follow next because of their strategic importance. But every gift has the same value before God. Every gift is just as necessary as the next. All are equally important for the proper functioning of the body.

Apostles, prophets and teachers are gifts, just like the rest of the gifts in that same list. They are important, but they are no more important than the rest of the gifts. All the gifts are equally necessary for the growth and continued health of the body. Yet blind religious leaders have exalted some (or all) of the gifts listed in Ephesian far above the rest. They say these gifts carry the most spiritual weight and authority, and therefore, those who have them should lead and feed us forever.

Nobody ever thinks to ask: by what authority do they separate them into different categories and redefine them? By what authority do they use them to divide Christ’s body into classes of important an unimportant members and functions? By what authority do they proclaim some gifts capable of producing perfection and others incapable of doing so? By what authority did they decide that the Ephesian list of gifts are "ministry" gifts but the two lists of gifts in Corinthians are "non-ministry" gifts (or a combination of the two)?

On whose authority are they teaching that ministry gifts have authority over ordinary gifts? Who says the gifts of helps and governments don’t carry any spiritual authority? Who says the gift of the prophet has authority over the rest of the gifts? Who says those ordinary (non-ministry) gifts are not perfecting us? The Word of God doesn’t teach this. It in fact teaches the exact opposite! The Holy Spirit is not saying these things. Men are saying them—men who have been blinded by religious pride, men who are caught up in the same error the Corinthian believers were in, men who want the glory and honor and praise of other men.

God said all the gifts are important. He said all of them are absolutely necessary for the edifying of the body of Christ. He said all of them are required to maintain spiritual health and promote spiritual growth. Is your liver more valuable to you than your brain? Is your heart more valuable to you than your kidneys? Are your lungs more valuable to you than your arms and legs? Every part of your body is just as important and just as valuable to you as the rest! Friends, Jesus feels the same way about all the individual parts of His mystical body as we feel about all the individual parts of our physical bodies! He expects us to view His body the same way He views it!

Speaking of valuable gifts, notice that the two biggest ministry gifts of our time—the pastor and evangelist—are not even mentioned in either of the lists in Corinthians or the list in Romans. According to these lists then, they are not very important are they? God never intended for us to exalt certain gifts above the rest, nor the men who have them. He never instructed us to divide the body of Christ or put people in bondage to our gift. The Holy Spirit never commanded anyone to partition the body of Christ into ranks of authority based on the gifts we possess. All of this has been man’s doing. Well did Jeremiah prophesy of this generation when he said, "the priests rule by their own authority and my people love it this way" (NIV Jer. 5:31).

Look again at the human body. It is made up of many different parts. They may not all be pretty. Some have a more strategic place or function than others. But every one has to function. Functioning is not an option—they must function. When just one member of the body stops functioning, sooner or later the whole body gets sick. The rest of the individual members of that body can be functioning perfectly, it matters not. The whole body begins to suffer just the same.

The same applies to both local fellowships and the body in general, across the earth. Every individual member has been given a spiritual function by God. Every one has been given some kind of spiritual gift or ministration of the Spirit and the continued health of both the local and the universal body of Christ depends on the proper functioning of all its individual parts.

Paul told us how the body grows and stays healthy: by the "effectual working" of every part. Every part? There is hardly a fellowship in existence that has more than 10% of its members functioning; and for most groups the percentage is much less. What’s even worse is that even if Christians did realize that every member must function, even if they did commit to learn how to function together, how many hours a week would they have to learn? How many hours a week do you sit in a pew? Six? How on earth can we even hope to learn how to move corporately on six hours a week?

Every member of the body has a role to play in its growth. Every member has a role to play in its continued health and vitality. It is true that not every member can be an apostle or a prophet. But every member is essential to the whole, just as essential as the apostle and the prophet. Every member has been given a place by the Spirit and they must function. Functioning is not an option!

God did not call "the ministry" to assume the responsibility for the growth of the body of Christ. He never called them to take authority over it. They were called to help, to do their part, just like you and I were called and gifted to do our part. The responsibility of continued health and growth was given to the body—the whole body—and until the whole body begins to supply that which God has given to each member, our assemblies will remain sick and weak spiritually.

Corporate functioning—this is how God designed the natural body to grow and stay healthy and it is how He designed the spiritual body of Christ to grow and stay healthy. Imagine what would happen to you if 95% of the members of your body decided that they didn’t need to function anymore! And people wonder why the Church is plagued with disunity, unholiness, idolatry and deception! We worry incessantly about spiritual unity. We try to break down doctrinal divisions, denominational divisions, and even ethnic divisions. Yet nobody bats an eye at the biggest division ever to befall the body of Christ. Talk about straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel!

Corporate functioning, corporate ministering, corporate involvement in the decisions and the direction of the fellowship, corporate reproof, corporate counseling—this is what brings corporate life and unity. It is God’s will that the whole body bear the responsibly for the whole body. This was Paul’s vision, and this is the kind of life the Early Church experienced.

Church Life - First Century Style

Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

Jeremiah 6:16

We cannot look at any contemporary structure or religious group to see what God originally intended for His body. None are walking in Paul’s vision. None function the way God intended. All have been corrupted, all have forsaken the "old paths." Even worse, we are so pleased with ourselves and so totally unaware that we have lost a precious heritage, no one even asks for them.

There is only one place we can see genuine, New Testament Church life demonstrated: that is in the story of the Early Church. If we can break free of the clergy/laity mentality long enough to learn what actually happened in the Early Church, we will get a glimpse of something that will cause us to ask for the old paths again.

One reason Paul’s vision of the body of Christ has remained obscure so long is because no one really knows the story of the Early Church. His letters are not set in their proper background or their proper chronology. We all read his epistles and the book of Acts from a doctrinal point of view. We never read them from the story point of view. We can’t. It’s impossible to get the whole story the way the New Testament is laid out because it is arranged according to doctrine, not according to the story.

This is another gift of Martin Luther. He was a theologian. He only thought in terms of doctrine, so he arranged the books of the New Testament in order of their theological importance. The book of Romans lays out the fundamentals of the faith most clearly and explicitly. Therefore, he placed it first. But Romans was the sixth letter Paul wrote, not the first one. Theologically, the most important books after Romans (according to brother Martin) were the letters to the Corinthian church. Yet they are actually Paul’s fourth and fifth letters.

Paul wrote thirteen letters; twelve to churches and one to a friend. Many scholars dispute the authorship of Hebrews. Some say it was written by Paul, others say it was not written by him. Excluding the two books of Hebrews and Philemon, that leaves us with twelve letters written to congregations. So you want to do a study on Paul’s idea of community? Here is the sequence in which you would read his letters to find out what he believed: 6, 4, 5, 1, 8, 9, 7, 2, 3, 10, 12, 11.

Try learning a twelve-volume course on math or electricity in that order. The result has been that we have learned verses—numbered sentences. No one knows the story. There are no constraints on those numbered sentences, no restrictions of context or line of thought or background of events. We read them with our clergy/laity mentality and get the exact opposite picture as was presented by New Testament writers.

There is no shortage of maps, charts and commentaries on Paul, on his life and writings, and on the fellowships he raised up. We have novels about them and even a Hollywood movie or two. Yet, the story of the Early Church remains a giant enigma to both scholar and student alike. As a result, our doctrines concerning the gifts, the role of ministry, and the proper balance between individual freedom in Christ and church authority are never constrained by the immovable story.

Take the modern pastor, for example. No one has ever tried to justify this man or his role by means of the story. He only exists if you gather up verses from all over the Bible—disjointed verses, taken out of context, then woven together and explained by interpretations. Why not just use the story? Why not show plainly how he fit in and how he functioned? Because the Protestant pastor never appears in the story. A pile of scattered verses is the only justification for the existence of this man. But if we knew the history of the Early Church, that story could never be made subservient to numbered sentences. All those scattered verses would have to yield to the story, not the other way around.

Are such statements merely rebellious rhetoric? Let’s see. First, we will look at just one example of what has been done with those unrestricted, numbered sentences. Then we will have a little New Testament quiz and find out how well we know the story of the Early Church.

And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.

Acts 14:23-24

How do you read the above verses? Does it sound to you like Paul ordained elders in every new congregation before he left them? Does it sound like he was making sure the new congregations were left in the care of someone spiritually capable enough to look after them? If this is what it sounds like to you then you don’t know the story.

And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the city: and the next day he departed with Barnabas to Derbe.

And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch, Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. And after they had passed throughout Pisidia, they came to Pamphylia.

Acts 14:19-24

We don’t want to get bogged down with trying to define the proper function of a New Testament elder at this point. Here we just want to point out when it was that Paul ordained elders in "every" church. Notice that it was on his return to Lystra, on his return to Iconium, on his return to Antioch. These churches were the first fellowships that Paul raised up on his first church planting (missionary) journey.

Now, if Paul did not appoint elders until he returned to them, what is the clear implication? The implication is that they had no elders from the time he left them until the time he returned to them.

Did you know that part of the story? Did you ever realize that Paul left his brand new churches leaderless? Do you know how long Paul stayed with those congregations before he left them leaderless? Do you know how long it was between the time he left them leaderless and the time he returned to them and ordained elders?

Here is the status of those churches at the time of Paul’s return. The Church at Lystra was 4 months old; the Church at Iconium was 1 year old; the Church of Antioch Pisidia was 1½ years old. Four months, twelve months and eighteen months—without leaders.

When we only read numbered sentences, cut off from the whole saga of the Early Church, a certain kind of picture begins to form in our minds: that every time Paul raised up a new congregation he appointed leaders before he left. That sounds like twentieth-century missionary practices. It sounds logical and responsible. But if we know the story a totally different kind of picture begins to emerge—one that is the exact reverse of our modern-day view and practices.

Think of it. The believers at Antioch were without any leadership for 18 long months. What do you suppose they did those 18 months? How do you suppose they functioned? What do you think their meetings were like? Want a hint? Those 18 months the whole congregation learned how to function together as a spiritual unit. They learned how to move under the direct Headship of Christ as a corporate people. They learned to rely on the Spirit of God in themselves and in each another.

It was them against the world—not them and the elders against the world, not them and the pastor against the world, not them and the apostles against the world—just them. They found out the hard way (sink or swim) that each and every one of them had to carry their own weight. They learned what it was to do their individual part, to supply according to the measure of faith and grace given by the Spirit.

Spiritual unity, unspoiled by religious rank and authoritarianism, unspoiled by pride and arrogance. That's what made the Early Church tick. They experienced a simple, down-to-earth comradeship that was born out of the corporate functioning of all the individual members.

After 18 months of that kind of life the beloved apostle comes around and sees that some of them have grown much faster than the rest. So he ordains them elders. What do you think happened next? Did everything change? Did those newly appointed elders take charge of the meetings and start doing most (or all) of the ministering? Did they start seeing themselves as a separate, special class in the fellowship who were now responsible to lead and feed everyone, every Sunday, now and forever? Did they usurp the corporate leadership of that church? Did they usurp the Headship of Christ? Did they start having elder’s meetings? Did they begin to decide the direction of the fellowship? Did they begin to decide who needed to be reproved and who needed to be commended? Did they start to decide who needed this and what should be done about that?

Not on your life brother! The minute they would have tried to pull any of that garbage the whole fellowship would have gathered round and booted them out on their ears. Nothing changed—at least for a good long while. The issues of the fellowship remained in the hands of the fellowship—the whole fellowship.

We need to learn the story of the Early Church, for the story binds us to spiritual reality. It tells us the meaning and the limits of all those "numbered" sentences. Remove the safe-guard of the whole story and you can prove any idea the mind can dream up. You can create any theory you desire. Every false doctrine ever invented has been proved by numbered sentences. But the story, the whole story, limits our revelations and our imaginations. It puts parameters around them.

How much do you know about the Early Church? Paul’s first epistle (letter) was to the Church in Galatia. A lot happened before that letter was written, which in fact occasioned the writing. Do you know that part of the story? His second letter was to the Church in Thessalonica. About nine months passed between the time he wrote Galatians and the time he penned I. Thessalonians. What happened during those nine months? About three months passed between the first and second letter to the Thessalonians. What happened during those three months? The next letter Paul wrote was to the Church at Corinth, but nine whole years passed between II. Thessalonians and I. Corinthians. Nine years. Do you know what happened during those nine years? Does anybody?

There were several months between the writing of I. and II. Corinthians. What happened during those months? The next letter was written to the Church at Rome. It is actually epistle number six, written shortly after II. Corinthians. Five years passed between the letter to the Church at Rome and the next letter, which was to the Church at Colosse. What happened during those five years? Which book was written after Colossians.

We need to know what actually happened in the Early Church. We need to learn its story without the hindrance of today’s ministry mentality. When we do, the secret to its vitality and unity will be unlocked for us. That secret can be summed up in three simple words: suicidal church planting.

The secret to experiencing authentic Church life is to have an authentic church birth. It was the way in which the Spirit used Paul to plant those churches that was the major key. And what was that key? The secret was to leave; the mystery was to say goodby. Paul left those churches leaderless. This gave the members time to learn how to move as a corporate, totally functional, spiritual unit. They learned how to shoulder the full responsibility of the church themselves—all of them together—as one united group.

To us this is crazy, this is madness. It’s like throwing a new-born baby to a pack of wolves. Nevertheless, it was God’s genius to raise up strong, fully operational, corporate, unified, life-giving, fire breathing churches. We can’t get a grip on that kind of insanity. To walk off and leave brand new churches full of baby Christians without any leaders, without any structure, without any order? Suicidal church planting!

Consider this: if the brethren in Antioch would have had a clergy/laity mentality, even a tiny speck of it, the first thing they would have done after Paul abandoned them is elect some leaders. But electing someone to lead them never even entered their minds. Besides, who would want to do something dumb like that anyway? It was their church, it was their life, they were the leaders.

Walk into a group of believers in which everyone functions, in which everyone ministers, in which everyone decides the issues of the group, in which the leadership is corporate—not semi-corporate, not partially corporate, but totally corporate—and try to take authority over it. Try and set yourself up as the leader. You know what would happen? You would be lucky to escape with your life!

Whatever New Testament elders, shepherds and ministers were, they weren’t people who broke up the (already functioning) corporate life of the church or usurped the (already functioning) corporate leadership of that church, or the direct Headship of Christ. No, those elders and apostles were cut from a different kind of cloth. They marched to the beat of a different drummer and have little (if anything) in common with contemporary elders, apostles and shepherds.

Not only did those first churches have the right kind of spiritual birth, not only did they have the right kind of ministry growing up organically in their midst, not only did they have the gifts of the Spirit flowing in harmony, they were spared much of the ecclesiastical garbage we face today. Many of the things that hinder and limit the flow of the Spirit in and through the members of the body were not yet present; such as the structures and rituals and orders of worship that God is forced to continually work through (and around) in our day. They didn’t have a systematic theology to fight over and they had no denominations to divide them. All the things that we now associate with church had not even been invented yet.

Incredibly, people read Paul’s epistles and the book of Acts and walk away convinced that they are experiencing the same kind of Church life, maybe even better. The only way to break through such delusion is to look very carefully at what they actually had. Their life should be the plumb-line by which every contemporary fellowship is measured.

And all that believed were together, and had all things common; And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Acts 2:44-47

And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Acts 4:32-35

The writer of Acts said all that believed were together and were of one heart and mind, that they continued daily with one accord in the temple and broke bread daily from house to house, and that they ate that bread with singleness of heart. These statements reveal certain characteristics of how this first generation of believers lived.

First of all, there were no doctrinal groups (denominations) to divide them. All that believed were together. Secondly, they were deeply involved with each other. They didn’t just see each other on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. They didn’t spend 90% of their week consumed with their own existence and families and then try to come together to experience Church life the remaining 10% of the time. They "continued daily at the temple" and "broke bread from house to house" daily, sharing Messiah. Every day they were together, helping one another, praying for one another, ministering to one another, challenging one another, exhorting one another, rebuking one another, sharing meals with one another and learning to function together. Is this true of your fellowship? If not, it is out of plumb.

It is also recorded that there was no lack of natural resources in the community, not because they were all taught to tithe ten percent, but because they had all things common. We need to know the implications of that statement. When it says they sold their possessions and goods to supply for the whole community, it does not mean that every single person sold every single possession they owned, leaving themselves with only the clothes on their back. If this were the case it would be impossible to break bread from house to house, for there would be no houses left to break bread in. A more accurate picture of what was going on is given in Acts 4:32, where it says, "neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own but they had all things common."

Different people sold different things to provide for the whole body. Some of those who possessed lands and houses sold them and brought the profits from the things that were sold and laid them down at the apostles feet. But not everyone did that. Others might only sell a few things and donate the profits. Some just gave of their stuff to those who needed it. The point is, no one considered the things he owned as his own. Everything was dedicated to the Lord. Everything was dedicated to the needs of the rest of the body. It’s not that the people didn’t have any possessions. Rather, it was that they didn’t consider the possessions they did have as their own to do with as they pleased. They viewed them as God’s possessions, over which they were stewards. God could call for any of their stuff at any time and they would give it away cheerfully.

This kind of attitude doesn’t happen accidentally. It reveals that the whole believing community was living a "crucified" life. They were walking in death to self. Laying down their lives, particularly their physical lives, was a reality to them. It was not merely a doctrine. Many were quite literally laying down their lives for God and for the churches.

They had learned to put that thing that drives us to look out for number one on the cross. They were not interested in getting their piece of the pie or in keeping it. They put to death the attitude that says, "me and my family first, then the rest of the body of Christ." These people said, "God first, before my own life, before my family, before my stuff." How about you? How about your fellowship? Can the same be said for it? If not, it’s out of plumb.

The result of being undivided by denominations or the clergy/laity mentality, of being involved with each other daily, of living crucified lives, and of sharing all things in common, was that First Century Christians were truly of "one heart and one soul."

Some have attempted to recapture that special kind of unity today by establishing Christian communities. Indeed, there are a growing number of such communities, reflecting various doctrinal persuasions and group affiliation. This is certainly a step in the right direction. But corporate living in and of itself will not necessarily produce authentic Church life.

Unless the division between the leaders and the rest of the community is dealt with, all that has happened is that the clergy and the laity have "set up house" together. We may experience many wonderful things in community living—such as a continual Godly atmosphere, or the joy of being around those of like faith—but as long as there is any kind of division between the leaders and the rest of the people we will never become totally functional.

We may function together beautifully in the natural, but we will never function as a corporate spiritual unit. Remove the leaders from that community and the thing will fall apart in a matter of weeks. There will be contention, division and chaos because the majority of the believers in that community never really learned to carry the full spiritual responsibility of the fellowship. This was done for them by the minority, by the leaders.

The secret to the life and unity of the Early Church was not that they all lived together—though many did. It was that they could all function together. The ingredients that made the people of one heart and soul were: (1) they had time to grow, and grow together, without any leaders. They had time to learn how to shoulder the full spiritual weight and responsibility of the church themselves, before leaders were ordained; (2) they were walking in death to self; (3) they were deeply involved with each other; (4) when leaders did grow up organically out of their midst and were recognized, they never interfered with the corporate functioning of the church or usurped the Headship of Christ.

The life that the Early Church experienced was not designed specifically for them alone. That life is organic to the species called Christian and is contained in the seed of faith. Wherever there are believers, whenever there are believers, that life and unity should be present. One reason today’s Christians do not have the life of the Early Church is because they do not understand what it means to be "born again."

You see, human seed contains certain human characteristics that are present at every birth, such as the nose on your face. Under normal circumstances we don’t have to produce noses for new-born babes. Every one that comes out of the womb comes with a nose. The seed of God is the same way. Under normal circumstances every spiritual birth will contain certain characteristics that are organic to the life of God. We don’t have to produce them every time someone is born again.

The "seed" of God is perfect. However, that seed must develop and bring forth life in another species, called humans. We, the host species, have the power to hinder, and even stop completely, that life from coming forth. But if the seed is not hindered, it will always produce certain things. It will always produce a desire to be involved with other believers. It will always produce a desire to share with the brethren that which God has given us, whether it be natural provisions or spiritual gifts and life.

Unfortunately the life that begins to come forth is usually hindered. Instead of flowing freely between every member of the fellowship it runs up against too many obstacles to produce Church life. It is hindered by self-centeredness, as everyone goes about their own daily business, having no time for the rest of the body except at scheduled meetings. It is hindered by the walls we put up so others can’t get too deep into our business, so we won’t be vulnerable or get hurt. It is hindered by some members’ desire to run the show and by other members’ laziness, who are unwilling to grow and carry their own spiritual weight. When we finally do gather together it is hindered by our structures and rituals and orders of worship. Instead of authentic Church life coming forth, what occurs is just another manifestation of the Religious System.

Yes, it is possible for a fellowship to move corporately under the direct Headship of Jesus Christ. It is possible for an assembly to be totally functional today. It is possible for a church to walk in absolute spiritual unity, to be of one mind and of one heart. However, it is not easy. Possible yes, easy no. We have many more obstacles to overcome than the first Christians. It takes a determination and a commitment on the part of each member to grow spiritually and learn to function. Every member must commit themselves to take up their personal cross and put the needs of others before their own. The members must gather together much more than twice a week. The Early Church gathered daily—this helps to deliver us from our individualistic, self-centered lifestyles.

Most importantly, there must be an iron clad commitment on the part of those who are more mature and have gifts of leadership to never, ever, under any circumstances, usurp the direct Headship of Jesus in the fellowship. In this kind of soil the seed of faith will naturally produce genuine, New Testament Church life.

What about religious groups that are already operating on the clergy/laity structure? Of course, it is possible for an entire assembly or group to come out of the System together. However, though it is possible it is unlikely that many will. Both the leaders and the rank and file would have to make radical changes in the way they view themselves. The leadership would have to return the responsibility of the fellowship back into the hands of the fellowship. Rare indeed is the minister, elder or shepherd who would be willing (or have the courage) to take such a monumental gamble even if they wanted to. There would have to be a commitment by the whole group to endure whatever was necessary to get it right. They would have to be prepared to spend some time on a spiritual roller-coaster for a while, enduring a certain amount of upheaval and chaos.

The cold-blooded reality is that there is just something in the nature of religious groups and movements that keep them from being able to make radical course corrections. This is largely due to the fact that they are usually founded or established on certain spiritual principles, doctrines or revelations; and though many of them can (and do) make minor adjustments and accommodations, few could ever survive a complete overhaul. This is exactly why God is calling individuals out of traditional churches and non-traditional religious groups.

Discovering The Brethren

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there [in genuine corporate life] the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Psalms 133

Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

I. Corinthians 1:10

Let there be no divisions among you, said Paul, to a fellowship which had the gifts of the Spirit flowing powerfully. Instead of profiting and uniting the Church at Corinth, those very gifts were the occasion of strife, jealousy, sectarianism and division. Paul admonished them to be perfectly joined together (another allusion to the body) in the same mind and in the same judgment. Is that even possible?

Is it possible for an assembly to walk in perfect unity? Can an entire group of believers move corporately, under the direct Headship of Christ? If it was not possible, Paul had no business asking them to do so. It is possible. However, it is not easy. Satan works incessantly to keep the members of the body divided. Why? Because he knows that when God’s people are dwelling together in unity blessing and life are going to come forth.

The greatest hindrance to unity in the body of Christ today is not our doctrines or our denominations, nor our racial and ethnic backgrounds. No, the greatest obstacle to spiritual unity is the ministry mentality we all possess—and which possesses us.

The burden of the Spirit in this hour is that the body of Christ enter the fulness that has been provided for it through the blood of Jesus. There has been an emphasis on ministers and their ministries long enough. It’s time for the rank and file to come forth in Christ. It is time for both those in the ministry and those not in the ministry to rise above the carnality that produces such division and begin to move as one corporate man.

This will never happen as long as we are bound by the clergy/laity mentality. In fact, it is our total blindness to the destructiveness of this mentality that makes it so deadly. It will remain the greatest hindrance to genuine unity long after all the other walls have been broken down. This is simply because everyone assumes the ministry mentality came from the Spirit of God. Our pre-occupation with ministries and offices, and our love for structure and order, is working against the very design of God in this hour and we are totally blind to it.

Are we promoting spiritual anarchy and rebellion? No. The call to come out of the structures of the Religious System does not equal a denial of spiritual authority in the Church. Nor is it a rejection of the proper role of those God-given operations and administrations which have been given to the body of Christ to help it grow. Neither is it a refusal to acknowledge that God does raise up leaders in the Church. It is not a call to become a "Lone Ranger" Christian, cut off from all fellowship whatsoever. It is an appeal to open our eyes and recognize that a religious spirit has fostered upon us a counterfeit Christian mind-set, and has twisted the Scripture in order to perpetuate indefinitely that mentality because such a mind-set establishes forever a division in the body of Christ.

Is there Church authority? Absolutely. Does God raise up leaders to help guide the young in Spirit? Without a doubt. The problem is simply that nobody in our day has any idea what genuine Church authority is. No one knows how such authority behaves itself. We are only familiar with the Roman Catholic counterfeit of authoritarianism, which was repackaged and relabeled by Protestant Reformers. We have never seen New Testament leaders in operation. We have no idea how they functioned in the life of the Church or what motivated them; and we certainly are not familiar with the kind of humility they moved in.

We have never seen the unhindered flow of the life of God in our assemblies. All of us have been contaminated by Rome’s poison. All we know is what we have been taught; and what we have been taught has come from a contaminated, warped mind-set.

Scholars and theologians—all of whom are absolutely steeped in 1700 years of Reformed/Roman Catholic tradition—have gone to the Bible and assembled all the verses that relate to ministry. From those verses they have put together a "profile" of the New Testament minister. From this profile they explain to us in great detail this man’s duties and authority. They presume to teach us how he functioned in the Early Church, yet they themselves have no idea what the Early Church was like or how it functioned! That profile is not based on the story of the Early Church. It is based on a counterfeit Christian mentality that was introduced by men devoid of the Spirit of God.

One of the things we miss when we only read numbered sentences is the vocabulary of the Early Church. The words and phrases they used in every day speech are a window into how they lived, how they thought, etc. In order to understand this we need to realize that each of us has a unique vocabulary that reflects the surroundings in which we live. The way we talk, the words and phrases we use to communicate, can disclose many facts about what kind of people we are, how we think, and what we believe.

For example, computer programmers, surgeons and lawyers all have vocabularies that the average person doesn’t. Words and phrases which are quite familiar to them, which they use unconsciously, sound very unfamiliar to us. Computer jargon is natural to a computer programmer for that is the matrix in which he lives. We all have a particular kind of vocabulary that reveals what kind of matrix we live in. This is also true of groups of people, including religious groups.

Walk into a group of Plymouth Brethren and you would hear certain words and phrases that reveal the matrix in which they live; such as head covering, communion, the Lord’s table, the Lord’s day, etc. Walk into a group of Fundamentalists and you would hear things like eternal security, the Bible says, fire and brimstone, evangelize, repent, etc. Walk into a group of Catholics and you would hear things like rosary, tradition, mass, holy water, confessional, mother of God, etc. Walk into a Pentecostal group and you will hear things like Holy Ghost, signs, power, miracles, baptism of the Holy Spirit, etc. Every religious group has its own unique vocabulary which reveals where they are coming from, how they think, etc.

Within all religious groups there exists another distinct group known as "the ministry." The ministry has its own vocabulary that reveals the matrix in which it lives and moves. If you are not sure that this is true, the next time you talk to your pastor or teacher or elder or apostle, simply observe their words closely. Consider carefully where the focus of the conversation ends up. Generally speaking, it will end up on them and their ministry. Their entire conversation will flow from a ministry matrix and will be ministry centered. You will notice that they will talk about their group, their work, what they said, what they did, and where they have been.

Once you learn to recognize this "ministry mentality" you will find it quite difficult to have a normal conversation with them. You will realize that they are not viewing you as an equal, but as one who is in need of their instruction. You will notice that even during a casual conversation, they do not really talk to you; instead they "minister" to you. In fact, you will discover that some gifted ones are addicted to ministry. It is an idol in their lives. For them to stop ministering would be to stop living.

Friends, we are not in the forefront of the pastor’s mind; we are not in the forefront of the elder’s mind. The thing that is in the forefront of the ministry mind-set is...ministering. Ministers think ministry; they don’t think about you. All the arrows of importance are pointed at them. Not only does the ministry think ministry, you think ministry. Not only is their focus on themselves, your focus is on them as well. They do not think about you and neither do you! Everyone and everything is focused on the minister and his ministry. That, my dear brothers and sisters is the schism Paul was referring to in First Corinthians twelve. It is a kind of spiritual self-centeredness; my ministry, my ministry, my ministry.

We are going to see that this is not what God had in mind when He established the Church. Even though there were leaders, even though there were powerful ministries operating in those fellowships, the focus was not on the ministers and their ministries. The focus was on the assemblies—just the reverse of what goes on today!

This was also true of the apostle Paul. Though he knew he was an apostle and had been given a Divine commission and granted spiritual authority from God, he was not ministry centered. He was forever concerned with and focused on the body. He was body minded. The words and phrases that poured from the lips and from the pens of First Century believers reveal what kind of matrix they lived in; and the ministry mentality was not part of that matrix. Below are just a few of the many examples that could be listed to illustrate this awesome truth.

And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus...Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. And they appointed two, Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen, That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place. And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Acts 1:15-16 & 21-26

This account reveals much about how the Early Church functioned, if we know what to look for. The task of choosing a replacement for Judas was an important event in the life of the Jerusalem Church. Peter stands to address the 120 disciples that are in the room. He is clearly a leader if not the leader of the church at this point. Notice that he did not assume that being an apostle conferred on him the responsibility of choosing the replacement himself. He put the issue before the whole congregation and they appointed two men from which to choose from. Then they (the congregation) prayed for guidance as to which one to pick. Then they (the congregation) cast their lots and Matthias was chosen.

Peter’s role as a leader was not even slightly over-bearing. Unlike the attitude of so many today, the arrows of importance did not point to him. They pointed to the brethren, for it was the brethren who were making the choices. Peter didn’t even have a list of potential candidates ready. The whole issue was put before the assembly and decided by the assembly, under the direct guidance of the Spirit. What you see is corporate decision making, operating under the direct Headship of Jesus.

If this event would happen today the leaders of the fellowship would call a staff meeting or an elders meeting and they would choose the successor; they would pray about it and they would cast the lots for we live in a ministry centered matrix.

And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them.

Acts 6:1-6

Here we have the first internal Church crisis. The Greek speaking Jews felt they were being mistreated by the Hebrew speaking Jews and were beginning to turn against them. A potential church split was on the horizon. If this situation were to happen today the pastor would call a meeting with the elders and they would decide how to solve the problem. The last thing they would do is call the entire church together and ask them to help solve it. But that is exactly what the apostles did!

Notice carefully the balance between leadership and corporateness. The issue was taken to the apostles by the offended party. The apostles, moving in wisdom and authority, knew the best way to handle it would be to appoint some of those men over the distribution of the funds. They said "we" will appoint men over this business, but who was given the responsibility to decide who would be appointed by them? The brethren! The whole assembly was involved.

The leaders of the Jerusalem church did not assume that their authority granted them the right to make a corporate decision without corporate involvement. The input of all the brethren was absolutely necessary. Again, the issue was put before the whole assembly. So they (the whole assembly) picked Stephen and the rest; then they (the whole assembly) set them before the apostles. Then the leaders laid their hands on them and commissioned them.

This is how your fellowship operates, right? Isn’t it the brethren who make such important decisions as the ordaining of its apostles? Isn’t it the brethren who carry such responsibility that they are of equal influence in handling crises? Aren’t the brethren involved in the various functions and decisions of the church?

Well, this is how our churches should function. If they are not operating like this it is because everyone has been caught up in the ministry mind-set. We need to make drastic changes; and the first one should be the abandoning of those mysterious elders meetings passed down to us by the Plymouth Brethren.

But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. And after that many days were fulfilled, the Jews took counsel to kill him: But their laying await was known of Saul. And they watched the gates day and night to kill him. Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket. And when Saul was come to Jerusalem, he assayed to join himself to the disciples: but they were all afraid of him, and believed not that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. And he was with them coming in and going out at Jerusalem. And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him. Which when the brethren knew, they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

Acts 9:22-30

When Paul was about to be killed by unbelieving Jews in the city of Damascus the brethren sneaked him out of town. He then comes to Jerusalem and seeks to join himself to the brethren but they are all afraid of him. So Barnabas has to bring him before the apostles. After he is accepted by them the rest of the brethren accept him. After a while the unbelieving Jews in Jerusalem set out to kill him too. When the brethren find out about the plot they bring him down to Caesarea and from there, they send him forth to Tarsus.

Over and over again, all through the book of Acts, you will discover that it is the brethren that do this and the brethren that do that. It is the brethren who carry the responsibility of the assemblies. God raises up leaders to help us carry the weight. He does not raise them up so they will carry the weight themselves. It is the brethren that call for help and the brethren who send relief. It is the brethren who send people forth and it is the brethren to whom every one of Paul’s letters are addressed.

The writers of the New Testament are giving us a peek at the matrix in which the Early Church lived. The total involvement of the brethren in the affairs and direction of the Early Church is the exact reverse of the non-involvement of them in the issues and direction of our assemblies. Yes there were leaders; yes there was church authority; but look at what those leaders did. See how genuine authority behaves. All the wisdom and authority of the leaders was utilized to help the assembly carry the full weight of the assembly. Everything was focused on them.

And they said, Cornelius the centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee. Then called he them in, and lodged them. And on the morrow Peter went away with them, and certain brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

Acts 10:22-23

When Peter left Joppa to go to see Cornelius he took some of the brethren from Joppa with him. If there were any elders in this assembly, Peter did not choose to take them. He simply took some of the brethren. The brethren are so involved in every aspect of the Early Church that the writer just naturally assumes the reader understands that it is they who are carrying the responsibility of the assemblies. It is not the elders who carry it, nor is it the pastor or the prophets who carry it. It is the brethren. The writers do not even realize that they are telling us things that are utterly foreign to us.

Then came he [Paul] to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

Acts 16:1-3

Paul comes back to one of the churches he planted, looking for someone to take along with him on his trip. It is the brethren who recommend another brother (not an elder or a deacon or a prophet) named Timotheus. It is the brethren who send him off with Paul.

Now, if you are in any of today’s religious groups you will read that particular passage of Scripture like this: "and Timotheus was approved by the elders and sent off with Paul by the elders." But that is not how the Early Church functioned. It is how we function because we interpret the Scripture according to the matrix we live in more than the illumination of the Holy Spirit.

And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

Acts 17:10

Such an insignificant statement is it not? Who sent the beloved apostles away? The elders? Other apostles? No. It was the brethren. Knowing the story makes this numbered sentence even more incredible because it is referring to the brethren in the Church at Thessalonica, a church that was only 3 months old at that point. It had no elders or leaders and it was under persecution. Yet, despite the fact that they were leaderless and only 3 months old, these brand new Christians had already learned to hear and act corporately, under the direct Headship of Christ. When a crisis comes they act as a fully functional spiritual unit and get the beloved apostles out of town.

But when the Jews of Thessalonica had knowledge that the word of God was preached of Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and stirred up the people. And then immediately the brethren sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea: but Silas and Timotheus abode there still.

Acts 17:13-14

Here is another scene similar to the previous one. A brand new church is birthed at Berea. There are no leaders and persecution is on its way. Yet, a new church full of baby Christians has already started to learn how to function together in the Spirit. The crisis comes and they act together to get Paul out. Provided nothing comes along to divide these brethren, they are already well on their way to "dwelling together in unity."

And he [Apollos] began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly. And when he was disposed to pass into Achaia, the brethren wrote, exhorting the disciples to receive him: who, when he was come, helped them much which had believed through grace.

Acts 18:26-27

Apollos comes to Ephesus and starts preaching in the synagogue. Two believers named Aquila and Priscilla, seeing that he needs a better understanding of the Gospel, bring him home and teach him the way of God more perfectly. Later, he decides to move on to Achaia. So the brethren in Ephesus—not just Aquila or the elders, but the brethren—write a letter of recommendation. Who is that letter addressed to? The elders in Achaia? The pastor in Achaia? No! It is addressed to "the brethren."

The brethren in Ephesus wrote to the brethren (disciples) in Achaia. We need to understand that the brethren in Ephesus were not simply moving in "delegated" authority, being set free by those above them to act. They were moving in "corporate" authority, under the direct Headship of Jesus Christ—two radically different mind-sets! One mentality produces New Testament Church life. The other produces religious organizations, denominations and institutions.

In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

I. Corinthians 5:4-5

Now a situation develops in the Church at Corinth that needs immediate attention. One of the members has started to live in blatant fornication and the rest of the fellowship is allowing the situation to continue unchallenged. (Christians today have the same problem; they don’t like to challenge each others’ doctrine, church practices or moral behavior.) Paul says the man has to be cast out and turned over to Satan until such time that he repents of his wickedness. But who is given the responsibility to discipline the brother? The elders? The pastor? No! The whole assembly was to take corporate action, which they did, and that action saved the man from destruction.

Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

II. Corinthians 2:6

The discipline worked and the man repented. Paul admonishes the church to accept him back into the fellowship. The punishment, which was inflicted upon him by the "many" was sufficient to make him repent. Corporate punishment and discipline. Such a scene is unheard of today. Church discipline is rarely exercised in this day and age but when it is, it is always carried out by church leaders alone.

Paul could not even write such a letter to the whole church in a town today. He would have to address his instructions to the leaders. He would have to write to the pastor or the elders. The first Christians had a corporate mind-set and a comrade mentality for you see, both corporate functioning and discipline were established by Jesus Christ.

Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

Matthew 18:15-17

The Master Himself laid the foundation for corporate functioning and discipline. He said if a brother sins against you, go to him and try and get it straightened out between just the two of you. But if he will not listen, get one or two more members and confront him. If he still refuses to listen, tell it to the church. If he will not listen to the church then the church is to separate themselves from him. Please notice that Jesus didn’t tell them to take it to the leaders of the assembly. He didn’t tell them to take it to the elders or the pastor. He said take it to the church. The saints are responsible for the saints! The brethren are responsible for the brethren! The church is responsible for the church!

Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

I. Corinthians 6:1-5

The assembly is the place to get all matters of dispute settled, not just religious issues. Here Paul is clearly referring to legal matters for people were going to heathen courts of law to get their grievances settled. Why are you taking these issues to pagan courts, asked Paul? You should take them before the saints, before the church, before the brethren. There is no mention of taking them before the elders, no mention of taking them before the pastor.

You see, Paul had a whole different way of viewing things. In his mind the brethren should find resolutions to all problems corporately. And what if a matter cannot be settled by the whole Church? Then says Paul, find someone in the fellowship who has the wisdom of the Spirit, one who is least esteemed—not he who is most esteemed—and let him judge them.

Is the picture beginning to get any clearer yet? If the apostle Paul would have had today’s ministry mentality—even a tiny morsel of it—he would have told the believers in Corinth to have the pastor judge the matters or the elders judge the matters. But he did not have a ministry focused mentality. He had a body focused mentality. The First Century mind-set knew that it was the assembly that should be carrying out the responsibilities of the assembly, not the prophets or the pastors. The whole assembly should bear that responsibility. It was never God’s will that any fellowship, anywhere, under any circumstances, abdicate that responsibility or authority to anyone, regardless of their title, their gifts, their office, or their rank.

And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with confusion: and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre. And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not.

Acts 19:28-30

Paul and the brethren come to Ephesus. Because of their great success in preaching they damage the trade of a craftsman named Demetrius, who makes idols of Diana, the goddess who was worshiped throughout all Asia. Demetrius stirs up the other craftsmen against Paul and soon there is a mob action. They seize two of Paul’s companions and drag them into the stadium, no doubt intending to kill them. Paul’s first instinct is to go and try to help them but the brethren "suffered him not" to go. Here we have demonstrated for us a wonderful blessing called corporate wisdom. Certainly the apostle Paul had the spiritual authority to over-ride their counsel. But evidently he saw in that guidance the wisdom of God for he did not go. Is this the way your fellowship operates? Could you go to your leader and counsel him not to go somewhere or do something?

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

I. Thessalonians 5:14

After telling the brethren to know them that have the "rule" over them and esteem them highly for their works’ sake, Paul tells them to warn those who are unruly. He tells them to comfort the feebleminded and support the weak. He does not tell those who rule to do these things; he tells the brethren to do them. What is the role of spiritual leadership but to comfort, support and warn? The brethren were just as involved in leading the assembly as were those who ruled.

Do you belong to a fellowship where the acts of the brethren so fill your daily life that you unconsciously disclose it by your vocabulary? Or is your vocabulary filled with the acts of the pastor, the elders, the prophets, the shepherds, etc? Are the brethren so totally involved in carrying the responsibilities of the fellowship that they write letters of recommendation for guest speakers and send them to other churches? Do they appoint apostles? Do the members of your fellowship bring all their grievances, not to the "pastor" of the church, but to the brethren? Do the brethren comfort, support and warn? Do they ever exercise corporate counsel or discipline? Do they ever get a word of direction for the leaders?

Phrases like, "the pastor" did this, or "the deacon" decided that, or "the elders" said so and so, never flowed from the pens of New Testament writers because they had a corporate mentality. Leaders were not seen as separate entities within the fellowships. The wisdom and authority of the leaders was utilized to help the assembly lead and guide the assembly. All the arrows of importance were directed towards the assembly, toward its being equipped to operate as a spiritual unit, fully functional and fully corporate. As a result, many assemblies learned how to dwell together in unity. Life and blessing flow when the brethren know how to move corporately under the direct Headship of Jesus Christ.

Laying The Axe To The Roots

He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots.

Job 28:9

And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Matthew 3:10

The desire to be exalted and rule over our fellow man is deeply ingrained in each one of us. The urge to rule and have dominion was originally placed in man by God Himself and encouraged in the Garden. He instructed Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion over it. (Gen. 1:28) Adam was to have dominion while in union with his God. When he rebelled that union was destroyed and the very desire which God created and put there was turned to wickedness. That desire, now totally perverted and corrupted, is part of the "old man" or the fallen Adamic nature. No matter how noble our intentions, no matter how good our works, deep down inside of us there is a strong drive to rule and take dominion. That root must be specifically dealt with in every individual.

The ministry centered mind-set is a manifestation of that desire to rule and have dominion. It is literally a spiritual "kingdom" in its own right. It is a "mountain" that must be pulled up by its roots if we are ever to have genuine Church life. This does not mean that all preachers and elders and apostles are deliberately doing wrong. Many leaders truly love those whom they are guiding and are laying down their lives for them the best they know how. Many are sincere, Godly brethren. We are by no means teaching or implying that everyone who bears an office or a title in the Church is guilty of knowingly abusing those under them. Many fine brethren have not the slightest idea that the ministry matrix is detrimental to spiritual growth.

Nevertheless, it remains true that the desire to be preeminent surfaces again and again. It disguises itself with many faces, some likable, some repugnant. Sometimes it is obvious that a minister desires preeminence, sometimes it is not so obvious and can only be discerned by the Spirit. But whether it is hidden or exposed, it is always present, awaiting only the right opportunity to establish itself as the Divine order of God.

I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.

III. John 1:9

In his letter to a certain church the apostle John hits the root of the ministry centered mind-set. A certain leader in one of the fellowships named Diotrephes would not receive John or any of the brethren that he sent because he loved to have the preeminence among the brethren. This man’s particular desire to exalt himself and rule was an extreme case. Most ministers today do not walk in the same spirit Diotrephes walked in. Even so, beneath the good and proper desire to help others in the Lord there dwells an ungodly longing to be distinguished. Again, most do not even realize that the desire to be preeminent is in them or is influencing them in any way.

And he [Jesus] is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Colossians 1:17-18

The question for those who are pressing into the fulness of Christ is simply this: who is going to have the preeminence in our lives and in our gatherings, God or men? Jesus Christ is before all things. He is before all church offices; He is before all ministers; He is to be the direct head of our daily lives and our gatherings. Who has the preeminence in your fellowship? Of course everyone says Jesus has the preeminence in their assemblies, but does He?

When God chose the nation of Israel and separated them unto Himself, He established various institutions to regulate the life of the people. These things were the means of separating them from the other nations of the world. It was the best possible religious order that could be established at that point in time.

Centuries later God would send His Son to establish a new order, one that would be quite different from the one set up for Israel. By the time He came to establish that new order the leaders of the nation had turned the institutions which God had established back into a destructive Religious System. They turned the Godly distinction between themselves and the people into an exalted separation from them.

The Pharisees, the Sadducees, the Scribes and Lawyers, definitely had a bad case of self-centeredness and self-importance. They were totally ministry focused individuals. Let’s look at some of the characteristics of those men—men who loved to be preeminent—and see if any of these traits are to be found in our assemblies.

Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not... But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, and love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

Matthew 23:1-3 &:5-7

Here Jesus describes the kind of people we should not be. Keep in mind that we are not dealing here with the average "Joe" who sits in the pew. We are dealing with the leaders of the people of God, those who sat in Moses’ seat. That is, they have authority, they have an office, they have a ministry. Notice carefully that Jesus does not condemn them for sitting in Moses’ seat—somebody has to sit there. He never said they had no right to be there or that they had no authority. He said that they abuse the authority given them.

God established Moses’ seat and it is good. Yet those who were sitting in that seat were wicked. Many a good place is filled with bad men. The answer is not to reject the authority (office) God established or tear it down. Neither should we ignore any truth that may come forth from that office. Rather, the answer is to stay clear of the evil influence of those who have an office or authority. Thus, we have Jesus’ admonishment to the people that, "whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do, but do not ye after their works."

The phrase, "whatsoever they bid you" is limited to that which is truth. Jesus never told them to observe blindly whatever the leaders taught, for in the very next breath He says, "do not follow their works." Why were they not to follow the leaders’ works? Because their works were untrue, they were full of hypocrisy, they were evil. Jesus was teaching the people—and this includes us—to exercise discernment.

Just because someone is sitting in an office that was created by God, that does not mean we should follow either their teachings or their example without question. Luke said the people of Berea were more noble than those in Thessalonica because they searched the Scripture daily to make sure the apostle Paul was teaching them the truth. (Acts 17:11) Think of it. These ignorant, ex-heathen, baby Christians sat in judgment over the teachings of the greatest apostle of their day! The ministry matrix views all such behavior as audacity but Luke calls it noble.

Paul himself warned us to prove all things and hold fast that which is good. This clearly means that we must judge between right and wrong (I. Thess. 5:21). The apostle John said we should try the spirits and see whether they are of God or not (I. John 4:1). Nowhere does the Scripture teach that it is wrong to judge and discern and test the teachings of those who sit in offices appointed by God. Nowhere does it tell us to follow men just because they bear a title. We must test the teachings of leaders or we will end up deceived by the error of otherwise good men. We could even end up following after false prophets.

God will not hear the excuse that we went into deception and missed our call because we were submitting to those who have the rule over us. The Spirit gives discernment. He is the great Discerner and He expects us to exercise our spiritual senses so we know the difference between good and evil (Heb. 5:14). Jesus said, do not follow the evil of the leaders, for all their works "they do for to be seen of men." Here is that same root being exposed. The leaders wanted to impress the people so the people would give them preeminence. And what exactly did these leaders do to gain preeminence among men?

Firstly, they made broad their phylacteries. Phylacteries were little scrolls of parchment, wherein were written four paragraphs of the law (Ex. 13:2‑11; 13:11‑16; Deut. 6:4‑9; 11:13‑21). They were sewn up in leather and worn upon their foreheads and left arms. These the Pharisees made "broad" that they might be thought to be more holy and zealous for the things of God than others. Remember Paul’s words? "For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think."

It is good to seek to be holy and to live righteously, but it is an abomination in the eyes of God to want to appear more holy than those around us. It is good to excel in genuine spirituality, but it is an evil root that causes us to seek to surpass others in outward shows of spirituality.

Secondly, they enlarged the "borders" of their garments. God instructed the Jewish people to make borders or fringes upon their garments (Num. 15:38) to distinguish them from other nations, to remind them that they were a peculiar people. However, He never instructed anyone within the nation to make adjustments in those borders to distinguish themselves from the rest of the people.

The Pharisees were not content to have borders like the rest of the nation because they fancied themselves to be a separate, special class of Hebrews. They saw themselves as more important because of the office (gift) they held and needed to express that importance in some way. Their expression was first to give attention to the outward form of dress. They had to distinguish themselves from the common people not only in what they did but in how they appeared.

It is that same desire that has given us our various styles of clerical garb, whether they be priestly vestments, a turned-around collar or a three-piece preacher’s suit. Above all, everyone must know that we are in the ministry. How else can we get those nice discounts at stores and supermarkets? How else will men know to give us that special honor we deserve? Preeminence.

Jesus goes on to describe their desire to be exalted. They loved the uppermost rooms at feasts and the chief seats in the synagogues. In all public appearances and in the synagogues they expected—and had—the chief seats. What a corrupt attitude this is yet it saturates the ministry mentality. We assume such pious arrogance is proper and befitting a "man of the cloth."

Modern ministers take particular delight in having the chief seats in our assemblies. Walk into any fellowship, anywhere in the world, and you can know instantly who the leaders are. Not only will they be dressed differently than the average believer, they will be sitting in a special section of the room, separated from the rest of the congregation.

Moreover, that special section is an elevated platform! It can’t be just a different section of the room, it has to be elevated so everyone can watch them. Too many ministers value such trifles as sitting highest, going first, bearing honorable titles and having their persons admired. If you have any doubt that these things are highly valued, simply suggest to them that for the sake of unity and the preference of others, they should renounce all such vanities and see what kind of response you get.

For God’s people to seek or hold dear such insignificant and worthless amenities, and to feel resentment if we receive them not, what is that but making an idol of ourselves and then falling down and worshiping it? Such behavior anywhere stands in direct opposition to the humility of Christ but how much more so in our gatherings. To seek our own glory in the very place where we have gathered to give glory to God, this is to mock Him instead of worshiping Him.

Finally, Jesus said they loved greetings in the markets and to be called Rabbi. They loved titles of honor and respect. They loved to have people tip their hats to them. How it pleases the "old man" to be pointed out by those who admire him and have people make way for him. How he loves to be called by title, office and rank. As an excuse for such un-Christ-like behavior, various numbered sentences are referred to.

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.

I. Timothy 5:17

Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.

Galatians 6:6

Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation...Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Hebrews 13:7 & 17

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

I. Thessalonians 5:12-13

It is proper enough to esteem the brethren who rule and teach and watch for our souls in love, for their works’ sake. It is right to be grateful and acknowledge them. But all who assume or demand such honor dishonor God. To love such honor, to be puffed up with it or be displeased if it be omitted is a great evil in the Church. It is the exact opposite attitude that Jesus taught us to have. Instead of teaching and ruling, those seeking preeminence need to lay down their titles and rank and return to the "school" of Christ to learn afresh one of the most important lessons of the Christian faith: which is humility.

With regards to the issue of submission, just how far shall we go with it? What kind of submission is being referred to? Is the writer of Hebrews telling us to make gifted ones our head instead of Jesus Christ? Exactly how much submission and in what areas? Is he telling us to walk in blind submission to those who hold titles and sit in offices? This is not possible for the dominant theme of the New Testament is the right and privilege of the believer to hear and be led directly by Jesus. Yea, it is more than a doctrine, it is a commandment.

There is no other "head" between the believer and his Savior; and any one who teaches there is, is teaching Roman heresy. They would do better to be honest about their convictions and go join the Catholic priesthood. The command to "submit to those who have the rule over you" must be kept within the limits of the whole counsel of Scripture, not cut out and made a doctrine in and of itself. Yes, there is spiritual authority in the Church. But that authority voluntarily limits itself with regards to the individual’s freedom to follow his conscience and his Lord; much the same way God voluntarily limits His own sovereignty with regards to man's free will.

The rule of submission in the fellowship is very simple: it is to be voluntarily offered by the individual, never imposed or required by those in positions of leadership. If we have to demand submission from the brethren, if we have to teach submission from the pulpit, then God has not given us authority in the Spirit. We may think He has, we may carry a title or brandish a rank or sit in an office, but God has not endowed us with true authority. Those who have genuine authority are recognized as having such by the brethren with whom they live.

No one has the right, nor should it ever be necessary, to make an "order" out of it or set up a "structure" to define and perpetuate it indefinitely. If the brethren are following Jesus Christ their Head, they will know who has been granted authority in the Spirit. If they are not following their Head but gifted ones, they are wasting their time. God will not honor men who follow men. Nor will he honor men who seek to have men follow them. He is very jealous over His relationship with His people. He wants to have direct, intimate union with us.

But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

Matthew 23:8-11

After pointing out the characteristics of those who seek preeminence, Jesus commands the disciples not to allow people to ever call them Rabbi, Master or Guide. Again, the issue is not one of proper honor and esteem being shown to those who labor and pour out their lives for the brethren. Rather, the issue is one of accepting these titles as a mark of distinction, separating us in some way from the rest of the brethren, and from assuming the authority and dominion such titles imply.

What gifted ones receive of the Lord all must receive from them and visa-versa. But in the daily functioning of the churches they are not to assume or demand obedience because of their offices. Jesus was establishing a body of people who would live in unity and move corporately under the direct Headship of Himself.

All ye are brethren, said Jesus. Those who have gifts of leadership are brethren not only to one another, but to the rest of the body. It is not fitting for them to become masters. We are all disciples of the same Master, all in training under the same Lord, all school-mates in the same school. And though some of us be more advanced and rightly help others with their lessons, Jesus does not allow for any student to step into the Master's seat and rule the school.

To re-enforce this truth, the Master gave His students a crucial lesson in humility when He said, "but he that is greatest among you shall be your servant." Here and throughout the New Testament we are taught mutual subjection, mutual honoring and mutual preferring of one another. This kind of attitude, and this kind alone, brings true unity. It establishes a sense of comradeship like nothing else can.

The Lord said that those who are greatest in the fellowships should act like servants, not just talk about acting like servants. How many preachers and elders and apostles and shepherds say they are servants yet act like lords and masters? Paul was a man who knew his privilege and authority in Christ, yet he quite literally made himself a servant unto the brethren and he never got paid a dime for that service. He worked for a living, just like the brethren.

Jesus of Nazareth, who was the Lord of Glory, frequently demonstrated the humility He taught about. He instructed His disciples to be humble and self‑denying and condescending, preferring others above themselves and honoring others above themselves. True humility is a quality that is rare among those who are in the ministry today. Yet in the sight of God it is of the highest value, more valuable than any gift or administration of the Spirit. Religious leaders would do well to remember that in the coming kingdom, those who have humbled themselves before God and the brethren shall be exalted. But those who have ruled and lorded it over God’s heritage will receive everlasting shame and contempt.

Having dealt with the root of the clergy mentality we must now turn our attention to the root of the laity mentality. Simply put, that root is the desire to have a king. This is why those in the ministry do not deserve all the blame for the immature state believers find themselves in. The sheep are also guilty because we are spiritually lazy and irresponsible.

It is much easier to follow men who we can see than an invisible God we cannot see. It is much easier to follow men who are ever ready to tell us what to do, when to do it and how it should be done, than an invisible God who requires us to seek His will every moment of every day, who requires us to stop running to and fro and be still before Him, who requires that we spend time with Him in order to hear His direction.

It is much easier to be fed and guided by a shepherd than it is to be fed and guided by the Great Shepherd. We would rather have a visible king lead us. Thus, the twin desires of wanting to be a king and wanting to have a king work together to perpetuate a division in the body, to establish pride and irresponsibility, and to hinder the growth of God’s people. The gifts and administrations and offices of the Spirit are the catalyst for this division. They do not actually stumble us. Rather, they are the occasion around which both those who want to be kings and those who want to have kings, stumble. Gifted ones set themselves up as kings and rule by their own authority, but God’s people love to have it that way!

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe‑‑ as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God.

NIV I. Corinthians 3:5-7

Moreover I call God for a record upon my soul, that to spare you I came not as yet unto Corinth. Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

II. Corinthians 1:23-24

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong‑‑that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith.

NIV Romans 1:11-12

Who is the evangelist? Who is the pastor? Who is the minister? They are only servants. They are gifts given by God to help the body grow. They are not given to lead, guide and direct it. They have a part to play but so does the rest of the body. Look at Paul. He was an apostle (the best gift), called and endowed with great authority. He was probably the greatest apostle in the Early Church, yet see how he tells new believers he has no dominion over their faith but is only their helper. This brother knew the meaning of the word humility. God give us more men like him!

Paul told the believers in Rome that he wanted to see them so he could impart some spiritual gift to them, and also, so both he and they could be mutually encouraged by each others’ faith. Why did he want to impart some gift to them? To make them strong. One of the reasons gifts are given is to empower us to take dominion over Satan. They were not given so we would take dominion over each other! We have got it all backwards. We use the gifts and offices to take authority over each other and ignore the power of the enemy!

Paul also wanted to see the brethren in Rome so they could be mutually encouraged by each others’ faith. Is this the purpose of your gatherings—to be mutually encouraged by each others’ faith? Or is it a one-way affair, with everyone coming in order to be encouraged (and fed) by the faith of the minister?

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Hebrews 10:23-25

This verse is the one used by religious leaders to deter people from leaving their structures. Leaders declare solemnly that God would never tell anyone to leave their church because this constitutes forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. These men don't even understand the verse they quote! What is the purpose for assembling? We assemble to "exhort one another." We assemble to be "mutually encouraged by each others’ faith." We are to assemble so the members (plural) of the body of Christ can function under the direct Headship of Christ and edify one another.

Is this what happens every Sunday in our assemblies? Do we come together and edify one another and exhort one another? Are we all free to minister to each other? Do we all have an opportunity to function and share Christ with each other? Hardly! Then neither does this dead ritual qualify as "assembling" and nobody is wrong for abandoning it.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Matthew 18:20

Here is the minimum requirement for a gathering to be considered a New Testament assembly. It only takes two or three to fulfil Hebrews 10:25. Where two or three are gathered together, said Jesus. There does not have to be a leader in every assembly. In fact, it is better if there are no leaders for a while. What is mandatory is that we gather in his name, in His Spirit, in His attitude of humility and servant-ship, so we can submit to each other and encourage and exhort each other, so we will move corporately under the direct Headship of Him who shed His blood to make us His body.

The More Excellent Way

But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

I. Corinthians 12:31 - 13:3

After explaining the various gifts, administrations and offices of the Spirit to the Corinthians, Paul makes a very profound statement to them. He says there is a "more excellent way" to move than what they are presently experiencing. He then tells them that this more excellent way is to have "charity." Then he goes on to describe what charity is.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

I. Corinthians 13:4-7

Charity is God’s love. It is God’s nature. Some have wondered why the King James Version translates the Greek word agape (ag-ah’-pay) as "love" in some places and "charity" in others. If you look at all the places the writers of the New Testament use this term it will become evident that it is used to highlight a particular aspect of God’s love. It is used to describe His love in action between the brethren.

This is exactly what the Corinthians needed to experience, for they were "puffed up" by their gifts and were using them to exalt themselves over one another. They were dividing into sects because of pride. They needed desperately to experience Gods agape and express it towards one another as charity. As wonderful and as necessary as the gifts are, they are not the end, but a means to an end. They are not the goal, but tools that help us reach the goal. The goal is to possess the nature and character of God, not just in part but in its fulness (Eph. 3:19 & 4:13).

A clear distinction is made between the gifts of God—which include all the various manifestations, offices and operations of the Spirit—and the character of God. Yet Paul is not setting them in opposition, implying that we should seek either one or the other. He is saying that to have God’s gifts but not His nature profits us nothing. Nothing? This is an awesome statement!

It is possible to have the gifts of Jesus yet not possess the image of Jesus. It is possible to have a ministry and not have charity. It is possible to be a Preacher and not have it. We can be an Apostle or an Elder and not have it. We can be an Evangelist or a Prophet and not have it. It is possible to be a Miracle-Worker or a Healer and not have it. Having a gift does not equal conformity to the image of Jesus. In fact, there are quite a few believers who have been given powerful gifts by the Spirit—gifts that are recognized by the whole body of Christ—but who act decidedly un-Christ-like.

We could mention, as just one example, some who have gifts of miracles or healing, how they become Christian celebrities, packing auditoriums and performing on stages like entertainers. They charge the rest of the brethren for their services, either directly or indirectly, and peddle their gifts like merchants’ wares. They use the profits to build ever bigger and bigger ministries (personal kingdoms).

We could mention those who have gifts of revelation, how they use them to reign over the groups, movements and cults that form around their gifts. They use God’s gifts to set up religious structures that produce assemblies wholly dependent on them. Peter called this kind of activity "lording it over" the flock of God (I. Pet. 5:3).

We could mention those who have a gift of prophesy, how they go on TV and sell that gift to confused, undiscerning believers. They beg and manipulate the listeners for hours in order to get them to support their ministry. Peter called all such behavior taking "oversight of the flock for filthy lucre" (I. Pet. 5:2). All attempts to sell our gift, all pleas for financial aid, are an abomination to God. If we have to beg people to support our spiritual endeavors it is because the God we claim to serve is not supporting them. When God calls us to a work He supports it in every way, including financially.

We need to understand that it is possible to have awesome gifts yet act like the Devil. All our ministry, all our religious work can be wood, hay and stubble. This is exactly what was happening to the believers at Corinth. The assembly was full of gifted ones who were striving and bickering and dividing the brethren over their gifts, trying to decide who was the most important member and who had the most important ministry. So Paul warns them that they can have all the gifts operating and still miss the goal of being conformed to the image of Christ.

Should we cast off the gifts then? Should we renounce them or discourage their manifestation in our assemblies? Not at all. The gifts are working in collaboration with the other work of the Spirit, the main work, which is that of conforming and transforming us into His Divine image. They are tools that help us attain that goal. But they are only tools. By themselves they will profit us nothing.

Paul is explaining the difference between the anointing of God and the life of God. The anointing comes on us from the outside. Gifts are the actions or manifestations of someone else (the Holy Spirit) operating through human vessels. We do not necessarily have to be walking in actual righteousness in order to be anointed for it is not we who are being manifested, it is the Holy Spirit.

But the life of God is another issue entirely. Life is not someone else acting through us regardless of the condition we are in. Life has to come from within us. It has to be our actions, springing from our new nature. Life is not manifested regardless of our spiritual condition. Life is the result of our righteous moral condition. If we have allowed God to make us holy in experience we will have life to manifest. If we have not allowed God to do that work there will be no life present to manifest. There may be gifts but there won’t be life. Gifts are not life, gifts are to help produce life.

The difference between gifts (anointing) and life is like the difference between the baubles we hang on a Christmas tree and the life that made the tree what it is. At any time God can hang any kind of gift (even the most spectacular) on any kind of tree He chooses. The tree doesn’t have much to say in the matter, except to learn to yield to the Spirit and exercise the gift, for "the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal...[and] all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."

God distributes manifestations of His Spirit to every man, severally as He will. The present moral condition of the tree really has nothing to do with God’s decision. This is why our gifts, no matter how outstanding they might be, should never puff us up in the least. The very best gifts can be hung on an ugly tree. Likewise, very ordinary gifts—you know, the ones that aren’t perfecting us—they can be hung on a beautiful tree. The issue is not what kind of gift we have but what kind of tree we are.

This is what Paul was trying to get across to the Corinthians. He was saying, "hey guys, you have all kinds of marvelous gifts working in the assembly; you have apostles and prophets and teachers and everything else operating in your midst but you yourselves are ugly. You are moving in the nature of the old man, not the new man. Stop focusing on the gifts and trying to figure out which one is more valuable. Stop being puffed up by them. Stop using them to exalt yourselves above one another. Start concentrating on spiritual growth. If you don’t allow God to work the image of Jesus into you and make you a different kind of tree those gifts are worthless, they will not profit you."

The purpose of salvation is to become a different kind of tree, to be a partaker of the God’s Divine nature (II. Pet. 1:4). Spiritual gifts are only temporary provisions to help us become Christ-filled trees. One day God is going to withdraw those gifts, He is going to remove all the baubles and trinkets that have decorated us and made us pretty. At that time it will be revealed to all creation just what kind of trees we are.

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

I. Corinthians 13:8-10

Prophesies, tongues, knowledge, apostles, prophets and all other gifts are going to fail, they are going to cease, they are going to vanish. They are only tools to help us become new trees. When God has got the kind of trees He wants He is going to put away the tools! Can we even grasp the implications of this truth? Do we realize how many believers’ lives are totally wrapped up in their gift or ministry? Do we realize how many Christians are not allowing God to make them new trees? So many are ignoring the most important work of redemption, which is our transformation into the image of Christ.

Imagine the kind of devastation some of us are going to face when God puts away our gifts. We are going to be naked, we are going to be confused and wander about in a spiritual daze not knowing what has happened to us or what to do. Imagine the humiliation that will grip those who think God has given them a ministry of exposing heretics, who spend their entire lives denouncing fellow believers while ignoring the real work of God in their lives. Imagine what kind of mental state those who have power gifts like Miracles, Healings or Deliverance, will be in when their gifts stop functioning.

After a life-time of using, studying, teaching about and profiting by, and building kingdoms around their gift, God will put their gift away and say: "what kind of tree have you allowed Me to make you? What have you done with My gift?" Brethren, even now we are entering that period of time. Let us not be "foolish virgins" who are caught with beautiful "lamps" which have no oil. Let us be faithful stewards and use the talents (gifts) God has given us to bring Him increase (His image in us). Let’s get our lives focused on obtaining the fulness of God’s life today.

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

I. Corinthians 13:11-13

When I was a child, said Paul, I spoke as a child and thought as a child and played with childish things. But when I became a man I put those childish things away. What "things" are Paul calling childish? Is he saying that the gifts of the Spirit, or the exercising of them is childish? Not at all. The "childish things" are not the gifts themselves but our attitudes towards them. Childish things are our evil desires and pride which turn God’s precious gifts into abominations. Spiritual immaturity is not marked by having gifts or by exercising them. Immaturity is marked by a continual pre-occupation with them. Childishness is when we use our gifts to exalt ourselves over the rest of the body and demand that everyone focuses on them and on us because we have them.

God is going to have some spiritual men in this hour; men who are not pre-occupied with themselves or their gifts, men who have no interest in building puny little religious kingdoms for themselves, men who will act like servants, men who will take a back seat, men who will have enough courage and humility to sit down and shut up. He is going to have men who will love the people of God more than themselves and will give them a chance to come forth in Christ. He will have men who use their authority and wisdom to wean the sheep off of their dependance on them.

But I do it all [become all things to all men when preaching the gospel] because of the rewards promised by the Good News, so that I may share in them along with the others who come to trust. Don't you know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one wins the prize? So then, run to win! Now every athlete in training submits himself to strict discipline, and he does it just to win a laurel wreath that will soon wither away. But we do it to win a crown that will last forever...Accordingly, I don't run aimlessly but straight for the finish line; I don't shadow box but try to make every punch count. I treat my body hard and make it my slave so that, after proclaiming the Good News to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

JNT. I. Corinthians 9:23-27

But none of these things [chains and tribulations] move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

NKJV. Acts 20:24

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:10-14

Marking the difference between ones gift and ones transformation was not just a doctrine with the apostle Paul. It was a reality he lived in every day, continually. In Acts he said he did not count his life dear to himself so that he could achieve two things: (1) he wanted to finish the ministry God had entrusted to him and (2) he wanted to finish his personal race. Finishing a ministry we can relate to but finishing a personal race? What was the race he was determined to finish? It was to fulfill God's plan for his personal transformation into the image of Jesus Christ. His apostolic ministry among the Gentiles was his gift. His race was another matter entirely.

Paul said he had to attain what he was after. He had to labor to get it. He never taught that he would attain the fulness of Christ automatically, by grace. Never, in any of his writings, did he even hint that he or any other believer would fulfill their ordained destiny and call regardless of their obedience to God's will for their lives. He never taught that God would make sure we finish our personal race even if we choose not to run it. In fact, he taught just the opposite. He said he brought his body into subjection to the Spirit lest after having fulfilled his pre-ordained ministry he might be "disqualified" from his pre-ordained destiny.

In Philippians he said he was seeking to apprehend "that" (i.e. destiny) for which he was apprehended of Christ Jesus. God had a plan for Paul's life. He had a course which was laid out for him from before the foundation of the world. In His mercy and by His grace and election, God laid hold of Saul the Pharisee and showed him what that destiny was. Paul was then responsible to "lay hold" of that destiny. He was responsible to yield to the chastening, transforming work of the Holy Spirit in his life, as God molded him and brought him into the realization of his goal.

The apostle Paul was seeking to attain something he called the "high calling." Now consider the life of this man for just a moment. When he penned these words he was already saved, he was already gifted, he was already recognized as an apostle and had an international ministry. For years he had planted churches, worked miracles, endured great suffering and nurtured the body of Christ. He was one of God’s mighty men, a spiritual veteran who was able to defeat Satan’s strongholds wherever he ministered. He had practically all the gifts listed in the New Testament operating in his life. He possessed a brilliant theological mind and was shown revelations so spectacular he was not even allowed to share them.

He had vast experience in the deep things of God and did more to further the Kingdom of God than any other individual in that era except for Jesus Himself. Yet for all his vast experience, near the end of his life he was still laboring to receive a prize, still seeking to "apprehend" something, still pressing towards something he called the high calling.

Why don’t Christians ever perceive that this man was trying to attain something that has nothing to do with the things we normally associate with church, such as evangelism and ministry? What was he still trying to obtain? He was trying to win Christ. (Phil. 3:8); not the forgiveness of Christ—he already possessed that; not the justification of Christ—he already had that; not the imputed righteousness of Christ—he already had that. He was trying to win the image of Christ. He was seeking to attain full transformation into His likeness.

The great cry of Paul’s heart and the thing that motivated him in all his work was, "that I might know Him." That, dear friend, is the goal of the Christian life. That is the goal God has set before you. Paul’s race, your race, my race, and the race of every believer, is to fulfill God's plan for our personal transformation into His image, not later (in heaven) but in this life. The concept of a pre-ordained ministry is familiar to many of us but a pre-ordained personal destiny, which is a war and a race that must be won, and which can be lost by disobedience or carelessness, is almost totally unknown in contemporary Christianity.

Few people realize that transformation into the image of God is something that has to be apprehended. Being born again and baptized in the Spirit does not "win" us Christ. Being endowed with wonderful gifts and ministries does not gain us the "prize." Acquiring all knowledge and learning all spiritual mysteries will not make us win that race. Being the worlds greatest "soul winner" will not cause us to hit that mark.

Sadly, the Religious System possesses only a superficial knowledge of salvation. It teaches Christians that the purpose of redemption is to go to heaven. Heaven is both the purpose and the goal. Ok, so now we are all saved and ready to go to Paradise—now what? What are we supposed to do in the mean time? Since the future goal (Paradise) has already been reached, what is left to be done?

Occupy till He comes, we are told. And how do we "occupy" till He comes? Well, you go out and you get people saved, then you get them to church every week so they can be taught how to get more people saved. That’s it. Our goal as Christians is to evangelize, evangelize, evangelize, till the whole world is saved.

Those in the System go around the same mountain the Corinthians were going around, focusing exclusively on gifts and ministries in their attempt to fulfil that goal. This is why the Evangelist and the Pastor have been singled out by everyone as the most important gifts. You have to have an Evangelist to go out and get the people to church, and you have to have a pastor who will teach the people how to become good evangelists.

But the Bible teaches that the primary focus of God in this hour is to have a people who have won Christ—and this should be our main focus. It may come as a shock to some who are reading this book, but we Christians are not responsible for the salvation of the world. We are not responsible to try and save every one around us. Contrary to what we assume or have been taught, Jesus does not call every Christian to evangelize the lost. He does call some to that ministry, but not all. And while it is true each of us is to be a "witness" for Him, our modern concept of what a witness is, has been totally perverted by the System—it is rash and immature.

The responsibility of drawing men to God rests on the shoulders of the Holy Spirit and He has never transferred that responsibility to the Church. He has never placed that responsibility on my shoulders or your shoulders. However, the System tries to place it on our shoulders all the time because it has no idea that the primary thrust of God in this age is to bring a people into the fulness of His character and nature.

Simeon [Peter] hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.

Acts 15:14

The apostle James had a knack for expressing God’s designs in compact statements. Here, in one sentence, he reveals the whole purpose of the New Testament Church age. God is visiting the Gentiles (nations) in order to "take out of them" a people for His name. Religious leaders, as well as most Christians, will read this verse like so: "Simeon hath declared how God is visiting the Gentiles in order to bring them all to salvation." But that is not what brother James said!

Look at what he said again, carefully. Why is God visiting the nations? To take out of them a people for His name. If it was said that you went to your dresser to "take out" of it a pair of socks, should we assume that you went to that drawer to take all the socks out? Of course not! Then why do we put a totally alien meaning on what James said. When he said God is going to the nations to "take out" of them a people for His name, that is exactly what he meant!

If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister.

Colossians 1:23

It should not be necessary, but unfortunately it is, to point out that the "great commission" has already been fulfilled. Paul said in his day the Gospel had already been preached to "every creature which is under heaven." That is a Hebraism for the whole human race. It has particular reference to the two grand divisions of mankind, the Jews and Gentiles. To both of these the Gospel had been preached, and to each, salvation by Christ had been equally offered. Just as the good news of salvation had reached Rome, the center of the then known world, so it had also reached all the chief cities of that great empire and continued to spread throughout all the world into every nation.

When God said to go and make disciples of "all nations" He was not saying that until every person in every nation had been saved the great commission would not been fulfilled. He was telling His disciples to go and get more disciples from every nation. This is exactly what God is doing and this is exactly what the disciples helped Him accomplish.

Just how many times are we required to fulfill the great commission anyway? Nobody ever considers it an assumption of pride to teach that those whom God commissioned for this task failed to accomplish it! But is this not what we are assuming when we say the great commission still has to be fulfilled? What saith the Scripture?

God told them to go. He then empowered them to go. They went into all nations and turned their world upside down. Yet as far as we are concerned they never really accomplished what the Lord instructed and empowered them to do. Neither they or their children, or their children, or their children, or us or our children, have ever fulfilled it.

Nobody even considers that the great commission was a specific task, given to a specific group of disciples, which was accomplished by them. Rather than understanding it as an historical event, it is viewed by everyone as an open-ended command to all people in all lands...forever. To view it like this is to believe that it never was fulfilled, is not being fulfilled now, and never will be fulfilled. So, 2000 years later we are still trying to go into all nations and "fulfill" the great commission.

Why can’t we just accept what James said? Why can’t we just accept what Paul said? The reason we can’t accept it is because we have been blinded by the teaching of the Religious System. The belief that God is trying to evangelize the world, and that we should be doing the same, is a false doctrine. Religious leaders who know nothing of the deeper things of the Spirit have discarded the blatantly obvious emphasis of the New Testament—which is the maturing of the saints—and have built a massive organizational structure of missionary work and evangelism on one or two numbered sentences.

Does this mean we should not care about helping the lost? Not at all. All it means is that winning souls should never become our main focus as a Christian. But if we focus on being conformed to the image of Christ and on winning the race, won’t we be guilty of living a selfish life? Was Paul selfish? He was a great soul-winner but that was never his focus. His focus, according to his own testimony, was on winning his race. Was Jesus selfish? He said, "I pray for them [the disciples]: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine" (John 17:9). Jesus died for all men but He didn’t "pray" for all men.

Brethren, there are many things and many kinds of people that we can pour our lives out for. Contrary to the proclamations of our impetuous religious leaders, evangelism is not the only work in God’s Kingdom. If you are one of those who have been accusing fellow believers of being selfish or disobedient to God, or useless and deceived because they are not focusing on evangelism, you are ignorant of God’s Word and need to repent of religious pride.

Are we suggesting that believers should not witness to the unsaved? Not at all. Didn’t Paul manage to win souls while focusing on hitting the "mark" of the high calling? What we are talking about is a false Christian view of why God saved us. We are talking about an ungodly pressure that is put on every believer in the churches to evangelize everyone they come in contact with. We are talking about how wrong it is to ignore the work of transformation that God wants to accomplish in us, and then turn around and accept a responsibility that He never asked us to carry. Certainly, if we walk in the Spirit the Lord will use us to reach lost souls. But reaching the lost is not the reason we have been chosen by God and that should not be our focus as believers.

Doesn’t God desire that all men should come to repentance? Certainly. He sent His Son to pay for the sins of the whole world. The moment He sees a heart respond to the drawing of His Spirit, anywhere on this planet, He will move heaven and earth—and the very gates of hell itself if necessary—to save that one. Are all men given the chance to be saved? Absolutely. But God also knows the end from the beginning. He knew 6000 years ago just who was going to accept His salvation and who was going to reject it, both today and tomorrow.

Therefore, though He has made provision for the salvation of all men, He is not trying to evangelize the world because He knows the whole world will never be saved. Rather, He is going to the nations and taking out of them a people who will accept His salvation. Of course, one of the ways God visits the nations is through the gift of the Evangelist, which is a person who is specifically anointed to go and bring the glad tidings. God bless and prosper all the Evangelists! We are not minimizing that call in any way. But evangelism is a means to an end, it is not the end itself. The Religious System has made missionary work and evangelism the be all and end all of the Christian faith because it is totally blind.

Evangelists and missionaries are not the only tools God uses to reach the nations. He also visits them through the lives of the believers who dwell in them, and to this end each saint can co-labor with the Spirit in finding that people God is taking out. However, we must not confuse our true responsibility of letting our light shine before all men with the false responsibility of having to save all men. The goal of God in this age is to get a people for His name, in order to transform them into His image.

Living Outside The Camp

It is important to realize that the Religious System never has and never will be able to understand the Scriptural goal of redemption. It will never see that the goal of Christianity is not to go to heaven or save the world but to "win" Christ. It will never accept this truth because it assumes we have already won Christ by virtue of being saved. It will never accept that winning Christ is something we have to strive for here on earth, after we have become believers. It will never understand that no one is going to win Christ by winning souls, by fulfilling (again) the great commission, by having gifts and ministries, or by being fed by shepherds. Because this is all the System knows of Christianity, this is all it will ever be able to impart to those it leads and teaches.

The reason we need to have this reality burned into our hearts and minds is because God is calling a remnant out of that System. He is not asking us to reform it because it cannot be reformed! It will never change! It will never embrace the truth—and those who think they will succeed in reforming it from the inside are deceived. If we want to be part of the remnant God is raising up in this hour we must "come out from among them." We must live "outside the camp." This dilemma is not unique to us. New Testament Hebrew Christians faced a similar choice. They were having problems because, just like many of today's believers, they could not let go of an un-reformable System.

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

Hebrews 13:8-13

The book of Hebrews was written to an assembly of believing Jews. They had not progressed as far as they should have for the amount of time they had been saved and in fact, were actually retreating in the faith instead of advancing in it. This was almost certainly due to their refusal to break completely with Temple ceremonies and rituals for the entire epistle is a comparison between the two covenants. The writer takes great pains to clearly show the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old Covenant.

The religious establishment of Israel had rejected the work that God was doing in their day. The leaders knew that God had established the nation’s religious institutions through Moses. Jesus of Nazareth threatened to destroy, or at least make obsolete, those very institutions. Because they were proud and unteachable they were blind to the current move of God. All they could grasp was that a (supposedly) illegitimate Carpenter who never went through any religious training, who had no credentials, who seemed to ignore their authority, and who came from the most immoral part of the nation, was trying to institute a whole new religious order that centered around His own Person.

He claimed that God was His literal Father, which made Him equal to God. He claimed that He came from the Father and that the Father had sent Him to in fact, do what He was doing. For them the issue was cut and dry. It was His testimony against the testimony of Moses, the greatest prophet in their history, and of God (as they perceived it).

For the average Hebrew of that day, the issue was not cut and dry. They were stuck between a rock and a hard place. They would go out of the towns and see this Carpenter from Nazareth perform miracles, the likes of which had never been seen in Israel. They would hear His words and would be touched by the Spirit. Something inside of them would say "yes, this is the man." It was obvious to everyone that He was special.

But then they would go home and back in the synagogues the religious leaders would unleash their attacks, their convincing arguments, and their pious criticism against Him. Confusion was the outcome. No doubt many a Jew walked out of his synagogue thinking, "how can Jesus of Nazareth be right when the entire religious establishment has rejected Him?" That is the kind of pressure the ordinary Jew lived under in that hour. Accepting Jesus as God’s Messiah did not eradicate it. They had to face it and live above it every day.

The writer of Hebrews is talking to a fellowship that was on the verge of caving into that pressure. This assembly was in danger of "drawing back" and "falling away" from the faith. As one reads through Hebrews it becomes obvious that the author knows these brethren personally. He is familiar with their history and their present circumstances. He is familiar with their problem, he knows why they are not progressing. So he gives them some specific, practical guidance on how to break free from the things that are hindering them.

First he admonishes them not to keep tolerating strange doctrines. That is, doctrines that make involvement in Levitical sacrifices and institutions mandatory in order to become or remain a Christian. Many Jewish believers who were zealous of the Law were formulating doctrines that combined the two Covenants. They were trying to put the new wine (life) of the New Covenant into the old wineskins (framework) of the Law.

The writer says their hearts should be "established" with grace. In other words, their conscience should be fully satisfied with the sufficiency of the New Covenant. They should not be concerned about "meats" that do not profit those who are preoccupied with them. Here meats signify the old institutions, especially its sacrifices, which the offerers were permitted to eat. Basically he is telling these believers to remember that the Old Covenant is abolished, the New Covenant alone is in force.

He goes on to say that believing Jews have an "altar" at which to serve and a "sacrifice" upon which to feast that unbelieving Jews know nothing of and have no part in. Then he stresses how Jesus’ sacrifice was the fulfilment of that which the Levitical sacrifice and ceremony only represented. Just as the sin‑offering had to be burnt outside the "camp" (while they dwelt in tabernacles) or outside the "gates" (when they dwelt in cities), so the true Lamb suffered and died outside the gates of Jerusalem. The old system, though continuing on as if nothing had ever happened, has actually been replaced and is destined for eventual destruction.

The Hebrew assembly is admonished to leave behind, once and for all, the institutions that not only rejected and killed the Lamb of God, but continue to reject and persecute His followers. They should get out of that system altogether, they should live outside the camp, taking refuge in Jesus alone, bearing His reproach.

The problem facing this assembly was that they had not yet left that system—they were still in the camp. They had not rejected the system that rejected Messiah. They were still involved with those institutions and were still under that pressure. They were still pre-occupied with meats that could never profit them. As a result, they remained in a state of immaturity. They were not growing because they were not focusing on the proper goal. Worse than not going forward, they were actually going backward, so that the writer observes that they need to be taught again the first principles of the oracles of God. (Heb. 5:12)

Although the background of Hebrews has to do with the temptation of Jewish believers to turn back to Judaism, certain similarities to the present condition of the churches can be seen. In fact, the parallel between their situation and our situation is remarkable. Just like them, we have a Religious System that has rejected the work that God is doing in our day. Though our religious institutions accept God’s Lamb as an atonement for sins, they reject the purpose of that atonement.

We are forgiven and justified by faith so that we can then be made holy and righteous by that same faith. Accepting the atonement gives us the power to become new creatures. It enables us to partake of the Divine nature. It enables us to be conformed to the image of Christ. It enables us to experience the fulness of God’s life. It provides power over our fallen nature and the sin that springs from that nature.

The Religious System has cut the heart out of God’s redemptive work. It has rejected the overwhelming testimony and the obvious focus of the entire New Testament—which is the transforming work that is to take place after we have been saved—and has chosen instead to pre-occupy itself with meats (doctrines, rituals, practices) which do not profit, meats which keep those who are occupied by them spiritually immature.

Not only have our religious leaders rejected the full victory of the Cross, they persecute (verbally) those who set their hearts to actually partake of that victory. They mock and laugh at those who actually believe the Scripture when it says we can and will "come to the fulness of the measure of the stature of Christ." They taunt us with questions and religious clichés of unbelief, like "don’t you know that as long as we are human we will always sin?" And, "nobody can ever be perfect in this life." They ask, "who do you think you are? Do you think you are better than the rest of us? Are you trying to improve on the work Jesus accomplished?"

They accuse us of trying to "add works to grace" and of trying to "be saved by works." They ask, "what are you trying to prove? Jesus did it all at Calvary. He overcame sin for us, we don’t have to actually overcome sin ourselves." They interpret our labor to win Christ as an attempt to earn forgiveness and our struggle to walk in perfect obedience to the will of God as legalism, elitism and spiritual prudishness.

What kind of spirit tells us that it is impossible to overcome sin, that it is impossible to experience the fulness of God’s life, that it is impossible to be conformed to His image while we are alive? What kind of spirit tells us that God doesn’t even expect us to try? Or that all such effort actually offends Him because it proves that we do not think Jesus’ sacrifice was enough? What kind of spirit tells us that once we have been saved there is nothing more to be accomplished in us except to learn how to be good evangelists? What kind of spirit tells us that because we are saved by grace, we will also receive our rewards by grace and can therefore live the rest of our lives any way we please?

What kind of spirit tells us that because we are God’s children we are now exempt from all judgement, discipline and punishment? What kind of spirit tells us that we should never be sick or that we should be prosperous in material wealth or that we can name and claim whatever we want by faith? What kind of spirit tells us we don’t have to take up our cross or deny our self or follow Jesus down the narrow path which alone leads to life? What kind of spirit has us listening to Christian Rock and Christian Rap and wearing Christian tee-shirts that are nothing but second-rate imitations of a world headed for hell?

What kind of spirit has our fellowships wrapped up in sports and entertainment, two of the worlds biggest false gods? What kind of spirit has us ignoring Satan and keeps us ignorant of his devices? What kind of spirit has us laughing and acting like drunken fools when the New Testament commands us to be sober and vigilant? What kind of spirit causes us to turn our gatherings into mindless spiritual parties when we should be weeping and standing in the gap as God’s ministers because of the corruption vertaking both the world and the Church?

What kind of spirit has us calling our Holy God a "bartender" and has us barking like dogs, slithering on the ground like serpents and manifesting every kind of abhorrent behavior imaginable? What kind of spirit has us practicing rituals that came straight from Rome? And who is leading us back into the Pope’s arms? It is the spirit of Antichrist, and it permeates the churches. The False Prophet has walked right into our assemblies and taken a seat on the platform, yet God’s people cannot understand what is happening.

Religious leaders of our day, being just as blind to the purposes of God in this hour as the leaders of Israel were in that hour, have rejected the work of the Holy Spirit and have turned instead to meats which cannot profit. They accept and promote every kind of doctrinal error and unscriptural practice. Many of us are still involved in that System and are pre-occupied by those very same worthless meats. Is it any wonder we are still immature? Is it any wonder that after years and years of regular church attendance many of us still have no discernment, that many of us are still unable to function in the Spirit and that many of us still walk in religious confusion?

The answer to our dilemma is the same as it was for the Hebrew assembly. We must stop being carried about with strange doctrines and meats which have not profited (matured) us. We must reject the System that has rejected the goal of redemption. We must leave it behind and go forth unto Jesus without the camp, bearing his reproach.

Living outside the camp is both glorious and dangerous. It is glorious because there are unlimited opportunities for spiritual growth. Many of the things that stifle growth and hinder our ability to function are not present. There are experiences in God which only those outside the camp can partake of and truths that can only be seen clearly outside the camp. There is a special kind of unity and spiritual bond between the brethren that can only be known outside the camp. There is freedom and liberty that can only be experienced outside the camp.

But there are also numerous dangers outside the camp. There are a number of religious groups that pretend to be "outside" but are in fact, only smaller versions of that System. Also, there are individuals who are building their own kingdoms. Some who have left the camp have become entangled with them. There is the danger of being over-taken by spiritual pride and elitism, of going into doctrinal error, of rebelling against all spiritual authority and of erecting a miniature version of the System ourselves. But God is well able to keep us from falling, even if we have to stand completely alone. Better to be alone in God’s will than in the camp that has missed it.

Leaving the System is no guarantee that we will win Christ. There is plenty of error outside the camp. However, leaving the System will accomplish two things at least. First, it will remove much of the detrimental influence of that System from our lives. It will alleviate much of the pressure to be involved with meats that do not mature us. Also, it will bring us into an atmosphere that is more conducive to following Jesus directly, instead of following gifted ones. It will encourage us to learn to depend more on Christ in ourselves than Christ in others.

We have been walking successfully outside the Religious System for many years. We belong to no group, no movement, no church. We are not a "home church" or a "cell group." We have no scheduled time to gather, no order of worship, no "gifted ones" to guide or cover us. Yet we have not only survived out here, we have grown, year by year, in the knowledge and ways of God. The Spirit has taught us how to move as a corporate spiritual unit, as one man without a structure. He has taught each member of our fellowship how to function spiritually. He has given each member ears to hear the voice of the Lord. Each one has been taught by the Spirit to be a watchman on the wall, not only of their own hearts, but also for the rest of the fellowship. What God has done for us He can do for every fellowship that is serious about winning Christ.

In order to live outside the camp without stumbling there are certain keys to survival that we must possess. The most important key by far is a fierce determination to obey whatever God shows us, regardless of personal loss—be it loss of finances, loss of home or security, loss of loved ones, loss of fellowship with other believers, loss of religious activities, loss of pet doctrines, or any other thing we may hold dear.

The thing that makes "come-outers" stumble more than anything else is an unwillingness to relinquish everything to God’s hand. We get a vision of what God is doing and we say, "yes, that is what I want." We enter the contest full of excitement and zeal but never sit down and count the cost first. When God starts calling for things that are very dear to us, things that we are not really willing to give up, we start resisting Him. Yet nobody wants to admit to themselves (or anyone else) that they are resisting and rebelling against the Holy Spirit.

What happens next is that we begin to lie to ourselves and convince ourselves that God is not really asking of us what He is. Once a person starts doing this they establish a pattern of response that is destructive and hard to break. It will eventually lead us into a state of false reality and false security because even after we have disqualified ourselves from the race through disobedience, God doesn’t wipe our brains clean of all the revelation we have learned. The truth is still there, the vision is still there, the principles are still there, the language and the talk is still there, even the anointing may still be there but we are no longer there. We will have been side-lined without even knowing it.

This brings us to the second key to survival. We must renounce completely the attitude that assumes everything is going to work out fine for all God’s people. Not only is this un-true, even more importantly, it breeds false security. It blinds us to the need to be extremely sober and vigilant in this hour. It makes us soft and flabby (spiritually) and prevents us from focusing all our energies on winning our race.

Everything is not going to turn out fine for some of us. Some of us are going to be punished. Some will be beaten with many stripes and some will be beaten with few stripes (Luke 12:47-48). Some of us are going to be "weeping and gnashing" our teeth on that Day (Matt. 8:12). Some of us are going to be vessels of dishonor and least in the Kingdom of God (II. Tim. 2:20) (Matt. 5:19). Some of us will not be allowed to walk with Jesus in white or walk with believers who are walking with Him in white (Rev. 3:4). Some of us are going to have all our works burned up (I. Cor. 3:15). Can we even comprehend what it will be like to see everything we have ever done for God burned to ashes? Some of us are going to be thrown into outer darkness (Matt. 22:13) and have our names blotted out of the Lambs Book of Life (Rev. 3:5).

We need to have a proper understanding of the relationship between the sovereignty of God and the free will (sovereignty) of man. God has all sovereignty and power. But He has voluntarily limited His sovereignty when it comes to the individual’s free will. There is a line that God Himself has drawn and He will not cross it under any circumstances. He will coax us and convict us and make us miserable, He will plead with us and work with us for years and years—sometimes even a whole lifetime—putting us into situation after situation to get us to yield; but He will never cross that line and force us to yield. The human nature can be extremely stubborn, deceitful and rebellious. This is precisely why people will end up in the Lake of Fire. And it is why so many Christians will never reach the goal God ordained for them.

Yes God is in absolute control. He is going to have a temple of living stones in whom He can fully dwell and neither Satan or man can stop Him. However, you and I have the sovereign power to choose not to be one of those living stones. Though God has ordained us to be a specific segment of that temple we can still refuse to allow Him to make us that part. If we refuse long enough He will let us go and give our place to someone who will submit to that work.

We should be confident that because it was God Who called us out, He can keep us by His sovereign hand; He can finish the work He has begun in us. At the same time we must also understand that we have to yield to the work that the Spirit wants to accomplish in us. God will help us to yield if we ask Him to but He will never force us to yield. And if we do not yield, if we play games with God, if we hold out on Him, if we refuse to put Him absolutely first in our lives, He is under no obligation to keep us in the race. We will be disqualified.

We should realize this because the Scripture is full of contingencies. It is full of ifs and warnings—warnings not to draw back, warnings not to be spiritually lazy, warnings against not using our talents wisely, warnings to be sober and vigilant, warnings to watch for the Adversary, warnings to stand against him and overcome him, warnings about this and warnings about that—dozens and dozens of them! Why do we think God put all these warnings in the Scripture? Is He joking? Is He bluffing?

They are there to let us know our race is not fixed. We can (and will) lose if we don’t run it, or if we run it carelessly. Will we go to hell if we lose our race? Not necessarily. We are not dealing with the issue of eternal salvation and damnation. We are talking about not becoming what God has ordained us to become. We don’t become a "new creation" by dying and going to heaven. We only become a new creation by allowing God to make us a new creation. It has nothing to do with leaving the planet.

So the first two keys to survival are an intense determination to obey God’s will at all costs and a sober approach to our race. Another key, which is closely related to the ones just mentioned, is to possess an intense love of the truth. Loving God’s truth is a manifestation of our love for Him. Loving the truth is important for several reasons. Those of us who have left the System have come out of our various churches and religious groups with doctrines and concepts which are simply untrue. The errors we hold are not necessarily our fault. We were taught a lot of religious garbage as baby Christians. There was no way we could have known better.

In addition to these we also have character flaws that tend to warp our understanding of Scripture. We must remain teachable, being continually open to the Lord as He corrects our vision. Being a corporate people, many times God uses the brethren to make those adjustments. If we think God has already given us all wisdom and truth we are likely to refuse the counsel of those around us—and many do. We must realize that God has no intention of giving all the pieces of this end-time puzzle to any one person. We are a body. Each member has been given something to contribute to the rest. If we love truth we will be listening to hear God’s voice in our brothers and sisters.

It will also neutralize a very dangerous self-destruct button we all have in us. This is the tendency to love people more than God and His truth. When we love people more than truth we invite spiritual disaster for we will almost always refuse to hear God when He begins asking something of us that we know will divide us from those we love. Our love for others becomes a giant stumbling block in our lives because we are not loving God and His truth first. The Scripture instructs us to love truth more than people. That’s right. Jesus said the truth shall set you free. He never said loving one another or being committed to each other will set you free. He said "the truth" shall set you free.

Possessing an intense love of the truth will help remove three specific stumbling blocks from our lives. (1) It will keep us teachable. It will keep us from thinking that we know it all. (2) It will empower us to never let our love for others block the will and the voice of God. (3) It will enable us to receive from those we would otherwise ignore.

Sometimes we totally miss what God is speaking to us because He chooses to speak through a vessel we don’t particularly like, or someone we deem unworthy of our attention. Our aversion to them keeps us from paying any real attention to what they have to say and many times they are speaking the mind of the Spirit. If our emotions are under the government of God we will love Him above all else. Neither our love for someone or our aversion to someone will ever be able to interfere with our obedience to God.

Another key to survival is to have all the help we can get. It is not good to stand alone unless we have no other choice. We all have blind spots and there are times we need the help of other brethren. This is exactly why the writer of Proverb said: "Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety" (11:14); and also, "Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counsellors they are established" (15:22); and again; "For by wise counsel thou shalt make thy war: and in multitude of counsellors there is safety" (24:6).

Having a multitude of counselors is a blessing. It helps to provide safety, it helps to establish our purposes in God, it helps us wage war against the enemy successfully. There are so few groups who actually move corporately that when God finds one doing so, or even attempting to do so, He starts moving mightily in their midst. Each day He will clearly reveal His will to that assembly. Each day He will expose the movements of the enemy to them. Indeed, it may very well be true that the Lord’s greatest joy is to move through a corporate body of saints who are free of all the usual rituals and orders and structures.

Notice that the Scripture doesn’t state that all the counselors, or that any of them for that matter, have to be gifted ones. The stress is on their corporate nature not their individual spiritual qualifications. Those who are sure that God has them walking alone need not fear. If God calls us to be alone, which He does at times, He will keep us. But if we are not sure, it would probably be wise to seek others out and see if God would join us together. Numbers are not the issue. The issue is just to have another believer or two who can back us up, who can help us with our blind spots.

Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Another key to survival is to learn to discern. So many Christians need to get delivered of the fear of judging—a fear the System implants in virtually everybody. We should not be afraid to judge issues or doctrines or other people. In order to keep from ending up deceived we must have discernment and we cannot be afraid to exercise it. There are two kinds of judging referred to in the New Testament, judging according to the flesh and judging by the Spirit. Discernment involves a good kind of judgment. Not only is it not evil, it is absolutely necessary, especially in these days of immense deception.

Jesus said we should never judge according to the flesh but He said we must judge by the Spirit. When we judge according to the Spirit we are exercising discernment, when we judge according to the flesh we are using our human reason and logic to form an opinion. One kind of judgment is God in us judging a situation or a teaching or a person’s actions. The other kind of judgment is us playing god with the carnal mind. One is wrong but the other is necessary. The System has virtually all believers brainwashed. It tells us over and over again that all judgment is wrong. To substantiate its error it twists the Scripture by misquoting certain verses or quoting them out of context.

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Matthew 7:1-5

This is probably the verse that is quoted most often to put everyone who would dare judge anything under condemnation. If we will read what He is saying carefully we will see that He is not forbidding all believers everywhere to ever pass judgment on anything. He is reproving those who were judging after the flesh for He is talking to those who were judging the "mote" in someone else’s eye when they had a "beam" in their own eye.

Notice that Jesus didn’t stop there. He continued on and said we should first pull the beam out of our own eye, then we can see clearly to pull that mote out of our brother’s eye. The command was not that no one should ever try to remove a mote from another’s eye. The issue is that we should never try to remove that mote when we are blind, when we have a beam in our own eyes.

I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me...Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

John 5:30 & 7:24

Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man. And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.

John 8:15-16

The judgment of Jesus was just because He was not seeking His own will. He was not judging according to His own wisdom or according to outward appearances. Unlike those who judge according to the flesh, His judgment was true because He "was not alone." He was not the one doing the judging, it was the Father judging through Him. That is how we should view the issue of judgment. If we judge according to our own wisdom, according to the outward appearance, or if we judge alone we are judging according to the flesh. If we are not judging alone, if we have the "mind of Christ," then whatever judgment comes forth is coming from God not us.

Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren?

I. Corinthians 6:2-5

But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

I. Corinthians 2:15-16

Every Christian should be asked this question. Don’t you know we will judge the world? Don’t you realize we are going to judge angels? Doesn’t it make sense that if we are going to be given such power, we should at least be able to judge small matters in this life? Where are the believers who "have the mind of Christ" today? Paul didn’t say they couldn’t have the mind of Christ now, he said they should not be judging things unless they had the mind of Christ, and that it was to their shame that no one in that church had it.

We too should be ashamed if we are afraid to judge because the only kind of judgment we know how to exercise is "according to the flesh." The answer to this sad state of affairs is not to refuse to judge anything or anyone, but to get the mind of Christ. We can have the mind of Christ and judge righteous judgment today! Indeed, we must begin to judge righteous judgment now if we ever hope to acquire the ability to judge the world tomorrow. We must begin now if we ever hope to rule the nations with Jesus. Or do we presume that God is going to wave some kind of magic wand over us and instantly bestow that ability? It’s not going to happen that way folks. If we aren’t learning to judge today, we will never be given the authority to judge tomorrow.

Paul said those who are spiritual "judge all things." They have the mind of Christ on the issues that come up. They have the mind of Christ when they are exposed to a wrong teaching. They have the mind of Christ when they are with someone who has a wrong spirit. They have the mind of Christ when the enemy starts to move in their midst. However, those who are spiritual are "judged of no man" (who is in the flesh). In other words, we can be falsely accused and slandered by believers who judge according to the flesh, but their judgment will not be the judgment of the Spirit and will therefore be worthless.

We are going to find that those who cry the loudest about not judging others are those who don’t want to be judged themselves, by God or anybody else. If they can convince everyone around them to never judge anything there is no chance of them being exposed. What they want is for all Christians to pat each other on the back and stroke each others’ ego regardless of what the Spirit has to say. They want Christians to walk around blessing each other regardless of the kind of behavior they are manifesting.

The Lord has called us out to purify us and deliver us totally from the world, the flesh and the Devil. He has called us out so that we can grow to full stature, so we can learn to live in the Spirit and have the mind of Christ continually. So we can be made vessels which can support and manifest the fulness of His glory. Those who remain in the camp will never grow to full stature for though the churches preach salvation faithfully every Sunday, they do not preach the goal of that salvation. The only kind of meat the System is providing God’s people with is the type that can never mature them.

Christian Rewards

And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

Habakkuk 2:2

He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.

Revelation 22:11-12

One of the dangers of living outside the camp is that we get exposed to doctrinal errors that we would not normally encounter inside the System. Though there is error outside the System, the situation is very different from the error inside the System. The erroneous teachings and practices of the System are held and propagated by the vast majority of those in it. It is fair to say therefore, that these doctrines represent the beliefs of those in the Establishment—at least generally speaking. However, this is not true of those outside the System. Though we have our share of error, it is not held and propagated by the vast majority of the brethren out here. Exactly the reverse is true. So it is not fair to say that these doctrines represent—even generally—what we as a whole believe.

Just as it only takes a few unstable souls outside the churches to give everyone a bad name, so it is doubly true with regards to teachers out here. It only takes a few to give everyone a bad reputation. Some of the brethren in the camp have heard errors being taught outside the camp and have judged everyone out here by them. They have closed their heart to anything that comes from outside and lump us all together into a single group. They assume that everyone outside the camp is promoting the same error and therefore make no effort to discern the difference. Doing this in ignorance is bad enough. But some are so hostile towards what we stand for, even after realizing the majority of us do not hold these errors, they continue to lump us all together and intentionally misrepresent what we believe. We hope that honest believers, whether they agree with what is presented in these pages or not, will at least have the integrity to not intentionally misrepresent what they have read.

The Religious Institutions of our day have contaminated God’s people with a dangerous and deep seated aversion to all teachings that elevate any Christian or group of Christians above other Christians in the coming kingdom. It is a powerful bias which causes us to think (and act) illogically when it comes to Christian rewards. There is no clearer teaching in the entire Word of God than the doctrine of rewards. From Genesis to Revelation, virtually every book states emphatically and plainly that every person, including God’s people, will be rewarded according to their works.

Though we say we believe God is going to reward us according to our faithfulness, in reality, many of us really don’t’ believe this truth. When it comes right down to it we still think we are going to be rewarded by "grace." Many believers in the System really cannot accept the fact that those who have paid a greater price to be faithful to Jesus deserve more honor and glory. Their double-mindedness and inconsistency becomes self-evident as soon as someone actually begins to describe those differences, for they start leveling accusations at us. They accuse us of trying to exalt ourselves over the rest of the body. They say we are trying to establish an hierarchical relationship between believers. They call us "elitist" and "self-centered" and warn fellow believers to stay clear of us because we are a cult.

Such reactions, aside from being untrue and lacking in charity, are really the result of our having been brainwashed by a fork-tongued Religious System that claims to believe one thing yet teaches the opposite. For, regardless of what it professes to believe, it teaches that all Christians will receive basically the same authority, the same degree of glory and the same rewards in heaven, based upon our profession of faith. If there is any doubt that we are speaking the unvarnished truth, simply ask your local pastor or elder to explain these differences to you. No one knows or wants to know what they are. The reason is very simple: their theology doesn’t match their every-day view of Christianity. In other words, they really don’t think there will be any difference!

But there is a difference and we need to know what it is, for such knowledge will help eliminate the spiritual lethargy and false security that has gripped so many of God’s people in this hour.

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

James 5:7-8

Notice that the coming of the Lord is likened unto a farmer who "waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it." As was already pointed out, God is not trying to evangelize the world. He is not waiting for "revival" to sweep the earth. He is waiting for the precious fruit (saints) to fully ripen (mature). He has been and still is going to the nations and taking out of them a people for His name so they will mature in that name and bring forth fruit.

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

John 15:16

Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Romans 7:4

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

John said the "called out" ones are chosen and ordained by God to bring forth fruit. Paul said that we were set free from the Law, not to live in lawlessness or any way we please, but so we could marry the Lord Jesus and bring forth fruit from that union. We were not chosen and ordained to evangelize the world. We were chosen to bear fruit.

Of course, it is true that as we bear fruit and are led of the Holy Spirit He will use us to reach unsaved men and women. However, the Scriptural focus (which is God’s focus) is not on evangelizing the lost but on bearing fruit. Exactly what is the fruit God "hath long patience for?" Is it religious works? Is it ministry? Is it souls saved? No. He is looking for the fruit of the Spirit. He is looking for love, joy, peace, etc. He is waiting for His own image to be fully formed in us. God wants His character manifested on this planet.

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 13:3-9

Here Jesus is teaching the people about fruit. The seed is the word of God, the sower is the Lord and the ground is the hearts of men, which are like soil. As it is with the earth, so it is with the hearts of men, whose different characters and dispositions are represented by four kinds of ground, three of which are unproductive. For the reasons listed, the first three types of ground either do not bear any fruit at all or bear fruit that does not remain. All those who claim to be "in" Christ and part of the "vine" should be producing some kind of fruit.

God is a fruit inspector. He comes to His vineyard looking for that fruit so He may prune the branches. He does this in order to get even more fruit (John 15:1-6). Everything is geared to and focused on getting the most possible fruit from the branches. His attitude towards those who are not producing any fruit is grim indeed (Luke 13:6-9). Jesus tells us plainly what will be done with every branch that has failed to produce any fruit at all, they will be "hewn down and cast into the fire" (Matt. 7:19).

It needs to be emphasized again that the fruit God is looking for is not religious accomplishments. The fruit He is looking for is the fruit of the Spirit, which is His Divine nature. Fruit equals character: the character of God. Fruit equals image: the image of Christ. As long as our lives have yielded fruit in any degree we are part of the family of God. We are part of the Church and members of Messiah’s body.

However, though we are all part of the Church, we will not all bear the same degree of fruit. Some be more faithful to God than others. Some will allow God to do a deeper work of crucifixion in their lives and will bring forth one-hundred fold fruit. Others will hold certain areas of their lives back from the Lord, thus only producing thirty-fold or sixty-fold fruit. The person who brings forth one-hundred fold fruit will bear the full image of Christ. Those who bring forth sixty-fold fruit will only bear 60% of that fulness. Those bring forth thirty-fold fruit will only bear 30% of that fulness.

There are varying degrees of transformation we can experience as believers. We do not automatically bring forth one-hundred fold fruit just because we believe in Jesus. We are not automatically transformed into the fulness of His image simply because we have accepted Him as our personal Savior or have been baptized in the Spirit. The issue of how much fruit we produce has nothing to do with being eternally saved or lost—unless of course, we have produced no fruit at all. Rather, it has to do with how much of Messiah’s image we bring forth.

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

II. Timothy 2:19-21

The apostle Paul said in God’s great "house" there will be "vessels of honor" and "vessels of dishonor." Notice carefully that both kinds of vessels were in God’s house, they all belonged to God. Once again, we are not dealing here with eternal punishment or salvation. If Paul wanted to contrast the saved with the unsaved he would not have used the term dishonor. He would have referred to a third kind of vessel which represents those who are lost, called vessels of wrath. (Rom. 9:22)

Paul is not contrasting vessels of honor with vessels of wrath, he is contrasting vessels of honor with vessels of dishonor. All are God’s people. All will be in God’s house. He is warning believers that in the coming kingdom we will experience different spiritual states of existence, some honorable, some not so honorable. The determining factor in what state we end up in is whether or not we depart from iniquity and purge from ourselves the wood, hay and stubble.

Wood, hay and stubble symbolize the fallen Adamic nature, while gold and silver represent the nature of God. So what is Paul telling us? He is telling us that though we are all God’s people we are not all going to necessarily be honorable vessels in the Kingdom of God. Both our rewards and what kind of vessel we end up becoming are not going to be based on our profession of faith. They are not going to be based on unmerited favor. They are going to be based on how much of God’s image we have allowed Him to work in us.

Those who have allowed the Spirit of God to cultivate them and prune them until they bring forth one-hundred fold fruit will have greater rewards and more honor than those who only bring forth sixty-fold fruit or thirty-fold fruit. Is this not the obvious meaning of these passages of Scripture? Are we twisting them to arrive at these conclusions? The Bible does not teach that we will all be equal. It teaches just the opposite. It mentions three levels of fruit and two kinds of vessels. Moreover, Jesus stated quite frankly that in His kingdom some will be called great and others would be called least. Again, the contrast is not between the saved and the unsaved. Both the great and the least will be in the same kingdom.

Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:19

Is there any reason not to accept Jesus’ words at face value? Would it be unreasonable to assume that if there are those who will be greatest and those who will be least that there will be others who will fall somewhere in between? Is such an interpretation an elitist view? We think not. What determines who will be great and who will be least? Obedience; not doctrine, not confession, not justification, not forgiveness, not imputed righteousness, not grace, not love, not mercy, not church attendance, not spiritual knowledge or revelation, not gifts and ministry, not evangelism, but obedience to the Person of God. If we obey Him faithfully, He will be faithful to prune and cultivate us until we bring forth one-hundred fold fruit: His full image.

And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

Jude 1:22-23

Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

Revelation. 3:4

Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

Revelation 16:15

Here we have another distinction between God’s people. This time it is between those who keep their garments clean and those who defile them by yielding to the appetites and desires of the flesh. Of those who keep their garments clean, Jesus said, "they shall walk with me in white." Again, the issue is not between eternal damnation and eternal life. It is between those believers who will be granted authority to walk with the Lord in white and those believers who will be denied that privilege (reward) because of their carelessness in this life. What will it mean to walk with Jesus in white? We are not exactly sure and opinions vary. But whatever it means, one thing is certain, those believers who defile their garments will not be granted that privilege.

Do we understand what this means? It means that believers who have defiled their garments will not be able to walk with believers who didn’t defile them. There will be some kind of separation. There will be some kind of visible distinction. This is the only possible way to interpret the Lord’s words—unless we maintain that the distinction He is making is not between fellow believers but between believers and unbelievers—in which case we must conclude that every Christian who defiles his garment will be cast into eternal punishment.

Certainly this latter view is a far more elitist understanding than just accepting what Jesus said at face value, for if every Christian who defiles his garment is destined to be cast into the lake of fire, Paradise will contain a very small population indeed! Not only is it possible to come forth in varying degrees of Christ’s likeness, in different levels of glory and in different states of spiritual maturity, it is also possible to come forth in various proximites of closeness to the Lord, which is exactly what Jesus was describing in Revelation 3:4. We can also see this foreshadowed in the earthly ministry of Jesus. Not all those who followed Him shared the same degree of closeness to Him. Neither did they all share the same knowledge of Him. On what grounds are we assuming that things will be any different in the Kingdom Age?

The Lord had a number of groups following Him, some closer than others. Those furthest away were the multitudes who followed Him to get healing for their various physical diseases. A little closer to Him was a large group of disciples that followed Him for a season, most of whom turned back because they could not handle what He said about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. [John 6:66] A little closer to Him was an inner circle of twelve disciples who lived and walked with Him throughout His entire ministry. These twelve had a much more intimate relationship with the Master. To them Jesus explained His mission.

Among that inner circle of twelve there existed an even smaller circle of disciples: Peter, James and John. These three men were shown things that the rest of the twelve were not. Finally, among the three there was one (John) who laid his head on the bosom of Jesus at the last supper and who stood by Him at His crucifixion. John refers to himself as "the disciple whom Jesus loved" four times in his Gospel, thus leaving us with the distinct impression that out of the multitudes who followed Jesus he had the closest relationship of all with Him.

God’s people desperately need to realize that our future place and function in the Kingdom of God is not being determined by whether or not we have been forgiven and justified by the blood, nor by what kind of ministry we are involved in, be it to the saved or the unsaved. Our place will be determined by what kind of tree we have allowed God to make us. We have to break free of the mind-set that presumes all believers will get the same rewards and glory. It is totally unscriptural and goes against every principle of God’s justice and equity.

The Scripture teaches that some believers will be granted authority to do things that other believers won’t. It teaches that some will be given more honor than others. If granting certain believers better privileges, more authority and more honor does not constitute an exalting of them over their brethren, what on earth does? It sure sounds like Jesus is going to exalt some of the brethren over the rest of them doesn’t it? It sure sounds like He is going to set up an hierarchical relationship between believers doesn’t it?

There are indeed different groups of believers within the one family of God. There are wise and foolish virgins, the greatest and least, vessels of honor and of dishonor, and those who keep their garments clean and those who defile them. There are spiritual babes (I. Cor. 3:1; I. Pet. 2:2), little children, young men and fathers in the family. (I. John 2:13-14) There are also overcomers and non-overcomers.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

Revelation 2:7

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

Revelation 2:11

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

Revelation 2:17

And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star.

Revelation 2:26-28

He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

Revelation 3:5

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Revelation 3:12

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Revelation 3:21

In the book of Revelation Jesus challenges the members of the seven churches of Asia to overcome. There is no way to explain away the fact that here Jesus is not challenging unsaved people to become believers. He is challenging Christians to be overcomers. Of course, the Religious System assures us that all true Christians are already overcomers by virtue of their faith in Jesus. As proof of this fact it quotes a few numbered sentences—I. John 5:4 being one of them—which states whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world.

It seems that one or two sentences are enough to negate the whole tenor of Scripture and convince millions that they are overcomers and will automatically partake of all the rewards laid out in Revelation 2-3. We must remember that the rewards in Revelation are just that—rewards. They are not given as prizes for accepting salvation but for overcoming after we are saved. It is incredible that so few Christians stop to consider that if having faith equals overcoming, then why did the Lord challenge those who already possessed faith to overcome? If being born again equals overcoming, why was the Lord challenging the churches to overcome. Was He telling John that none of the people in these churches were actually believers? That they had to become believers by overcoming?

If being forgiven and justified equals overcoming, these passages can mean only one thing: Jesus was telling the people in those seven churches that they were not really saved and that they had to get saved! In order to interpret what Jesus said any other way except that He was challenging genuine believers to overcome, we would have to do some fancy twisting of the Scripture indeed. The alternative to accepting what Jesus said constitutes a far more elitist view.

Let us ponder for a moment the implications of what Jesus said. It means that being a Christian does not equal overcoming. After we have been born again, after we have been baptized in the Spirit, after God has hung all sorts of pretty gifts on us, we must still overcome. It means that we can be a genuine believer and not overcome. It means that some Christians will overcome and some will not overcome. It means that those who do not overcome have no basis upon which to presume that they will still partake of all these rewards.

Maybe one reason we can’t accept the obvious meaning of what Jesus said to these churches is because two of the rewards have to do with escaping aspects of eternal judgment. Unless we examine exactly what is said, it would appear that those who do not overcome are going to face eternal punishment.

The first statement is that those who overcome will not "be hurt of the second death." We know that the second death is the lake of fire. So the implication is that those who do not overcome will be cast into the lake of fire. Indeed, this is exactly how people interpret this verse, even scholars and commentators. But this is not the implication Jesus gives. He was not implying that the non-overcomer will be cast into the lake of fire (second death). He was saying that they would not be hurt by it—two totally different concepts.

The Greek term for "cast into" is ballo (bal'‑lo), a verb that literally means to throw, more or less violently. The Greek term for "hurt" is adikeo (ad‑ee‑keh'‑o). It has various meanings: to be unjust, hurt, injure, be an offender or do [suffer, take] wrong. There is a vast difference, both in Greek and in English, between being hurt by something and being thrown into something.

In both Greek and English, the two different words convey two totally different concepts. If John understood Jesus to mean that those who fail to overcome will be cast into the lake of fire he would have written ballo, for he used this term a dozen times in Revelation—including to describe what was going to happen to Satan, the False Prophet, the Beast and those who are lost eternally. He intentionally wrote adikeo because that is what Jesus meant. To be hurt by the lake of fire means just that, to be hurt by it. It does not mean to be cast into it.

A person does not have to be thrown into the lake of fire in order to be hurt by its flames any more than a person has to be thrown into a burning house to be hurt by its flames. Indeed, if you were thrown into a burning house you would be more than hurt, you would be destroyed. The implication of what Jesus said is simply that those who do not overcome can, not necessarily will, be hurt in some way by the flames (heat?) of the lake of fire. Though we do not know how this can be or what such an experience would entail, we must believe that it is possible to be hurt by, yet not cast into, the lake of fire because the Lord said it was possible. The result of not overcoming is not eternal punishment.

The second statement that confuses people is, "I will not blot out his name out of the book of life." This seems to be saying that those who don’t overcome will definitely have their names blotted out, which means they will be cast into eternal punishment. But there are various meanings and applications of the Greek word which is translated "not" in this verse. In many instances—and this is one of them—the exact meaning must be determined by the context of the entire verse.

In this instance, it would be better translated "never." He that overcometh, I will never blot his name out of the Book. There is no chance that he will ever end up eternally cut off. Conversely, it is not that all non-overcomers will definitely be blotted out of the Book. Rather, it is that there is a chance they may be blotted out. He who does not overcome could have his name blotted out, not necessarily will have it blotted out.

The challenge to overcome was to believers. Christians who overcome will receive spectacular rewards. Christians who do not overcome will lose some spectacular rewards. The real question is, overcome what? What was Jesus telling all these churches to overcome? He was telling them to overcome the issues that they were facing at that time. Each local church was facing their own particular tests and temptations. Jesus was promising them that if they would overcome those specific challenges and temptations He would reward them accordingly.

The rewards (or the loss of them) pertained to those specific churches at that particular time, though they are for all believers. For instance, Jesus said the Church at Sardis was dead spiritually. To have the Lord Jesus declare that we are spiritually dead is a frightful thing to experience. Though this fellowship had a good religious reputation, only a few people out of the entire assembly had not "defiled their garments" to such an extent that they had died spiritually. Though they were already dead in the eyes of Jesus, there was still something in that assembly that could be strengthened. Thus, the admonishment to strengthen the things that were about to die. There was still hope for them but they were in a very dangerous place—an eternally dangerous place.

It was to this church that the Lord said, "He that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life." See the connection? Those who overcome the temptation to defile their garments are promised white robes. Those who overcome the spiritual death that has gripped the entire congregation will never again be in danger of having their names blotted out of the Book of Life. But those who do not recover themselves from spiritual death are in danger of having them blotted out. The believers in these churches were being challenged to overcome the things that were hindering them from bringing forth one-hundred fold fruit. He was challenging them to overcome everything that would keep them from bringing forth 100% of the Messiah’s image.

Christian rewards are not an all or nothing proposition. It is not that if we fail to overcome all temptation and sin we will lose all the rewards. There are certain challenges that are common to all humans. Where we live and in what age we live are irrelevant. These challenges and temptations carry rewards if we get the victory in those particular areas. We can overcome some things and thus gain rewards that pertain to them, yet fail to overcome other things and lose rewards which pertain to them.

If we fail to overcome all sin and temptation we will lose some rewards, but not necessarily all of them. Each and every believer will be duly rewarded for those things we have actually gotten the victory over. Conversely, we will not be rewarded for those things which have gotten the victory over us.

Some examples are: the believers in the Church at Philadelphia with their "little strength" will be made pillars in the Temple of God if they overcome. The believers in the Church at Pergamos are promised hidden manna if they overcome the temptation to "eat things sacrificed unto idols." The believers in the Church at Smyrna, who are suffering and being persecuted and will be put to death, are promised a "crown of life" and that they will not be hurt by (the second) death if they overcome, if they remain faithful till the end.

To the believers in the Church at Laodicea a spectacular reward is promised. This church was lukewarm and on the verge of being spued out of Christ. Lukewarmness is the worst possible kind of condition to be in as a believer, so much so, Jesus said He would rather that they were cold than lukewarm. How is being cold better than being lukewarm? Lukewarmness makes it almost impossible to be recovered by the Spirit. It is much easier for the Lord to reach a cold heart than a lukewarm heart. The spiritual condition of this assembly was so wretched they were in danger of being cut out of the Vine completely. Not a pleasant place to be in at all.

Every person in that church is promised a seat in the Throne if they can overcome the lukewarmness that had already set in. This reward applies to us too, for we live in a time of widespread lukewarmness. Spiritual lethargy is reaching its zenith in the churches. In order not to be swept away in the tide of delusion and false security that has overcome the System a person has to swim upstream. In short, being part of the Church of God and the body of the Messiah does not guarantee us these rewards. They have to be earned. They are rewards for faithfulness, not for conversion, and they are not free. Neither are they automatically given to us. Forgiveness, justification and imputed righteousness are free but Christian rewards are not. In order to receive them we must do more than believe and accept Jesus—we must overcome.

And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father. And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Revelation 2:26-29

One of the rewards for overcoming is to rule with Jesus on this planet during the Millennium, to be given power over the nations, to break them to shivers and rule them with a rod of iron. Again, this is not a reward for being born again or baptized in the Spirit. It is not a reward for having been given gifts and ministries or for soul winning. It is a reward for having struggled against and won the victory over everything that hindered us from bringing forth the full image of Messiah.

It must also be stressed that not everyone has to struggle against the same sin. Though we all have the same Adamic nature which is totally fallen and corrupt, not all of us have experienced the same degree of that fall. Not every Christian has been an alcoholic before coming to Christ. Not every believer has been a rapist before conversion. Not all have murdered or engaged in drug abuse or thievery and so on. The old man in each of us is capable of experiencing all these things. It is capable of experiencing the totalness of the fall, but we do not all necessarily experience the depths of perversion our natures are capable of.

Though we all have some things in common to overcome, we also have different things to overcome. I have certain things to overcome that you do not. You have certain things to overcome that I do not. Many of the lusts and desires we must overcome are directly related to how much depravity we personally experienced in our lives before salvation. Our rewards are based on what we have to overcome, not on what everyone else has to overcome. We must overcome all sin, yes. But we are not necessarily tempted by all sin.

For instance, the person who has never had a desire to gamble, who has never become involved in gambling, does not need to "overcome" the urge to gamble. But an ex-gambler has to overcome that urge. A person who never had a desire for alcohol, who never became involved in alcohol, does not need to "overcome" the desire go have a drink. But a former drinker has to overcome it. The ex-drinker might not have any problem with gambling and the ex-gambler might not have any problem with alcohol. We are only responsible to overcome our problems.

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint‑heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Romans 8:16-17

If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us.

II. Timothy 2:12

If we suffer, then we shall reign with Him. If we suffer, then are we joint-heirs with Him, then we will be glorified together with Him at His return. That insignificant, two-letter word "if" packs a big theological punch. For, if we do not suffer, we will not reign with Him. If we do not suffer, we will not be glorified together with Him at His return.

Why suffering? Why is that the issue? Because no matter what kind of overcoming is required of us, it is painful. Nobody overcomes without suffering. We suffer emotional pain, we suffer frustration, we suffer loss of possessions and reputations and relationships. Sometimes we suffer physically, even unto death. Those who are not suffering are not overcoming. Those who are not overcoming are not eligible to rule the nations with a rod of iron. This is God’s Word and it cannot be broken by numbered sentences.

Preparing For War

And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

I. Corinthians 14:7-8

While instructing the Corinthians on the difference between prophesying and speaking in an unknown tongue, Paul uses the example of the trumpet call to war. If the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, how will the people prepare for battle? His point is that for the sake of the unbeliever who might be in the assembly, it is better to prophesy in a language he can understand and thus have him be convicted by the Spirit, than for everyone to exercise their gift of speaking in tongues, which he would never understand and which would never profit him.

In ancient Israel the ram’s horn (shofar) was blown to signify the start of specific events, such as the beginning of the various feasts and holy convocations. It was sounded when the cloud or the pillar of fire which rested over the tabernacle started moving. It was sounded as a defensive alarm, warning the cities of impending attack. It was also sounded to gather together the tribes to prepare for an offensive attack. And it was used to signal the actual start of the battle.

Of the many differences that exist between those who live in the camp and those who live outside the camp, probably one of the biggest differences has to do with our view of the Day of the Lord. In fact, our orientation towards that Day both emotionally and doctrinally is not only different, it is diametrically opposed. Our trumpets are giving forth two distinctly separate and opposing sounds.

Naturally those "in the camp" are making one kind of preparation for the Day of the Lord and those "outside the camp" are making a completely different kind of preparation for that Day. The difference between these two kinds of preparations is like the difference between us preparing to go on a vacation and preparing to go to war. The vast majority of Christians are waiting to be whisked away into Paradise, after which they will begin a long spiritual vacation/party. But that is not what the Scripture teaches.

And there was delivered unto him [Jesus] the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.

Luke 4:17-20

Coming to His hometown, Jesus entered the synagogue and stood up to read. It was the custom in the synagogues at that time to have seven readers every Sabbath: a priest, a Levite, and five men who were part of the congregation. We often find Jesus preaching in synagogues but never "reading" in them, except here. He opened book of Isaiah and found a specific portion of text (61:1‑2) and began to read. His purpose was to show them through Isaiah that He was the Messiah. That He had come to heal and deliver and recover and set at liberty those bound in sin. This was His commission and in order to perform that work the Father had anointed Him and had given Him the Spirit without measure. But He closed the book right in the middle of a sentence.

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn.

Isaiah 61:2

When Jesus came the first time it was to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, to bring forgiveness and reconciliation. But when He comes the second time He is coming on the Day of Vengeance. That is why He didn’t read the whole sentence. The Day of Vengeance was yet for a future time. But that day is close at hand. Between the Gospel Age and the Kingdom Age there must come the Day of Vengeance. It is a very unpleasant day, a very terrifying day, but unfortunately a very necessary day which is described by virtually every prophet in the Old Testament.

For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low...Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty...Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it...Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.

Isaiah 2:12; 13:6,9,13

For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his adversaries: and the sword shall devour, and it shall be satiate and made drunk with their blood: for the Lord God of hosts hath a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.

Jeremiah 46:10

Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come...Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the Lord cometh, for it is nigh at hand.

Joel 1:15 & 2:1

Woe unto you that desire the day of the Lord! to what end is it for you? the day of the Lord is darkness, and not light. Shall not the day of the Lord be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

Amos 5:18 & 20

For the day of the Lord is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head.

Obadiah 1:15

Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand: for the Lord hath prepared a sacrifice, he hath bid his guests...The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, even the voice of the day of the Lord: the mighty man shall cry there bitterly.

Zephaniah 1:7 & 14

The Day of the Lord is not going to be a picnic in the park. It is going to be a day of darkness, gloom, war, bloodshed, and destruction. The reason is simple: this time Messiah will not be anointed to bring reconciliation to the world but judgment. He will be anointed to avenge and execute the wrath of the Father. This is not only the testimony of the Old Testament but of the New Testament as well.

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; Who will render to every man according to his deeds.

Romans 2:4-6

And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power.

II Thessalonians 1:7-9

For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Hebrews 10:26-27

And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

Jude 1:14-15

And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Revelation 6:15-17

Though we do not know how all these events are going to unfold at this point, God has given us more than enough information to understand that the Day of the Lord isn’t going to be a party. Therefore, the question we need to ask ourselves is: where do we stand in all this? Where will we be and what will we be doing on the Day of Vengeance?

The Religious Establishment has taught us that we will be safely tucked away in heaven and that our only involvement in all these events will be to watch them like a movie. It assures us that long before anything really nasty happens to us we will be whisked off to Paradise where we will be wined and dined by Jesus and the angels for seven years. We don’t even think past this heavenly party. All we talk about is getting to it. In reality, we are doctrinal schizophrenic’s, for while our theology states that we are going to rule with Christ on the earth, we actually believe something else, as evidenced by how we define our hope, which is always and only in terms of being raptured.

Of course, the whole pre-tribulation rapture view is a hoax, played on believers by Satan. It cannot be justified except by the same means the modern pastor is justified. We have to gather up disjointed verses from all over the New Testament, take them out of context, and then weave them together and explain them by interpretation. The pre-trib rapture myth is easily destroyed when set against the whole counsel of Scripture, for not one verse in and of itself teaches it. Nowhere is it plainly stated. Be that as it may, whether we believe in a pre-trib rapture or not, the fact remains that when the Son of Man returns, He wont be alone. He is going to come with ten thousands of his saints to execute judgment upon all. Again, He is coming with His saints, and they are going to execute judgment.

Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.

Psalms 50:3-5

And ye shall flee to the valley of the mountains; for the valley of the mountains shall reach unto Azal: yea, ye shall flee, like as ye fled from before the earthquake in the days of Uzziah king of Judah: and the Lord my God shall come, and all the saints with thee.

Zechariah 14:5

To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

I. Thessalonians 3:13

And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Matthew 24:30-31

Regardless of our view on the rapture the Scripture is crystal clear on four points: (1) Jesus is coming again, (2) He is going to come on the Day of Vengeance, (3) He is going to come with His saints and (4) together they are going to execute the judgment that is in God’s heart.

And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Revelation 19:5-8

In the book of Revelation the Day of the Lord is connected closely with the marriage of the Lamb. An intelligent examination of this great event will immediately reveal that the marriage is not a prelude to a party but a prelude to war. Immediately after John heard the voice of many waters announce that the marriage of the Lamb is come he saw heaven opened. The description of what follows is the result of the marriage.

And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat on the horse, and against his army. And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. And the remnant [of the armies] were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

Revelation 19:11-16 & 19-21

Not a pretty picture! First John sees this people as the "wife" of the Lamb, which conveys the idea of union and marriage. But then he sees the same people as an "army." This is to let us know that this is no ordinary wedding and it will be followed by no ordinary marriage supper. Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb, said the angel. It is a privilege to be accounted worthy to participate in this wedding and this supper, which is called the supper of the great God.

And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.

Revelation 19:16-18

Exactly what the marriage ceremony will consist of or how long it will last may be debated. But one fact cannot be denied is that the result of the wedding will be a monumental battle between the powers that be. There is going to be a war between the saints (with Jesus as the Commander and Chief) and the kings of this earth (with the beast as their commander and chief). There are going to be real casualties. Multitudes of people are going to die.

Does Jesus need the saints in order to win this battle? Of course not. He doesn’t need man’s help to do anything, least of all conquer Satan. The point is not what He needs, the point is what He wants. The point is what He has planned to bring to pass since before the world was even created. The Son of God wants a body that will be completely one with Him in every way. He wants to have a body through whom He can move and express Himself fully. He desired it so much that He came to earth and spilled His blood to obtain it.

The marriage of the Lamb, which is the return of the Lord, is the coming of God "with" and "in" His saints to execute judgment and vengeance. Heaven was not rejoicing because the party had started. It was rejoicing because she who was "drunken with the blood of the saints," she who has butchered God’s people throughout the centuries, was finally about to be judged.

We may have lost sight of the fact that the prince of the power of the air has caused justice to cease from off this planet. The wolves are guarding the sheep; the inmates are running the asylum. The leaders of the nations are murdering their own people by the hundreds of thousands without a second thought. Good is now defined as evil and visa-versa. The King of Kings, who’s Throne is established on justice, is coming back to set things right! He is coming back to judge and make war and take vengeance on those who have butchered countless innocent people. He is going to exterminate those who have decimated the people of God from time immemorial. Those who have hated and rejected God will be paid back in full measure and the blood will flow like a river.

After the King has subdued the nations, then peace can be established on this planet. After the rebellion is put down, then the nations of the earth can be brought into submission to the authority of God, which will bring peace and blessing. Friends, Jesus is not going to do all this alone. He is preparing a body who will rule with Him. He is preparing a nation of kings and priests.

Priests shepherd people, they provide spiritual protection for them, they care for them. Kings rule people, they exercise authority and judgment, they decree punishments and wage war. God is raising up an army in this hour and teaching them how to war against His enemies, particularly the enemies in themselves. He is training them how to stand against and overcome the powers of hell. They are being trained by the Spirit to be warriors. At the sound of the "last" trump, when the call goes forth to "meet the Bridegroom," they will be ready to follow King Messiah into battle, not to a party. God’s Messiah—Head and body—will carry out the vengeance that is in the Father’s heart. Together they will subdue His enemies, set up the everlasting Kingdom on this planet, and rule the saved nations with a rod of iron.

This is where the issue of preparation becomes of vital concern. We do not become experienced soldiers instantly. Nor do we automatically become rulers. These things must be learned. We must be trained, we must learn how to do battle. The ability to wage war and govern can never be imputed or magically transferred to us, for it is a curriculum, a skill, a schooling. It takes time.

Being ready to go into the marriage has nothing to do with being forgiven and justified by the blood of Jesus. It has nothing to do with being a gifted one. Rather, it has to do with what kind of tree we have allowed God to make us. It has to do with whether or not we are willing to fight along side of our King, whether or not we are willing to be made ministers of judgment, whether or not we are capable of functioning as kings and priests. Those who have not been equipped to rule will never be granted the authority to rule.

God is preparing a people for war! He is preparing a people to rule, and not only to rule, but to rule with a "rod of iron." Ruling with a rod of iron refers to a government of rigid, unbendable law and order. It speaks of stern justice. God is putting that iron in His overcomers today. He is preparing a people to judge. We must learn our lessons and gain our experience in these areas now. Those who do not realize that they must learn how to war and rule now, but assume that Jesus will instantly "zap" them and make them experienced rulers tomorrow, are going to very disappointed—tomorrow will be too late.

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

II. Timothy 2:3-5

There are certain earmarks common to all who are in this training. The first hallmark of rulers in training is that they strive for the crown lawfully. They don’t try to take short-cuts. They don’t try to out-flank God. They don’t connive and scheme to get their own way. They put their hands to the plow, they put their necks to the yoke, and they never look back. Also, they do not entangle themselves with the affairs of this life which are the gods of this world, such as sports and recreation, entertainment, security, careers, finances, and so forth. Neither do they allow themselves to get entangled with the lesser gods of the churches, such as family, dead religious works and false worship—which is the result of creating a false mental image of the true God.

And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp. And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear. And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

Exodus 32:17-19

While Moses was up in the mountain the people formed a false metal image of God and were singing praises to it when he came down. Although those outside the System may not be as great as Moses, they are away in spiritual deserts and mountains getting to know their Lord in ways that most Christians never dreamed of. Once in a while God sends us back to the camp for some reason and as we behold the spectacle, we know what Moses must have felt like. Our brethren have formed a false mental image of God which is a combination of Santa Claus and grandpa, full of grace and mercy but completely devoid of judgment, anger and justice. They have separated the character of Jehovah in the Old Testament from the character of His Son in the New Testament and re-created Him in their own image. They come to church faithfully, week after to week and fall down to worship that image.

Some think that Moses sinned when he broke the tables because they assume that all anger is sin, just as they assume that all judgment is sin. But nowhere do we find Moses indicating any regret for what he did, even when he speaks of it afterwards (Deut. 9:17); and nowhere do we find God condemning it for it was an act of justice. It was an act of spiritual passion not sinful passion and was in fact, designed to save them from destruction. It is no sin, neither is it a contradiction of the "spirit of meekness" to show our displeasure at either the wickedness of the world or the wickedness of the Church.

The Scripture does not say that all anger is sin. It forbids unrighteous anger and fleshly anger, just as it forbids unrighteous judgment and fleshly judgment. "Be ye angry and sin not," said Paul (Eph. 4:26). Those who are angry at sin only, not as against themselves but as against God, do no evil. The assembly at Ephesus was famous for patience yet they would not tolerate those that were evil (Rev. 2:2). What rose out of Moses’ spirit was righteous indignation, which is Divine anger not human anger. His love for God caused him to be zealous for His Name and his love for the brethren caused him to be zealous to see them repent and not be destroyed.

Moses did much more than break the tablets of the Law. He had the golden calf broken into pieces and burned. Then he made the people drink the ashes with water. He also had each of the Levites kill those whom they knew had been involved in this wickedness. Three-thousand people died that day. By such harsh punishments God was trying to show the people what a despicable act they had committed. Also, we may not realize it but at this point the people were so rebellious and their hearts so hard, had Moses not demonstrated God’s indignation through these acts they would have never repented and God would have had to destroy the entire congregation. What was done, even though it seems cruel to us, was necessary in order to save them from destruction. Even with such severe measures they only repented half-heartedly!

Contemporary believers have no knowledge of the God of punishment and retribution for we have lived all our lives in an age of grace and mercy, and in a time of reconciliation and longsuffering. There is a side of God’s character that we are totally ignorant of. But that side is going to be seen in the days to come. It can be seen in the Old Testament and this is why Christians don’t like to spend too much time reading that part of the Scripture. When we read some of the things God did in the Old Testament, and some of the things He instructed His people to do, our Adamic mind recoils, our Adamic personality is offended. We say to ourselves, "that is not the God of the New Testament."

But the Lord testified of Himself that He never changes. He is the same, yesterday, today and forever. He is the same today as He was 4000 years ago. The difference between what we see in the Old Testament and what we see in the New Testament is the result of the sacrifice of the Son, which changed the situation temporarily for our sakes, but not the character of God. God is still a man of war. His righteousness still demands punishment and retribution for sin.

And, behold, one of the children of Israel came and brought unto his brethren a Midianitish woman in the sight of Moses, and in the sight of all the congregation of the children of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation, and took a javelin in his hand; And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and thrust both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the children of Israel. And those that died in the plague were twenty and four thousand. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, hath turned my wrath away from the children of Israel, while he was zealous for my sake among them, that I consumed not the children of Israel in my jealousy. Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant of peace: And he shall have it, and his seed after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of Israel.

Numbers 25:6-13

Here we have an example of man’s co-operation with God’s Divine judgment and retribution against sin. Phinehas was a priest and a judge in Israel. The name of the man who committed the sin was Zimri. He was a prince in Israel, of the tribe of Simeon. Zimri had become so hard and impudent that at the very moment the people were suffering a plague for just such behavior, and while all the people were fasting and praying to God for mercy, he publicly (and brazenly) led a Midianite harlot right through the middle of the camp, in front of Moses and all the judges of Israel, into his own tent.

Phinehas, being aware of the seared conscience of Zimri, rose up in holy indignation and followed them into the tent and killed them both. This action alone stopped the plague. Now Phinehas was simply doing his duty as a judge in Israel. Yet because he did it with a holy zeal against sin and for the honour of God’s Name—and because he did it when none of the other judges would do it for fear of Zimri's rank as a prince—the Lord was very pleased with him. The plague was stopped on his account and God awarded him an everlasting priesthood. It is later recorded that this act of holy anger and zeal for the Lord’s honor was counted to him for righteousness. (Ps. 106:31)

Those we love most are the ones we are quickest to protect. They are the ones we are quickest to defend. When God is our first love His name and honor are more precious to us than anything or anybody. We will do things for Him that the average Christian would never do. When He is our first love His honor is more precious to us than our own lives. This is what made King David a man after God’s own heart. He was a man who was continually seeking the honor of God and the honor of His people, and he learned to hate sin with a perfect hatred. (Ps. 139:21-22) When those who possess a perfect hatred for sin see God’s honor being defamed or dragged through the mud, many times a holy anger rises up within their spirits, just like it did with Moses and Phinehas.

There are times when the iniquity and pride of the brethren cause us to burn with anger—not sinful, fleshly, self-centered anger—but an anger born out of a holy zeal and a deep love for both the God of Israel and the Israel of God. There are also times when the Lord instructs us to act upon that zeal and do things that may not appear to be very "Christian" to those who have erected a false image of God in their minds. Of course, it must be made clear that we are not referring to acts of physical violence.

Jesus said: "...all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword" (NAS Matt.26:52). God will never tell us to get AK47s and kill people. We are talking about spiritual realities. God asks us to do things that most Christians will never accept as coming from Him. But whether they are understood or not makes no difference. They are the deeds of the Holy Spirit, just the same as any other kind of ministry or spiritual work.

It is this kind of Christianity that will never be accepted by the System, for it stands in direct opposition to the false image of God that it has created. Those who choose to remain under its influence will never be able to hear God’s voice when He wants to instruct them in these kinds of matters. We will be too busy emphasizing the positive, too busy pontificating about love and grace, too busy blessing each other, too busy patting each other on the back, too busy avoiding confrontations to hear or be taught in this area and we will disqualify ourselves from ruling and reigning with Christ.

In order to qualify as a ruler in the next age, in order to be one who comes with the Lord to judge this world, we need special qualifications. We need special training. First and foremost we have to be judged and purged of all sin ourselves. This is the work that God is doing in His elect today. It is a work that those who remain in the camp know nothing of. Also, as part of that work our emotions and minds need to be brought under the complete government of the Holy Spirit for the Adamic personality will never be able to cope with the tasks that are going to be given to the body of Christ in the coming days.

We must be made new creations, creations that are capable of manifesting the whole range of God’s character, not just the meekness and the longsuffering, but His complete image—and that image includes judgment and retribution against sin. Indeed, these aspects are equally valid facets of His character and are just as holy as His mercy and forgiveness. The Spirit will judge our sin now if we allow Him to and once our obedience has been fulfilled, He will allow us to participate with Him in His retribution against the disobedience of others. But if we do not fulfill our obedience today we will not be permitted to avenge the disobedience of others and rule the nations tomorrow.

Two different trumpet calls. Two different visions of what God is doing. One is calling us to focus on revival and evangelism, encouraging us to enjoy ourselves now and telling us that we will soon fly off to Paradise and automatically experience the fullness of Christ—as well as every reward promised in the Scripture—based on our acceptance of the atonement rather than our obedience to the Provider of that atonement. The other trumpet is calling us to suffer now, to attain the fulness of Christ now, to gain the rewards in Scripture by overcoming sin now, to allow God to make us new trees now, to let the Spirit train and equip us to wage war and rule now, so that we will be able to rule with the Lord when He returns. Which trumpet are we hearing? Which preparation are we receiving? Are we getting ready to party in Paradise or ride into battle with our King and Savior?

Epilogue

The vast majority of churches and religious groups in our day do not have a vision of what God is doing. Most of them have rejected the truth and some are even actively fighting against it. The few groups who do have that vision are bound with religious structures and orders that obstruct and thwart the very vision they are pursuing. It is not good enough to have the vision. We must also have the liberty to pursue that goal. Those who cannot walk and be led and taught and covered directly by their Head, Jesus Christ, but believe they must be taught and guided by ministers, will never reach that goal.

Though it is not our desire to impute ungodly motives to either the leaders or the brethren in the Religious Establishment, it remains true that the purposes of God are not being fulfilled by them. No doubt most of the sheep and the shepherds are sincere in the things they believe and the work they are engaged in for the Lord. The issue, however, is not sincerity of motives, but truth. It is possible to be very sincere and at the same time be sincerely wrong. And the unfortunate reality is that most of our religious leaders are sincerely wrong. Not only are they unaware of the purposes of God in this age, they have no comprehension of what the next age is all about.

The System has the program of redemption completely backwards. It divides the body of Christ up into ranks and levels of authority in this age, based on the gifts of God, yet promises that in the next age, regardless of our faithfulness to Christ, we will all experience the same degree of glory, authority and responsibility. The Scripture teaches just the opposite! It teaches that in this age believers are not to exalt themselves above one another or divide themselves up into ranks of authority, for we are all being trained under the same Master. However, in the Kingdom age we will be rewarded according to the amount of co-operation we have given the Spirit of God during this training period. In that day we will experience different levels of rank and authority, as well as various opportunities for service.

God is doing the same thing in this age with His people as He did in the Old Testament with Israel, only on a deeper spiritual level. As you read through the books of Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, you will notice that everything God was teaching them and showing them was not for their time in the wilderness, but for when they entered the land. All the ordinances and feasts and commandments, the entire Levitical system, the training that transformed them from an unruly mob into a disciplined army, everything was pointing towards the time when they would be in the land. The things they were learning in the wilderness were not primarily for that period of time.

This is precisely what is going on in this hour. We are in a spiritual wilderness. We have been delivered from Egypt but have not yet entered the Promise Land. God is training us now, showing us how to move under His direct Headship now, showing us how to overcome the power of Satan now, and transforming us from an unruly mob into a disciplined army. The things we are learning are not primarily for this age! What we are learning, we are being taught so that when we come into the land we will have the ability to function as kings and priests. If we do not learn our lessons today we will not be granted authority as kings and priests in the next age. It is that simple.

The fact that religious leaders are blind to this truth does not necessarily mean that they are wicked. But it does mean that they are blind. It does mean that they are being used by the enemy to prevent God’s people from understanding what He is doing. It does mean that they are being used to prevent us from learning the lessons we must learn in this age, if we ever hope to function and rule in the next one. If we choose to follow blind guides, where else can we end up but in the same ditch they have fallen into? If we follow their unscriptural practices and doctrines, how can we not miss the goal?

Both in doctrine and in practice, the System stunts spiritual growth and blurs the goal of the high calling. We will never change this unpleasant fact, and the harder we try the more we will alienate the people we love. Our brethren in the camp do not understand us and they are really not all that interested in hearing what we have to say. Therefore, we must let them in God’s hands until their hearts become open to the truth. We cannot stay with them and still hit the mark. We have to leave both them and the System that they have chosen or we ourselves will end up losing the race—there is no other way.

We pray that if you are still in the System you will have the courage to get out and stay out, and that in the future God will be able to use you to help someone else escape.

Maranatha!