March 15, 1994.
Revised August 31, 2005
Chapter 9
Temples and Churches
Part
1 The Church
"And
Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona:
for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father
which is in heaven. And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter,
and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell
shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:17-18
When Jesus gave Simon
the keys to the Kingdom, He was giving them to all of us. Simon
became Peter, the Rock, because he answered Christ by faith.
Simon listened to the revealed word of God in his own heart and mind
and acted upon that revelation. With that answer, Simon took his
first step in his walk with God’s holy spirit in the kingdom of
Heaven.
Because he responded to
that revelation with the Spirit of Faith, he had begun to move, not
by flesh and blood alone, not by his own knowledge of good and evil,
but by the wisdom of God written in his own heart and mind. Faith is
that rock.
And
I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and
whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Matthew 16:19
Jesus revealed to us
that the keys to the kingdom are whatever you bind or loose on earth
is bound and loosed in heaven. God had told us not to make covenants,
leagues, or agreements with those who are not our brothers in Him. We
are warned about striking hands, applying for benefits, and eating
the deceitful meats of rulers. Christ did the same with His
stand on prayer or application, the benefits of Corban, making a man
on earth our father, and his bar against the taking of oaths of any
kind repeated by James. Paul says that, if we can be free, choose it
rather and that he would not be bound under the authority of any. To
follow the path and precepts laid down by God, Christ, and the
Apostles is key to seeking the Kingdom of Heaven.
Jesus preached a Kingdom
to which He was Servant-King and told us to preach the same. He
appointed
His Apostles a Kingdom to serve as the Father had appointed unto Him.
What is the Church appointed by Christ?
In the King James Bible, we see the
word “Church”
translated from the Greek word ekklesia,
defined “an assembly called out”. It is composed of two
words that individually mean “called” and “out”,
but together they take on a new sense of oneness out of many.
Some say the word means an “assembly”,
but an ekklesia, literally translated “called out”,
is more specific. The words agora,
paneguris,
trugao,
sustrepho,
sullego,
sunathroizo,
ochlopoieo,
sumbibazo,
sunagoge,
episunagoge,
sunago
episunago,
heorte, koinon, and thiasos all mean or include the
concept of an “assembly”
with a slightly or drastically different meaning or inference.
An ekklesia is
not just any assembly, but it is, “the lawful assembly in a
free Greek city of all those possessed of the rights of citizenship,
for the transaction of public affairs”
Ekklesia was a political term, not a religious term. In classical
Greek, ekklesia meant “an assembly of citizens summoned
by the crier, the legislative assembly.” The princes of Israel
were originally composed of the elders of each family group. Their
power or authority was not collective or democratic, but individual
and consensual. If they decided something, it was done by accord and
not by vote of the majority over the minority.
In Acts 7:38, there is
reference to “the church in the wilderness”.
The people were called out of bondage of Egyptian government
and the Levites were called out of the walled camp to be
ministers of Israel, God’s kingdom. The Apostles were called
out to be bondservants of Christ the King, in service of His
appointed Kingdom. Peter was to maintain an entrance
to that Kingdom, ministering to it under the perfect law of
liberty.
Jesus came to set at liberty them that are bruised. His
ministers have no less a task.
All of this is no different than
Abraham being called out of Ur and Haran or the distinction made
between those who followed the ways of Cain and his city-state and
those who walked with God as free souls upon the earth.
“Are
men the property of the state? Or are they free souls under God?
This
same battle continues throughout the world?”
We were all called out
of sin. What sins? Is it the sins of bowing down and serving other
gods in the shape of men or their man made institutions? Is it the
sins of coveting and even taking by force from our neighbor under the
license of civil government? Is it the sin of ruling over our
neighbor, even democratically? Is it the sins of oppression,
injuring, and even killing the innocent strangers under the excuse of
self-defense or the assumption of superiority or national
self-righteousness?
The word “sin”
is from the Greek hamartia and hamartano,
which can be defined in the Greek as “to be without a share
in”. It does have a relation with being off the path or mark,
but it specifically means without a share in the inheritance of
Kingdom of God.
“Grace” is
from the Greek word charis,
which means “a given benefit”.
If you sin, you have no share in the benefit, for you have left the
path. Grace is never owed or earned, but it is the granted gift. Sin
is related to usurping God. It is deciding, for yourself, what is
good and evil, judging others, compelling charity, and failing to
forgive so that we may be forgiven.
Jesus lived and died
that we might be saved. He has done his part and has stood
aside so that we may learn to do our part in salvation. We are not
saved simply because He died, but also because we repent.
Where
we haven’t forgiven, we must now forgive.
Where we did not obey, we must now seek to obey. Where we departed
from the path, we must now make straight the way of the LORD
that we might receive the benefit of His grace. If we do not do these
things that Jesus says, then our faith in Him is a lie.
Our relationship with men and their institutions is often a sign of
where our hearts are and who is writing upon our hearts and minds.
Order alone is not the purpose of
godly government, but a strengthening of the character of all, in
bonds of love and charity. We must open our hearts and our hands to
the ways of the Lord and not merely wave them in churches on Sundays.
Sodom was destroyed because it failed to strengthen the poor in
the midst of its affluence.
This is why God has called men out of
the affluence of the world: in hopes that they will be strengthened
and that they, in turn, will strengthen others in the ways of God.
The Levites were called out to strengthen the people in a free nation
and that nation was to be a priest to all nations. This is God’s
purpose for His kingdom and the Church that serves it.
Jesus called and appointed men to
follow Him in service of His Kingdom. These were the men He called
out and appointed to the Kingdom. These were the men He prayed could
live in the world, but not be a part of it, as they ministered and
taught His ways of freedom and love.
These servants belonged to Jesus, but were as brothers. The Levites
before them also belonged to God and were servants of the
congregations of the people.
When Jesus called out His disciples
to teach them to serve the Kingdom,
He also applied restrictions upon them, limiting their office. This
was done under remarkably similar conditions as Moses had done
centuries before.
Footnotes:
Table of Contents
of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
Peace be to this house,
The Prologue of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCa1-0Prologue.php
1. The Kingdom of God of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
Is Righteousness of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCa1-1IsRighteousness.php
A Man as King of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCa1-2AManasKing.php
2. Abraham Uncivilized of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The City State of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCb2-1TheCityState.php
Two kingdoms/ The Merchants of Men of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCb2-2MerchantsofMen.php
The Hindu Connection of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCb2-3HinduConnection.php
Abraham and the Legend, The Prodigal Son
Our king and our god? of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCb2-4Legend.php
The Code of Abraham of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCb2-5code.php
Abraham and the Family of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCb2-6Family.php
3. The Altar of Abraham of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
Moses and the Altars of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCc3-1AltarsofClay.php
The Altar of Sin of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCc3-2Sin.php
Sacrifice of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCc3-3Sophistry.php
4. Moses, Moses of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The Civil State of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCd4-1CivilState.php
Gods Many of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCd4-2godsmany.php
No Kings of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCd4-3NoKings.php
Servant Priests of a Nation of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCd4-4Servants.php
5. Joshua’s Altar of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
White Altars of Joshua
King over us of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCe5-1WhiteAltars.php
Adultery of a Nation of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCe5-2Adultery.php
Fear, Faith and Foolishness of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCe5-3RearFaith.php
6. The World of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
Of Rome and Judea of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCf6-1Rome.php
The Remarkable History of Israel of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCf6-2Israel.php
Rome the Believer of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The Commander in chiefs
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCf6-3RomeBeliever.php
A Father’s offer of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCf6-4TheOffer.php
The Hasmonean Appeal of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
Socialization of Rome
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCf6-5SocialAppeal.php
The Love of kings of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCf6-6LovingKings.php
7. Factions at the Altar of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The Pharisees and The Sadducees of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCg7-1Factions.php
The Essenes of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The Healers of a Nation
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCg7-2Essene.php
8. A King is Born of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
A King is Born of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCh8-1KingBorn.php
What is redemption? of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCh8-2Redemption.php
Kingdom in Turmoil of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCh8-3Turmoil.php
The New Deal of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCh8-4NewDeal.php
9. Temples and Churches of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The Church
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCi9-1TemplesandChurches.php
Investing in Diana of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCi9-2InvestinDiana.php
One Father of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCi9-3OurFather.php
Arts of the Temples of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCi9-4TempleArts.php
The Temple of Satan of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCi9-5SatansTemple.php
The Royal Treasury of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCi9-6RoyalTreasury.php
10. Two Paths of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
God’s dominion from the Beginning of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The revenue of the wicked
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCj10-1Paths.php
Beams in our eyes of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
Removing the Beam
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCj10-2Beams.php
These two Kingdoms of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCj10-3TwoKingdoms.php
Faith is actions of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCj10-4Action.php
The kingdom appointed to Liberty of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCj10-5AppointedLiberty.php
11. Where is the kingdom of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The kingdom comes of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCk11-1Kingdom.php
Eating in the kingdom of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCk11-2Eating.php
Washing in the kingdom of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCk11-3Washing.php
Where is the Church? of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCk11-4Where.php
We are all kings of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCk11-5AllKings.php
12. Apostasy of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The Ship of State of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCl12-1Ship.php
The Allurement of Wolves of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCl12-2Wolves.php
The Church of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCl12-3Church.php
The Separate Church
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCl12-4Separate.php
13. The Kingdom of Heaven of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
The State of the Nation of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCm13-1Heaven.php
Seeking the kingdom, The Law of God of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCm13-2SeekLaw.php
What does the Kingdom look like? of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCm13-3looks.php
Assembling a congregation of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
Where to start seeking the kingdom of God
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCm13-4Start.php
Appendix of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
Appendix 1. Kingdom of Heaven and God of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCn-1Appendix.php
Appendix 2. The things He says of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCn-2AppenSaid.php
Appendix 3. What is Worship? of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCn-3AppenWorship.php
Appendix 4. Who are the Nicolaitans? of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCn-4AppenNicolaitan.php
Appendix 5. Who is a god? of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCn-5Appengods.php
Appendix 6. Oaths and Swearing of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/TKCn-6AppenOaths.php
The Cover of the book, Thy Kingdom Comes
The Elixir of Love.
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/tkczzwa.php
About the Author of the book Thy Kingdom Comes
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/books/TKC/tkczzwb.php
Other publications:
The Covenants of the gods
The Free Church Report
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