When
God our Heavenly Father uses the word “church” in His Word,
what does He have in His heart? From before creation God
the Father had already planned a bride for His Son Jesus. He wanted someone to
pour out His love over. He also wanted someone who would love
Him… passionately and without reserve. As His love is
unconditional; that is how He wants to be loved in return. Could
this ever be…?
In
His heart He held a precious vision of a beautiful bride without spot
or blemish. She was complete and ready to be born by His love. But,
this had to wait for the “fullness of time” in God’s plan.
In
Genesis she is called Eve. Throughout the Old Testament she is
called “my people”. In the New Testament she is called the
saints, body of Christ… the church.
The
sad thing is that Eve turned her back on Him by falling to the
temptation of Satan. But the Father had a plan and nothing that
man or Satan does, can stop His purpose from being fulfilled.
She
wandered in the desert for forty years with the Father testing her
heart. He led her into the promised land but she was still not
satisfied. She would return for a time as the Father wooed her
through His prophets. But time and again she would be led astray
by the worldly temptations of the nations she encountered. And, also by
kings whose motives were not after the heart of God.
The Fulness of Time
Then,
when the fullness of time had come the Father birthed His plan.
He became flesh in the form of His Son Jesus. Conceived by
the Holy Spirit. Born of the virgin Mary.
This
was the seed that was to fall into the ground and die. Remember God’s
word in Genesis? “Every seed will reproduce after its own kind.” And,
the promise to Abraham was for him and his seed, singular, meaning
Christ. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat
falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it
dies, it produces many seeds.”
His
death on the cross, burial and subsequent resurrection was the start of
a new era.
He
was the first born of the “new creation”. Not born of the flesh
but of the Spirit. The resurrected and ascended Jesus and all who
believe in Him are the true church. He is the foundation, chief
corner stone and Head, and the believers are the living stones.
Those who believe have their spirits within them made alive. They
have been born again, taken by the Holy Spirit and baptised into the
body of Christ.
Within
the body of Christ, the church, each one has a special place and a
special role to fulfill. The Holy Spirit has placed each believer
just where the Father wants him to be. In that place they are to
perform a function that will compliment the functions of other
believers. Should each one carry out his or her function as
assigned by the Holy Spirit then the body will be united, whole and
will bring glory to the Father.
What
will this church look like? Probably nothing like we have seen or
see today. Yet the purpose of God is there for us to
follow. In God’s Word we will discover the how, where and when of
church life as it was intended to be. It is never
cast
in stone. It is alive, vibrant, spontaneous, full of joy and peace,
love and truth, living daily in the Spirit as He leads. In living this
way the church is becoming mature, attaining to the whole measure of the
fullness of Christ. This is where the Kingdom of God is to be found.
There
is a cost… your life. Seek to save your life and you will lose it, but
if you lose it (give up all to follow Jesus) you will find it.
Seeds
reproducing after their own kind!!! This is the church that Jesus is
building.
Over
the past 1900 years there has always been a remnant of God’s people who
have remained true to the Lordship of Jesus Christ as the ONLY head of
HIS church. They have withstood the persecution of the traditional
and religious institutions and that of governments.
They have not loved their lives even unto death to hold the
banner of Jesus high. This church is alive and well and living on the
earth in various localities.
How
do you find them? What is their name? You don’t find them; as you seek
after truth in His word and in prayer God will lead you to them. Their
name; no name, no billboards, no banners, no advertising; simply
disciples/followers of Jesus Christ. You will know them by their love. They do not seek to be seen by men.
I
pray that you will join with us as we search and study the scriptures
in an exciting adventure to discover our place in the body of Christ,
the church; to one day be a part of His glorious Bride. This
journey will take us into the Father's heart for His church.
With
much love,
Jack.
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