WHEN DID TEH CHURCH BEGIN?

WHEN WAS THE CHURCH BORN?

                Some say that the church was born at Pentecost and there is a lot of truth to that. After all, the Holy Spirit came upon us at Pentecost just as He had come upon Mary and He has been in the process of producing sons and daughters of God ever since. But before that, Israel was God’s family as well. They carried the seed line of faith through whom the Messiah would be born and it is through faith in that very Messiah that we are grafted into the family as well.

                Adam was known as the son of God (Luke 3:38) and even though He and Eve sold out and became  members of a fallen race, all of heaven initiated a plan of redemption and reconciliation that has been going on in progressive stages for 6000 years now. God has sacrificed everything to make us His family again.

                But really, can it be said that God’s family began when Adam and Eve were created? No, because before mankind was created the sons of God shouted for joy at the creation of the world and the angels and all of the heavenly hosts existed long before man entered the scene. Furthermore it can be said that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit have lived in divine fellowship from eternity past to eternity future and they have simply been creating and embracing more and more members into their ever growing family.             

                So from that perspective the church has had no beginning and it will have no end and we have been redeemed and reinstated into the eternal family. When we are born again a seed of eternal life is planted in us that can never die.

                This is what is meant in Scripture when it says that he who has the Son has life. This is not talking about physical life because we have physical life from the time we are born until the time we die. But to be born again is to receive that eternal seed of God. Our bodies become temples of the Holy Spirit and we who are born again live to protect and to nurture that seed until Christ be formed in us. We have become eternal children in God’s eternal family. We are growing up in all aspects unto Him.

                “And as He (Jesus) was setting out on a journey a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him and began asking Him, Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” To which Jesus replied that he should sell all that he had and to come and follow Him.

                We are told in John 3:15 that whoever believes in Him may in Him have eternal life. Well, when does that eternal life begin? In answer to that Jesus said “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood HAS eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day. Our physical body must die for it cannot inherit eternal life, but our spirit is made eternally alive when we are born again from above.

                Jesus explained that to Martha in John 11:23-27. Lazarus was dead and Jesus told Martha saying: “Your brother shall rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Well, every faithful Jew that was not of the Sadducees believed that they would rise again at the last day, but this is not the point that Jesus was making here. He said to her “: “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies and everyone who lives and believes in Me shall never die.”

                This thought ties in with what Paul said in Phil. 1:21 when He said: “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain. As a born again believer, he believed that he had eternal life and that in dying he would simply depart and be with Christ. v. 23. This truth is essential to understanding the new birth. We have this treasure in earthen vessels.

                The point that Jesus was making to Martha was that the one who believes in Him and receives eternal life when he is born again, will continue to live even if his physical body dies and those who physically live until He returns shall never die…. But shall be transformed in the twinkling of an eye.

                This truth is stated over and over again in Scripture. For instance in Hebrews 11 and 12, God offers a sample listing of His faithful people throughout time and then in chapter 12 he says. “Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” Heb. 12:1

                And just in case we missed the point that these witnesses continue to surround us, it goes on to say in Hebrews 12:22-23: But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born (the born again) who are enrolled in heaven and to God the judge of all AND TO THE SPIRITS OF RIGHTEOUS MEN MADE PERFECT…”

                Who were these spirits made perfect, but those faithful saints listed in Hebrews eleven who though they lived before the cross nevertheless lived by faith in God. Take Joseph for instance who by faith had his bones carried to Jerusalem. He believed by faith in the Messiah and wanted his bones buried in Jerusalem so that he could be a part of the resurrection of those who came to life when Jesus rose from the dead.

                Consistent with the Old Testament teaching, those who died in faith in the Old Testament were taken to Abraham’s bosom. If you read throughout Genesis and onward, it is said that when the patriarchs died, they went to be with their fathers, and their body was buried in the cave or the ground. So Jesus wasn’t just spinning a yarn when He told the story of the rich man and Lazarus. He was confirming a reality and nobody called Him on it for they all knew that Jesus was simply telling it the way it is.

                Notice what Jesus said in Mt. 22:31, 32: “But regarding the resurrection of the dead have you not read that which was spoken to you by God, saying, ”I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead but of the living.”

                But why is this important? It is important because we cannot rightly understand the New Birth without understanding what is planted in us by the Holy Spirit when we receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. We receive His eternal life when we are born again. We become a part of the eternal family and when we die, we become a part of the cloud of witnesses on the other side. (Hence, to die is gain.)

                We receive our resurrection bodies when we return with Christ at His second coming for as it says in 1 Thess. 4:14 that when Jesus returns He will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep.           1 Thess. 3:13 further states that when Jesus returns, He will return with all His saints. And Colossians also says in Col. 3:4 “When Christ who is our life is revealed then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.” Can we really ignore these things?

                Especially in these last days, we need to know that this cloud of witnesses is cheering us on to the finish line. But why is this? It is because of what Hebrews 11:39, 40. It says: “And all these having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” But what does this mean?

                What it means is that we in the New Covenant we have been equipped with all that we need to attain to the unity of the faith and of knowledge of the Son of God to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.”

                This refers back to the Old Testament idea of first fruits. Once the first sheaf of barley was declared holy, then the entire crop was holy. This then is what the cloud of witnesses is waiting for. They are waiting for a remnant people to be brought into the mature man to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. We, along with Christ, will become the first fruits of the harvest.  Jesus, as our High Priest is in the process of bringing many sons to glory.

                This is also a part of the church’s misunderstanding today that Jesus did it all for us so we have nothing to do but to sit around and wait for the rapture. We have lost the concept that we must be gold tried in the fire… that we must have oil in our lamps… that we must overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony.

                The angel told Daniel in Dan. 12:10-13: “Many will be purged, purified and refined; but the wicked will act wickedly and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand. And then he goes right into the Abomination of Desolation that will soon be set up in the rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. He is talking about the last days.

                Many will argue that this has nothing to do with Christians in the New Testament, but then why does John in AD 95 warn Christians not to take the Mark of the Beast? And furthermore, why is it that we are shown in Rev. 7 a huge crowd in heaven that no man can number standing before the throne? When asked, the angel says: “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

                Again in Revelation 15 we see a great crowd standing on the sea of glass, having “come off victorious from the beast and from his image. Likewise in Revelation 20:4 we see a group of believers who have been beheaded because they have refused to take the Mark of the Beast. They come to life and reign with Christ for 1000 years.

                There are two resurrections mentioned in the Bible. One is a resurrection FROM the dead and one is a resurrection OF the dead. The resurrection FROM the dead is the first resurrection and is a resurrection of only the righteous. All of them are caught up to meet the Lord in the air. The resurrection OF the dead is the one that Jesus talked about in John 5:28, 29. Here in this passage from verse 24 through 29 Jesus speaks of two different resurrections. Regarding the first resurrection HE says: “Truly, truly I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me, HAS eternal life and does not come into judgment, but HAS passed out of death into life. “

                But now, in regards to the second resurrection also known as the general resurrection, Jesus says: “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice and shall come forth; those who did the good deeds, to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.”

                Many have taught that there will be nobody saved in the second resurrection which happens after the 1000 years, but is that true? If so, then why is the book of life opened as well? Paul tells us that he was striving to be in that first resurrection because he wanted to reign with Christ. If we put the pieces of the puzzle together, we see a resurrection of the righteous first. They are all caught up to meet the Lord in the air. This “being caught” up is known as the “rapture”, which simply means being caught up or snatched away. At His second coming His saints return with Him to reign on earth for 1000 years as Revelation 20:4 shows us.

                Friends, our traditions over the past 2000 years have glossed over many details to the point where we no longer understand the full meaning of our salvation and what is at stake. We have gotten to the place where if we belong to this church we argue this way and if we belong to another church we argue the other way. Why not just get into the Bible with sincere hearts, praying to be led by the Holy Spirit and study these things out. It is not so much a matter of having a doctrine to argue over as it is a matter of being ready. If Paul was striving to be in that first resurrection it is because he wanted to be a part of the Bride of Christ who rules and reigns with Him. They are the wise virgins that are ready when He comes.(In the first resurrection)

                Because we no longer study these things deeply, the church has become complacent and largely ineffective in the world. We no longer contend for the faith. We no longer have a truth worth living and dying for. We have become lukewarm… and it is for lack of sound doctrine that we fall for such things as the ecumenical movement that unites with other religions on the basis of compromise rather than on the foundation of the Word of God.

                Many Christians can no longer tell you what they believe beyond sound bites and bumper stickers. But Jude warned us about this in Jude 3, 4 saying: Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

                We no longer contend for the faith and in fact in many circles the same thing is happening that happened in Jude’s day. They have swept in with a false grace… we can do whatever we want now and it doesn’t matter because Grace covers it. We no longer need to live holy lives, nor do we need to attain to the unity of the faith and of knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” Eph. 4:13

                Much of Christianity scoffs at the idea that “we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.” Eph. 4:15. False grace has stolen that concept from us. We attend church for 50 years and we still gossip and fight. We still live with the same weaknesses that plagued us 50 years ago. Today’s form of grace does not grow us… it excuses us. It is no longer seen as the power of God unto salvation, but a license to do our own thing.

                It doesn’t much matter whether you agree with my findings or not. What matters is whether or not you are studying to show yourself approved unto God. Are we living lives of true faith or is it presumption? We let other people study for us and then presume that they got it right. We should never do that. Instead we should study the Word like the Bereans to see if the things people say are true or not.

                Have you ever wrestled with God, asking Him to guide you into all truth or do you just join a church and then sail along with whatever they teach? We need to know what we believe and more importantly, in whom we believe. Jesus is the Word made flesh. If we deny Jesus we deny His Word and if we deny His Word, then we deny Jesus The relationship that we are growing into in Him is not one of ignorance but of understanding… for not only does it inform us, but it transforms us.

                “I urge you therefore brethren by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:1, 2

                “Truly, truly I say to you, he who hears My word and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life and does not come into judgment but has passed out of death into life.” John 5:24. If then you have been born again, you are part of God’s eternal family… therefore as members of His royal family, let us grow up in all aspects into Christ until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” Eph. 4:13, 15.

                This we do, not by the works of the flesh but because Christ actually dwells in our hearts. We have eternal life and that life is in Him. It is He who has made us into sons and daughters of God. We belong to a family that has no beginning and no end.