JESUS IS LORD

Sometime ago I read an article concerning the handling of counterfeit money by the U.S. Treasury Department. It stated emphatically, "The only thing they do with counterfeit money is burn it!" The article then explains that their trainees study the real money so thoroughly, that a counterfeit bill would immediately be detected by their thoroughly trained sight and feel.

Similarly, an exhaustive examination of the early church from its inception will enable us to easily identify religious Christianity's non-biblical church concepts practiced by many in today's postmodern world.

We cannot compare

In a postmodern world the rational arguments for the existence of God are cold and lifeless. However, a community of people gladly considers it a blessing to be defined by God's salvation event in Jesus Christ; and becomes Spirit-formed as true and living examples of a local and universal oneness. Thus, reflecting volumes to the world about [the Calvary event] and the saving grace of Christ that dwells within us.

The distinguishing characteristic of allowing ourselves to be defined this way is the restoration of a supernatural experience in the church, seen and unseen. The philosophical shift of the postmodern world from reason to the mystery or supernatural view provides a rich cultural context for the restoration of the early or first century view of the faith and the finished work of Christ. Therefore, it is in all sincerity not feasible to attempt comparing the life of Christ followers [Christians] with the principals and practices of secular humanism and religious Christianity, both will be covered thoroughly in a later section.

This approach to the "supernatural experience" is the strongest reality of God's presence to a lost world,

The Church throughout History

The Early Church The Institutional Church The Reformation Church


[PURITY] [APOSTATE] [RESTORATION]

Pentecost – A.D. 391 A.D. 391 – A.D. 1517 A.D. 1517 – Present

Unity in the body of Sacramental/ Judicial Unity in the body of
Christ (John 17:21; (Rev. 2-3) body of Christ (Rev. 3)
Ephesians 4:11-13)

The Early Church

The church throughout its history has appeared in many different cultures and therefore no one expression of the church stands alone as the true visible body of Christ. A goal for the body of Christ in the postmodern world is to accept diversity as a restoration reality, and at the same time seek unity in the process. The idea being common ground for the various forms of the true church – all based on its being one, holy and apostolic in teaching and authority.

One way of accomplishing this unity is the view that there is only one church, but it is expressed in many cultural ways. Jesus expressed His desire for the oneness of the church in the words of His prayer that, "all of them may be one.... That the world may believe that You sent Me" (John 17:21). In the early church Jesus' statement meant "visible unity."

Concerning the oneness of the church, the Apostle Paul exhorts, "for by One Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free; and all made to drink into one Spirit" (I Corinthians 12:1-3). In Ephesians 4:3, he counsels, the church should be, "eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." I pray that the leadership of the churches realize the degree to which secular humanism and religious Christianity are allowed to reign in churches is the degree to which the Holy Spirit is hindered in making those churches effective. Thus, their fundamental character of holiness, universal and apostolic kingdom service is impeded. This is depicted in the diagram above:

• The early Church was marked by its purity – Unity fueled by persecution.

• The Church of the Middle Ages or Dark Ages was marked by its apostate condition – "falling away" from the truths of God's Word.

• The Reformation Church is marked by restoration of biblical truths lost during the pre and Middle Ages and unity in the body of Christ through truths of God's Word.

Holiness

Many Christians are hindered in their walk over the issue of the church's holiness. The church is admonished to, "Be holy, because I am holy" (see 1 Peter 1:16). Contrary to many forms and practices this passage should be understood individually as well as standing for the whole body of Christ, for Peter defined the church as "a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God" (1 Peter 2:9). In studying the New Testament, we quickly become aware that the visible church contains both the clean and the unclean; as is indicated in Jesus' parable of the wheat and the tares. Thus, the visible church contains both saints and sinners [truth and counter-truth]. The church on earth then may be regarded as having a church within the church. The church that is "holy and blameless," without "spot or wrinkle," is the one Christ, the Son will present to the Father.

Denominations are realizing that the old separatist model of "my way or the highway" is for all practical kingdom purposes – out! Additionally we are finding that we must be more tolerant of the human weaknesses of the church. For example I was at one time convinced that my concept of Christianity was the right one and my church was correct in its views. Therefore I would not associate with some churches that I believed had a lot of wrong views. Then one day I discovered that the church is not yet perfect (ethically nor doctrinally). Now I am able to embrace the entire body of Christ. This affirmation that the church is universal [all over the world] enables me to feel at home with other Protestant churches as we labor together to restore the faith of the early church. The faith based on the solid foundation of apostolic doctrine, first delivered to the saints (see Jude 3).

Believer's sing,

"Dear dying Lamb,"
"thy precious Blood
Shall never lose its power,
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Be saved to sin no more."


Catholic

The word catholic was first used by Ignatius when he wrote, "Wherever Jesus Christ is, there is the...