I have often said that churches and fellowships today bear little or no resemblance to the called out ones (ecclesia) of the early years of christianity.
I
am not talking about external cosmetics here but of fundamental stuff
having to do with doctrine, lifestyle, administration (orderly
arrangements for management of affairs) and structures. In my articles
on these issues over the next months I will be relying solely on
scripture –literal word for word meanings –plus patterns of sound
words.
Really
I have no opinions of my own: What do you expect from a dead man? So if
anyone takes the time to sling mud take note that it will simply add to
the already ageing pile of clay here: On the other hand I welcome sound
scriptural comments and if proven wrong i will make amends.
"Who
is man and what is his problem?" What do churches believe and teach
today and how does that differ from early church teaching?
The
attitude today is that man is basically a good fellow. He has a problem
of a low self image and this needs to be addressed or he won’t be able
to love others unless he loves himself. I call this sort of thing: "Embalming the dead."
The
bible and Christian teachings are treated as instruments to address
this low self image: All the positives of the bible are lumped together,
regardless of context, and coupled with fine sounding stories and tear
evoking anecdotes: People sit enthralled feeling good about themselves.
God is some sort of sugar daddy who puts man at the very centre. They
are uplifted and encouraged beyond measure at these teachings. They
leave a meeting elated and in good spirits. However all the euphoria is
like a sugar rush and that high quickly vanishes. Another sugar/sermon
high is called for as soon as possible, another conference, another
speaker!
Early
Christians understood that man is under the headship of Adam: Adam
sinned and the glory was lost and man became mortal. i.e. prone to
death. Now mortality or death is passed down in the DNA and blood line
and because of that mortality or death nature man even from birth is cut
off from the Divine Zoe life: A baby is prone to death from moment of
conception!
Death
nature means link to Zoe life line is cut. Man does it his way: That is
called sin. Therefore all sin and lack the glory of God. Man is totally
without glory and heading for the grave and corruption. There is no
hope for the old man: No cure! No hope at all: He is dying all his life
and after 4 days in the grave total physical decay has set in.
God
has made a new way under a new Headship: The headship of Christ: “There
is a new creation” Those who obtain that new life are under a new
headship:They are destined for glory! However the old headship of Adam
refuses to go away quietly and must be dealt with violently it must be
crucified: This is presented over and over again: No hiding the cruel
facts!
Verse Concepts
Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
"knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin;
Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
Therefore
consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality,
impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
Colossians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.
"For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain" ).
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