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God created the eternal New Testament church before the foundation of the world with distinct function and form. The function of the eternal church was to facilitate shared life fellowship between Himself and mankind. God provided the New Testament church with a form that was suitable. Thus, He made it in the form of a spiritual body.
The heavenly New Testament church did not change when God originated it on earth. It retained its distinct function and form. Heavenly or eternal in function and form, God created the New Testament church on earth to accommodate His life (zoe). It was His chosen instrument for sharing life (zoe) and fellowship with the elect of the Church Age. Concordant with its eternal function, the message of the New Testament church proclaimed the possibility of life shared with God. (cf. Philippians 2:16; 1 John 1:1-2) Thus, the message of the ecclesia of God was a “message of…life (zoe).” (Acts 5:20; cf. 2 Timothy 1:8-11) The shared life message of the New Testament church is the Gospel or “Good News” of Jesus Christ. Demonstrating the attributes of God in an unbiased, concurrent manner, its willing reception by fallen mankind serves to vindicate His nature from angelic scheme and accusation. Relative to the role of the New Testament church in the vindication of the divine nature, the heavenly host offers a varied reaction. The holy angels rejoice when a fallen human being repents and receives eternal life (zoe) through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Luke 15:7) Conversely, Satan and his angels cringe when they see man, a lesser, undeserving creature, gain through the church what they lost; citizenship in the glorious kingdom of God. For the devil and his angels, the New Testament church serves as a public reminder of their judgment and condemnation. Therefore, it is for them an ever-present source of embarrassment, humiliation, and shame. As a result, the devil and his angels view the New Testament church with fiery hatred. |
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Opposition Not surprisingly, the New Testament church has historically encountered satanic opposition on the fallen earth. The schemes of Satan have targeted both its function and form. Persecution and Doctrinal Deception During the early history of the church, Satan predominantly targeted the shared life function of the New Testament church. Therefore, he fervently schemed to diminish and destroy its capacity for facilitating intimate, shared life fellowship between God and man. As indicated by their frequent mention in the New Testament, Satan’s initial weapons of choice were persecution and doctrinal deception. Ultimately, Satan believed his scheme would serve to turn the ecclesia from faithful dependence on its heavenly life (zoe) source to self-dependence. Consequently, it would become powerless and unfruitful. For nearly 300 years, the early New Testament church endured opposition from Satan in the predominant form of persecution and doctrinal deception. Despite unspeakable suffering and loss, the ecclesia persevered by the gracious, indwelling presence of the indestructible life (zoe) of God. (cf., Romans 5:10; Hebrews 7:16) Much to Satan’s chagrin, its faithful perseverance on earth only served to further demonstrate the righteousness of God and the unrighteous failure of his schemes. Simulation Failing to destroy the early church through persecution and doctrinal deception alone, Satan addressed its form rather than function. He understood that its spiritual form allowed God the freedom to indwell, animate and govern His faithful ecclesia on earth. As a result, Satan recognized the need to encourage the ecclesia to adopt a form incompatible with God's indwelling life (zoe). Concordant with the satanic scheme, the form of the New Testament church would transition from organic to inorganic. Thus, it would no longer be accommodative of divine life (zoe). Consequently, the New Testament church would be incapable of facilitating intimate, life-based (zoe) fellowship between God and man. To the contrary, the church would become a religious simulation of the organic original. It would possess a type of godliness but without power. (cf. 2 Timothy 3:5) Supported by the powerful Roman Empire, the scheme of Satan influenced the origination of the simulated church on earth during the fourth century. The resultant, inorganic simulation was quite different from the living (zoe) ecclesia of the New Testament. It was divergent in origin, animation, function, form, manifestation, government, works, practice, and growth. Origin God originated the living (zoe) church of the New Testament on earth during the first century. In contrast, the simulated Roman church was originated by man for God during the fourth century. Animation The distinct church of the New Testament was designed for animation by the indwelling life (zoe) of God. In contrast, the simulated Roman church was animated only by the life (psuche) of fallen man. Function The function of the New Testament church was to facilitate intimate, shared life fellowship between God and man. In contrast, the function of the simulated church was to perform religious activity for God. Form Designed by God to suit His predetermined function, the form of the New Testament church was a heavenly, spiritual body. In contrast, the form of the simulated church was a physical congregation. Manifestation The early New Testament church was predominantly manifested on earth in small group community. It provided an example of form following function. In contrast, the simulated Roman church was predominantly manifested in large group meetings. Unlike the early New Testament church, it essentially provided an example of function following form. Governance God personally governed the early New Testament church. He fulfilled His role of governance by rule of indwelling life (zoe), characterized by lavish, unmerited favor. In contrast, the simulated Roman church was governed by organizational principle and precept through human directive. The standard for governance was the rule of law (law of sin and of death). It was characterized by reward for obedience and punishment for transgression. Doctrine The doctrine of the early New Testament church originated from God. It was delivered to earth from the heavenly Father through the incarnate Son. New Testament Church doctrine was then taught to the apostles by the incarnate Son. Eventually, the original doctrine of the early church was communicated to faithful men who taught it to the brothers and sisters of the ecclesia. In contrast, the doctrine of the simulated Roman church originated from man. It was an amalgam of pagan belief, civic tradition, and Christian doctrine. Practice The early New Testament church was graciously animated on earth by the indwelling life (zoe) of God. (cf. Acts 2:41-47; Romans 12:1-13; 1 Corinthians 11-14; Ephesians 5:18-21; Colossians 3:16-17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22; 1 Peter 5:7-11) He carefully directed its heavenly practice on earth through the immediate headship of Jesus Christ and the fullness of His indwelling Spirit. The human members of the church cooperated by adherence to the teaching and tradition of the apostles. In contrast, the religious practice of the simulated Roman church was animated by man for God. It was facilitated by the submission of church members to the teaching and tradition of church leadership. Rather than animation by the indwelling life (zoe) of God, the religious activity of the simulated church was ordered according to predetermined liturgy. Simulated church liturgies were fully developed by the fourth century. The two most popular are attributed to St. James and Cyril of Jerusalem. Works Prepared in eternity and facilitated on earth by the animating presence of divine, indwelling life (zoe), the works of the early New Testament church were living (zoe). (cf. Romans 8:11; Ephesians 2:10) Its human members cooperated with God by faith alone. In contrast, the religious works of the simulated Roman church were dead. Prepared and facilitated by man in time, the dead, religious works of the simulated church were the fruit of fallen earthly life (psuche). Performed by man for God, they were law-based rather than life-based. Growth The growth of the early New Testament church was heavenly, eternal, spiritual, and community-oriented. It was fulfilled by the work of God cultivating His shared life in mankind. In contrast, the growth of the simulated Roman church was earthly, temporal, physical, and individual. It was accomplished by human effort through organizational directive and development. The following table provides a summary of the fundamental differences between the New Testament church and the simulated church: |
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© 2023 James Hiatt
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