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According to the eternal plan, God initiated the Church Age on earth with the formation of the New Testament church. It was introduced in the ancient city of Jerusalem in the late Spring of AD33.
The New Testament church on earth would facilitate the redemption of the elect, mostly from the densely populated Gentile nations of the world. (Ephesians 3:8-12) Predetermined to last two thousand years, the Church Age was designed to reveal the perfections of God’s nature. Divergent Church With foreknowledge, God understood that the redemption of the elect through the New Testament church would not be fulfilled in perfect accord with His original plan. He knew beforehand that the New Testament church would diverge from its original intent. After its formation on earth, it would experience deformation and in time, progressive reformation. Nevertheless, despite its divergence from original plan, the New Testament church on earth would consistently demonstrate the attributes of the divine nature. It was congruent with the eternal plan of the sovereign God. Church Formation The New Testament church was created in eternity to be a spiritual habitation for God on earth. It was made a “dwelling of God in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:22) Allowing for the habitation of divine life (zoe), the ecclesia of God was initiated with organic function and form. Its organic function was to facilitate intimate, shared life fellowship between God and man and, as a gracious consequence, cultivate the revelation and sharing of His life (zoe) on earth. The accommodating organic form of the New Testament church was a spiritual body. The spiritual body of the church was designed to be united and quickened by the indwelling life (zoe) of God. The organic function and form of the New Testament church were most effectively manifested on earth in intimate, small group community. Each small group community of the ecclesia was designed to be animated and governed by God's indwelling life (zoe). The organic function and form of the New Testament church, manifested in the intimacy of small group community, allowed for mankind to enjoy the privilege of intimate fellowship with God. As a result, it provided for the historical New Testament church to vindicate the nature of God from angelic challenge and accusation. |
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Church Deformation
Nearly 300 years after its formation on earth, the New Testament church was subjected to deformation. It occurred through the mixed marriage between the church and the Roman Empire. The result was a satanically inspired simulation of the original New Testament church. It was a radical departure from its original intent. The deformation of the church was primarily accomplished by the application of an inorganic form and a corresponding inorganic function. The inorganic form of the deformed church was a physical congregation. Its corresponding function was to facilitate religious activity for God. The inorganic form of the simulated, mixed church was incapable of accommodating the indwelling life (zoe) of God. Apart from His life (zoe), however, there can be no divine animation, quickening or governance of human life (zoe). Moreover, the lifeless (zoe) church is incapable of vindicating the nature of God from angelic challenge and accusation. Therefore, the simulated, mixed church constituted nothing more than a religious, powerless departure from the New Testament church. Without God, the church married to the Roman state was subject to animation and government by the fallen life (psuche) of mankind. Therefore, like every other worldly institution, its development, growth and management were facilitated by organizational principle and precept alone. Rather than the ministry of eternal life (zoe), the inorganic, simulated church was suitable only for religious activity. As a result, it soon became characterized by property, buildings, pews, pulpits, etc., all with the well-intentioned purpose of influencing the world for God instead of with Him. Nevertheless, God allowed simulated, mixed church to evolve for more than a millennium. Despite its lifelessness (zoe), it continued to allow Him to demonstrate His love, mercy, and justice. Divine Providence From the time of its origination on earth during the first century, the New Testament church has persevered according to divine promise and providence. Jesus said, “I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” (Matthew 16:18) Although persecuted, deceived, and simulated, the New Testament church has never ceased to exist on earth. God has faithfully preserved a remnant of His body on earth throughout the Church Age. “The union of church and state was in all times looked upon by many of the Lord’s disciples as contrary to His teaching; but whenever the church had the power of the state at its command, it used it for the forcible suppression of any who dissented from its system or in any way refused compliance with its demands, and great numbers through indifference or interest or fear yielded at least an outward obedience. There were, however, always some who could not be induced to do this, but who still endeavored to follow Christ, keeping the teachings of His Word and the doctrine of the apostles. These were continually objects of persecution.”1 The Paulicians (c. A.D. 653); the Waldenses (A.D. 1160-1318); the Lollards (c. A.D. 1380); the Hussites (c. A.D. 1415); the United Brethren (c. A.D. 1463) and a number of others chose to disregard the divergent path. Instead, they pursued the living (zoe) God despite great hardship and suffering. Regardless of every scheme and weapon formed against it, the perseverance of the New Testament church on earth has occurred by the will of God through the incomparable power of His indwelling life (zoe). Congruent with divine promise and providence, it will continue to provide the light of life (zoe) to the fallen world “until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” Church Reformation In the fullness of time, after nearly 1000 years of the evolution of the simulated church, God initiated the progressive reformation of the New Testament church on earth. According to eternal plan, it was designed to occur by a series of divine interventions. Each intervention would progressively serve to demonstrate the selfless love, unfailing mercy, and absolute justice of God to the angelic host. Reformation of Access The first major intervention of God in reforming the church involved the progressive reformation of access to divine truth. During the Dark Ages, the books of the Bible had generally been inaccessible to the common man for two fundamental reasons. First, owning books, in general, was an expensive proposition. It was considered a luxury. Second and more specifically, the Roman Church limited access.2 Between the years A.D. 1000-1500, there were many individuals and groups used by God to initiate the reformation of the church. One of the more influential early reformers was John Wycliffe. He believed that the Word of God should be accessible to every Christian in a language that is easily understood. Wycliffe finished a complete translation of the Bible into English in AD 1380. Another early, influential reformer was William Tyndale. He also translated the Bible into English. In addition, Tyndale played a significant role in the distribution of the Word of God. Early in the 16th century, over 100 years after Wycliffe’s translation of the Bible, he used the recently invented printing press to distribute the Bible to a much wider audience. The accessibility of divine truth was a critical factor in initiating the divine reformation of the church. Reformation of Doctrine The second major intervention of God in reforming the church involved the progressive reformation of church doctrine. On October 31, 1517, Martin Luther, a Roman Catholic monk and professor at the University of Wittenberg, nailed his written disapproval for Roman church theology and practice to the door of the Wittenberg Castle Church in what is now Wittenberg, Germany. Not uncommon at the time, the church door served as a notice board for university-related announcements. Luther’s “Ninety Five Theses” comprised his points of criticism leveled against the Roman Catholic Church and its leader, the Pope. Among many other things, Luther criticized the selling of indulgences and church offices. However, more importantly, Luther promoted the final authority of the Bible in determining Christian doctrine, the biblical teaching of justification by grace through faith alone, and the priesthood of all believers. Luther’s view of the priesthood of all believers included the following principles: 1) There was no need for a professional mediator between individual believers and God; 2) every believer should have access to a Bible that could be understood in modern language; 3) every believer could celebrate the Lord’s Supper without administration by mediator or priest; and 4) the vocation of every believer, not just the priesthood or monasticism, constituted a religious or spiritual calling. Martin Luther knew his stance against the powerful Roman Church was fraught with peril. Therefore, it was not a decision he had taken lightly. In the end, however, Luther chose to trust God rather than man. His choice initiated what is commonly referred to as the “Protestant Reformation.” Luther was far from alone in his desire for church reformation. Righteous reformers throughout church history have included thousands of people “of whom the world was not worthy.” (Hebrews 11:38) In addition to Martin Luther, some other notable reformers of the era of the Protestant Reformation included men such as Jan Hus, Jerome of Prague, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin, and John Knox. In grave danger, these believers dared to challenge the teachings of the simulated Roman church. The Protestant Reformation (AD 1517-1648) did not constitute a complete reformation of the church. Instead, initiated by the reformation of access to divine truth, it predominantly involved the reformation of church doctrine. The Protestant Reformation did not include the reformation of church government, function, form, or practice. William Estep clarifies, “The Reformation was a revolt against Papal authority but not against the Roman concept of the church as an institution.”3 James Rutz adds, “The Reformation was a great start on fixing what was wrong with the church, but it fell far short in regard to structures and practice."4 Robert Lund further enlightens, “As a result of not going to the root of biblical structure and practice, the church life that Luther and the others created, contained many of the characteristics of the Roman Catholic system, albeit repackaged and renamed. The priest became the pastor, the sacraments became the pastoral duties, the mass became the service….”.5 The reformation of access to both divine truth and doctrine was only the beginning of the reformation of the church. The government, function, form, and practice of the church continued to remain unfulfilled after the Protestant Reformation. |
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Reformation of Government
The third major intervention of God in reforming the church involved the progressive reformation of church government. For hundreds of years, the Roman church had been co-governed by two parties, the state and religious leadership. The religious leadership of the Roman church constituted a “professional” priesthood or clergy. Their rule over largely passive parishioners, referred to as “laity,” became the norm. Unfortunately, it had a profound influence that extended even to the New Testament church. In the 18th and 19th centuries, God commenced the progressive reformation of church government. He utilized two “Great Awakenings” and a number of “revivals” to gradually turn the church away from human and state governance to greater dependence on the Spirit of God and government by His indwelling life (zoe). The “First Great Awakening” occurred during the 18th century (1730s–1740s) and the Second during the early 19th (1820s–1830s). Several “revivals” followed in the mid-19th to the early 20th century. Generally speaking, the “Great Awakenings” and “revivals” served to “awaken” the ecclesia to governance by divine life (zoe). Concordant with New Testament doctrine, the reformed government was expressed through the immediate headship of Christ, according to the fullness of His indwelling Spirit. Consequently, the church began a progressive return from human governance to divine governance. Reformation of Function and Form Initiated in the mid-20th century, the fourth major intervention of God in the reformation of the church involved the progressive reformation of church function and form. As a result, the modern ecclesia was provided with gracious illumination regarding the original function and form of the church. Therefore, the last half-century has been characterized by a gradual return to New Testament church function and form. Rather than emphasizing religious “services” for a physical congregation, it has been gradually learning to treasure the intimacy of fellowship with God in the accommodative form of a spiritual body. Each intervention of God in the progressive reformation of the New Testament church has served His eternal purpose. They have allowed Him to reveal the attributes of His nature in heaven and on earth in a decisive manner. The reformation of church access, doctrine, and government came first. They provided the foundation for the reformation of church function and form. In turn, the reformation of church function and form has served to clarify the need for the reformation of church practice, the final intervention of God in the progressive reformation of the New Testament church on earth. Reformation of Practice Initiated in the late 20th century, the fifth major intervention of God in reforming the church has involved the progressive reformation of church practice. Thus, the foundational, progressive reformation of church access, doctrine, government, function and form has allowed for the reformation of modern church practice. Accordingly, the modern New Testament church has witnessed a major shift in practice. It has progressively moved from religious, passive audiences moderated by well-intended professional clergy to dynamic, interactive every member ministry collectively yielded to the Spirit of life (zoe); individual religious works to collective works quickened by the living (zoe) God; and large group meetings in special buildings to intimate small group community gathering from house to house. Among other things, the evolution of the church through stages of formation, deformation and reformation can be summarized as follows: |
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Fulfillment
To the extent intended, the reformation of church access, doctrine, and government has been fulfilled. However, the reformation of church function, form, and practice remain a work in process. There is one final intervention of God for the New Testament church. Commonly referred to as the Rapture, it will occur after the earthly purpose for the ecclesia of God has been fulfilled. Then God will remove His bride from the earth. Constituting the fulfillment of church reformation, the ecclesia of God will be “caught up” and meet the Lord in the air. “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) Forever “with the Lord,” the real church of the New Testament will once and for all experience the fulfillment of its divine purpose. It will forever exist in a state of perfection, united to Jesus Christ in unimaginable glory. Face to face with Christ; the New Testament church will be swallowed up by divine life (zoe). As such, it will experience the unrestrained revelation and joy of the Lord. In the immediate presence of Christ, there will be no persecution, doctrinal deception, or simulation. In addition, there will be no tears, death, mourning, crying, pain, or opposition of any kind. There will only be perfection and glory. In such a wondrous state, the distinct church of the New Testament will forever constitute a perfect demonstration of the selfless love, unfailing mercy, and absolute justice of God. © 2023 James Hiatt |
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