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God created the eternal New Testament church before the foundation of the world. He gave it a distinct function and form. The function of the eternal church was to facilitate shared life fellowship with mankind. God provided the New Testament church with a form that was suitable. He made it in the form of a spiritual body.
The eternal New Testament church did not change when God originated it on earth. It retained its distinct function and form. The Apostle Paul described the New Testament church as a “dwelling of God in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:22) His description indicated that it was originated on earth to accommodate the living (zoe) God and consequently, permit shared life fellowship between God and mankind on earth. 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, its message 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. Providing a revelation of the love, mercy, and justice 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 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 targeted the shared life function of the New Testament church. 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. He believed they 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, predominantly in the form of persecution and doctrinal deception. Despite unspeakable suffering and loss, the ecclesia persevered by the gracious, indwelling presence of indestructible life (zoe) shared with 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 unrighteousness of his failed schemes. Simulation Failing to destroy the function of the early church through his schemes of persecution and doctrinal deception, Satan eventually addressed its form. He understood its spiritual form allowed God the freedom to indwell, animate, and govern His ecclesia on earth. Thus, Satan recognized the need to encourage the ecclesia to adopt a form incompatible with the indwelling life (zoe) of God. By his scheme, Satan believed he could radically alter the form of the New Testament church. It would transition from organic to inorganic. No longer accommodative of divine life (zoe), the New Testament church would be incapable of facilitating intimate, life-based (zoe) fellowship between God and man. Possessing a type of godliness but without power, it would be a religious simulation of the organic original. (cf. 2 Timothy 3:5) Satan’s scheme influenced the origination of the simulated church on earth during the fourth century. The inorganic simulation of the church was quite different from its organic predecessor. Supported by the powerful Roman Empire, 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 with mankind during the first century AD. In contrast, the simulated Roman church was originated by man for God during the fourth century AD. Animation God designed the New Testament church to be animated by His indwelling life (zoe) in cooperation with human faith. In contrast, the simulated Roman church was animated by the life (psuche) of fallen man for God. Function The function of the New Testament church was intended 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 provided an example of function following form. Governance God personally governed the early New Testament church. He fulfilled His role of governance according to the rule of His 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. By the Spirit, the original doctrine of the early church was eventually 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 practice through the immediate headship of Jesus Christ and the fullness of His indwelling Spirit. The human members of the church cooperated by faith through 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. The religious "services" 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 alive (zoe) to God. (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 to God. Prepared and facilitated by man in time, they 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 its human members. 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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God created the eternal New Testament church before the foundation of the world. He established it on earth in the first-century AD. The eternal New Testament church was unlike anything else on earth.
Satan’s schemes of persecution and doctrinal deception failed to destroy the eternal New Testament church. Nevertheless, they resulted in a simulation of the eternal church that has evolved until present day. © 2023 James Hiatt |
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