Speaking in general terms, the lay person
gives no thought to the “Divine Order of the New Testament Church.” Many of us
were raised in Christian homes (I was raised in a Baptist home and had to be in
church every Sunday.) Among my Chinese relatives in Kingston, Jamaica, their
infants are put under the care of the Catholic pre-schools. They grew up in that
environment, and automatically became followers of the Catholic Faith. Others
grew up in other religious entities, and as we watch crowds pulling into the
parking lots every Sunday morning, the vital aspect of God’s true church (the
Divine Order that he established for his body away back in A.D. 33) does not
come to mind. Many worship services each Sunday morning follow a set pattern, in
so much, that one can stay at home, look at the clock and say exactly what is
happening at the local Assembly. The same things happen at the same time each
Sunday, without any variation
I was invited to speak at a church in up-State New
York, and to my surprise, during the entire service, no one extended greetings:
no one introduced anyone else, not even the preacher. I never served in the
military, but in that setting, I felt like being in the army. I was scheduled to
speak at a Baptist Church in Washington D.C. and on Thursday before my date to
speak, I was invited to meet with the pastor. One of the questions he had for me
was: “What will your sermon be”? I explained that it was too early for me to
determine that matter. I will not know until I get there, and sometimes I do not
know until I stand behind the pulpit to speak.” I noticed his concern, so I
said” I can tell you this much; if I cannot make your work a little easier, I
certainly won’t make it any harder.” At that point I noticed that the pastor
relaxed and seemed to ease his concern. Divine worship in the early church was
spontaneous as worshippers were moved by the Holy Spirit. Paul exhorted the
saints with these words: “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but
be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Ephesians
5:18-19. Again, we read: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in
all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians
3:16. It should stand to reason that the Holy Spirit cannot be bound by
church programs, written in advance for the following Sunday. It should also be
understood that the Holy Spirit is always present to minister to individual
needs, no matter what time is showing on the clock.
SORRY FOR BEING LATE WITH THIS ISSUE…Bro. Kennedy.
To the ordinary worshippers filing into the
pews every Sunday, what can be classified as “Divine Order” must be the propagative of the clergy. Taken in this light the congregation meets, worships,
gives to the good works of the local Assembly, without any thought being given
to what the divine order is, or ought to be. Here is a likely result when entire
congregations worship along the precepts set by the ruling ministry of the local
Assembly. If we ignore the true order being inspired by the Holy Spirit, we
obviously lend ourselves in worship to what man has created and set in place
based upon his design and approval. But Jesus had something to say on this very
subject. Speaking of traditions versus the word of God, Jesus said: “Thus
have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. This
people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips;
but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching
for doctrines the commandments of men.” Matthew 15: 6-9.
Thus, it is clear that when we ignore, or
depart from the order put in place by Christ himself, and embrace that which man
has concocted, possibly from his own imagination (man-made traditions) the word
of God becomes of non-effect. It is therefore important for the individual to
align one’s self with the original order put in place for the growth and
vibrancy of the body of Christ. God’s Divine Order for his church was tailored
and designed for the church (His Body) and entrusted to his ministers as
stewards over God’s heritage. Consider the negative impact, in not knowing, or
adhering to God’s divine order. But, even while the apostles were alive, they
warned of the apostasy that would follow in their absence. As the bishops grew
to prominence in church affairs, and the influence of the Holy Spirit became
sidelined and actually shut out of the church, man’s ego, will, and doctrinal
inventions became architects of what they decided that the church should be (or
became.) Centuries of church history have elapsed, and the church continues on
the road charted by man’s own will and understanding.
One generation after another continues on
the road that was charted by those who went before. It is understandable that
the congregation that gathers from one Sunday to another, will not be the source
of change. They will not be the ones to call for a return to the beginning, when
Christ, upon his ascension gave the ministerial gifts to the church, for the
perfecting of the saints and for the work of the ministry. One of the main
points to consider, is the fact that God has only ONE CHURCH upon the earth.
It’s order and foundation can be found in scripture, from which his true
followers do not deviate. Upon the confession by Peter, Christ said: “thou art
Peter and upon this rock I will build my church.” Paul puts it this way: “And
are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself
being the chief corner stone.” Ephesians 2: 20.
This is as sure, enduring, and unchanging
as it will get! Out from, or among the multitudes of “churches” that are
scattered across this world of ours, Christ recognizes only ONE. He recognizes
only that which is his body; that which was purchased by his precious blood and
baptized by his Holy Spirit. Notice today that in News headlines and in the
movies, the word “church” refers to the Roman Catholic Church. When the Pope
speaks, we are told that “The Church said.” However, God has a people who are
sealed unto the day of redemption, and we are told: “Having this seal, the Lord
knows them that are his. 2nd Timothy 2:19. As accounted for in church
history, the birth and growth of religious entities that are common to us today,
their birth and early growth are usually different from what they came to be.
Their growth down through centuries became affected by drastic changes: and in
most cases, those changes carried the shades of backslidings.
To read the statement of faith by the
founders of many of these religions, is to discover how poignant were the
original faith and even the doctrinal beliefs espoused by the founders. As time
elapsed, seemingly, the steadfastness and purity of what the founders left in
place, gradually lost its glitter, its purity, its potency, and its power to
change lives in realistic and profound ways. We mentioned in a previous letter
how Jesus began his earthly ministry; so, let us begin at that point in time:
and note how his ministry impacted the religious field (being the wide vineyard
from which God intends to reap a glorious harvest.) Let us pay attention to the
most crucial aspects in what we are about to read! “Now after that John was
put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of
God. But John’s preaching and baptism were one that led to
repentance—pointing to the One that should come after him—and the One who would
baptize not only with water, but also with the Holy Ghost and with fire.
Jesus came preaching the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled,
and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe the gospel (of the
kingdom.) Mark 1: 14, 15.
At this point, John’s disciples began to
follow Jesus. It is important that we do not miss the matter of time, that Jesus
came on the scene with his new gospel (of the kingdom of God). Jesus made his
appearance only after John was put in prison, knowing full well that John’s
ministry was over for he would not live long enough to get out of prison. But it
was important for Christ to appear on the scene, only after the ministry of John
came to its end. Let us connect the issue from the scriptures! Paul wrote
saying: “Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses.” Romans 5: 14.
But we also learn from Matthew 11: 13: But all the prophets and the law
prophesied until John.” So, in essence, death reigned from Adam to John the
Baptist. Jesus appeared on the scene with a message of “total life” and he never
once stood by a grave and committed the dead to a silent grave. Every time he
encountered death in its raw and naked form, he turned it back by banishing it’s
hold upon the victim; and erased its impact with the life he possessed.
So then, as John’s ministry neared its
end, it also marked the end of the Old Testament rigors and administration of
death. All things Old Testament came to an end when Jesus returned from the
mount of temptation, as Luke recorded. “And Jesus returned in the Spirit into
Galilee; and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about.
And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.” Luke 4:14, 15.
It was about this time that Jesus came preaching that the time was fulfilled
(after John was put in prison.) It is significant and of vital importance for us
to understand the ending of the old testament virtues that in all fairness was a
ministration of death as expressed in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians –he
reasoned the matter this way: “For if the ministration of condemnation by
glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For if
that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is
glorious.” 2nd Corinthians 3:9-11. But look at the downside that
lingers on and on; in that which should be the vibrant and productive body of
Christ: more often than not, seems to produce a people who profess a form
of godliness, but denying the powers there of.
We can add this exhortation from the
Apostle Paul: “But even unto this day, when Moses (the law and the
prophets) is read, the vail is still upon their heart. Nevertheless, when it
(the heart) is turned unto the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.” 2nd
Corinthians 3: 15, 16. From time to time, in other writings, we have taken
time to highlight the passage of time and its impact upon what is generally
called the Church. We paid careful preponderance to the emergence of Martin
Luther and his declaration that “the just shall live by faith.” We lingered long
enough to see the birth and development of what became known as “The
Reformation” and after a while we saw the birth of “Protestantism” that
ultimately became a huge umbrella under which large numbers of religious
entities could hide or with which they became identified.
This huge umbrella gave cover to many
under the name of religion, but it offered the space and opportunity for each
“entity” to be itself, what so ever that meant. Very little about the early
Church and the dynamics that the early apostles brought to the fore, by the
inspiration and power of the Holy Ghost are evident today. Until this very day,
it is not easy by any measure for man to step aside and give all power and
authority back to the Holy Spirit as sole leader and ruler of the church. Many
realize the truth, and perhaps to themselves in secret wish it were not so. Many
have a heart to turn their ministry back to the control of the Holy Spirit.
However, with so much at stake in personal gain and prestige, it becomes
exceedingly painful, and even impossible for many to follow through and do the
right thing. A friend, fellow minister in Jersey City went to preach for a
college friend of his. My friend teaches kingdom truths as they pertain to this
day. While sitting in the pastor’s study, the host pastor said: “I know what you
are preaching is the truth. But, pointing to the day’s offering on the table he
said: Do you know how much is in this offering today?
He mentioned the grand total and said, I
know what you are preaching is the truth, but I cannot embrace that and give up
all of this—pointing to the offerings. Possibly, because of this factor alone,
ministers will look the other way, and continue to “keep church” while denying
the true authority of the Holy Spirit over God’s redeemed body of people.
Instead of building the kingdom of God, one could justifiably say that many
ministers are building their own kingdom, upon the goodness of the people. But
we do not diminish or argue the blessings that God rewards his true ministers
with. Many of God’s people are feeling the wooing and the brooding of the Holy
Spirit, signaling that it is time for the Body of Christ to do as the song says:
“Awake, Zion, awake; awake and trim your lamps.” At this juncture, we can
embrace and identify with the words of a prophet back in about B.C.730.
“But in the last days it shall come to pass,
that the mountain of the house of the Lord, shall be established in the top of
the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and people shall flow
unto it. And many nations shall come, and say, let us go up to the mountain of
the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us his ways,
and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word
of the Lord from Jerusalem: Micah 4: 1, 2. For many years now, the Holy
Spirit has been stirring many, many hearts, and those hearts have been awakened
as if to a new sound of praises, and an arising to the voice of HIM who calls
unto us. As if saying: “Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For,
lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the
earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is
heard in the land.” Song of Solomon 2: 10-12.
While multitudes are vainly following the
voice that heralds another chapter of man’s vain celebrations others are tuned
in on the wavelength that functions on the frequency that broadcasts God’s
priorities in his dealing with his Body, the Church. For many years now, a
people with ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church. And they have
been trimming their lamps as Zion awakes for the unfolding of great things in
spite of the dismal and even catastrophic world events that mar our headline
news.
Is it essential for us to evaluate the
importance of having in place the order that Christ did set in the church, and
placed the Holy Ghost in the midst to empower, inspire, teach, rebuke, and set
in order the divine principles that form the bedrock upon which God has
subsequently anchored his body? Let us remember that Christ so loved the church,
that he gave himself for it; “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the
washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself
a glorious church not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it
should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5: 25-27. Many have seen in
scripture what the divine order of the church is, as set in place by Christ
himself, and those hearts are longing for that order to be restored.
God in his wisdom has selected men and
women who will be faithful, and will complete their task in the ministry, that
He placed upon them as a mandate that requires each person to be faithful. Along
with the five ministerial gifts, of which we have written much in these studies,
God has also imparted to the Church (His Body) nine gifts of the Spirit. Thus,
along with the ministry, God imparts the Spirit who task is the empower, to see
and protect, and to heal and deliver which are the natural function of the
church. This is not a matter to be taken lightly. While at Miletus, Paul sent to
Ephesus and called for the elders of the church to come to him. He warned them
saying: “Take heed therefore unto your selves, and to all the flock, over
which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the feed the church of
God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my
departing shall grievous wolves enter among you, not sparing the flock. Also, of
your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away
disciples after them.” Acts 20: 28-30. Notice that these elders of the
church were also called “overseers” not as a higher office.
Putting more emphasis upon the need for the five
ministerial gifts, and to highlight the need to have them actively working in
the body of Christ, Paul explained that need in more detail. Why were the
ministerial gifts given to the church in the first place? “For the perfecting
of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ. For how long? Till we ALL COME in the unity of the faith,
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man,
unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. That we henceforth be
no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of
doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in
wait to deceive.” Ephesians 4: 12-14.
Let us ask a question and try to give an
honest answer. Have we all come in the unity of the faith? Have we managed to
measure up the perfect man? Are we not still like children, being tossed
about with every wind of doctrine? Why does the church seem to be maturing so
very slowly? What are the flaws and hinderances that, like barriers, are set
against the healthy growth of the church? (Growth, not in size, but in quality).
The most important matter for us in this study, is to determine the whereabouts
of the gifts that Christ gave to the church. In 1951 a group of men came to
Kingston, Jamaica, and they introduced a ministry that was called “The Latter
Rain” in which there was a demonstration of all 9 gifts of the Spirit.
All kinds of supernatural events occurred
in the meetings, in something that was entirely new to us. The men who brought
that ministry to the island had previously met at a hotel in Philadelphia. All
ten men shut themselves away in fasting and prayer, determined that they would
not leave that hotel room until there was a break through. One notable member of
the group was Fred Pool; another was Thomas Wyatt; (later, his wife Evelyn Wyatt
had a radio program in the Los Angeles area called “The Wings of Healing”) but
in Jamaica, they all appeared to be immersed and saturated in the showers
produced by the falling of latter rain. I got a hold of that experience in 1951,
and it has never left me on dry land. I keep the truths that came back then, and
it burns within like a lamp that keeps my spirit alive and well. As we look at
church history, beginning with Martin Luther, and later the Reformation and the
rise of Protestantism, bringing all of that forward to our day and time, it does
not take us long to discover that what we are left with does not come close to
the function of the Apostolic Church of the first century. I can remember that
back in London, England in 1968, the Lord spoke to my heart saying: “The man
that I will use today, must be able to stand where he is, and reach over the
top of everything, back to where the apostles left off in A.D. 33: For
everything in between is a mixture; and there can be no mixture in my kingdom.”
The preaching of Paul was not meant to impress the educated and nobles in town.
Sure, he was educated in so much, that he could have been the next ruler in
Israel.
He outlined God’s call to the ministry in
the humblest of ways, not including seminarians and openly ordained men and
women. He wrote saying: “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many
wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God
hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath
chosen the weak things of the world to confound things which are mighty. That no
flesh should glory in his presence.” 1st Corinthians 1:26, 27, 29.
When did Paul graduate from college, and which college did he attend to
obtain his degree?
He said: “But I certify you, brethren,
that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither
received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus
Christ.” Galatians 1:11, 12. There is absolutely no substitute for a
personal involvement with Jesus Christ. Paul had a single encounter with Jesus
on the Damascus road, and from that moment, his life was never the same. From
that point forward, he deemed himself to be crucified with Christ at which point
it was Christ who lived in his stead. Galatians 2:20. In deed the Holy Spirit is
brooding over many hearts and is sounding like the voice of the turtle dove
being heard in the land, signifying that the time for mating and populating each
family has come. The rain is over and gone: flowers are blooming once more, and
the wonderful news is that the doors of many hearts are opening up wide and
bidding the Holy Spirit to enter and take full control over what we have been,
and what we shall be. God will not rest in his work in us, until we awake in his
likeness; until like Adam, we awake out of sleep only to find that we have been
given a “soul-mate” in the person of the Godhead dwelling within us to ensure
that the work and purpose God has placed in our trust will run its course,
ending in victory as God has intended it to be. The “Perfect Man” “the Glorious
Church” are God’s Master Pieces” being wrought by the very fingers of God. Don’t
feel despair: He is still on the throne!
