The Shema and the Ekklesia*

The term, "Church" is widely misused. Church is not a building, or a set of doctrines. What is referred to as the Church in scripture is the Greek word ekklesia. The meaning of ekklesia is the called out assembly of God's people: called out of darkness into His marvelous light, called out of this world into His kingdom. There is an additional characteristic associated with being the Ekklesia, and that is unity. This characteristic seems to be in very short supply. The church is divided along many lines, including politics, but the Word of God makes clear that the same unity that is expressed in the Godhead, is the same unity expected in the Ekklesia. The unity of God is expressed in a declaration called the Shema: "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one (echad) LORD." (Deut. 6:4). The Hebrew word "echad" used in this verse means a unity in plurality, like one bunch of grapes. Not only is the Ekklesia to be in spiritual unity, but in physical unity as well: "God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth...hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation." (Acts 17:24-26). All men are descendants of the eight souls who were saved on the ark, who were themselves descendants from one man, Noah. Racial and ethnic divisions are unacceptable before God, especially in the Ekklesia. Jesus pointed out that unity is necessary for any kingdom or any house to stand saying, "...every city or house divided against itself shall not stand." (Mt. 12:25). How can the church stand if it is divided within itself? In this example from Jesus, the religious people had created division about the miracles that Jesus had performed. This same division exists in the church today, with many rejecting the idea that miracles happen, and should happen in the church. We have seen many miracles in this ministry which we will be publishing in a book as a memorial to our murdered son, Sean. Division is a sign of the times in which we live. Jesus said that His coming would cause divisions in the world: "Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division. For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided...The father shall be divided aginst the son, and the son against the father; the mother aginst the daughter; and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law." (Lk. 12:51-53). Jesus spoke of the division created between those who accept Him, and those who do not, which we see in the world today also, but within the church, this division should not exist. The unity of God is also expressed to us in these verses: "For these are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spiirit, the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one." (1 Jn. 5:7-8). In the Spirit, the water of our baptism unites us in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The blood of the Passover Lamb is painted on the doorposts and lintels of our hearts, uniting us with Him, and with each other in faith. Paul wrote of the essential quality of unity and oneness in the Ekklesia. "...walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye were called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Eph. 4:1-6). One reason that the church finds it so difficult to achieve the oneness and unity required of us, is because of the absence of lowliness, meekness, longsuffering and forbearance towards one another. Instead, we exclude each other in pride and impatience from the unity of the faith by denomination, and docrtine. The giftings from God to the Ekklesia, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, are for the purpose of unity: "for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 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." (Eph. 4:11-13). The stature of Christ to which we have been called must include the unity of the fatih. Those things that bring divisions in the body of Christ are for the purpose of bringing deception (v. 14). The body of Christ cannot be what it is purposed to be without the unity that joins all of the differing parts together, so that they may function and supply the body effectively (v. 15-16). As Paul heard that the church of Corinth had become divided based upon personal loyalties and preferences to certain ministers of the church, Paul rebuked them saying, "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and tht there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment...Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?...For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." (1 Cor. 1:1-18). Especially for this time of violent contention that sometimes even engulfs the church, the Aposlte Peter said: "Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not redering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise, blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing...For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." (1 Pet. 3:8-12). The Apostle Paul also wrote: "Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not...be of the same mind one towards another...Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men." (Rom. 12:14-18). In beseeching the character of Christ for the Ekklesia, Paul wrote: "If there be therefore, any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfill ye my joy, that ye be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." (Phil. 2:1-3). While the world may become more and more violently divided in every way, we are called to be the Ekklesia: called out in character of the oneness, or echad, of God, called out into the unity of the faith of the Son of God, called out into the fulness of Christ. *Based on Dr. Stevenson's 1/17/21 message to the Ekklesia. To contact: PO Box 154221, Waco, TX 76705, or by email: Everlstingcovenant@ymail.com Find Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson Jr on Facebook and Twitter, and at Endtimesschool.com

A Covenant vs. A Testament

 

 

Often the Church views its relationship with Christ as a result of a testament, rather than a covenant, and teaches others to do the same. However, the Church cannot be the Ekklesia, the called out assembly, until it understands and walks in covenant relationship with Christ. Jesus expressed the result of that failure to do so this way:

"Not everyone that sayeth unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."  Mt. 7:21-23

Many are going to make this mistake, having felt secure in their knowledge of Christ, only to find out too late that they never had a covenant relationship with Christ.

One way the Church has missed the Gospel of Christ completely because of the lack of covenant, is in its neglect, or wilfull ignorance of some of the Gospel's foundational truths. Much of the Church believes and teaches that the Church has replaced Israel in covenant with God - that the Church is spiritual Israel. Nothing could be further from the truth, as we shall see.
Also the Church teaches that salvation is a one-time, for all time, gift from God through Christ, requiring nothing from the receiver, but acceptance. As we learned from Jesus in Mt. 7, above, there is more required.
 Writing to the church at Rome, Paul said:

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith...To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life...Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also to the Gentile; But glory, honour and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: for there is no respect of persons with God."   Rom. 1, 2
Salvation in our lives is not a one-time event, received as a testament bequeathal from the One dead. It is worked out in increments and growth in an ongoing covenant relationship with the One who was dead, but is now resurrected, and living. A testament is unilateral from one dead. A covenant is bi-lateral, requiring two to enter into it. As Paul taught, the Gospel is a continuing, developing growth into the full measure of the stature of Christ-from "faith to faith", and with "patient endurance".
Often the Church leaves behind the principles of the Gospel in order to please men, especially in its compromise regarding righteousness. Paul taught that those who continue in the flesh and sin, are still servants or slaves to sin unto death regardless of the gift of grace available through Christ (Rom. 6:1-2,16). To continue to sin brings us right back under the dominion of death. Covenant with Christ, on the other hand, joins us in baptism with His death, with His burial, and with His resurrection. We become dead to sin, it no longer having power to entangle us, and living in resurrection, or Spirit instead:
"But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwell (to occupy a house, reside, cohabit, inhabited house, all become one in a house) in you...For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live."   Rom. 8:11, 13
Instead of excusing and accepting sin, which leads to certain death, shouldn't the Church be teaching how to dwell in and with the Spirit, in order to live? The Church should be advocating the way to life in Christ, and in the Spirit, not the way to death. If we continue to advocate the way to death, even though we know the way to life, then we are like those who thought they were doing great works for Christ, but were, in reality, unknown to Him. What a sad and useless end! However, this does not have to be our end.
Additionally, as the Church, which claims to preach salvation, continues to ignore the importance of the Jew first in that salvation, again, we will be like those incomplete, and even dead.The Jews are not excluded from the Gospel of Christ, and His salvation. In fact, they are an integral part of it. Paul insists that their re-grafting back into the Gospel and Christ, or "the olive tree", is life from the dead:
"...through their fall, salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness? For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches...And they also, if they bide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again...how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?  Rom. 11:11-24 (excerpt)
After the resurrection of Christ, thousands of Jews, even scribes and priests, believed on Him. Israel was blinded in part so the fullness of the Gentiles could be brought in. However, the Church ignores the will of God that "All Israel shall be saved." (Rom. 11:25-26, Isa. 59:20, Ps. 14:7). To continue to ignore the importance of the Jew to the Body of Christ, is to continue to refuse to do "the will of the Father", as Jesus instructed us in the verses from Matthew 7.
Most of the problem comes in our misunderstanding, and our incorrect use of the word "church". "Church" has become to us an organization, even a building. However, the word in the New Covenant, poorly translated into English from the Greek is the word ekklesia. Ekklesia is neither an organization, nor a building. It is a called out, called forth, called by, called away from, called aloud, separated from, assembly of people, to receive the name of, to bear the name or title of, by word, command, or order (of God), especially gathered for sacred purposes (by God). If we do not understand the awesome and miraculous "calling out" with which we were called, we cannot fulfill it.
Being the Ekklesia is not the result of a testament. Being the Ekklesia is the result of a covenant, a covenant with the One who was dead, but is now alive (Rev. 1:18).

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Prayer of Salvation for all who desire to receive Jesus as their Savior:Lord Jesus, open the eyes of my heart. I want to know You as my Lord, and as my Savior, who covers my sins, and cleanses my heart. Come into my heart, forgive me, and fill me with the Holy Spirit, who will lead me into all truth, and will teach me how to follow You. I believe that You are the Son of God, the Messiah, that You were crucified for me, and rose from the dead to give me everlasting life. I believe that You are coming again. Lord Jesus, in Your name I believe, pray, and receive all of these things. Amen.

Restoring the Apostolic Foundation

 

Although there are those in the Body of Christ who do not accept the office of the apostle, Christ indeed gave apostles, and other offices, to the Body "for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the Body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto the perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ."  Eph. 4:11-13

Since the Body of Christ has not yet achieved this fullness and perfection, the office and purpose of the apostle has not passed away.

The apostles and prophets are the foundation of a great, living, holy, spiritual temple with Christ as the cornerstone (Eph. 2:20). This living temple is commonly called "the Church", but a more accurate term is the New Testament Greek word ekklesia meaning "the called out assembly of God's people". The Ekklesia is not defined by a physical building, or denomination. It is a temple created out of living souls: "Ye are God's building...Ye are the temple of God." (1 Cor. 3:9-16). The people that are this temple are not restricted to a certain race, heritage, or culture. This Ekklesia, this living temple, is made from "all nations, kindreds, people, and tongues" (Rev. 5:9, 7:9). If any group of people, who have been called by the election of God, are excluded from this living temple, then, by definition, this temple is not the temple of God.  It is not the Ekklesia because the foundation upon which the spiritual building is being constructed is not the correct foundation.

We face just this sort of situation. The early fathers of the Church (see the Councils of Laodicea, and Nicaea), decided to exclude all observance of Jewish Sabbaths and Feast Days although Jesus, Himself, adhered to and embodied these very things, not in a religious manner, but in the spiritual truths that these appointed days represented. To deny these appointed days would be to deny Himself. Accordingly, He was circumcised on the eighth day (Lk. 2:21). At the age of twelve, He listened to and questioned the doctors of the temple, fulfilling what was required of Him at that age (Lk. 2:46, 49). Every year from His childhood onward, He attended the appointed feasts (Lk. 2:4). He participated in the Mikveh, the baptism of repentance of John saying, "...it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." (Mt. 3:13-15.

The incorrect foundation established upon the exclusion of Torah truth from the Church, was further built upon by the leader of the Reformation, Martin Luther. The same Luther who brought forth the scriptural truth of salvation through grace, by faith, also in later years, wrote shameful lies* about the Jewish people, and the Torah doctrines to which they adhered. These comments were so vile, it is not seemly to give them the light of day here. He even went so far as to advocate violence against synagogues, and the Jewish people themselves. He documented these things in his work, "Volume 47: The Christian in Society", in 1543. Though Luther started in truth with his revelation on salvation, the false teaching of enmity with the Jewish people, and with the Jewish faith, built a crooked house that had terrible repercussions in later history. It is time to restore the apostolic foundation of truth to the Ekklesia.

The following is the true apostolic foundation of the Ekklesia concerning the Jewish people from the Apostle Paul, who insisted that there is no complete Body of Christ without the Jewish believer, without Israel:

• Gentiles, who were aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenant of promise, have now through Christ, been brought near. (Eph. 2:12-13
• Christ abolished in His flesh the enmity that existed between the two groups, and made both one, breaking down the wall of partition between the two. (Eph. 2:15).
• Now Gentiles are fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. (Eph. 2:19).
• This (the joining together mentioned above) is the building fitly framed together, built together, that grows into a holy temple of God. (Eph. 2:21-22).
• Paul asks, "Hath God cast away His people (meaning the Jews)?" He answers, "God forbid. God hath not cast away His people whom He foreknew." He states that "even at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. (Rom. 11:1-2, 5).
• The stumbling of the Jews was so salvation could also come to the Gentiles (v.11). The world was reconciled to God, because the Jew was cast away, and the receiving again of the Jews shall be life from the dead. (v. 15).
• "How much more shall these, which are the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree? And so all Israel shall be saved." (v. 26).

In Luke 6:46-49, Jesus taught about a house, properly built, dug deep, with its foundation set upon the rock (Jesus, the Truth, the Word). This house will stand against the flood. However, the house without a foundation, built instead upon the earth (worldly understanding and ways), will fall before the flood, and great will be the ruin of that house.

The Gospel is to the Jew first, and also to the Greek, or Gentile (see Rom. 1:16). It is necessary to restore this apostolic foundation, with Jesus Christ as its cornerstone, or the house will not stand. 

 

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*Reference: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/martin-luther-quot-the-jews-and-their-lies-quot