The Eternal Aspect Of The New Testament Church

–Foreordained in God’s eternal plan & purpose: Ephesians 3:9-11
–Prepared for by John the Baptist: Luke 1:17
–Built by Christ; given it’s ordinances, gifts, procedures, commission by Christ before His ascension: Matthew 16-28
–Empowered & sent forth by the Holy Spirit: Acts 1:8
–Promised perpetuity until Jesus comes & removes the saints at the rapture: Matthew 16:18, Matthew 28:20
–At the Rapture, New Testament Churches of all ages become the Bride of Christ.

WHAT ARE INCLUSIVELY & EXCLUSIVELY NEW TESTAMENT CHURCHES ON EARTH, IS WHAT WILL INCLUSIVELY AND EXCLUSIVELY MAKE UP THE BRIDE OF CHRIST IN HEAVEN
–Consider: Old Testament Saints were not a part of a New Testament Church; people who will be saved during the Tribulation (a great multitude – Revelation 7:9-17) are not a part of a New Testament Church, plus there are some saved people who are not members of a true New Testament Church.

AND, there are churches that Christ withdrew the candlestick from, thus no longer a New Testament Church. There are brethren who have been dismissed from the church fellowship, no longer a part of a church.

SO, not every saved person will be a part of the Bride of Christ.

JESUS DOESN’T MARRY THE WHOLE FAMILY OF GOD, JUST THOSE WHO HAVE MADE UP HIS FAITHFUL BRIDE (New Testament Church members found faithful at the judgment seat of Christ) – 2 Corinthians 11:2, Ephesians 5:25-27

–Marriage is a union of faithfulness: Christ is faithful, and His bride will be those deemed faithful by Christ, Revelation 19:7-9
–This is the prize of the high calling, Philippians 3:11-15
–This is the difference between the wise & foolish virgins, those included in the marriage to the Bridegroom, and those shut out, Matthew 25:1-13

BEWARE! Satan is out to cast down the faithful and dislodge them from the Body of Christ here on earth & thus the Bride of Christ in heaven: “weeping, wailing, gnashing of teeth; ashamed at His coming, saved so as by fire, suffer loss.” – 2 John 8, Revelation 3:11

THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB & HIS BRIDE TAKES PLACE IN HEAVEN BEFORE CHRIST RETURNS TO EARTH TO FIGHT THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON & SET UP HIS MILLENNIAL KINGDOM, Revelation 19:9,11-21
–On the new earth, the bride of Christ reigns with Christ, as the New Jerusalem, being the capital city of the new earth, Revelation 21
–All the saints who are not a part of the Bride, are the other inhabitants on this new earth, who bring their glory and honor into this city, Revelation 21:24-26

–Note the references to “the kings of the earth”; thus, there are rewarded positions for those who served God in capacities other than New Testament Church membership, such as Old Testament Saints, and those out of the Great Tribulation.

The bride of Christ does not take anything away from the rewards of those who were not a part of New Testament Churches, but those not a part of a New Testament Church will not be included in the bride of Christ.

OF IMPORTANCE: the bride consists only of those who are called by the Bridegroom to be His bride (Matthew 25). Those who are called are those who have made themselves ready, having answered His call to be faithful to Him while they were a member of His body (New Testament Church) on earth. (Not all who have had their name on a church roll, fit this description) – Ephesians 5:26-27

Just as there is a difference on earth between those who serve God faithfully, and those who neglect to do so, this difference will be reflected in our eternal positions and rewards, 2 Corinthians 5:9-11. When we face the Lord, are judged and enter eternity, will we then be satisfied with the life we are now living?

To get the right answer, we must not confer with flesh and blood (that does not answer God’s call or respect the recompense of eternal rewards), but it must be through getting beyond ourselves to understand the mind of Christ.

Now is the time to lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven!

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Buried With Him

“Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.” Colossians 2:12

John the Baptist required fruits meet for repentance and personal faith in the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world, before he would consider one as a candidate for baptism.

Peter preached to the house of Israel (Acts 2:38) that repentance unto faith in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, were essential requirements for baptism.

Baptism is a pictorial ordinance, demonstrating that in Christ’s substitutionary death, the believer has died to sin, “That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.” (1 Peter 4:2) Likewise, in order to live for God, the dead-to-sin believer is convicted, “that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4) It takes the power of God enabling the believer to do God’s will, who is subjected to God’s purpose and will, by self-denial and mortification of their own will.

Thus, the saved person finds success in both excluding sin and including God’s service, through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. One’s personal faith in Christ secures their soul’s salvation (Romans 1:16, John 1:12) and the believer’s obedience to God’s command to be buried with Christ in baptism, includes their life in the operation of God as a member of the Body of Christ here on earth and a part of the Bride of Christ in heaven.

For the believer to live for Christ, who has baptism sanction by heaven, it is a matter of yielding to do the will of God by the aid of the power of God – Romans 6:12-13. The strength and means to commit sin is in the flesh, if you yield to the flesh. Likewise, the strength to serve God exists with those who have been resurrected to walk with Christ in newness of life, as they yield unto the Holy Spirit.

Christianity not only functions on different principles than the flesh, but also on different strengths. The difference is in the strength of the flesh being buried in death with Christ, unto receiving the strength of God to walk with Him, that comes by His power in raising us up to do so. The religions of men emphasize the strength of the flesh through reformation, self-improvement, and self-assertion. But Christianity functions on having no confidence in the flesh unto seeking the power of Christ’s resurrection – Philippians 3:3-10. Before Paul was saved he was a religious zealot. But after he was saved, that strength was useless to serve God. After Paul was baptized, with the working of God’s power, he chose to engulf his whole life into the work of the Lord. Being buried and rising to walk with Christ through scriptural baptism is important!

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“…male and female created he them.” Genesis 1:27

“And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman…And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Genesis 2:22-24

There is hardly anything that true Bible believers are upbraided for any more than holding to God’s Word on the matter of the distinctions of male and female. We believe God to be the sole authority on this all important matter.

God made male and female distinct components so that when joined together in marriage, “they shall be one flesh” (Genesis 2:24), not two of the same sort, competing against one another; this is what is happening today.

God’s authority made the man the head over the woman: “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” 1 Corinthians 11:3 Since God’s authority established this order, the rejection of this order is the rejection of God’s authority. Thus, the order in sound New Testament Churches, 1 Corinthians 14:34-38, 1 Timothy 2:11-14, that men conduct the worship services, with women not speaking, not teaching, nor usurping authority over the man, but remaining in silence, in all subjection to the authority of God.

In creating human nature, God’s given distinctions for male and female are such that, “Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering” 1 Corinthians 11:14-15. (By the way, verse 16 is clarifying that this rule did not originate with any given church, but with nature itself as God created.)

God ordained grass roots preservation for the distinction of male and female in the way that a person thinks of themselves, the way they present themselves to others, and in the way that society perceives and views one another when He ordained the distinctions of dress for all: “The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.” Deuteronomy 22:5. See 1 Timothy 2:9-10 – “…which becometh women professing godliness” = this distinction maintained.

God’s doctrine for Christians further emphasizes the role and place of male and female to be distinct: “That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, To be chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.” Titus 2:4-5 God has charged the man to provide for his family: “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” 1 Timothy 5:8

God created male and female to be joined together in marriage as one flesh. This same God has judged homosexuality (lesbianism, etc.) as being vile affections, against nature, unseemly, error, uncleanness, the dishonoring of the body and is a condition of reprobate minds, in rejection of God’s authority, the way of the unrighteous who shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Romans 1:24-32 and 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)

Now consider the agendas being pushed world wide, as being politically correct, thus to be imposed upon all, as is the case at the U.N. Conference on Women at Beijing, and taught in many universities “women’s studies programs”:
–Marriage is seen as the root of all evil for women; the family is blamed for most of the violence suffered by women and girls.
–“Gender feminism” is being projected. This projects that the differences between men and women are only relatively insignificant biological differences. It is advocated that the traditional roles of mother and father be dissolved; that all references to sexuality be replaced with gender neutral terms. This political objective called “the deconstruction of gender” is designed to eliminate males having male privileges through denying the existence of males and females for all practical and social purposes. Thus, there is to be absolutely no differences tolerated between the sexes.
–The driving force behind this “deconstruction of gender” is the homosexual and lesbian rights initiative, to call upon all governments to recognize one’s right to determine their own sexual identity, whether it be to be male, female, homosexual, lesbian, or transgendered. For women, the preferred love relationship is lesbian in nature, in that way negating male oppressiveness. The ideal way of bearing children is considered to be artificial insemination, and lesbian partners having the same parenting rights accorded historically to biological fathers.

BRETHREN, IT IS TIME FOR CHRISTIANS TO WAKE UP and examine on which side of the “deconstruction of gender” their position really lies. I am thankful I was raised under parental position and Bible teaching that stressed to me the importance of the distinction between male and female on every level including dress and hair styles. Many have lost sight of this importance. Many minds have been “liberalized” through religious compromise. Many church congregations are living evidence of the Devil’s success with his “deconstruction of gender” program. Fellow Christian, before you cry out about the world’s degeneracy, consider how you stand on God’s authority as that which is to determine what one’s life and identity is to be.

–Pastor Robert Miller

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Burden Bearers

“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2

Burdens are not just limited to the other guy. “For every man shall bear his own burden.” Galatians 6:5 We all will have our own burdens to bear. Job 7:20 records Job as saying that he was a burden to himself. The biggest burden we may have to bear, may very well be ourselves. When this is the case, there is no escape from being a burden bearer.

Another thing to consider: it is a far better thing to bear one another’s burdens, than it is to bear our own. It is better have strength to minister to another’s weakness, than it is to be weak ourselves. In this sense, it is definitely more blessed to give, then to receive.

God requires it of us to bear one another’s burdens: “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” This is Christ’s commandment that we are to observe. To ignore or neglect to do this, is not fulfilling the law of Christ. Lest we hide behind how unpleasant a task we think it may be to bear the burdens of others, first consider how unpleasant it would be if we had their burdens upon ourselves. The law of Christ requires us to live and do beyond self-centeredness. Children need to be brought up to see the necessity to develop an attitude of being a servant of Christ’s law rather than just entertaining themselves. No Christian’s life and service to God on this earth will be made complete if we do not take up our cross and bear the burdens of others and so fulfill the law of Christ.

So we need to get real! Who among us has a burden to bear? Who among us will answer the call to bear one another’s burdens? Who among us is comprehending the fact that as we sow, so shall we reap, and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again?

Are you into fulfilling the law of Christ by helping others bear their burdens?

“And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Matthew 25:40

“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” James 2:20

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The Christian As A Citizen

“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” Matthew 22:21b

In John 6:15, the people wanted to make Christ their king, eyeing His miraculous power as a means to relieve their nation of its political and social problems. Christ withdrew from this. In John 18:36, Christ declared that the Kingdom of God was separate from civil government’s civil matters.

In Luke 13:1-5, Jesus did not take up the initiative to secure social justice for the atrocities committed by the Roman governor.

On other occasions, such as Matthew 22:21, Christ taught that people were to fulfill their obligations to both God and civil government, without neglect to either.

Romans 13:1-7, declares that all mankind, Christians included, are to be respectful of and obedient to civil government, which God ordained for the human race as a whole, not just for Christians.

So when it comes time to choose leaders for civil government, that is what we are to do. When it comes time to ordain leaders in the church, that is what we are to do. The qualifications for these separate positions differ. The best Christian on earth may know little about civil government, while the best civil leader may not be qualified for a leadership position in church. Being a Christian does not make you the best bus driver, the best pilot, the best soldier, the best policeman, the best banker, the best governor, etc.

Granted, if the playing field is level when it comes to qualifications for a secular position, a Christian can, and should be, the better choice based on godliness being superior to worldliness.

We should not expect that we can change the spiritual condition of our nation through civil government. That can only happen through repentance and faith in response to people turning to God and His Word.

But as a citizen, we must choose the most qualified leaders, without directly supporting those who are defying the moral laws of the God who ordained government.

“Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? Therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord.” 2 Chronicles19:2

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