This part is the most difficult because it is not meant to be an attack on any person or group of people as if I have all the answers and they don't. But it can sound like it if this is read expecting it to be an attack.

I believe the church is the body of him who fills every thing in every way. I also believe that the church as a whole thing is as invisible as he is since it is too large to be viewed from any vantage point besides God's. So, the church is essentially invisible as a whole entity.

But, there are several places where people gather together at least once a week (either as a services to God or to view a service to God) in the name of Christ. Those gatherings are visible. The individual persons who make up the body of Christ is each visible to those who are close enough to see them. But, to observe a service or to observe those who go to the services is not necessarily seeing the church. The church is mingled in with those who gather together, but not all who gather are the church. The church is those who have been united to Christ through his death and resurrection.

My observation is that the church is not that gathering for service. But, the church does gather for service. This is true because to observe the ritual actions of these gatherings does not reveal the church. Those actions do not represent the church. The church is alive as Christ is alive. If we are united with him in his death, we are also made alive with him.

This takes the ritual out of the church. Our present day idea of the church includes the ritual. But the ritual is only a replacement for the active life of those who are united with Christ. This ritual has replaced the King in the minds of those who see the church as:

  • A place where people gather to worship Jesus.
  • An organization that provides leadership and guidance to its members.
  • The leaders of the organization who make decisions that affect the members.
  • The pastor or priest who is the go-between in relation to the members and God.
The new testament is the part of the Bible that tells us about Jesus and the fledgling church as it emerged into the world. It also has letters from various individuals to various people at various times and in various locations and situations. These letters primarily give us instruction about what the church looks like and how the church lives. None of these documents that are primarily concerned with the church and Jesus give us any indication that God wanted the church to become an organization or for pastors to replace the direct relationship between God and the church (who is in Christ).

It wasn't until after the twelve and their disciples died that the facade the church has become started to be put into place. The existing "church", with its rules of membership, pastors, priests, hierarchical model of leadership, rituals, superstitions and special rules for holiness (to list a few things) was not in the mind of Jesus when he said that the true worshipers will worship in spirit and in truth instead of a certain place. Now days, worship means that some people tell other people what to say, do and think. This doesn't seem to me like worshiping in spirit and in truth.

I know the Bible gives us direction on how we behave as we live together in this body. I know that it tells us the truth on how to behave with each other in love as we gather together. So, we are to gather. But it doesn't tell us anything about how the pastor or priest is to lead us to God. It doesn't tell us that the church has final authority on earth when it comes to heavenly things. But, this is the general way the organizations are represented as the church. It is thought of by those in charge of the organizations and by those who are members of those organizations as if God wants some religion.

These are just a few ways that the rule of Christ has been superseded by the organizational church. I am not saying that those who are a part of that are not in Christ. I am saying that the real people are a part of the church; the organization, the building and the governmental structure are not. Those things actually place those who would be obeying the King into the position that what they are really doing is obeying the church. For example, even if a person wants to do something for Jesus, it must pass the scrutiny of the expert, paid and trained clergy before it is legitimate. If someone begins to do some thing that they think God wants them to do and they are not working within the constraints of the clergy, then they are labeled parachurch. This gives us the sense that at best, the church puts up with it, but it cannot completely be condoned by the church because of its lack of commitment to the beliefs, or practices of the clerical church.

As I said earlier, the current conditions that are forced upon the real church by the self-proclaimed representative of God on earth, have been gradually put into place a little at a time here and there throughout the last 1900 years or so. So, what we currently think of as the church is so ingrained in us that we only think of it in the form that has replaced the reality.

I have not said that there should not be leadership in the church. I have not said that the church should not meet. I am referring to the state of mind that tells us that there is a certain class of person who is holier than the rest of the body of Christ. The idea is that the church follows the leader. These leaders have placed themselves between the people and the King. This was not a requirement of the King. It was a man's invention. It cannot be found in the Bible and it wasn't practiced by the early disciples of Jesus or by their disciples.

Category: | 3 Comments

3 comments to “The History of the King -- Part 3 (and last)”

  1. Just a couple comments, you wrote:special rules for holiness (to list a few things) was not in the mind of Jesus when he said that the true worshipers will worship in spirit and in truth. This way of putting things bothers me a bit. I would rather not be told as fact what was in the mind of Jesus. I would much rather be told; it is my opinion that what Jesus had in mind here was, blah blah blah, and I believe this because of these verses, and these reasons, blah blah blah. I read very few religious writings, because the writers often write in a way that implies they have the facts, and few others do. On the other hand, I am far more receptive to someone saying, I believe blah blah, or my opinion is blah blah. I don't think of you Arthur, as someone who thinks you have a lofty personal revelation, but my eyebrows did rise 1/16th of an inch when I read that sentence.

    My other comment is that "I believe" there is a definite hierarchy. Mat. 23:11-12 The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

    So it is my belief that it is he who is the servant is the greatest in Gods Kingdom.

    So those are my comments, as you can easily tell since they are in your comments department. Dale

  1. By The Way, (BTW) I really do enjoy your writings and look forward to the next! Dale

  1. Sorry, Dr. Chap. I didn't mean to sound mean.

I appreciate your comments. Thank you.