I believe that the true church of Jesus Christ is Catholic, but so much more than the Roman Catholic or Eastern-Orthodox churches. It's catholic because it is universal and includes members from all nations on the earth. The true church is Charismatic, but it's so much more than the charismatic movement. The true church is charismatic because the church is endowed with many divine gifts and abilities by her Head! The true church is Pentecostal, but so much more than the worldwide Pentecostal church. The church is pentecostal because without the Holy Spirit there is no real life, just dead formalism and dogma! The true church is also reformational but so much more than the Reformed churches and so much more than even the reformational movement. It is reformational because it is in a constant process of reforming and developing into the ultimate purposes of God! Is the house church movement or as some call it simple churches or organic churches with their emphasis on strong and intimate relationships perhaps the true church?
It is clear that various denominations and churches have emphasised aspects of doctrine and practice which you would expect to find in the true church. Things like the authority of the church, the gifts of the Spirit, the importance of the proclamation of the Word and the importance of authentic relationships. Unfortunately, when one aspect of the truth becomes the pet doctrine of a movement or church, Jesus loses His pre-eminence and the people of God suffers as a result. What will the true church look like?
Let us reflect once again on what the Head of the church has said about the true church. Jesus said to Peter that His church will be build through revelation knowledge about Him.(Matt.13) Paul expounded on this truth by saying that the church is build on the foundation of apostles and prophets with Jesus the chief cornerstone.(Eph. 2:20) What is the apostolic foundation? A revelation of Jesus Christ! The true church is where Jesus is revealed, whether through two or three or through two or three thousand! Jesus told Peter that he has become a rock because of the revelation about His person and the same Peter afterwards refers to the believers as "living stones". The true church therefore, are those who have become "little rocks" because of the revelation of Jesus Christ in their lives. This is the living Temple of God in the earth that He indwells and through whom He will display the fullness of His glory. What does this mean in real everyday experience?
How will we recognise the true church? Jesus will have His rightful place as the Head of the church at every meeting of the believers. There will be a humble waiting on the Lord together to find His mind for every decision and this presupposes authentic relationships between the members. Those kind of relationships are not the result of finding common ground in terms of likes and dislikes or of a charismatic preacher or lively praise and worship, but it is based on the common revelation of Jesus and the intention to see Christ in one another! Those kind of relationships come through the proclamation and revelation of Christ in the believer and as that revelation of Christ unfolds within the believer there is a desire to share this Christ with others! The true church lives in the realities of scriptures like Galatians 2:20- "I am crucified with Christ and I no longer live but Christ lives in me" and Colossians 1:27- "Christ in you ,the hope of glory" but especially Galatians 4:19 where Christ is formed in them to such an extent that no place can be found for legalism, carnality or superficial Christianity! How do we reach this standard in the church?
True apostolic ministry will breathe, eat, sleep and sometimes preach Christ! As they preach Him the Living Word, the Body will BECOME rather than DO and all the doctrines, beliefs and practices will fall into their right place. Look for those ministries who refuse to accept titles of apostles, prophets or pastors and who preach one Message-Christ Jesus and Him crucified! You see, the church is really Jesus the Head alive and present through His body and in that sense the true church is now the Christ in the earth!(1 Corinthians 12:12)
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