In a ranking of importance, this essay stands out among my writings.
For relevant background, see my essay entitled, Ancient and Modern Error and Problem.
Understanding what God has done in Jesus and who we are in Him, the question arises, how do we function as the Body of Christ, as the House of God? How do we worship together in the fullness of Christ?
The former model for assembly functioning, that is, elders leading the people of God in the service of building one another up into maturity is obsolete. That is because the maturity has been reached. The service to that goal has accomplished its appointed task. We have ALL attained to the unity of the faith, and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. To attempt, has the churches do, to return to the administration of the leaders and servants of the old order is not the work of God. It is a revival of archaic ways which now fall short of the glory of God. God is not in it. It is the work of immaturity, being the work of the former partial ways. It is now the work of man. It is building wood, hay, and straw upon Jesus Christ. Inherently, because the maintenance of this platform of ministration does not understand that its God appointed end has already been obtained, it carries within it, and as abiding power to it, false notions and false teachings about its current validity, methods, and goals.
What are its current methods? It invests men with authority that they do not have. It divests men and women of right and authority that they do have. Accordingly, it is very divisive and disempowering. In this very way, it quenches the Holy Spirit of God. It sets certain man-approved men over many fellow believers. It gives this group authoritative control over the other group who aren’t “approved” leaders.
What are its current goals? While they are multitudinous, they are all founded upon the false doctrine of futurism. Futurism is the essential bedrock of the platform. It is held forth as unassailable to such a degree that fellow believers who believe that God has accomplished what He said He would accomplish are branded as heretics. This is the grossest blasphemy and work of the flesh. It is classic blasphemy in both aspects of this word. It abuses God in His accomplishments and it abuses fellow believers who believe God in His accomplishments. The goals of the old order ministry are as varied as their divisiveness is from one another. When will Jesus come? How will He come? What will happen when He returns? What should be done to get ready for His second coming? The answers to these questions are found in the sub-named (denominational) groups that uphold them. They are all erroneous! They all divest their adherents of the riches of the glory of God’s inheritance – now fully given by His Son!
The Assembly of the Kingdom of God – what is it?
It is the assembly upon the Mount Zion of God. It is the assembly within the Holy City of God. Unlike the details mapped out by the Apostles of Jesus regarding how His assembly would function and be equipped in the last days of the Mosaic Age, the functionality of the sons and daughters of the Day Age are to be gathered by the witness of the Scriptures. We have two main descriptions in the Scriptures. They are part and parcel of the presence of God today. These descriptions are in the essay to the Hebrews and declarations in the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Added to these, we have statements made throughout the Scriptures about the full maturity of believers, which was bestowed at the appearing (the second coming) of Jesus.
Starting with the main statements, with interspersed statements referred to, our place of gathering, our assembly as believers is upon the spiritual mountain of God. This mountain cannot be entered into physically in the same way that the assembly of Jesus in the last days of Moses could be entered. This one cannot be seen with the physical eye or touched with the physical hand. It, being the domain of His Kingdom, was purged of foreign elements by Jesus, as promised, when He returned. Only those who are clothed with the garments of completed union with Jesus are inside. The Lord knows those who are His. This mountain presents no observable awesome fear to those who observe it, like the former mountain under Moses did. Yet, it is the manifested abode of God the Judge of all, the all consuming fire, Who has removed all things that were removable, the temporary shakable created things. Our unshakable mountain is unique as it is the city of the Living God, The Heavenly Jerusalem. It is the unique place of thousands of angels. It is the unique place of God’s mass-meeting of holy ones in joyous celebration. It is the abode of the first born from the dead. It is the place of the spirits of righteous ones perfected. And, above all, it is the domain of Jesus Who mediates the fulfillment of all eternal promises and commitments. It is where forgiveness and freedom in the blood of Jesus remain forever.
As already stated, the mountain is the city. Heavenly Jerusalem is the city of eternal righteousness and peace. It is walled with the might and intimacy of God. His strong angels guard the transcendent gates that only give entrance to His eternal sons and daughters. It is where we all, who have been given full inheritance as His sons, walk before Him as Kings. It is here that we bring our honor and glory to celebrate God. It is the city of the Garden of Eden restored and fulfilled, the place of full fellowship with God through Jesus, the Door, the Light, and the Way.
Upon this mountain and within this city, there is no separation and distinction of believers. There are no leaders and no disciples of leaders because now the goal has been reached - God is All in all. His Holy Spirit has taught and teaches all believers all things. He gives us all might to believe and to do all things according to the will of Jesus. The assembly of Jesus of the last days, His Christian synagogue, which fully and properly functioned under the leadership of males has been transcended in God filling all things. Every believer says in all fullness, “Know the Lord”. Now Deborah the Judge is completed. Now Priscilla the instructor is completed. Now Mary the Tower is vindicated. No one can deny the full function to God’s daughters, to whom He has given full sonship. To attempt to do so is to quench the Spirit of Jesus. It is to purposefully deny to God what He has done.
The Assembly of the Kingdom of God – how do we function within it?
Having laid out the fulfilled faithfulness of God and the full inheritance that He has bestowed upon us according to the Scriptures, the question remains, how do we practically function as the gathered people of God?
Again, we go to the same Scriptures. When we see the function of the dwellers upon the mountain, the citizens of the city, we see first and foremost worship. We see joyous worship in giving praise and glory and thanks to God for Who He is and what He has done. His house is called the House of Prayer for All the People. The golden alter of incense belongs to the Holy of Holies. That is not an error on the part of the author of Hebrews. No, it is by spiritual design that the golden altar of incense which actually belonged to the first sanctuary which was called the Holy Place in the Tabernacle-Temple dwelling of God under Moses, and represented that former administration, is now part and parcel with the inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place in the Great High Priest, Jesus Christ! As such, it abides forever. Prayer, praise, intercession, request, petition, and thanksgiving are all the life and breath and love of the sons of God in the eternal temple made without hands, the temple of Heaven. In fact, the Most Holy Place is the Temple as it is the city!
Accordingly, first and foremost, in Jesus the Lord joyous worship and calling upon the name of God with thanksgiving is paramount when we gather together! He has filled all things! The statement made by Jesus about His ruling presence among His followers is now completed in full measure. He said, “Where two or more are gathered in My Name, there I am in their midst.” He is our center and focal point when even two of us are gathered in Him with the purpose to function.
What about the place of teaching the word of God? Like the mention above of that kernel truth finding fulfillment in the full measure of Jesus, the rest of the promises of what God would do are fully brought forth in all His people. He promised, “The earth will be full of the knowledge of Jahveh as the waters cover the sea.” Yes, as the waters cover the sea – absolutely full, in full measure!
The function of the down-payment of that coming inheritance of the Holy Spirit as expressed in the last days of the Law is now fully expressed in the fullness of our completed inheritance in the Spirit of Christ. Because this was and is the work of the Spirit it has always been orderly. This order remains. It has found full expression in maturity. Isaiah said, “And many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; So that He may teach us about His ways, And that we may walk in His paths.’ For the law will go out from Zion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” Paul said, “When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation.” Just like then, the function operates now. The difference is between the once partial and the now complete.
To summarize, the abundance of the witness of the Scriptures declares that through our faith and believing in submission to Jesus we are all glorified members of the one body of Christ. We fully partake of His immortality, incorruptibility, and imperishable life. As such we are all living stones in the temple of life, consisting in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. At the appearing, the revealing of Jesus Christ God caused His tabernacle to fully dwell among us when He finished His work by creating everything eternal. There is one faith, and in one mind we are to continue in the realm of the full knowledge of Jesus to think the same things and to speak the same things with one voice in the one Word of God, even Jesus Christ. He is the Highest Teacher and the Highest Teaching. He is the Lawgiver and the Law. He is the Plumb-line and the Canon. We are His sons manifested in the Kingdom of God, and with Abraham and all of God’s elect we recline at Jahveh’s table in complete feasting-fellowship with Him. We understand that the table of the Lord is the very same golden alter of incense. This is the intimate place where all citizens and participants of Heaven worship the Lord in all holy array. In fulfillment of all the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings, the eternal Law of the Lord, the Word of God has gone forth and continues to flow forth from the holy mountain through us all. Accordingly, we are all full partakers of the Spirit of Christ as we have all attained to the full knowledge of the Son of God, to the perfect Man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
He accomplished all of this as He promised when He returned to the earth in glory!
All the wealth of the riches of the immortal language revealed and stated has been fully vindicated in us, the beloved people of God.
God is ALL in ALL!
Hallelujah – Glory to God in the Highest – Amen!