a_Nextmessage02

a_previous02
jdglogo1

Message 29 - By Leroy Surface

The “Members” and

The “Membership”

For the most part, the present day church has never known what a true church is.  Unless, and until God has breathed “the breath of life” into the church, it is only a “lifeless form.”  This message is concerning this great need of the church today.  We need, and must have, another mighty “Baptism with the Holy Ghost;” just as Jesus promised his followers immediately prior to His ascent to the Father, and just as He sent on the Day of Pentecost.  This was NOT, however, a “one time, forever” event as is testified by the weak, sin-laden church of today.  This generation of the church is literally dying and, because the church is dying, so is the lost world; all because of the lack of “…that which was spoken (prophesied) by the prophet Joel” that would come under the New Covenant (Acts 2:16; Joel 2:28-30.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

TEXTS FOR THIS MESSAGE.

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were ALL with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:1-4

While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on ALL them which heard the word.  And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.

Acts 10:44-46

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.  And ALL the men were about twelve.

Acts 19:6-7

A “Breath of Life” from God

I have chosen three texts from the book of Acts that give the record of three different outpourings of the Holy Ghost.  These took place in three different places among three different nationalities of people in three different time periods (years apart).  There are two “common denominators” in these three records.  The first, “they ALL ‘received the Holy Ghost.”  The second, “they ALL ‘spoke with tongues’.”  The common denominator I want you to pay particular attention to in this message is found in both; “they ‘all’ received the Holy Ghost,” and “they ‘all’ spoke with other tongues.” The first of these “outpourings of the Spirit” was in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost.  The scripture says, “…they were ALL with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind....” Genesis 2:7 gives the record of that first creation: “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” Notice that it was the “breath of God” that made man a “living soul.”  Without the breath of God, man was only a “lifeless form.” On the Day of Pentecost, “…there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind.” It is more than mere coincidence that the Greek word “pnoe”, which was translated “wind” in the second verse means “respiration or breeze”, and that the Greek world “pneuma,” which was translated as both “Ghost” and “Spirit” in the fourth verse, means “a current of air; breath, or a breeze.” Just as surely as the first man was a “lifeless form” until the “breath of God” filled his nostrils, the church is a “lifeless form” until the “breath of life” from God fills it.  It comes “suddenly…as a rushing mighty wind,” and it comes as a mighty “baptism with the Holy Ghost.” It is the “breath of life” from God Himself.

It came suddenly on the Day of Pentecost as God breathed life into those hundred and twenty obedient believers.  It was life such as had not been seen since the day God breathed the breath of life into Adam until his fall.  The single exception was Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry.  At the house of Cornelius, the scriptures tell us that “many” had gathered, and the Holy Ghost fell upon “all them that heard his word.” At Ephesus in the nineteenth chapter of Acts, there were only twelve, but they all received the Holy Ghost.  That particular “outpouring of the Spirit” was the beginning of a great church in the city of Ephesus.  Compared to the many thousands who professed to “believe upon Jesus,” a hundred and twenty was a pitifully small group.  Consider the multitudes that saw His miracles and those who ate His loaves and fishes, plus the great crowds in every city throughout Galilee and Judea that gathered to hear His words and receive His miracles of healing.  To end up with only a hundred and twenty that believed enough to obey His words and “wait for the promise of the Father” seems pretty incredible.  Yet it was into that “hundred and twenty” that God breathed His breath of life, and they became the living, breathing, flesh and bone body of Christ upon this earth.  They went from that place speaking His words and doing His works.  In their generation, they “turned the world upside down.” The “outpouring of the Spirit” at Cornelius’ house and later at Ephesus was part of that first great revival that shook the known world of that time.

It is significant to note that in each of these three places the Scripture says they were “all” filled with the Holy Ghost.  In each of these three places it is also clearly shown that they “all” spoke with other tongues.  In the fourth chapter of Acts there is an account of another “outpouring of the Spirit.”  This happened at a prayer meeting among those who had already received the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost.  Acts 4:31 says, “...when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were ALL filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” Again, notice that they were “all” filled with the Holy Ghost.  The 33rd verse continues, “And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.” The Scriptures establish in each of these four accounts that the Holy Ghost is for everyone who “repents and believes the gospel.” Jesus established that it was “the promise of the Father” when he commanded His disciples to “…wait for the promise of the Father,” saying, “…ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Acts 1:4).  Are you a “child of God?” Is God your Father?  If so, His promise is to you.

When Peter preached his great message in the second chapter of Acts, he concluded by speaking of the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, saying, “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.   Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear” (Acts 2:32-33).  When the thousands of Jews who were gathered at the feast of Pentecost heard Peter speak of the “resurrection” of Jesus Christ, they were “pricked in their hearts” because many of them had rejected Jesus and demanded His death.  Out of fear they cried out to Peter and the other apostles, “men and brethren, what shall we do (to correct this wrong which we have done)?” Peter answered, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38).  Notice that he calls it “the ‘gift’ of the Holy Ghost.” When God poured His Spirit upon Cornelius and his house, the scripture says, “...they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because upon the Gentiles also was poured out the ‘gift’ of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 10:45).  It is both the “promise” and the “gift” of the Father.  In Acts 2:39, Peter confirms that the promise is to every person who will ever “repent” and call upon Jesus, when he says to the multitude, “...the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”

The “Lifeless Form”

Just as Adam was a “lifeless form” before God breathed life into him (…the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground…; Genesis 2:7), so were the hundred and twenty a “lifeless form” before they received the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost.  Jesus had spent three and a half years gathering men and women to form His church.  He chose twelve “disciples;” later, He chose seventy other disciples.  Wherever He went, there was a multitude of people following, trying to get near Him.  Crowds of ten to fifteen thousand were present at times.  When He multiplied the loaves and fishes to feed the multitude, the scripture says there were “about five thousand men, beside the women and children” (Matthew 14:21).  Another time He multiplied the loaves and fishes to feed four thousand men, beside the women and children.  These had come to Him, “…having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them” (Matthew 15:30).  The next verse says, “…insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see: and they glorified the God of Israel.” The number of Jesus’ disciples increased until there were hundreds in every city throughout Galilee and Judea.  Yet there were times like the one recorded in John 6:66-67, which say: “From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?” This happened the very next day after the miracle of the loaves and fishes.  His crowd had fallen from the largest of His earthly ministry to just a few of His closest disciples in only one day.  Can you imagine those who had seen the dumb talking, the lame walking, and the blind seeing…, turning away from Jesus after only one day?  Can you imagine many of them joining the mob that cried for His crucifixion at Pilate’s court a short time later?  Such is the fickleness of people who have the “multitude” mentality.

When Jesus was raised up from the dead, He found His apostles hiding behind locked and barred doors, for fear of the Jews.  It was to them that He “…shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days” (Acts 1:3).  On one occasion there were over five hundred people who saw Him.  There was no question remaining among these disciples that Jesus Christ, the one whom they had seen die on the cross, was risen again and walking among them.  Yet, for all this, Peter and the other “apostles” decided to return to their old way of life, which was fishing.  Only Jesus could have ever persuaded them to return to Jerusalem, from where they would begin the fulfillment of the commission He would give them.  Out of the hundreds who called themselves His disciples; out of those who even saw Him after His resurrection, there were only one hundred and twenty who obeyed His command to “wait for the promise of the Father.” Certainly through no lack on the part of Jesus, the number of His disciples decreased from the many thousands who had followed Him to just a handful who truly believed.  Jesus had, “out of the dust of the ground”, formed a church.  Nevertheless, it would be a “lifeless form” until after He had ascended to the Father, who would “breathe the breath of life” into it.

In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said, “…I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” In reality, Jesus had been building His church for several years.  He was calling disciples to follow Him; He was placing apostles; He was teaching them, sending them to preach, and giving them authority in His name to heal the sick, and to cast out devils, all before “redemption” was made at Calvary.  After His death and resurrection, and immediately before His ascension, He had found the hundred and twenty who would make up His church.  They had been weak, sometimes fearful, at times doubtful, but with the exception of Judas Iscariot, they were the “form” of a church, complete with the apostles He had appointed.  However, it would remain a “lifeless form” until the Holy Ghost would bring the life of God into it.

The Structure

When someone decides to start a church, they may rent a building to meet in, or perhaps meet in their own living room for a time.  However, before the first meeting, they are working on the church “structure” which has nothing to do with the building they will meet in.  The “structure” of a church is normally determined by the one who will be the pastor, if he is also the founder.  It will include the pastor, then teachers, musicians, worship leaders, and eventually deacons or board members.  Sometimes these “churches” will have this structure completed before the first service in a public building.  This structure will usually include deacons, Sunday school teachers, youth ministers, etc., and may include programs for every age group and problem of man.  Sometimes the “structure” seems to be so good that the “church” quickly fills with people and becomes very prominent in the community for all its social outreaches.  Yet, for all its success, it is only a “structure,” an “organization” that man has put together.  It will in truth, be a “lifeless form” until such time that God breathes upon it.  This is certainly not a condemnation of church “structure,” or “organization.” These are necessary to every church man builds, whether mine or yours.  However, we should not think that we have built a “church” until the time that God approves it by pouring out His Spirit upon it.

In the “structure” of the church, there will usually be a membership roll and certain criteria that people must meet in order to be a member of the church.  I can remember the time, when in the membership agreement, you could not be a user of tobacco or alcohol.  In some churches, you could not be divorced and remarried.  In others, a woman could not cut her hair, or wear make-up and jewelry.  It was only about forty five years ago that one major Pentecostal denomination tried to legislate the “perfect church” through their membership standards; they wanted their denomination to be the “bride” that Jesus would choose when He returned.  Today, we recognize how foolish such thinking is, but many have now gone to the other extreme, the only criteria being that you “believe in Jesus.” Whether the standards are “strict” or “liberal”, we must understand that all such things are a part of the “structure” that man organizes.

In every church that man structures, there are those who exercise authority over the people.  For any organization to function it is absolutely necessary that there be some line of authority.  There is in my church, and there is in your church also, but in the church that Jesus built, He said, “it shall not be so among you.” Matthew 20:25-28 gives the record; “…Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

The body of Christ is made up of members, not a membership.  A membership indicates that you are a part of a structure which man has put together.  Many organizations require membership if you are to have fellowship.  One young Christian was being pressured to join a certain church.  One of the reasons they gave for the necessity of membership was because the “church” needed the authority to “discipline” its members and they could not properly discipline him if he was not a member.  I told this young man, “The only one who can give them the authority to discipline you is you.  If you give them that authority, you will find they will discipline you for what you believe, instead of for the life you live.  You could be a sinner for the rest of your life and have fellowship in that church, but if you believe in the reality of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, you will certainly be disciplined by and lose the fellowship of that church.” That is simply not God’s way. 

When man structures a church it will usually look similar to the one Jesus built.  There will be pastors, evangelists, teachers, and deacons.  These may or may not have been placed by Christ, but they will certainly have been placed by man.  There will also be elders, presbyters and Bishops, all of which are mentioned in the first century church.  Then, in some organizations, there will be “superintendents” and “general superintendents,” in others, “fathers” and “priests,” and then in another, “cardinals” and a “Pope.” All of these are part of a “structure” that man has built.  Some may be good, others may be exceedingly corrupt, but none of them can be the “church” that Jesus built.  Why! Because Paul, in Ephesians 1:22-23, speaks of the “church” as “…His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.” When I read this, I know that if these words mean anything, I have never seen a church that is the “fullness of Jesus Christ.”  There is no such church as this among all the churches structured and organized by man.  As long as we continue to look to the “greatness” that some churches have attained through “methods” which were devised by man, we will never receive from God that Spirit (the Holy Ghost) which alone makes a “church” to be “His body.”

The Body

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

I Corinthians 12:12

A “member” of the body of Christ is not someone who has met certain criteria.  In Christ, a member is not someone who has a membership.  In the body of Christ a “member” is a hand, a foot, a toe, the mouth, an ear, an eye, etc: a member is a “member of His body.” This is what constitutes the church that Jesus built.  Just as every individual member of the human body has different functions, so it is with the members of Christ.  In I Corinthians 12:7, Paul says, “…the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” He is speaking of “every member” of the body of Christ.  Notice what it is he calls the “manifestation of the Spirit” beginning with the next verse: “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues” (I Corinthians 12:8-10).  These are the manifestations of the Spirit, which can only be received by those who have been baptized with the Holy Ghost.  Without having received the Holy Ghost, which is the Spirit of God, you cannot possibly receive the manifestations of the Spirit.  There are nine of these “manifestations of the Spirit (commonly called ‘gifts of the Spirit)” named in this text.  Notice that the next verse says, “…all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will” (I Corinthians 12:11).  Paul begins his discourse by saying these manifestations are “given to every man,” and ends it by saying they are “divided to every man.” If the words “every man” does not speak of “every member” of His body, then I must believe that the precious gifts and manifestations of God are given to sinners, to the ungodly, the immoral, and even to those who deny the existence of God, because all these would be included in the term “every man.” To believe such would be absurd, so I am left with only one thing to believe about this text; the gifts and manifestations of God are given to “every member” of the body of Christ, “which is the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.” This excludes all of those who have nothing more than a “membership” in a structure which man calls a church, whether it is mine or yours.  When Paul says “the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal,” it is taken for granted that he is speaking of those who have received the promise of the father.  They have been baptized with the Holy Ghost, which is a promise to every child of God.

Gifts for Men

Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.

Psalms 68:18

This is a most wonderful prophecy given through David of the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.  David said of Jesus, He “led captivity captive.” After the fact of Calvary, Paul said He “spoiled principalities and powers” (Colossians 2:15), and “destroyed he that had the power of death, that is the devil” (Hebrews 2:14).  He was raised again triumphant and ascended to the father, where He “received gifts for men.” David prophesied, “…thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.” It is obvious from this text that Jesus received gifts for every man, and that it is the will of God to dwell among men, yet He will never dwell among the rebellious and sinful.  Jesus came into the world to “save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).  Jesus began His earthly ministry by preaching the coming “Kingdom of God,” and telling people everywhere to “…repent ye, and believe the gospel.” While it is true He received gifts for every man, it is only those who “repent and believe the gospel” that will ever receive them.  You will never see the rebellious receive the “gift of the Holy Ghost,” but it is promised to them if they will “repent and believe the gospel.” Jesus died on the cross to redeem sinners from sin and to sanctify them holy unto Himself (Titus 2:14).  He died “for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.” He has a “gift” for all who will come to Him; it is the “gift of salvation” to all those who repent and believe the gospel.  In Romans 10:12, Paul said, “the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him.”

But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.  Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Ephesians 4:7-8

When Paul wrote these words to the Ephesians, David’s prophecy had been fulfilled in the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ.  He had prophesied that Jesus would receive gifts for men, including “the rebellious also.” On the day of Pentecost Peter preached a message to thousands of “devout Jews” who were also guilty of rejecting Jesus Christ, some of them demanding His death.  Peter, being “full of the Holy Ghost,” spoke the word with boldness and great power.  He “indicted” the entire multitude for the death of Jesus.  In Acts 2:22 Peter spoke to them about Jesus of Nazareth, “a man approved of God among you by miracles, and wonders, and signs…,” and in the twenty third verse, he charged them with His murder, saying, “Him… ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:” The last words of Peter’s powerful message were, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:36).  When they heard that the one who they had crucified was now resurrected and sitting on the throne of Heaven as both Lord and Christ, they were pricked in their hearts and cried out in fear to the apostles, “Men and brethren what shall we do?” It was to these that Peter said, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Peter was speaking to rebels against Christ; to enemies of Christ, the very ones who had demanded that Pilot have Him crucified.  He was extending to them the “promise” of a “gift from God” if they would repent.  Isn’t this amazing?  God is not withholding His Spirit from man.  He is simply waiting for their repentance and faith in what Jesus Christ has done at Calvary.  On the day of Pentecost they all received the Holy Ghost.  The household of Cornelius did not know the first thing about the Holy Ghost, yet they all received.  While Peter was yet speaking, “...the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard his word.” The twelve men in Acts 19:1-7 were believers who knew only John’s baptism.  They had been taught by Apollos, who did not have full understanding of the gospel at the time.  When Paul asked them, “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed,” they had never heard of the Holy Ghost.  After Paul had briefly instructed them and baptized them in the name of the Lord, he laid hands upon them and they all received the Holy Ghost and spoke with other tongues.

Going back to the twelfth chapter of Corinthians and the eighth verse, Paul says, “…to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit....” That “same Spirit” is the Holy Ghost who abides in everyone who has received the “promise of the Father.” Paul continues, “…to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these…;” There are nine which are named; They are miracles, healings, faith, prophecies, tongues, and interpretations of tongues, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, and discerning of spirits.  “…all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will” (I Corinthians 12:11).   Paul is speaking to every “member in particular” (I Corinthians 12:27) of the body of Christ, telling them that the “manifestation of the Spirit” is given to them by the Holy Ghost that dwells in them.  They must be full of the Holy Ghost.

Membership or Members?

There is a difference between the “membership” of the church and the “members” of the body of Christ.  Those with “membership” may be “saved,” or they may be “lost.” They may be “full of the Holy Ghost,” or they may “resist the Holy Ghost.” Some with a “membership” may actually be everything God has called them to be, while others may live their lives “…in the lusts of their flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind” (Ephesians 2:3).  On the other hand, the “members of Christ” have been filled with the Spirit and are “full of the Spirit.” Paul will show that every “member” of the body has been baptized with the Holy Ghost.  Notice what he says in I Corinthians 12:12; “For as the body is one....” In this verse, Paul is giving an analogy of the human body to help us understand the body of Christ.  He shows that a human body is one body that is made up of many members, such as your hands, feet, arms, legs, eyes, ears, nose and mouth, etc.  Now hear what Paul says, “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.” Notice that he said, “so also is Christ!” He (Paul) is speaking of Christ as He has chosen to be revealed in this present world.  He is speaking of Christ as a head, which is Jesus, and a body which is made up of many members.  Let's look at Ephesians 1:22 again; Paul says, “(God) hath…given Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.” Can you see it?  Christ is one body with many members.  He alone is the head, but His body is made up of many members.

It is the next verse, I Corinthians 12:13, that we must understand.  “For by one Spirit…” , which is the Holy Ghost, we are “...all baptized into one body…” Can you see it?  It is by the “baptism with the Holy Ghost” that we are “baptized into the living, breathing, body of Christ.”  Paul continues in the text, “…whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.  For the body is not one member, but many.   If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.  And if they were all one member, where were the body?  But now are they many members, yet but one body.  And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary” (I Corinthians 12:15-22).

We must not confuse the “members” of the body, with the “membership” of the church.  Can you see the difference?  One is a man-made structure, the other is the body of Christ.  One has been put together with the understanding of men, the other is put together by the Holy Ghost.  “For by one Spirit...”, that is, by the Holy Ghost, you are “…baptized into one body.” That is the reason Jesus said in Acts 1:4-5, “…but wait for the promise of father, ...which you have heard of me.  For John truly baptized with water and repentance, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” It was so important that they all receive “the promise of the Father” that Jesus actually told them, to use our vernacular, “don’t go home without it.” He “commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father” (Acts 1:4).  Why was this so important? The future of the church and the ultimate salvation of lost humanity both hinged on whether or not they obeyed His command that day.  If they returned to Galilee without having received the Holy Ghost, there would be no church, and certainly no “body, which is the fullness of Him that filleth all in all.”  It is by the “baptism with the Holy Ghost” that they were “baptized into one body.”  Now we can understand how Paul could say, “the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every ‘member of the body’.”

“Stir up the Gift…”

If you are one who has been truly baptized with the Holy Ghost at some time in the past, then, as Paul told Timothy in II Timothy 1:6, “…stir up the gift of God that is in you....” He also told him to “…make full proof of thy ministry” (II Timothy 4:5).  Find out what God has given you.  Find out what you have received.  In the first chapter of Ephesians Paul prays for those believers who have received the “Holy Spirit of Promise” (Ephesians 1:13).  His prayer is that they will receive “the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that ye might know what is the hope of his calling... .” What is the “hope of his calling”?  In II Thessalonians 2:14 Paul says, “…He called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” When the “gospel” calls a sinner to salvation, it is also a call to “obtain the glory of Jesus Christ.” We need to understand what that “glory” is.  In Romans 6:5 Paul says, “…like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father... .”  The “glory of the Father” is the Holy Ghost.  He is talking about the “same Spirit” that raised Christ from the dead.  It is the “same Spirit” that came upon Jesus according to the testimony of John the Baptist in John 1:32-34.  The “glory of the Father (the Holy Ghost)” glorified the Son of God, and that same “glory” is promised to all the children of God.  In John 17:1 Jesus prays, “Father, glorify thou thy son, that thy son also may glorify thee.” Jesus recognized that without the Holy Ghost, even He could do nothing to glorify God.  He confirmed this in John 5:19, saying, “The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do.” In John 17:22, Jesus continued His prayer, saying to His Father, “…the glory which thou gavest me, I have given them....” What is the “glory” the Father gave to Jesus?  He was speaking of the Holy Ghost that glorified Jesus on the earth to do the works of His Father.  It is the same Spirit that also glorifies a child of God together with Christ (Romans 8:17).  In John 17:22-23, Jesus continued His prayer to His Father; “The glory which thou gavest me, I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” In I Thessalonians 2:12, Paul exhorts the believers to “walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto His kingdom and glory.” In I Peter 1:3, Peter tells us we are “…called unto glory and virtue.” God called us out of sin unto Himself, to save us, sanctify us, and fill us with the Holy Ghost.  Remember, it is “by one Spirit…”, that is to say, by the Holy Ghost, that“…we are baptized into one body.”  It is the “promise of the Father” to baptize us “with the Holy Ghost” into the “one body” of Christ, “…which is the fullness of Him that filleth all in all” (Ephesians 1:23).  

When Paul instructed Timothy to “stir up the gift of God that is in you,” he was speaking of the Holy Ghost itself.  When the Spirit of God is moving, the “manifestations” will follow.  When you hear that the “manifestation of the Spirit” is given to you by the Holy Ghost, don’t begin “trying to do something.” God has always worked through His people only as the Holy Ghost comes upon them.  Do not seek a “gift” or a “manifestation” of the Holy Ghost.  Do not “try” to operate a gift of the Holy Ghost.   Never, ever, “try” to speak with other tongues.  Those who claim to be able to teach you to do the works of the Spirit have deceived a multitude and have actually destroyed what was once the great Pentecostal revival.  Instead of seeking gifts and manifestations, just “worship God in the Spirit, and rejoice in Jesus Christ.” Wait for the “promise of the Father,” with the desperation of “I can’t go home without it.” When that is the reality, it will come “suddenly,” as a “sound from Heaven.”

An “Organism,” or an “Organization?”

The church that Jesus built (formed) became a living breathing “organism” on the Day of Pentecost.  It had been “structured” by Jesus, and of necessity it continued to have structure, but His church is not an “organization.”  There are those who are “members” of “His body (the ‘organism’),” who also hold “membership” in an “organization.”  The great danger of organizations is when they either fight against the organism, or claim to be the organism (the body of Christ).  There are in reality, two churches.  One is called “The Church of the Firstborn” in Hebrews 12:23; the other is organized by man.  No one can “organize” the “Church of the Firstborn.”  In “our” churches (every sincere man of God will confess the truth of what I say) there are both “saints” and “sinners,” and so it should be, as long as the difference between the two is recognized.  Sadly, in our churches today there are also hypocrites and pretenders.  In His church, the “Church of the Firstborn,” there are no sinners, no hypocrites, and no pretenders, because, they are all “saved by grace” (Romans 6:14).  So many who are only of the “organizations” look at the works of their hands, and they, like Cain, say “God, look what we've done for you.”  Their offering is large churches and large memberships with many programs, but if it is not the result of the power and presence of the Holy Ghost, it is Cain’s offering and we don’t like to think in these terms.

In the 1960s there was a movement that promulgated the lie, “God is dead.”  Many old-line churches were losing their membership, and they were distressed, wondering what to do.  Around 1967 some of the major theologians of the historic denominations called a council meeting to discuss how to revitalize their churches.  This is almost too incredible to believe, but they actually invited some atheistic philosophers to give their views on how the church could be revitalized.  These “philosophers” did not believe in the existence of God, but they were called upon to help the churches renew themselves.  The question put before them was basically this, “What can we do to bring people back into our churches?”  I saw the minutes of that meeting.  The conclusion that these theologians and atheistic philosophers came to actually reshaped most of the modern Church of this generation.  One of their conclusions which I recall was that there had been too much emphasis on “true believers,” and “true Christians.”  It was determined that everyone who believes in Jesus must be accepted as a Christian.  It was also determined that the worship should be entertaining.  There were many other principles that came out of that conference which were designed to make the world want to come to the church.  They have certainly succeeded.  Just over forty years later we observe that the “world” has been in the “church” for a long time.  We must return to those things that they condemned, and realize that there is a “true” church, a “true” Christian, and there is that body of Christ which is full of the Holy Ghost.  I realize that it is offensive today to speak of the “true” church, “true” believers, and “true” Christians, but we must understand that the church that Jesus built is not made with hands, is not governed by humans and has no membership, but is made up of those who are “born of God” and has “members” that have been “baptized into one body,” which is “…His body, the fullness of him that filleth all in all”

His Flesh and His Bone (The Bride)

And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And (of) the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.  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 2:21-24

This text, taken from the second chapter of the first book of the Bible, is an account of the original creation of man, and how God took a “rib” from the side of Adam, and made of it, his wife.  It is the words of Adam when he first saw his wife that I call attention to; “…this is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh,” and Adam immediately loved her.  In his wife he saw that which would forever cause a man to “leave his father and his mother, and cleave unto his wife; and they shall be one flesh.”  With this incident in mind, we will turn to a text in the fifth chapter of Ephesians where Paul is speaking about Christ and His church. 

For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.  For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.  This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.

Ephesians 5:30-32

It is no coincidence that the words in these two texts are so similar.  In this second text, however, Paul is not speaking about a man and his wife; he is speaking about Christ and His bride.  There is a strange and wonderful similarity between the way Adam received his wife, and the way Christ has received His bride.  Adam was placed in a deep sleep when God took a “rib” from his side and made his wife.  Paul says in Ephesians 5:26:27, “…Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”  Jesus Christ died to redeem His bride unto Himself.  Notice in John 19:34; “…one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.”  It was out of the side of Jesus that the blood flowed to “purchase (redeem) His church” (Acts 20:28).  That same “blood and water” flowed from His side to sanctify, cleanse, and wash His church, in order that He might “present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish.”  At this point in this discourse which Paul gave to husbands and wives, it becomes obvious that he is actually speaking of Christ and His Bride.  She is “holy and without blemish” because of the blood He shed for her.  Her garments are “without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing,” testifying that she is adorned in righteousness with all the righteousness of Christ.  She is “glorious” because of the Spirit of God that is upon her.  Does Christ say of His bride as Adam did, “this is flesh of my flesh, and bone of my bone?”  The scripture does not tell us, but Paul certainly indicates such when he says, “For we are members of His body (which is His church), of His flesh, and of His bones.”  He reaches the same conclusion that Adam reached over four thousand years before, “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they (being) two shall be one flesh.” 

Did Christ “leave His Father and mother” to get His bride?  Consider what Paul tells us in Philippians 2:5-8; “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”  No one forced Christ to leave the throne of heaven, where He was “in the form of God” and “equal with God.”  He “made Himself of no reputation” but “took upon Him the form of a servant.”  He “humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”  Consider the distance He traveled between the “form of God,” and “equal with God,” to the shameful “death of the cross.”  That is the distance Christ came to get His bride, leaving all else behind.  Hebrews 12:2 gives this account of Jesus, “…who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  Was it for the “joy” of receiving His bride that caused Jesus Christ to endure the shameful cross?  That is what Paul said in our text; “For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto His wife....”  Paul closes his discourse on husbands and wives with these words, “This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and His church.”

“For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.”  The first man (Adam) was created in the image and likeness of God.  He was a “flesh and bone image of God.”  This does not mean that the physical appearance of Adam was what God looked like; instead, it is what he (Adam) was that was the image of God.  He “breathed” the Spirit of God, and was “crowned with glory and honour” (Hebrews 2:6-7).  When Adam transgressed, all these things were lost to him, and Adam was lost to God.  The “flesh and bone” image of God became a “mystery” that was hidden for four thousand years; until the birth and ministry of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  In Colossians 1:15, Paul writes that Jesus is “…the image of the invisible God.”  In John 14:9, Jesus said to Phillip, “…he that hath seen me, hath seen the Father.”  Jesus was a “flesh and bone” image of the “invisible God.”  Again, it was not the physical features of Jesus that looked like God.  Instead, it was as Paul said in I Timothy 3:16, “…great is the mystery of godliness: (for once again, in Jesus Christ) God was manifest in the flesh....” 

God will still be “manifest in the flesh.”  Every child of God, though “born of the Spirit,” is also “flesh and bone.”  Do you remember what Jesus told His disciples when, after His resurrection, they thought He was a spirit?  He said, “Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have.”  Paul said, “for we (the church of Christ) are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.”  The body of Christ on this earth is still not invisible.  It is the “flesh and bones” of the individually born again children of God, inhabited by the invisible God, who dwells in us by the Holy Ghost; and is to increase “daily” in wisdom, stature, and favor, as it “daily” receives from Christ (Psalms 68:19), until “...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” (Ephesians 4:13).  Oh God!, our God!, do it again!.

Message 29 - By Leroy Surface - The “Members” and the “Membership”

-------------------------------------------------------------------

TOP of  PAGE

NEXT MESSAGE

PREVIOUS MESSAGE

Leroy Surface MESSAGES

JDG  MESSAGES

Keith Surface MESSAGES